Originally Posted by
undflyboy06
I know, that's what really baffles me. Anyone that doesn't have any brains in buisness will even agree that by having one seniority list, and 1 airframe instead of 2 will be cheaper in the long run. Hell, someone even posted that question on the website. Here it is:
If we no longer operate as AmericanConnection in St. Louis, would the company have an interest in merging flight attendant and pilot seniority lists for GoJet and Trans States and operating both companies under one certificate?
And the Answer:
In the event that we no longer have any AmericanConnection flying, we don’t view the above scenario as very likely. While the American scope limitations impacting Trans States Airlines was the driver that forced Trans States Holdings to make the decision to start GoJet, merging these two airlines now would only bring greater operating costs without offsetting efficiencies. This would be an undesirable outcome in any economic environment, especially the one currently impacting our industry. Both airlines operate completely different aircraft. The integration expense, along with the increase in operating costs driven by multiple fleet types, would drastically go up, thereby putting the organization in a noncompetitive position in the marketplace.
I mean can anyone tell me how that logic will make any sense?
I see the logic. The company has no interest in merging the seniority list because they'd just as soon get rid of the TSA list all together. That'll achieve what you just talked about. Sell or return the ERJ's we currently have, use the extra $$ to buy/lease CRJ's for Gojet. One pilot group, One aircraft type.
Rick Leach has often said the same B.S. about wanting one fleet type. I can remember him saying that at a town hall meeting a couple years back, and i thought it was kind of strange because TSH currently has two fleet types. The MX costs are higher because of TSA/GoJet ,different aircraft, same mechanics. Financially, if you were trying to serve a 50 seat market and a 70 seat market, it'd make much more sense to do it in a CRJ vs. the ERJ. Common type ratings alone would save tons of $$. Sure there's some commonality in MX parts, and MX training too. That's the best sense of it i can make.
Also, merging the lists doesn't cut out another large cost factor, the TSA pilot group. The company has been around longer, has more senior pilots, more lifers with more years in the company. I'm sure they're thinking that paying these guys who would have retired in say 2-5 years, for an additional 5 years of service (age 65) while they're at the top of the pay scale would be another financial burden that wouldn't allow hullie to buy his daughter a new pony. So now, you're getting 1 pilot list, 1 certificate, 1 aircraft type, and NO senior pilots....has to be some cost savings in there somewhere.