I work for RAH. Why are people getting so fired up so soon? It seems that the majority of people that comment on this thread are either drunk or making completely uneducated assumptions about this situation and RAH pilots. If someone wrongfully calls me a scab in person, I will not take it lightly. It is not what I am and I would quit my job before crossing a picket line.

First of all, these things take time, especially when management will try to drag out negotiations as long as possible. It is my opinion (according some unofficial polls) that the majority of RAH pilots don't want the 190 and a vast majority has no interest in flying the 190 for the current rates (around 90%). Yet, some of you say that most of us are drooling over the sight of a shiny new 190. Very far from the truth. But again, if the 190 shows up on a person's pairing, they fly it or lose their job (unless it's technically considered struck work and I haven't met anyone yet that will put themselves in that position).

I understand that this has sparked a lot of outrage, but if you don't understand what is happening, then you shouldn't say anything at all on these boards. There's a process involving our union and ballots and only then can we, as RAH pilots, exercise our power to do something. If they decided to put 100 seats on the new planes, then we would have to vote on a pay rate before we would fly them. But since we have a rate for 94 seats, we have to fly them at our current rate until the new TA is ratified. I know it sucks, I don't think anyone here is proud of it, but it's not difficult to understand folks.

My heart goes out to the pilots, flight attendants, and anyone who may lose their job at Midwest. It seems like a great operation and I always try to be extra professional when representing Midwest. On the other hand, I wonder if RAH coming on property is only delaying the inevitable, since I have rarely seen a full flight. Mind you, this is based on my observations, but I can remember a few flights where there were only 8 people on board and 4 of those were deadheading crew members. Filling less than 50% of the seats seems to be the norm in my experience, except between MKE and ATL. Compare that with US Airways, which always seems to be fully loaded with passengers. Something isn't right and it doesn't seem sustainable (even with our ridiculous pay rate), in my humble opinion. Even if we do get these 190s, I don't have much faith that they'll stay with us very long. I say that with the utmost sincerity.

Lastly, I have only good things to say about most of my co-workers and I enjoy working with them. They're honest, hard working people with families, some are on their third or fourth airline, young, old, etc. Basically, they're just like you and trying to make it in this industry and most have ended up here due to the luck of the draw. So, try to have some empathy before posting something that, in all honesty, makes you look like the angry drunk dimwit.