CLMP

I had to copy and paste this comment from the article. Of course we all know that most of the comments are made by severely uneducated people, but I rarely come across one where virtually every word is completely false (except for the cable part):

"The MD 80 is still the easiest jet to fly, all old fashion cable and rudder flying just like the old days. the mechanical design eliminates at least 1/2 of the problems you find with newer jets. The engines are so strong, you have to taxi on one engine, even then if you don''t set the brake, the plane will roll in idle on just one engine. When an MD-80 takes off with both engines at full steam, you have plenty, plenty of power and an engine loss is no big shakes."

Packrat

Who wrote that garbage?

MD83

Sounds like something the BLI Ass. Chief would say. Any takers on that?

cheers1977

There was at least one more air return in LAS yesterday, but it didn't make the news!!

MD80driver2day

Now that's funny.....

G4Troop

Let me start by declaring, I am not a union official of any kind. This is my opinion as a lone line pilot at g4. From where I sit, the pulse of our pilot group is thus:

Don't be surprised if you're NOT welcome.

New hires are not seen as helping the cause so don't be surprised by a cold shoulder from many. Pilots, even senior captains, are leaving in record numbers due to deplorable treatment and working conditions. Thanks to recent court rulings and a powerless FAA, the company is proudly boasting it's ability to expand without constraints or obligations to follow its own work rules. If things were bad before, they are much worse now.

With a steady supply of eager applicants, the company sees no need to negotiate and will try to drag negotiations out for years. You are NOT helping by coming here. The company celebrates the departure of our senior pilots as they welcome a fresh batch of willing, cheaper replacements happy to do the company's bidding without the protections of a union contract. Fresh off its legal victories, management is emboldened and determined to rid itself of unions altogether. Thanks to management's tactics two of the three unions are already on the ropes and the pilot group appears to be the next target on their list. Much of their success in defeating the Flight Attendants and replacing them with fresh new ones. You are the new ones in this case.

Clearly this is also the plan with the pilots and new applicants are essential to management's plan: to position itself as a niche between the regional sector and the majors. They are not interested in career employees, just those willing to come and punch their ticket get some experience and move on. Regional 2.0. Training cost are seen as negligible because here so little is spent on training. By coming here you are agreeing to work at a place that has no work rules and will do whatever's necessary to avoid having them. Allegiant is attempting to permanently alter the profession through it's attack on quality of life and standard of living. Coming here now, you will only be enabling the demise of our profession and risking your certificate through shoddy training, minimal support and poorly maintained airplanes.

Our pilots are in the struggle of their careers trying to hold the line against an Anti-Union company he11-bent on profits, unrestrained by government agencies, common sense or safety. Coming to Allegiant during our time of strife just helps them with their agenda. Think twice about coming here till after a contract is signed, otherwise you might find a cold welcome..

Troop..

fishforfun

How long have you been at Allegiant?

tailendcharlie

I don't know what circles you run in @ G4 but in 6 years here I've never seen evidence of the hostility toward new hires you describe. Trust me; I've been around including a dinosaur legacy back in the day notorious for @-h*!e captains. It's not like that here, at all.

CLMP

While any maltreatment towards new hires has traditionally been nonexistent, I believe G4Troop was alluding to a shifting in that direction as the pilots' strife is about to get remarkably worse. It may happen, it may not. I have quite a bit of contact with new hires and believe me, they have done their homework and know what they're getting themselves into.

The rest of Troop's post is 100% true. By keeping that "just better than a regional" mentality, they will have a healthy supply of new pilots for the immediate future all the while ensuring that these pilots don't overstay their welcome. In the next few months, this company will be losing captains who have been here the better part of a decade or more. What will be the mood at corporate when said pilots give their 2 weeks notice? My prediction is restrained jubilation due to the higher cost associated with such longevity now going out the door.

tyler durden

I agree with CLMP. Me thinks the underlying message troop is getting at is that the company has crushed 2 unions by replacing their members and is trying to do the same with the third. Some points may be arguable but the mood has definitely taken a huge swing for the worse recently and guys are fed up. The part about management's agenda says much of the logic has merit. Uninitiated happy new people lining up to fill the openings for cheaper pay only reassures management they are succeeding. It's public knowledge that unions are not welcome here. If people quit applying because of the state we are in it might force the company to get real. Otherwise I don't see any fire under their a$$ and they have every reason to delay and do the legal minimum for years like they have been. Senior pilots leaving is the goal. Just like the flight attendants only better because they don't even have to offer buyouts! I don't think it will matter much because the rate of departures is going to pick up a lot now that most have given up on this place. There's no way our joke of a training trailer will be able to keep up.