All'osso del problema

SECONDI I SINDACATI del settore aeronautico civile americano, che non sono esattamente come i nostri in termini di forza e litigiosità, il futuro è fosco, il traffico aereo incasinato, i voli cancellati in crescita e i fallimenti in aumento. Tutto per via di scelte profondamente sbagliate delle compagnie aree: l'outsourcing di servizi al cliente e manutenzione, in buona sostanza, e le avventate fusioni (come quella in ponte Delta-Northwest).

Money quote: "Airlines are increasingly outsourcing critical aspects of their maintenance programs, replacing customer service representatives with computers and failing to provide passengers with the service they pay for.

The airline industry is providing the worst customer service in its history after slashing jobs and cutting employee wages. Consumer complaints were up 60 percent last year, and more than a quarter of all flights experienced delays. This is all occurring while executives at major airlines are considering mergers to create even larger, more unmanageable carriers, producing bigger headaches for passengers.

The Machinists Union is urging executives at all airlines to refocus their efforts to provide superior safety and customer service to passengers. This industry is in chaos and senseless mergers will only make things worse."