What's happening at Horizon and Jets?
01-17-2017, 01:43 PM
#1011
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2017
Posts: 20
Originally Posted by caylejqx
Since nobody really knows the future of QX... and since there is a large sum of 175's coming... Just curious to know what you all think the future holds in regards to these new planes, and the possibility of becoming Virgin's feeder airline with one plane or the other?
Last edited by Niobe; 01-17-2017 at 01:44 PM. Reason: Additions
01-17-2017, 01:47 PM
#1012
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2014
Posts: 216
Originally Posted by caylejqx
Since nobody really knows the future of QX... and since there is a large sum of 175's coming... Just curious to know what you all think the future holds in regards to these new planes, and the possibility of becoming Virgin's feeder airline with one plane or the other?
That said, our current staffing issues are already leading to Q's being taken out of service (by sending them in early for heavy checks), so unless this bonus magically solves the hiring issues here, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we start parking Q's as the 175 deliveries begin.
From what's been said by various management types, it sounds like Alaska wants to use QX to provide a Virgin feed out of California, but seeing as we can't staff our current flying, I have no clue how they think that's going to work.
01-17-2017, 02:05 PM
#1013
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Position: fatigued
Posts: 1,397
Originally Posted by cactusflyer
The contract we agreed to last year guarantees QX 33 175's, and at least 50% of any remaining options that are converted to orders. Originally, the Q400 fleet would have started getting drawn down this year, but QX renewed the leases on those 15 airplanes, so we don't quite know what's going on there.
That said, our current staffing issues are already leading to Q's being taken out of service (by sending them in early for heavy checks), so unless this bonus magically solves the hiring issues here, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we start parking Q's as the 175 deliveries begin.
From what's been said by various management types, it sounds like Alaska wants to use QX to provide a Virgin feed out of California, but seeing as we can't staff our current flying, I have no clue how they think that's going to work.
That said, our current staffing issues are already leading to Q's being taken out of service (by sending them in early for heavy checks), so unless this bonus magically solves the hiring issues here, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we start parking Q's as the 175 deliveries begin.
From what's been said by various management types, it sounds like Alaska wants to use QX to provide a Virgin feed out of California, but seeing as we can't staff our current flying, I have no clue how they think that's going to work.
I think the fact they sent the planes they wanted to park into heavy checks to avoid having to furlough pilots says something. They want the planes to fly, but they don't want to pay pilots to fly them.
SFO turns on the Q would suck balls. OO can have it for all I care, we have enough problems up north.
01-17-2017, 02:06 PM
#1014
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Position: fatigued
Posts: 1,397
Originally Posted by WSPLT
My understanding is that some new hires will get the E-175 in a couple months. I'm not sure exactly when, but soon. There may be SOME FOs going into the E-175, however we currently have a 4 year seat lock so most that were eligible to switch to the jet would likely be thinking more about upgrading. There are lots of senior Captains here that want the jet, so I would expect the senior FOs faced with either being an FO in the jet or a CA in the Q400 would choose the latter.
Our upgrade times here are around 3 years or less now I think, so the few folks that are eligible but that haven't upgraded yet are probably more concerned about where they are based than what equipment or seat they are flying in.
Our upgrade times here are around 3 years or less now I think, so the few folks that are eligible but that haven't upgraded yet are probably more concerned about where they are based than what equipment or seat they are flying in.
01-17-2017, 03:03 PM
#1015
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2014
Posts: 216
Originally Posted by snackysmores
I think the fact they sent the planes they wanted to park into heavy checks to avoid having to furlough pilots says something. They want the planes to fly, but they don't want to pay pilots to fly them.
As much as I distrust our management, I think their reasoning for sending the airplanes into the check early (the process takes longer than predicted, and they want the airplanes for the summer schedule) makes a certain amount of sense, even if they did conveniently leave off the fact that a lack of staffing meant the airplanes wouldn't be flying now anyway.
01-17-2017, 04:39 PM
#1017
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2016
Posts: 268
It's no secret that the Air Group wants to expand our network in California. I've heard speculation about a Bay Area base (SFO?) as well as a San Diego base. I doubt that this would happen before the late 2018 - early 2019 time frame.
01-17-2017, 09:14 PM
#1018
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2016
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by snackysmores
I think the fact they sent the planes they wanted to park into heavy checks to avoid having to furlough pilots says something. They want the planes to fly, but they don't want to pay pilots to fly them.
01-18-2017, 07:02 AM
#1019
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2016
Posts: 268
You're not missing anything, WSPLT. None of the corporate communications mentioned the word "furlough" (in fact, our VP of Operations has just gotten around to admitting that we're short-staffed). The first quarter of the year is always the slowest, so the company may have just seen this as a good time to get some heavy maintenance out of the way. There also might be some legitimate accounting reasons to spend the money now.
01-18-2017, 08:35 AM
#1020
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 341
Originally Posted by snackysmores
The new contract gets activated once the first jet arrives on property too. Wouldn't put it above air group to say "Sorry, we can't staff these" and give them to OO, but keep 1 jet so they can activate mother fking PBS.
SFO turns on the Q would suck balls. OO can have it for all I care, we have enough problems up north.
SFO turns on the Q would suck balls. OO can have it for all I care, we have enough problems up north.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
