Originally Posted by
EWR764
Or is it an issue where, under normal circumstances, the returns may be caused items that can be MEL'd, deferred or quick-fixed (with a little hustle), and now these warts are being treated as tumors, therefore leading to a higher-than-usual cancellation rate? Combine that with the fact that the company and pilots could not agree on a proposal to relax contractual duty time rules (for more pay) closer to FAA minimums to address this very situation and you have some of the key the ingredients for a crew time-out.
I'm not a pilot nor do I work for the company, but anecdotally, I hear of that sort of thing happening too.
I was thinking along the same lines of Bearx220 that the number of RTG scenarios doesn't quite fit with a labor action by the mechanics.
I think the point being made was if the mechanics were causing the issue, the planes would not be pushing from the gate. Seems the issues are being discovered after the plane has been "accepted" as ready-to-fly by the pilots.
As mentioned above, more likely a confluence of factors all having impact during the high summer travel season. Understaffed, unrealistic re-banking, low morale, not accepting overtime, cost cutting, and on and on and on.