SWELBLOG.COM CIRCA 2021

There is no full recovery until we are virus-free - at least in scientific terms. When is e'Nuff, e'Nuff?

Before I begin, and somebody tries to make my words into something they are not, the words below in NO way reflect the opinion of any corporate or academic association I have. Leave it alone this time.

Viruses mutate. Hopefully the variant’s itinerary is a one stop to Delta and not a multi-stop destined for Omega over Lambda.

This writing began 6 time zones ago. After my first draft, I woke up and read a #CrankyFlier piece. He was also unhappy with the government and industry on the topic of vaccinations. His cranky and mine are different, but...

I do not give a damn about where the virus began. I still care that we did little attacking it after learning of its potential severity 20 months ago. Instead, we politicized it. That continues. A ground stop on the economy and a growing industry was forced.

Damage to the industry on 6 continents was acute. In reality it was the entire supply chain that supports commercial aviation. Airports, their vendors and the vendor’s vendors and so on.

Fact: the airline industry and its labor force did not suffer as much as others down the chain. Opportunistic management came to DC holding hands with an energized labor leadership and were granted funding not once - not twice - but 3 times to mitigate involuntary furloughs. 

American, Delta, United and Southwest were very active in making the industry’s case on the Hill. If not for labor and #SaraNelson -most management teams would have been dusting off the post-9/11 cost reduction playbook. It was pretty easy for management to go along with any plan that created a softer landing for employees. 

There have been multiple opportunities for certain management teams to make some hard decisions and lead. Lead by making the U.S. airline industry a very visible messenger that until this virus is gone – there is no full recovery. Simply, being vaccinated needs to become a condition of employment across the board. Period.

A few stepped up. But those C-Suite inhabitants with hubs in red states turning purple could not make a leadership call to benefit the country and/or the industry. Rather a choice to defer was made and hide behind the politics. Or, pray for herd immunity, or better yet a solution emanating from a Jewish laser or even a smart thermostat routed through China. 

For an industry that benefited from government help when many did not – a real opportunity to demonstrate the industry's importance to the macroeconomy was hand delivered - and dropped. Most disappointing as consumer sentiment plummets to its lowest level in a decade - what no one needs.

I really thought that this industry stood for nothing less than the health, well-being and safety of all its employees and customers. The fact that tomorrow's employees will be required to be vaccinated - who cares? This is not a bargaining session.

'Nuff Said,