This is topic Commercial Aviation is financially "Hurting". in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-18-2001, 08:43 PM:
Yes, we all read about that. The US Government wants to help them through bad times now, since the bottom practically dropped out of the industry due to the terrorist attacks. I hope the US Government does and will help this industry.
However, I heard over KIRO Radio tonight that Boeing is going to make an announcement tomorrow that it will lay off 20 to 30% of its work force over the next several months. That can be up to 31,000 people in the Seattle area. Gov Locke is very concerned about the impact it will have on the state's economy.
Well, the economy was slipping before the attacks, and is even slipping worse in some sectors since the attack.
Keep your bills paid.
When it comes to economy, I think it is going to become much worse before it gets better. Credit card related bankruptcies are, from what I have read and heard, at an all-time high.
Things are getting flakey up here now. Gasoline prices range from a difference of 32 cents a gallon within 8 miles of each other. One station gets 1.49/9 for unleaded regular, and a station 8 miles away gets 1.82/9 for the same. Both get their gasoline from the refineries that are about 7 miles from where I live. The closer to the refineries, the more expensive the gasoline is.
You figure it.
Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 09-18-2001, 09:38 PM:
I'll figure it Paul. It is called price gouging. In Florida there are laws against it and some stations have to look at $25,000 fines.We are in this together, and those that want to make a killing on the fears of the citizens are terrorists in their own right.
As for the airlines, the government abandoned the rails at the end of the second world war. I vote for a renewed interest in the rails. I haven't heard of any trains being flown into buildings, and the method of transportation is much more human scale. What airlines are absolutely needed will survive. It is called l'aissez-faire capitalism, and it is what has been cried for by many for years.
"Ce que vous voulez est ce qui obtenez vous."
Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 09-18-2001, 11:13 PM:
Hummmm........management of Boeing moved to Chicago a few months ago, maybe layoff of some type would have occurred. I am on the road six months a year and air travel for my company is a given part of business....I flew when there where air marshals (bring them back)and during the Gulf War ( choice of 3 - 4 empty seats around you )so we will continue....but more planning, such as having employees fly on separate flights. International airports are more professional regarding security vs what we have in the U.S. International you are usually dealing with a national police force so our Airlines' request that our government take over from the half awake, low pay, force should not be a big deal. In Europe recently I marveled how some cockpit doors where open on short flights.....a stewardess told me that person would be shot dead before they would cross the door.....
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com
Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 09-18-2001, 11:58 PM:
quote:
I haven't heard of any trains being flown into buildings
But even this past week, Amtrak couldn't keep all of its trains on the rails ... 
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-19-2001, 10:01 AM:
The good ole USof A cannot survive without the airlines. We are dependent on it for too many everyday things that most people do not take into account or even think about. The bail out is entirely justified and I hope it happens soon.
I do however feel that we have grown all too dependent on what has turned out to be a very fragile industry. It may be time to see things like Bus and Rail travel increase again.
Mark @ GTS
Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 09-19-2001, 10:08 AM:
I plan on doing my part and flying my little behind off. Yo dawg - I gotz Joonyor Mints to be countin.
It's my job to travel and audit, so I gotta. I'm actually thankful for it or else I might be much more hesitant to fly. Right now I'm kinda lookin forward to a Southwest Airlines flight that isn't packed to the gills.
Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 09-19-2001, 10:26 AM:
Last night Boeing announced a 20-30% lay off in the Puget Sound area. For us that's about 30,000 people hitting the streets. This is not good. I sure hope this bail out thing works in a hurry. During last week there was some extreme price gouging occuring around the state of Washington. One station in Yakima ran their prices up to $7 a gallon. A few days latter they started giving the money back. They said they were just trying to curtail a run on the pumps. (Why didn't they just shut off the pumps?) As the radio announcer said "The owner of the station told us she had a whale in her pocket too, but we didn't believe that one either". I think people will remember stuff like this in the future and those businesses that practice this type of profit taking will be doomed.
------------------
Greg Mueller
Amateur Astronomer, Machinist, Filmnut
http://www.muellersatomics.com/
Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 09-19-2001, 05:25 PM:
Boeing announced a similar layoff here in Long Beach (the former McDD plant, home of the B-717 and C-17). Altogether about a 1000 pink slips here.My former industry is laying off big time too. About a month after I quit PanAmSat, they had a 30% cutback including 13 people in my old building, the Space Operations Group. And the company I thought I was going to work for, DirecTV, just laid off 5000. These layoffs were all part of a general layoff at GM Hughes Electronics, more than likely as part of a preparation to sell off the whole GMH shebang to Rupert Murdoch (of which he'll keep only DirecTV and sell off the rest).
Now I'm moving back to 'Vegas, probably just in time to see huge lay offs in all of the hotels. Looks like this will be a good time to go back to school and earn that masters degree I've always wanted. Just gotta learn to live on student loans for a while, 
at age 46! 
Cheers!
Paulzilla
SMPTE Hollywood Section
Mercenary film/video projectionist
"When the money runs out, so does I."
Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-19-2001, 11:46 PM:
Paulzilla, may I wish you the best of luck. I am 61.5 now, and I just want to stay on someone's payroll for 12 more months before I can qualify for Social Security (62.5) unless that was changed, too. I have had a good life with the military and the motion picture industry, but I realize that some day this must all come to an end. Hopefully, and God willing, I can retire and spend a few days with those I love before the final curtain is lowered.
Paul