FRONTLINE “Flying Cheap” | Sneak Peek 1: Who’s Flying Your Plane? | PBS

Posted on February 8, 2010
Filed Under Cargo GSA NETWORK

www.pbs.org In this revealing sneak peek from “Flying Cheap,” FRONTLINE provides glimpse into the lives of regional airline pilots—from low pay and long hours to nights in cramped “crash pads.” “Flying Cheap” airs Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 9PM on PBS (check local listings). One year after the deadliest domestic airline accident in seven years, FRONTLINE investigates the crash of Continental 3407 in Buffalo, NY, and discovers a dramatically changed airline industry, where regional carriers now account for half of the nation’s daily departures. The rise of the regionals and arrival of low-cost carriers have been a huge boon to consumers, and the industry insists that the skies remain safe. But many insiders are worried that now, thirty years after airline deregulation, the aviation system is being stretched beyond its capacity to deliver service that is both cheap and safe. Watch “Flying Cheap” on air and online beginning Tuesday, February 9 on PBS (check local listings) and at www.pbs.org

Comments

11 Responses to “FRONTLINE “Flying Cheap” | Sneak Peek 1: Who’s Flying Your Plane? | PBS”

  1. Tacticalgearhead on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    I’ll be watching this stuff!

  2. ns81 on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    Unbelievable. It reminds me of crop pickers in california. Make no mistake nobody should have to live like this but don’t you think the people entrusted with our lives deserve sufficient conditions to be at their peak when they’re in the cockpit?

  3. TheGiantRobot on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    Precisely.

  4. rrpalk on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    the thing most people don’t understand is that airline pilots fall under railway labor laws… which means they get away with things like unpaid training, no split shift or standby pay, things of that nature

  5. anmoose on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    Almost too scary. Think about this the next time you book a flight…

  6. JixMa on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    What a sucky system we got going here! Truly slave labor conditions is the norm in America. And we’re really supposed to think that slavery has been abolished! Pffft! What bullshit!!! All that those with the money (and hence the power) have done, is pay their slaves peanuts (so as to not *call* it slavery) but demand a hell of a lot of work for those peanuts out of their servile little monkeys. You don’t like it? You’re fired! They’ll simply get another monkey to take your place. What a racket!

  7. zachattackoorah on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    His point is w/ lunch & book readin is the amount of on duty time they spend in airports not doing a thing. They’re not paid but they still have to be on stand by & ready to go. This creates chronic fatigue. Fatigue causes lapses in judgement leading to planes fallin out of sky. My bro is a pilot & his descriptions mirror some of my experiences in Iraq. Our CO’s knew we needed mental downtime or we’re useless. Airlines aren’t givin my bro that time b/c ppl aren’t willing to pay for his services.

  8. speciesamused on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    Madness. No one is protecting the people anymore. We are disposable to the corporate vampires. Until our regime is cleared out of corporate lobbyist running our country, it is business as usual.

  9. pclown on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    though i think the salaries mentioned are horrible, i wouldn’t pay that one guy to eat lunch and read a book either!

  10. rickbar123 on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    Corp. America screwing everybody once again.

  11. runswithscissorsalot on February 8th, 2010 2:25 pm

    geeez!