MikeB4:
Good grief what the hell is wrong with these people. They are supposed to be leaders yet they are showing the exact opposite. Talk about selfish self interest and bugger the wider community.
I can tell you who is exactly selfish about this.
Me.
I have not worked since the 31st March, have not been paid and me and my family have been living off my savings since then. Today I have put my house on the market in order to still have some form of money to feed my family. I am lucky to actually actually have a house to sell, a number of my colleagues don’t even have that.
I am selfish as the Prime Minister has ignored the advice we have provided by the experts at IATA, ICAO and the WHO stating the social distancing is not required in an aircraft as long as masks are worn. Social distancing on an aircraft doesn’t happen even at present. Currently on a domestic jet aircraft there is 48cm distance between someone sitting at the window and someone sitting at the aisle. Then the person behind you is 68cm away. There is none of this 2m rubbish which is “required” by the government, social distancing on an aircraft is the biggest freaking joke you’ve ever heard.
Those who suggest I should’ve found another job during lockdown, must realise that being stood down on leave without pay requires me with 48 hours notice to be able to return to work for them. This alone has meant that almost every job application has been turned into a rejection.
So resign then? Not such an easy prospect when you’ve dedicated 20 years of your life, spent over $100,000 becoming qualified and are now getting close to the top rung in your field. How many heart surgeons would walk away from their career to retrain to become an accountant? Not many, I would imagine. Being made redundant would be an easier option, as I would have access to a redundancy payout, insurance payouts and the 12 week COVID payment, which would mean I would have the funds to retrain. Resigning means I get none of that assistance.
So bugger the wider community as you say, I need to provide for my family and right now that has a larger significance to not just me, but almost everyone else in the aviation and tourism industry. In aviation we have always been the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the economy, what happens to us is where the economy will be in 12 months time. What is happening to me is scary, it will be very very scary for everyone else next year.