Originally Posted by
fosters
Just because one is larger doesn't mean they are different. They are both subcontractors. XJT is publicly held, AWAC is a private company. They work based on a fee-for-departure type setup, which is wildly profitable for the regional carrier.
Economies of scale my man, economies of scale. The sunk cost (meaning overhead, facilities, training, etc) of operating 70 airplanes is not significantly less than operating 200 airplanes. But the oppurtunity for revenue is a lot greater.
Originally Posted by
fosters
Maybe not from your standpoint, but to 2 of my friends its significant (who were recently hired). To the bottom 650-700 pilots it could suck (and have ramifications on the others, ie back to reserve, CAPT to FO, etc.).
Apparently those at XJT thing they are immune because their airline flies to all parts of the country and to mexico and canada. Maybe your company is immune because it's not a "niche" carrier (whatever that means)? Please.
I sincerely hope your management is able to pull together a plan, we need as many good carriers in this business as we can get. But lets look at the track record here. All the "good" carriers are losing contracts, and the bottom feeders are picking up the slack (mesa, chq, go jets, etc.).
I am one of the bottom 650-700 and I am not worried. Guess how much sleep I've lost over the 69 airplanes. If we get furloughed, we get furloughed. So what? But I am not going to worry about it till it happens. And you have no idea what it does for moral when you company gives the big ******* YOU their big airline partner when they ask for cost reductions. How many other companies would say "yeah, we'll try and do it cheaper but not at the expense of our employees?" If I am furloughed in January, I will have enjoyed the ride, I'll dust off the resume and move on.
And niche carrier means that you have a closely defined, specific purpose, but you do it well. Similar to a Horizon or Skyway-type airline. Look it up.
Originally Posted by
fosters
Keep in mind I'm very pessimistic (that way I'm never disappointed) and we'll all know how this plays out in the next few months, right? I thought I remember reading that chautauqua is placing their aircraft sometime starting in January? But if I were in the bottom 1/4 of ExpressJet's senority list I personally would be warming up the resume printer, but that's just me. Hell, even though I don't see a furlough in my immediate future I still am applying to other jobs to keep my hand in. You never know.
Sorry to hear you are so pessimistic. Hope its not too hard to enjoy life when the sky is always falling. Ive always found that flexibility beats pessimism any day of the week.