Attention All Passengers: The Airlines' Dangerous Descent—And How To Reclaim Our Skies

by William J. McGee

A Fast Food Nation for the airline industry, Attention All Passengers is a shocking and important exposé revealing the real state of the “friendly skies” in which we fly. Award-winning Consumer Reports travel journalist William McGee, a former editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, spent nearly seven years in airline flight operations management, and what he learned was less than uplifting. From TSA power grabs and an endemic lack of oversight to legislative battles and lobbying boondoggles to antiquated flight patterns and outsourced maintenance workers, the airlines and the government are in cahoots, conspiring to turn a profit any way they can, no matter who has to pay the price. A provocative and hard-hitting call to action, Attention All Passengers will explode all our previous misconceptions about the airline industry.

Genres: Nonfiction, Aviation, Business, Travel, Sociology, Audiobook, History

368 pages, Hardcover

First published June 26, 2012

About the author

WILLIAM J. McGEE was born in New York City and received an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University. Among other pursuits, he teaches undergraduate and graduate Creative Writing; represents travelers as a consumer advocate in Washington; and is an award-winning investigative journalist and columnist. McGee is the former Editor-in-Chief of Consumer Reports Travel Letter and also worked in airline flight operations management and served in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. He is the author of Attention All Passengers, a nonfiction exposé of the airline industry, and is developing AirFear, a scripted television drama. McGee lives in Connecticut and is, of course, at work on another novel. He is also a father.

Reviews

[Ellen]

What will happen to me if I bring this book on a plane?

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I work on the outskirts of the airline industry and thereby already know bits of information about many of the topics McGee speaks of in this expose on the practices of the major domestic carriers.

Corporate bashing is pretty trendy nowadays, so none of that came as a surprise, but the pieces regarding outsourcing maintenance to distant countries worries me. We may have pretty rigid safety measures in place for domestic repairs, but other countries using defective or black market parts to save a buck or two is disturbing, considering how being 30,000 ft above the ground is surely a place where all of the bits and bobs should be of the highest quality to ensure everyone is taken care of while traveling.

This is just another area of the free market where unless multiple tragedies strike within a short time frame, nothing will change. No voices are heard when lobbyists carry fat wallets and political muzzles.

Through all of the political red tape and greedy CEO's, can we all just take a moment to reflect on the miracle of air travel? We can get from here to the other side of the world in the time it takes for the earth to rotate on its axis. That's amazing! Chapter 13: Today I Woke up in Seattle, and Fell Asleep in London. One of the Greatest Marvels of the Modern World.

[Jay A. Yap · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads “First Read” program and I would like to express my appreciation for having the opportunity to review it.

It was a terrific read. A comprehensive review of the serious issues facing the US airline industry, the book does not pull any punches--it exposes the corrosive degradation of all aspects of the flying experience, from issues of customer service outsourcing, to the frustration felt from those infamous TSA pat downs. Now, to be fair, McGee’s tone sometimes reaches past normal journalistic objectivity and he expresses a disappointment that only an industry insider could articulate; however, his assertions are well supported and in the final analysis his anger seems quite justified. He makes a strong case that there are real problems affecting the general public here, with heavily invested players from governmental agencies and big business pursuing their own ends, often to the detriment of the consumer.

One fascinating topic that I am glad that he covered dealt with the allowance of infants to fly without proper seat restraints; I was totally unaware that this problem even existed.

I can not recommend this book more highly, the information is trenchantly explained and it is worthy of serious consideration.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've flown a fair amount since 9-11. I've even flown with my elderly kitty, the one in my picture.

My husband and I flew in early October 2011 - the tickets were cheap, cheap, cheap; as were my tickets to Paris and back in 2003. I was in Paris as the U.S. was bombing Baghdad, with the French people all very certain about how Bush had stolen the election and how sad that was for the American people. (Filipinos expressed the same in 2004. Maybe it was just "F" people.) Before anyone takes the time and energy to be offended by the French people's lack of respect for the U.S. president, recall that Americans at the time were so anti-French that a couple of Republican representatives to Congress declared that french fries and french toast in the House cafeteria should now be called freedom fries and freedom toast, a move widely copied across the country. The French disdain was limited to the U.S. president and our military actions in Iraq. The American disdain extended to all things French, including food.

Anyway, back to Attention All Passengers.

All that was simply to say that I've stood in the lines and experienced the seat in front of me being so close that it was in my lap in the recline position. I've never minded the security that followed 9-11. I've never had a bone to pick with the industry for packing passengers into planes or eliminating meals for domestic flights. I have had, however, a sneaking suspicion that they couldn't offer flights so cheap without cutting corners that shouldn't be cut. (Not that I didn't snap up those cheap flights. Ah, cognitive dissonance.)

Who better to confirm the truth of unsafe cost-cutting than William McGee? He's a guy who use to edit Consumer Reports Travel Letter, a fellow who worked for years in flight operations management, is an FAA-certified dispatcher, and served in the Air Force. He's the lone consumer advocate on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's advisory panel looking at solving vexing issues in the airline industry—a $1.2 trillion a year industry that is in spectacular, free-falling trouble.

("Free-falling trouble" is probably a tactless metaphor when discussing the airline industry. How about striking that and inserting "post-deregulation collapse.")

Not only is he well-qualified and knowledgeable, McGee is a good writer.

This review may make it sound as though this is a political book, and in our era of polarization maybe it is. McGee sees a government role in both the creation and solution to the issue.

Whichever side you're on, Attention All Passengers is a book everyone who flies should be interested in.

I received this book via the firstreads program and can enthusiastically recommend it.

[Chien · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok. It has some interesting if not disturbing information about aviation safety. A lot of the issues (lax regulatory oversight and maintenance outsourcing) are reflective of general trends in the American/global economy. However, the author's bias is very apparent throughout the book as he was a former airline industry worker. He tends to blame greed for many of the problems which is misplaced. Do airline execs make out like bandits? Yes, but no more than in any other industry. At the end of the day, the economics don't work because the flying public demands bottom dollar airfares. The best quote was a flight attendant telling her friends who want better inflight service to stop surfing the web for the lowest fare.

[Sherri Huntley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book regarding the entire history of the airline industry in the US, this book really has the insider view of the industry. Beware that it is just exasperating to find out how the industry and oversight of the industry works.

[Akim]

How can I download a copy of this book?. It looks interesting but I have no means to purchase a copy.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Owens' have it right - drive not fly.

(Spoiler alert): Turns out flying on commercial airlines not only seems crappy, but is crappy.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken]

I tried for a looooooong time to read this one. I give up, it just didn't hold my interest.

[BLACK CAT · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may think you are flying on a certain airline but never now it was actually a regional airline with lower safety, ecological and service standards. Do you know the safety standards of regional vs. main airlines? Do you know about "code sharing"?

Regional airlines might even have main-brand logos on the plane but some of them outsource jobs to unlicensed workers to save money but may loose precious lives. Look for statistics for regional vs. main airlines: crashes, lost luggage, assistance to elders, delays...

Example: have you heard of Envoy (American Eagle Airlines one the biggest regional airline)?

Airlines with the most Canceled Flights:

Regional - Envoy Air (Formerly American Eagle Airlines) – 3.5 percent
Regional - SkyWest Airlines – 2.2 percent
Regional - ExpressJet Airlines – 1.1 percent

Airlines with the most delays:

Regional - Envoy Air (Formerly American Eagle Airlines) – 69.3 percent
Regional - Frontier Airlines – 72.3 percent
Regional - SkyWest Airlines – 76.4 percent

Stats cover all November 2014 and were take from:
http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/press_rel...

Fly safe, choose wisely.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio book and it's outstanding. I fly frequently and usually fly Delta Airlines and they are pretty good.

I was once on a Delta flight or perhaps a Delta Connection flight from Salt Lake City to another location and there was frost on the wings of the plane and I saw the co-pilot looking at the frost on the wings through the exit row windows and talking with one of the flight attendants and I saw him hold up his hand and make a motion of money to the flight attendant to explain why they were not going to have the wings deiced before takeoff. I was astounded and concerned and luckily we took off without issue.

If you travel for business or pleasure you need to read this book. I definitely recommend this book.

[Penny Goetjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eye opening look into the precarious nature of the flying public’s safety. Reading ATTENTION ALL PASSENGERS will no doubt cause you to pause next time you head down a jetway to consider who has inspected the plane, where it was serviced, even what you’re wearing. You also might pay closer attention to the flight attendant’s safety talk instead of raising the volume on your headphones, closing your window shade, and curling up with your neck pillow. I look forward to future updates from this passenger advocate/author.

[Vince · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book brought to light some genuine concerns regarding the airline industry. However, I found much of the book to seem to be pining for a time when the airlines functioned differently, namely before the deregulation of the industry in 1978. The author's proposals are largely one step too far, such as suggesting that all maintenance of aircraft be performed in the US, instead of less drastic proposals such as requiring airlines who do perform maintenance overseas to pay enough to the FAA in fees to fund their proper oversight of the maintenance. I think the most valid of the issues discussed can be handled with relatively minor adjustments to transportation policy.

[Anthony L · Rating 2 out of 5]

As one reviewer said, the book is like a scattershot of issues. Most of these are already well known if you keep up with the news. Consequently, I found myself skimming pages quite a lot.
But most important of all, the book is about the American airline industry. You do not find many of the issues elsewhere especially among the major Asian airlines (such as SIA, Cathay, Emirates) where competition is fierce in providing top class passenger service. There are good reasons why Asian airlines but not US airlines win global awards.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

Resourceful, comprehensive, but it’s not well organized, more like a compilation of news story and analysis. Conclusion chapter shows author’s insights and wisdom.

Don’t read it before you fly away.

[Mattine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gave me greater insight into the airline industry both the good and the bad.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative but sometimes had a lot of filler. For example, the section on regional airlines I felt took awhile to get to the point on why, specifically, code sharing with the regional airlines was dangerous and not just misleading. Obviously this book is a little outdated now, but most parts are still incredibly relevant, because the problems outlined have largely gotten worse since it was published. An update would be incredibly interesting given how positive Southwest comes off in this book and how infamously bad they've become in just the past 2 or 3 years. Was deeply disturbed by the stats on lap children, which I never considered before, and it's sad to see how virtually nothing has been done to address it as a safety issue.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning and the end of the book were (to me) the most interesting. The big middle section was good, but a little long and draggy for my taste/attention span.

However, this book made me never want to fly again.

And really pointed out that while passengers are getting shafted in a lot of ways, we're really focused on the wrong things. Yeah, baggage fees suck - but double outsourced plane maintenance to countries that have no regulation and the FAA chooses not to have oversight over - REALLY sucks. Plus, airline labour is really getting shafted.

So .. important book. Issues that McGee raises should be more prominent. But book could have used a bit of an edit.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading William McGee's book along with James McCommons Waiting on a Train: The Embattled Future of Passenger Rail Service", it is pretty obvious how we truley lack any type of cogent transportation policy. Both authors spent a good portion of their time travel the nation by rail and air to interview key players within the industry.


McGee plays the role of adovate well, pointing out key policy perscriptions that need to be made specifically regarding the foreign outsourcing of key aircraft maintenance. As most Americans have realized flying is no longer fun. This book as least helps to explain how the industry's nickle and diming have made it less fun.

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an expose of the current state of America's airlines. It scared me to death. All of the major carriers are outsourcing maintenance to other countries such as El Salvador and Singapore which are largely beyond the reach of Federal Aviation Administration's inspectors. Regional airlines such as Colgan Air are operating flights originating in smaller cities under the name of a major carrier partner. The major airlines accept no responsibility for the safety deficiencies of these regional carriers. In some cases, pilots are not properly trained. Salaries are as low as $15,000 per year. If you want to complain to an airline representative about any issue, good luck. The call centers are in India. Ticket offices are now non-existent. This book has had a profound effect on my life. I am traveling to California (from Virginia) tomorrow. On Amtrak.

[Chris Taber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this one at a newsstand in DFW. Aviation insider gives alarming view of the state of aviation market, particularly US aviation. While I assume that some of the issues are sensationalized, it does make one think about why we "allow" practices in the industry that we would not tolerate elsewhere (one useful analogy of the perils of code sharing is selling Coke in Pepsi bottles, but only referring to it as Pepsi if someone got sick from it...otherwise it's Coke). Unfortunately, though the subtitle of the book suggests the author will give us guidance on "how to reclaim the skies", I found it decidedly lacking in that area, which reinforced my view that the book was designed to sell based on sensationalized alarmism but leave the reader with little practical or implementable action plans.

[Jeff Szymanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone who flies, ever, should read this book. Consumers need to be more informed about the insane practices that are now the status quo for the airlines. We should be much less enraged about $10 snack boxes and less legroom, and much more enraged by an ineffectual TSA and outsourced aircraft maintenance with no FAA oversight.

One thing the author could have touched on more was the fact that many of the issues he talks about only affect us peon travelers. Corporate execs get to fly chartered, private jets that are outside of many of the policies he discusses. Nonetheless, I give this book 5 stars for so thoroughly exposing so much about commercial aviation that we, as passengers and citizens, should know.

[K.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reviews said this book was akin to "Fast Food Nation". I found this book hard to pick up (not hard to put down! LOL!) Sorry. I have worked in the travel industry for nearly 30 years. I found this book dry and difficult to get through. The information was good, although strongly negative, but what do you expect when the title is "the truth about" anything? "Fast Food Nation" was a page-turner, in my opinion. This book, I had great pains getting through a page. It just seemed like it was so difficult to get into, I had no interest in even finishing it. That being said, McGee really knows his stuff and did a TON of research and should be commended for putting together such an impressive report about the airlines.

[Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dry, but it's a good look at where the industry is today. I did question some of his statements about pollution and contrails; McGee states that carbon and NOx emissions in the upper atmosphere are worse than emissions on the surface. CO2 and NOx are soluble gasses, I see no obvious reason why they wouldn't quickly mix through the altitudes. I wish he'd explained this assertion, because (as a weather observer and former pilot weather briefer with a degree in chemistry) the assertion makes no sense to me. Also, he asserted that condensation trails ("contrails") and contrail-induced cirrus clouds contribute to global warming. In fact, high-altitude clouds reflect the sun's heat into space and reduce global warming.

[Mat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good. The author concludes: "I've come to see that the deepest problems facing the U.S. airline industry are the deepest problems facing the United States itself. These include the pervasive effects of corporate influence throughout all three branches of government; political gridlock; the ever-widening economic gap between corporate CEOs and rank-and-file workers; federal regulators failing to regulate the industries they are sworn to oversee; the wholesale outsourcing of decent jobs, particularly outside the United States; and a willful ignorance of how industry is affecting the environment."

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to give this book 3.5 stars. It's interesting and informative, but way too sympathetic to whiny airline employees. The maintenance issues it raises are scary indeed.

It bugged me how he dumped all over greedy airline CEO fatcats, which they deserve, but said nary a pejorative word regarding James Hoffa Jr.'s office with a view in DC. The Lord may love a working man, but the working man's union dues pay for lunches at Charlie Palmer Steak. Where's the journalist's gimlet eye for that outrage?

All in all, though, a well-thought out book that deserves a read. The only airline I will fly nowadays in Southwest, and I notice they get the least of his vitriol.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Outsourcing of airline operations and maintenance is bad for airlines, for quality as well as security and it is all because of airline executive's greed!!! A very biased opinion reiterated in multiple ways through 300 pages!! William McGee has done a lot of research but unfortunately this information is primarily used for executive bashing. The author in the pretense of consumer advocacy is actually advocating for airline employees. (why else would be bash increasing number of online check ins?). Altogether this book has a lot of inside information from the airline industry but the authors biased point of view makes it a difficult read.

[Chris Aylott · Rating 3 out of 5]

William McGee's rundown of the airline industry is easy to read, but it's a thoughtful book about a complicated subject. The biggest problem that McGee has to deal with that that the current airline system has both strengths and drawbacks, making it hard to be sure what isn't working.

That said, he covers a lot of serious problems within the industry, of which the worst seems to be that the FAA seems to be captive to the airlines' interests. It's a worrisome situation, and the recent problems with the Dreamliner highlight just how serious the situation is.

[Karol.holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading McGee's thoughtful and illuminating expose, I'm thoroughly disgusted. Before I began, I predicted, correctly as it turns out, that I would be frustrated by commercial aviation industry by reading this book, but what I didn't anticipate is how ashamed I would be of the flagrant lack of oversight from the FAA. This will really make you think--not just about flying but also about the deepest problems facing the US as a whole today. I highly recommend it to anyone who's ever flown.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I've come to see that the deepest problems facing the U.S. airline industry are the deepest problems facing the United States itself." McGee, pg 307

An easy and informative read, and the suggestions McGee makes at the end of the book seem actually feasible. The author has spent 25 years in the aviation industry and makes a very convincing case against airlines being allowed to value profits over passenger rights.