Posted by
Bear96:
passengers as well have made it clear that they too would not give a second though to seeing my salary cut in half tomorrow if it would mean they could get to DSM next week for $109 instead of today's already amazingly low inflation-proof price of $119.
Bear96: This is the second reference I've seen you make recently to passengers insisting on low fares "on the backs of employees" and I must disagree.
UA has never been the low-cost leader. In my last six UA flights, I could have traveled the same itinerary on another carrier for 20-50 percent less. And I know from reading this board that I'm far from alone. If the people who fly UA wanted cheaper flights, they would be on a different carrier. Sure, I find some good deals on UA once in a while, but overall I know it costs me more to fly UA than probably any other airline, but I, and I believe others, are willing to pay it in the belief it might bring us better service, equipment and safety standards.
UA is very profitable and yet, IMHO, their FAs and pilots are underpaid. This is not the fault of customers who have also sacrificed for low fares (ever sit in a center coach seat of a full flight for 12 hours and then be told they didn't load enough meals?), but of a management that cares primarily about rewarding those at the top with multi-million-dollar-a-year contracts that will continue long after they have left UA. Do you really think if fares were higher management would eagerly offer FAs and staff members raises? The money is already there, it's just not being allocated properly.
Your comments disturb me because, if this attitude is common among UA FAs, it would certainly explain why many of us have perceived an us v. them attitude among some FAs.
I believe UA customers want to see employees who are compensated fairly. But perhaps I'm wrong and you can tell me how the passengers have made it clear to you that they would like to see your salary cut in half so they can save $10.