ExpressJet Reboot
 

Message from Subodh: ExpressJet Reboot – Interested in Returning?



Dear colleague:



ExpressJet is preparing to restart operations as early as September-October this year as an independent airline under our own brand. We will start small - with a couple of ERJ145s - and grow from there. We are waiting for the Department of Transportation (DOT) final “fitness” confirmation. I expect that by the 1st week of August. We have our FAA 121 AOC.



Why will ExpressJet succeed? Because our business plan will: (1) Leverage our 35-year history and experience with the ERJ145, (2) Fly in markets abandoned by the network carriers – while they merged and reduced 50-seat flying, and (3) Avoid overlap with other airlines.



You can find more details of our Business Plan in our DOT fitness application here.



The ExpressJet planning folks would like to know your interest in returning to ExpressJet as we prepare for launch. Therefore, in advance of any formal “Recall Notice”, we would appreciate your clicking on this link to let us know of your interest. This will also allow us to keep you abreast of our “Reboot” with regular updates of our journey.



NOTE: This is NOT an official recall notice. That will be per your Collective Bargaining Agreement (e.g. Section 13 of the ALPA CBA)



Sincerely,

Subodh

So if expressjet reboots independently what happens to the pilots in the Aviate program?

Maybe someone has more details but last I heard they let those in the program apply hours from a different carrier

Won’t happen.

that's a fart in the wind

they stay furloughed as 1984-1988 hires are recalled to staff 4 planes

True, but the question is if the furloughed pilots still qualify for Aviate. At Mesa you have to be UA dedicated to qualify, if ExpressJet becomes independent, does that screw over every single pilot currently in the Aviate queue.

I’m not sure how it screws them over. You have to fly 2,000 hrs of UAL branded flight at an Aviate carrier. ExpressJet is not going to be an Aviate carrier any longer. So if you have the 2,000 you should be good. If you don’t you need to apply at an Aviate carrier. They are all hiring. What am I missing?

There came out from the union that if you are flying while invited to AVIATE you can continue flying for your operator building hours towards AVIATE. But the condition is you have to be former XJT and flying for someone as of this past year. So if you’re flying for one of the other regionals, or a 135 operation, it counts.

ExpressJet Reboot
 

Yeah I got that email followed by an email a month later saying that was no longer applicable. So basically there was a short window back around March of about 30 days in which if you had another job or a CJO you could use the exception. If you didn’t get in the window you now have to go to an Aviate carrier.

So I guess maybe the question is does being furloughed at XJT count as being employed? Seems far-fetched to think the best course of action would be to wait around on a recall that may or may not happen to get hours that may or may not count.

I knew APC shouldn’t have deleted the expressjet page!

Hard to understand the nuances of the program without explicit guidance. It seems to me though, if you were in Aviate, not currently working and still want to work for United, then you should be applying to all of the current Aviate partners and choosing the best of the offers you receive based on your personal situation.

If you are ****ed at United and want them to just hire you because they screwed XJT, I understand your frustration but respectfully submit that you are ****ing into the wind and should take the opportunity to find another flying job.

100% agree. That’s exactly what I have done. Although the best offer among those carriers can be a bit nuanced to put it nicely, I have made my decision and am moving forward with it.

how many planes would neoXJ need to operate to recall furloughs hired after 2010. I bet the number is shocking

Not going to happen soon. It’s about 10 pilots per plane. IIRC 2010 would be maybe around 600-700 on the list. I imagine acceptance rate after the first couple hundred would get pretty low though. I would take a SWAG that 20 planes may hit a 2010 hire. Could be less.

Does United still almost-half-own XJT?

Thats an interesting question. Where is the backing for this?

Copied directly from expressjet’s website

Ownership

• ExpressJet is a privately held Delaware registered LLC. KAir Enterprises LLC has majority ownership of ExpressJet with United Airlines maintaining a minority ownership interest.

Big question for anyone looking into a startup, why on earth would you use a seniority list that has everyone at the top of the pay scale? Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to the startup company to just get new pilots and have everyone on 1st year pay? Seems like some kind of a suicidal business model there. Most new companies use “new workforce” as a business advantage to get ahead.

Because the company already has a 121 certificate.

I don't know the specifics of the XJT contract. I do know that the XJT contract is one of the stronger ones out there. Thus, I'd be surprised if the contract didn't have language that requires whoever uses that certificate to use the XJT pilots and comply with the XJT contract.

It's normally in the CBA under scope/successorship. The CBA moves with the certificate, you can't differentiate those. One of the most important pieces under any CBA, also something ALPA has always defended.

So, has anybody been recalled?

From what I read on a XJT fb group. They recalled 9 pilots. Reno based.

How senior were they?

Don’t know that part, considering it’s only 9 pilots I’m guessing pre 2000 hire….

I can’t believe there are too many pilots that live in Reno. I don’t think you will have jumpseat or non-rev benefits with any airline. It could go junior as you might have to move there.


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That’s like pre 1990 hire. Depending on how many bypassed.

20 recalls at this point.

Does that include instructors?

No.About 20 instructors/mgt pilots.

Does this restart make any sense to anyone?

Do pilots have jumpseat agreements to allow them to get to Reno?

Where are tickets being sold? (Kind of important question these guys aren't answering.)

Who is xjt hiring to run dispatch/scheduling/maintenance?

If these guys are gonna put an airline back together, shouldn't there be a massive amount of marketing and hiring?

I can't even find essential air service applications..... No news anywhere about "new flights from Reno". Nothing

This sure looks like some kind of attempt to cash out some PSP money and say "well, we couldn't make it work" and just liquidate.

I think the guys behind this just wanted to find a buyer for the certificate, and since they didn't they want to cover payroll and close up.

All excellent questions, and sure would be good to know.

Does the union have more info?

I can’t believe anyone would accept recall with so little info to go on…

It makes me wonder if there is a timeline that they have to spend the $20 million in bailout money. It seems the corporate bubbas are probably still paying themselves salaries out of it otherwise they wouldn’t have offices. I’m sure they’re not working for free and they obviously have zero revenue coming in.

It all does seem a bit fishy.


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Crickets from Alpa

Have you emailed one of the Expressjet reps?
I have received an email response each time I sent an email. Recently.

What are they saying?

Any response to the kinds of questions above?

The contract will be enforced. There are numerous grievances that are outstanding and need to be addressed. Recalls will be offered by the company in seniority order. Many issues need to be addressed by the company before confidence is restored. One thing mentioned is how does the company plan to implement IT? IOW, there are many unanswered questions. It has been several weeks since any communication between me and Alpa. Some of these questions could have been answered by the company but not put out to the pilot group yet. I get the sense that things are developing but Alpa is expecting more info from the company.
If anyone wants more info I suggest you send an email to one of the Expressjet Alpa reps.

We no longer have elected representatives

Semantics. The XJT Alpa Custodians. Same people, different title. If you were receiving Alpa email, you should have something to reference for an email address to use. Simple research will turn up an email address to use that will get you to the right people. You're welcome.