IATA may have reined in its full-frontal attack on pilots made at last year's annual meeting, but senior executives continue to express frustration at labour inflexibility. "We have a very archaic relationship with our workforce," says United Airlines chief Glenn Tilton. "Why does it always take Chapter 11 to get unions to enter serious discussion?"
The industry has a serious issue with an "entitlement mentality" that is entrenched among some communities at carriers, believes Ralph Norris, chief executive of Air New Zealand, a complaint echoed by Chew Choon Seng, Singapore Airlines chief executive. "You need to have good folks around you who don't have an entitlement attitude," he adds.
"I would like to see all constituent groups aligned in their view of what would make the airline successful," says Tilton. Changing an airline's corporate culture is difficult, and has often been delayed, agrees Aer Lingus chief Willie Walsh, but "it can be done".
Source: Airline Business
