UAL's ALPA Rep: UAL's Holiday Efforts Were 'Feeble Attempt'

I got this from Propwash:

UAL/ALPA's Captain Mark Bathurst Is NOT Feeling The Holiday Spirit

Captain Mark Bathurst, Chairman of the United Master Executive Council
of the Air Line Pilots Association, had a few things to say,
Wednesday, about United Airlines' Christmas holiday flight
cancellations.

"While United management basks in the afterglow of their multimillion
dollar stock dividend to themselves this Christmas holiday, their
mismanagement of the airline left thousands of Christmas travelers
stranded at airports all across the country. According to press
reports, American Airlines cancelled few flights while operating in
the same weather environment. Southwest Airlines cancelled none.

"United's management made a feeble attempt to shift the blame to
weather for what is becoming an annual debacle -- flight cancellations
due to crew shortages when recovering from bad weather. United
management seems to be continually surprised by these winter
snowstorms which history shows occur with some regularity throughout
the Midwest between November and April. Internally, a memo was sent
out by one pilot flight office properly blaming the service meltdown
on '...several winter weather events in the Midwest and heavily
congested northeast corridor (that) have increased flight duty times,
exhausted monthly maximum hours earlier than normal in the month and
reduced available crew reserves.' The statement explicitly stated that
the shortages were not the result of any pilot job action or excessive
sick leave usage.

"It is unconscionable that United would allow this gaping hole in the
schedule during the most critical time of year for holiday travelers
and then try to shift the blame to acts of God. This is nothing but
further evidence of a leadership team that is simply incapable of
managing a world-class airline. United has the finest and most
complete route structure in the industry and an infrastructure on par
with anyone with which to compete.
However, given that this management is constantly 'surprised' by
elements with which other airlines routinely deal, it is long overdue
for drastic and deep systemic changes in the management of this
airline. This past week only serves as further evidence of the
pervasive operational incompetence under which United's employees have
had to suffer."
Captain Mark Bathurst, Chairman of the United Master Executive Council
of the Air Line Pilots Association, had a few things to say,
Wednesday, about United Airlines' Christmas holiday flight
cancellations.

"While United management basks in the afterglow of their multimillion
dollar stock dividend to themselves this Christmas holiday, their
mismanagement of the airline left thousands of Christmas travelers
stranded at airports all across the country. According to press
reports, American Airlines canceled few flights while operating in the
same weather environment. Southwest Airlines canceled none.

"United's management made a feeble attempt to shift the blame to
weather for what is becoming an annual debacle -- flight cancellations
due to crew shortages when recovering from bad weather. United
management seems to be continually surprised by these winter
snowstorms which history shows occur with some regularity throughout
the Midwest between November and April. Internally, a memo was sent
out by one pilot flight office properly blaming the service meltdown
on '...several winter weather events in the Midwest and heavily
congested northeast corridor (that) have increased flight duty times,
exhausted monthly maximum hours earlier than normal in the month and
reduced available crew reserves.' The statement explicitly stated that
the shortages were not the result of any pilot job action or excessive
sick leave usage.

"It is unconscionable that United would allow this gaping hole in the
schedule during the most critical time of year for holiday travelers
and then try to shift the blame to acts of God. This is nothing but
further evidence of a leadership team that is simply incapable of
managing a world-class airline. United has the finest and most
complete route structure in the industry and an infrastructure on par
with anyone with which to compete. However, given that this management
is constantly 'surprised' by elements with which other airlines
routinely deal, it is long overdue for drastic and deep systemic
changes in the management of this airline. This past week only serves
as further evidence of the pervasive operational incompetence under
which United's employees have had to suffer."