Over the last year, large numbers of pilot were evicted from their jobs. Those that remained suffered issues with their cognitive functions or general health.
Mechanics, Engineers and Controllers were also decimated in number due to the downturn in travel as well as vaccine mandates.
Now, with countries and travel opening up, the flight industry is being stretched to the limits. A scan in the news for flight incidents reveals an unusual number of strange occurrences.
According to Heinrich's pyramid, every 300 near misses would result in 30 minor accidents, which would result in 1 serious accident.
Please don't travel. Stay home with your loved ones. Don't get on a plane.
Apparently, the uber rich are putting together their own unvaxxed flight crews.
In the future, if you need 2 pilots to fly, one must be unvaccinated.
Unfortunately my family is literally 3,300 miles across the country :-( last October my wife and I had three weeks of leave and plane tickets bought but my uncle got so bent out of shape because we aren’t vaccinated and we were going to visit my 95 year old grandmother (who is also not vaccinated) so we canceled because he threw a huge fit. They had a birthday party for her, everyone was vaccinated and she ended up with Covid. I said under no circumstances take her to the hospital, she survived of course because she takes vitamins (she has never ever even had a flu shot) - now we can’t afford to fly and I’m afraid we won’t get back down there… ugh my stupid liberal family. Hopefully we can get down there and spend some time with her soon.
At the very least you'll be guilt free if you don't get to see them again because you made an attempt.
Brother I'm with you. I used to fly out on Monday, and back home on Friday for many years. I would commute as far as from Florida to California each week sometimes. Didn't have not one worry that the plane was not handled by competent people.
Now, if I had to fly out to somewhere as part of a contract, there is no way in hell I would take the job unless I could get on a train maybe, and only then if I did not have to wear a mask anywhere along the route.
Airlines are having to greatly reduce the skill level of new pilots. Use to be that nearly all pilots were ex military. Now you have airlines looking to hire a certain number of women, so many minorities whether they have the skills of not.
These new hires would be fine as long as all the modern auto-pilots, and technology work, but first time they have to think for themselves, and handle a genuine emergency forgetaboutit.
We opted to rent a van and drive this year for this very reason. That and we didn't want to get stranded because of canceled flights due pilot shortage.
Air travel may be statistically riskier now than before. But drivers are affected by the vax too. MY hunch is that flying is now even safer relative to driving now. They have two pilots and the planes can be flown remotely if need be.
The hassle of rescheduled flights, true.
For us it was definitely more about cancelations which are an indirect result of issues with the clot shot. Ended up being 1/4 the cost for a family of 5 to rent the van rather than fly.
Fear is a sickness. It’s one thing to be aware. It’s entirely something else to allow fear to dictate your ability to travel freely.
I wouldn't dream of it. I travelled for 1 1/2 years to 65 cities across America. Many, many flights, and except for some delays (American), all was well. Now, pilots dying in mid-air. No thank you. I'm good sitting in the middle of the woods with my dogs.
I hear what you’re saying but I’m not going to live in fear. Tomorrow is not promised whether at home with my family or on a plane.
Gee, imagine being stuck in a tube 30,000 feet in the air with a vaxxed crew who aren't feeling well.
I could fly the damn thing if both pilots dropped dead. I'm not vaxxed.