snackysmores

Coincidence doesn't determine causality.

snackysmores

Anyone else hear the company is considering contracting out the 175 training, if we do get the flying? Not good.

N19906

Contract out training?
I wouldn't be surprised. The company has sat on their ass so long that they do not have the time to build up the training department to handle this. They've hacked away at the training dep. so much over the last few years that we no longer have the capability to ramp up to cover additional (E175?) training.
We have no excess/reserve capacity to cover this possibility.
Your rumor is reassuring, in a sick & twisted way. :-)

Everybody: If we don't get an E-175 announcement by Christmas, fire off the resumes!!! (As if that neeeded to be said.)
Oh, and a CRJ-900 this weekend? YGTBSM!!!

snackysmores

From a management perspective the logic is sound. Contract out the 175 training department so jet negotiations can be stalled out well into next year, that way people will stay and the company will have summer staffing. Agreed, if we don't hear anything by the end of the year I think their intentions will be clear.

N19906

Thanks, Snacky.
Yeah, no announcement, punch out!

But I think we'll get something soon. The deal-breakers will be no rate change, (ie: jet rates=jet pay, not Q400; and no ********ing PBS bidding).
If not, well, I'll be disappointed, but life, and employers move on.....��

Phteven

Let's say the company backs off on the whole jet pay for Q400 pay and PBS thing - would you vote yes on an extension on our existing contract? The company seems to think if they yell "concessions" before the pilot group calls for contract improvements that we'll be perfectly happy with the status quo. However, I think they're quite intent on getting PBS.

So honest question, how does any of this news change your job hunt? Your resumes are already updated and in with majors, right? Are you talking about widening the search to (U)LCC's or something or are you talking about bailing for another regional?

N19906

Aside from AS, I haven't actively been looking. I'm relatively senior and my wife has a career, so our situation is fine with us. If the AirGroup pulls some stunt that makes me think QX's future is in doubt, that changes the equation.
That's what's in the balance here. I'm waiting to see which way it breaks.

I really enjoy my job, I'm old enough that starting over at the bottom isn't very appealing, and I hate commuting. But if we start down a path to only a handful of airplanes... I'll be following you guys out the door.

Phteven

Yeah I'm in a similar situation, though I'm not very senior. I am living in a satellite base for the next two years though and don't much care for commuting out of here to another carrier unless it's Alaska or Delta. If bad news breaks, I'll widen that search to basically anywhere other than another regional if I can help it. It would really surprise me if they announced Skywest was getting the flying. That would close this place down and make Alaska look like ****. That alone seems like good enough reason for them to tread carefully, but AAG does seem pretty behind with the times on the current hiring climate which makes them a little unpredictable right now. We'll see...however it's looking pretty unlikely to have any definitive information by the end of the year at this point.

Phteven

Well folks, it's the news we've all been waiting for...

Just kidding! Another email saying basically nothing from the company today. It's pretty much official now that we won't hear anything worthwhile until the new year. They've eased up on talking about changing pay rates (though I'm sure that's still on the table), but they're not letting up on PBS.

"Our initial plan was to get our updated cost and productivity model in place and ready to roll out by early November – with a final announcement set for right around the New Year. However, since we are on a very short timeline to reach tentative agreements that can be put out for ratification, and have made processes like our management team redesign more comprehensive, realistically we’re looking toward early 2016 before we’ll have a definitive answer."

We're running out of time to reach a TA! Don't read just vote yes!

snackysmores

First it was September, then October, then 'end of the year,' now "early 2016."

Then it will be "end of summer" then "end of 2016" then "We're giving the jets to skywest, but thanks for getting us through this summer."