February 20, 2024, Ground crews for Lufthansa walked off the job leaving about ten percent of its entire operations out of airports in Germany. Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich are the major airports affected. Meanwhile top executives pushing hard for the takeover of ITA airline of Italy.

While top executives roll their pockets deep with pay and bonuses it’s the ground crew staff simply asking for a decent pay rise. This is the second strike in the month of February already affecting 100,000 travelers. This alone is not a one-off situation across the globe.

Last week nationwide in the US, many flight attendants showed up to protest the low pay and ask for raises that yet have been adjusted in the last five years. Airline executives are always looking to cut the bottom line, but it appears too little care for those that keep the airlines running.  

During the corona virus pandemic major airlines were given major amounts of money to subsidies the lack of operations and flying to stay afloat. Many executives kept their pay and others barely hung on as they found themselves grounded. For the last five years at least, it seems that many take as much money out of the profit margin to pad their own pay and leaves others with little less. As cost of living has risen substantially since coronavirus pandemic pay needs to increase too.

Even Boeing has changed its dynamics since the early 1990’s when the aircraft manufacturer use to invest back into the company. Since the mid to late 1990’s it’s all about stocks and taking profits and padding executives pay. The culture within seems to have changed since the early 2000’s to now and Boeing can do so much better than current status.

Some airlines and manufacturers need to know everyone that matters, not just profits, Also understand from ramp agent to Flight attendant and others all make the airlines what they are now.

As for Boeing a restructure and look back at its history as editor have seen it at hand in later 80’s where the pride was the greatest. Same goes for the old days at McDonnell Douglas at Long Beach California.

Last but not least from mergers and the monopoly alone must not affect the pay or quality of lifestyle for those who work for them, As of recent Hawaiian Airlines shareholders agreed to the merge of Alaska Airlines with Hawaiian Airlines. Now’s the time to look at all future contracts like the flight attendants of both airlines as it becomes one down the road.

Editorial Fire and Aviation TV February 20, 2024