Flying the line The first half century of the Air Line Pilots Association

You've been through so many things. And many of those things, I mean, so many of those things are in this book, the first half.

When I wrote that chapter, which turned out to be the first chapter in the book, because it was, I wrote it because I wanted to practice writing to get myself into the rhythm of writing the book, not knowing where that chapter would be. And when I wrote it, I realised it had to be the start of the book because it was the seminal day of my life.

Your podcast is called Midpoint. Your book is called The First Half.

Phil Nash, who went to work for Continental in 1966 after serving in the US Air Force and later became ALPA EVP in 1980 to 1982, will never forget his first encounter with Frank Lorenzo.

Above all others, Lorenzo typified this new managerial breed. At a special meeting in Denver, Nash asked Lorenzo, who was in the process of taking over Continental at the time, why he was so intent on reducing the pay of flight attendants.

Didn't he know, Phil Nash asked, that many of them were single parents who couldn't afford to own homes at the pay rates he was proposing?

Lorenzo looked at Nash as if he were crazy. Quite frankly, I don't believe flight attendants ought to make enough money so they can own houses, Lorenzo told a flabbergasted Nash. Maybe they should find another job that pays better.

Lorenzo was openly against the better product concept. He said the traveling public looks for the dollar sign. What they're interested in is a cheap seat. The ones who don't like our service could go pay higher prices on another carrier.