Flying around recently, amid full planes, high fuel prices, employees who have endured some tough years and challenging weather, it seems to me that the airlines, while trying very hard to make money, are really stretching their employees and systems. Juggling planes and tickets amid cancellations and delays one night, I ended up on a 777. Passengers boarded the full flight, were instructed to close the overhead bins and buckle up. Minutes before departure, the steward announced that there were no pilots. They would be arriving in 45 minutes and we were free to get off the plane….. The steward, when asked, mentioned that they just found out about this (no pilots! – seems odd in 2006 that they were not aware that the pilots were not around, what with elaborate crew and equipment management software). I grabbed my bags and ran over to my prior, delayed flight, swapped tickets and was later on my way.

This, and other recent examples make me wonder how far the airlines can push their systems and people…. I also noticed a number of rather rude passengers along with some great, hard working airline employees.