Horizon hiring/interviews
04-08-2015, 07:33 PM
#591
Works Every Weekend
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,210
Originally Posted by mountaingoat
Does anyone at Horizon have an actual credible source for what is being talked about there, besides what the Union put out in their short email? Aircraft type? Number of Airplanes? ( No Offense to new hires in ground school as an information source but.... yeah) So far this sounds like a lot of smoke and mirrors and no real plan. A lot of hope, but no real substance or action. Talk is cheap and finance guys don't go buy a large amount of aircraft without knowing all of the answers above. At worst, a flyer to get concessions at Horizon to see if they will bite (Horizon can only get jets if you get in the race to the bottom)
Has management given any plan like the one they gave the Alaska pilots back in 2000? That plan mapped out the future at Alaska including aircraft and routes?
I find it hard to believe that Alaska will invest in Horizon and risk their relationship with Mainline Pilots at a time of record profits and a fight in SEA with Delta.
Wasn't the plan at Horizon just a few years ago to capture all the cost efficiencies of single fleet? Which is why they opened 5 bases? Did Senior Air Group leadership all of a sudden change their mind and why hasn't anything been told to the Alaska Pilot Group?
Also, there are many other Low Ball CPA carriers that would trip all over themselves to get E-190/195 or C series. SkyWest has 100 MRJs on order and Republic has 40 C-series on order
This has all the hallmarks of a free for all race to the bottom.
Has management given any plan like the one they gave the Alaska pilots back in 2000? That plan mapped out the future at Alaska including aircraft and routes?
I find it hard to believe that Alaska will invest in Horizon and risk their relationship with Mainline Pilots at a time of record profits and a fight in SEA with Delta.
Wasn't the plan at Horizon just a few years ago to capture all the cost efficiencies of single fleet? Which is why they opened 5 bases? Did Senior Air Group leadership all of a sudden change their mind and why hasn't anything been told to the Alaska Pilot Group?
Also, there are many other Low Ball CPA carriers that would trip all over themselves to get E-190/195 or C series. SkyWest has 100 MRJs on order and Republic has 40 C-series on order
This has all the hallmarks of a free for all race to the bottom.
- The 6 bases are under review. It was announced that one meeting was held, but no details. Another meeting was supposed to be happening in the immediate future. It's possible that the result of these meetings will be one or more base closures.
We're not really sure what the business plan is at the moment. It's kind of hard to tell. They've been trying to cut costs and reap the financial benefits of the single fleet for a while now... and they've repeatedly fallen short of their 10% profit margin target, and they're going backwards. So it seems like they may be shifting away from that idea.
The only thing certain at the moment is that if they want Horizon to be sustainably profitable, the status quo isn't going to do it. Eventually either the increasing maintenance costs of the Q400 or their staffing issues due to no real plan for the future will cause some problems. Something needs to happen if they want to keep this place functioning remotely well.
Regarding the MRJ's and C-series that other companies have on order... If Alaska wouldn't want to risk their relations with their mainline pilot group by giving QX larger jets, giving those same jets to a non-Air Group partner wouldn't be any better...
04-13-2015, 08:50 AM
#592
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 136
Originally Posted by pete2800
You're on. The bet is 20 bucks.
I miss actually flying, including the challenging small airports/****ty weather. 90 seconds/week of moving a sidestick doesn't scratch the flying itch.
It was also fun to overcome the issues arising at little outstations; there's much more autonomy in a little operation.
I do NOT miss the 4am wakeup, after 10hrs on the ground, followed by a 5 leg day!
Oh, and I never realized just how consistently ****ty our PNW weather actually is, on average! Which isn't a negative, just an observation.
04-13-2015, 09:06 AM
#593
Works Every Weekend
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,210
Originally Posted by HeadInTheTops
True story.
I miss actually flying, including the challenging small airports/****ty weather. 90 seconds/week of moving a sidestick doesn't scratch the flying itch.
It was also fun to overcome the issues arising at little outstations; there's much more autonomy in a little operation.
I do NOT miss the 4am wakeup, after 10hrs on the ground, followed by a 5 leg day!
Oh, and I never realized just how consistently ****ty our PNW weather actually is, on average! Which isn't a negative, just an observation.
I miss actually flying, including the challenging small airports/****ty weather. 90 seconds/week of moving a sidestick doesn't scratch the flying itch.
It was also fun to overcome the issues arising at little outstations; there's much more autonomy in a little operation.
I do NOT miss the 4am wakeup, after 10hrs on the ground, followed by a 5 leg day!
Oh, and I never realized just how consistently ****ty our PNW weather actually is, on average! Which isn't a negative, just an observation.
04-13-2015, 09:24 AM
#594
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 136
Cactus/'Merican.
All good (initial $75K paycut was a little daunting, though).
12hr reserve, with ability to sit from home (PHL based) occasionally. Average maybe 6 landings/month? Actual job now consists of updating iPad and commuting.
The scheduling flexibility and professionalism of the schedulers here has been fantastic. 2 numbers from holding a line for May, so maybe in June, which will be the 1yr mark (and will get me back to 15yr QX hourly rate).
All good (initial $75K paycut was a little daunting, though).
12hr reserve, with ability to sit from home (PHL based) occasionally. Average maybe 6 landings/month? Actual job now consists of updating iPad and commuting.
The scheduling flexibility and professionalism of the schedulers here has been fantastic. 2 numbers from holding a line for May, so maybe in June, which will be the 1yr mark (and will get me back to 15yr QX hourly rate).
04-14-2015, 05:38 AM
#597
Permanent Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Posts: 660
Originally Posted by pete2800
That 10-hour thing you mentioned... I'm about to do one of those tonight. I'm not excited about it, haha. Where did you leave for, and how's the new place treating you?
04-14-2015, 07:58 AM
#598
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Posts: 136
Originally Posted by OnMyWay
I've got a 16 leg, 3 day trip starting today. 10 hour tonight in YVR and an 11 hour YYJ tomorrow. Seems to be the norm these days, at least for us junior pukes.
I've been hearing that's becoming the new norm. Sucks...I'm glad you have the opportunity to bail if you want, or upgrade in a reasonable time! Carpe diem!
04-14-2015, 09:36 AM
#599
Gear handle manipulator
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: B-737 First officer
Posts: 246
Originally Posted by pete2800
Regarding the MRJ's and C-series that other companies have on order... If Alaska wouldn't want to risk their relations with their mainline pilot group by giving QX larger jets, giving those same jets to a non-Air Group partner wouldn't be any better...
04-14-2015, 11:29 AM
#600
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 197
Originally Posted by SmoothLanderJ
Agree 100%
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