Originally Posted by
billyho
Is AWAC recruiting pilots now? Are they getting anyone to come there?
Think a 100.00 Prepaid Visa Card to interview is going to draw anyone to AWAC, plus a 4-5 year upgrade and the fact you don't have any TA?
Parker doesn't have to recruit AWAC pilots because as long as AWAC doesn't have a TA or definite future why would anyone go there in todays market with the Majors hiring? People won't go there because there's to much uncertainty.
It's never even about PSA but more Piedmont. Remember Piedmont is gearing up for it's growth now and the routes they will start flying out of PHL will be AWAC's eventually.
Hell I remember when Republic started getting there 175s. Republic didn't have to recruit pilots at Piedmont. Piedmont's uncertainty, plus no new planes, plus 6 year upgrade alone made tons of our FO's flock over to Republic. Was it about pay? Nope, because our guys left to fly a Jet twice the size of a Dash for almost half the pay and almost no work rules.
AWAC doesn't sure up it's future then other airlines won't have to recruit there pilot because they'll all leave anyway. Seen it first hand.
Sooo, at what point did anyone say we were recruiting more than anyone else or that we weren't having issues getting people (just like every other regional). The whole point of the discussion is that if new flying isnt announced the pilot group will probably be sold vice shutting the doors. No one even mentioned PDT except you and the discussion was that PSA would be an easy transition 'IF' AAG bought AWAC.
The doors here aren't going to just be chained shut. Almost every regional out there could use 700+ pilots. Who isn't having issues recruiting in this environment? If you can guarantee that most of your growth goal is met by one acquisition (probably a cheap one at that), why wouldnt you explore that instead of hoping that if an airline closed down that some percentage of them MIGHT go to a company you want to grow?
Like I said earlier, this might not happen. Hell, we could announce new 767 flying for amazon tomorrow. None of us knows what will happen... However, Billy, I'll bet you one adult beverage that we don't just close down. We'll either be merged, acquired or stay in business past this contract.