Originally Posted by
MatchPoint
Easy buddy, no need to pop a blood vessel. A 12th year CA makes more than a 6th year CA, that’s simple math, and a first year FO makes less than a 6th year FO. Now how Eagle stacks up against its competitors like SKW is another discussion and is a comparison I never mentioned, regardless I’m certain that when it comes to labor cost both airlines are pretty close to each other. Where SkyWest saves money is in "other" areas and those savings decrease our overall cost. Yes we have a higher CASM than some, that’s why we lost 12 CR7’s to GoJet about 2 years ago, but our "others" is what enabled us to gain our Alaska, US & AA flying within that same period. However removing 800+ CA’s form the top of your list will reduce your cost thus making you a bit more competitive (meaning you were never not competitive but after 800+ on top leave you will be more so than before).
It sounds like you're one of those pilots who think our cost to the bottom line doesn't change overtime, please don’t be that fool. The number one cost to an airline is fuel, number 2 is labor of which we are their highest paid labor group so since mainline picks up the tab for fuel it stands to reason that labor is number 1 to our airline. Keep in mind we are no longer “regional airlines,” we are “contract carriers” and in an industry where mainline wants cheap reliable feed every penny matters.
You still missed my point, we are told that we are so senior and thus expensive at the larger regionals (eagle, SKW, pinnacle and rah but we compose the large majority of the feed. RAH has the worse contract from the above mentioned but as far as seniority there is not a huge difference. And no I am not one of those pilots who think that out cost changes don't affect the bottom line, we saw that at Eagle last year and we will see it next year. There is a reason why AMR finalized the agreement ofthe 824 just prior to bankruptcy, they want to move senior folks over! I agree regionals that make up about 20% of the feed are cheaper but you need to stop allowing your self to be compared to them as they don't affect the industry average as much. During Eagle's BK hearings SKW was left out of the equation when doing cost! Why is that? Because SKW alone is more than 60% larger than Transtates Holding and it would shift the balance back towards the real middle. It is happening at Pinnacle now!