Originally Posted by
Lowlevel
At Comair, I would pretty much call the furloughs "massive". From October 2008 to January 2009 there were 297 furloughed. This month many are going to be gone that took a voluntary furlough and more involuntary furloughs (already announced) will be gone in November. So, in October 2008 there were almost 1400 pilots (not sure on the exact number) and in January 2010 there will be around 1000. Pretty much saying that in one year (October 2008-November 2009) a third of the pilots will be gone, either voluntary or involuntary.
If you see two captains flying, it's most likely that the one on the right was downgraded. It's not that they are short FO's.
Also, I always find it humorous when I fly on Delta and the crew says "I had no idea that Comair furloughed anyone." Even though Delta is directly to blame for the furloughs.
And that surprises you?
I wish my company would "downsize" some of the outsourced express flying. Maybe that would keep more of us on the mainline property. That's what most of us got into the pax-hauling airline business for in the first place, right? We didn't plan to make a career out of regional flying. Regionals have become career airlines, but at the expense of mainline.
I've been furloughed once, and I am about to be furloughed again. I understand the stress, the anxiety and the pain associated with losing one's job. This is no slight against the furloughed Comair pilots.
But are you truly surprise that a Delta crew has no idea what's going on at Comair? They've got their own issues to worry about. Not the least of which is how much possible downsizing may occur at Delta due to the merger, or the expansion of express flying.
Let's put the shoe on the other foot. Let's assume Delta starts a significant reduction of mainline domestic capacity, while at the same time expanding the express side of the equation. While Comair pilots enjoy better schedules, early upgrades, the return of all furloughees and maybe even hiring, how much sympathy or concern will the Comair pilots sincerely have for the furloughed Delta pilots?
The "I got mine" attitude is disappointing, but hardly surprising.
Hog