[La Enchiladita]

This is crazy.

If the union ratchets back participation in these programs, "it would be a major loss for the FAA" and could slow the global drive for safer skies, according to John Goglia, a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation into the Northwest incident.

Senior FAA officials for years have credited the voluntary programs with helping to lower accident rates in the U.S. and elsewhere. But the programs have had a rocky history, with different airlines opting out at various times. '

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Yep, this is gonna get nasty before its all over with.

[wastedyears]

The unions wouldn’t believe in penalties if the plane had crashed and the pilots somehow escaped alive.

Unions will help destroy America.

[Slump Tester]

"...threatens to disrupt voluntary safety-reporting programs used by many carriers, according to industry officials."

Reagan would just fire the union booger eaters who don't want to follow the rules of the safety-reporting programs. There's lots of folks looking for work!

[cripplecreek]

Still like to know what the hell they were doing up there.

Maybe they were “ridin dirty”.

[SkyDancer]

There is no excuse for being inattentive on the flight deck. Those pilots were lucky that no other aircraft were ‘accidentally’ at their altitude or any other emergency the controllers were trying to alert the crew to ... their heads were in the cockpit and not at business at hand. Usually the FAA suspends pilots for 90 days or more requiring a re-certification before being allowed back on flight status. In this case the FAA revoked their certification (license).

[Grut]

Ninety minutes without responding to ATC? Boy, these guys not only had their heads in the cockpit, they had 'em further in than that.

[WellyP]

I bet they didn’t have more than 15 minutes of reserve fuel when they touched down!

I almost always side with the pilots. NOT THIS TIME! They screwed up BIGTIME and they lose!

[Cicero]

I’d still like to know what the hell they were doing all that time. This story stinks.

[tflabo]

Anything less than 2 fired, incompetent airline pilots is grossly unacceptable! Plenty of other competent pilots to take their place! No excuse for what happened like it did!

[Random Access]

The union needs to demand they get overtime pay for the extra 90 minutes.

[papasmurf]

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t agree with firing the pilots over a non life threatening action like this. BUT, they still haven’t told the truth. So why does the “voluntary” program even enter the picture?

THAT should be the unions first priority.

[safisoft]

In this ase, the union is correct. The ASAP voluntary safety reporting program is VITAL to the FAA and to safety. If the union pulls out over this, it will be disasterous.

Also, the union is correct that the FAA's reaction was a clear violation to the ASAP language. It is all political - although stupid, not laws were broken.