LandGreen2

^^^^^^^^^This

Having been furloughed, junior, and stagnant for the past 10 plus years...I am thrilled to have furloughed pilots back. Unless they are jumping ahead of you in seniority, I am not sure what the fuss is about?

Hawaii50

I apologize for being so short. I know a couple of the guys who came back and their lives were pretty rough post furlough. I think the least the company could have done is put them back where they wanted to go. Tired of seeing people question anything about where they went I guess. Especially because all of them can hold at least ER everywhere in the system.

Professor

no worries.

its contract compliance, not entitlement making me ask questions.
especially in light of the co's recent 'interpretation' of FAR117.

contract was followed, no complaints.

Elvis90

This article came today in the Wall Street Journal. Now, in addition to Abu Dhabi, we have to be concerned about Doha and Qatari Airways.
----------------
Qatar in Talks Over U.S. 'Preclearance' Customs Facility

By RORY JONES

Updated March 1, 2014 9:09 a.m. ET

A 787 Dreamliner owned by Qatar Airways stands on display at the Singapore Airshow in February. The new airport serving Qatar's capital, Doha, is in talks for a U.S. 'preclearance' customs facility. Bloomberg News

Qatar is the latest Persian Gulf country to apply for a controversial U.S. "preclearance" customs post, a development that could offer the region's government-owned carriers an advantage over other airlines.

Doha's new international airport, which is expected to open later this year, is in talks with U.S. authorities over such a post, according to Akbar Al Baker, the chief executive of Qatar Airways.

A similar U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility that opened in Abu Dhabi earlier this year led to an uproar among U.S. pilot associations, which claim such posts would give Gulf carriers an unfair advantage over peers. The facility allows passengers to go through U.S. customs before boarding their flight and thus bypass the process after arriving in the U.S.

"This will enhance our product as we are growing in the United States," Mr. Al Baker told reporters Saturday.

The growth of the Gulf region's three biggest carriers--Qatar, Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways--has irked some European and U.S. carriers, which have complained the Gulf airlines are funded by deep-pocketed governments that subsidize their cost base.

The Air Line Pilots Association--the largest pilot union in the U.S., representing some 50,000 pilots--has objected to the Abu Dhabi facility, previously calling it an "example of bad U.S. government policy."

Abu Dhabi, whose preclearance facility opened in January, was the 15th airport to secure such a post. Ireland's Shannon Airport was the first outside North America to open one of the U.S. facilities. Similar posts exist in Dublin and several Canadian airports as well as in Bermuda, Aruba and the Bahamas.

Etihad, which is based at the Abu Dhabi airport, plans to increase flights to New York this month and will launch service to Los Angeles in June and Dallas-Fort Worth in December. No U.S. carriers currently fly to Abu Dhabi, which is paying for about 85% of its preclearance facility.

The two other large Gulf carriers are also aggressively expanding in the U.S. market. Qatar plans to start service to Miami, Philadelphia and Dallas-Fort Worth this year, in addition to its routes to New York, Washington, Chicago and Houston. Emirates said last week it intends to begin service to Chicago and will start flights to Boston from Dubai this month.

Dubai, which operates the world's second-busiest airport for international traffic, has also expressed an interest in setting up a preclearance facility.

Write to Rory Jones at [email protected]

buzzpat

Amen! I couldn't believe the attitudes of some of the new hire guys when I came back in 08 sitting with them for a couple days of indoc.

Bucking Bar

We were separate airlines then ... whether or not NWA had pilots on furlough bypass was of no consequence to Delta's growth and hiring pre-merger.

I am glad our furloughees* are back and I also glad we restored their longevity, they are returning to a much better deal than the job they bypassed. Not only did we keep their seat warm (and it is their's) but we improved their compensation and working conditions.

IMHO, the "thanks" should cut both ways.

Dash8widget

As soon as these bypass guys accepted recall, they should have been able to participate in the AE process. There were, by the way, a number of AE's between recalls being offered and classes starting. That way the seniority of guys on property is honored, guys with reinstatement rights are honored, and the seniority of the bypass guys is honored. Win, win, win. Of course, at this point, this whole discussion is moot. Maybe next time. Anyway, welcome back guys.

dalad

That is the best part of your post. The new hires got a job, and the returnees at least had some seniority to return to.

Scoop

Dash,

Everyone's seniority rights are being honored.

When it comes to bidding back into a base, Pilots with reinstatement rights have certain priority rights over others senior to them because it sucks to be displaced ..............and its in the contract.

When it comes to returning to Delta, furlough recalls have certain priority rights over displaced Pilots because it sucks more to be furloughed than to be displaced................... and its in the contract.

Some on this board, not saying you, seem to want to honor the contractual rights of displaced Pilots but seem to not be too concerned with the contractual rights of returning furloughed Pilots.

I think we had a win, win, win.

Anyway - as you say its moot. Welcome back to all!

OBTW - I also agree with your first sentence.

Scoop

poostain

Thanks both ways? Are you assuming all furloughees were NWA? Please explain yourself. A lot of premerger delta also bypassed, and yes it did affect how many delta hired.