"Try to book a flight on eastern Airlines".

Snow, you touched a nerve with that comment. Just one small example of what damage the unions did to Eastern. Each person on the ground crew had a specific job. If he was absent, sick, on break, whatever, if a replacement could not be found to perform that job, nothing moved. Have a good friend that was a Captain at Eastern. Actually know many flyers/mechanics ex-Eastern, but anyway, Norm was pushing back from LaGuardia one sunny afternoon. Departing on time was always his goal. Not happeneing that day. The ground crew was missing the man that removed the nose gear chocks, (in place front and back of the nose gear tire to prevent the plane from rolling when brakes are not set). He was on his break. 25 minutes later, break over, he shows up to do his specific job. To say Norm was pissed is an understatement. He was going to lower the rear stairs door on the B-727, and remove them himself until the lead crewman said he would file a violation against Norm if he did so. Union rules. Pax were very upset about the delay on a hot summer day. Eastern went downhill quickly.