Margaritaville

https://www.alpa.org/news-and-events...BcszZ0a23jkdIM

A friend sent this to me. Apparently ALPA is playing hardball with SkyWest.

But also lots of pilots complaining on the forums about the ALPA President still insisting there's no pilot shortage. There's obviously a pilot shortage, but it's in ALPAs interest to say there isn't since they are currently fighting management attempts to cry pilot shortage and roll back the 1500 hour rule. I don't think any of us want to see that happen.

Sometimes it's good to step back and look at the big picture of things.

JulesWinfield

Did you actually read your link? Their argument is that Skywest is taking government money for EAS routes they aren’t flying.

KirillTheThrill

So what’s REALLY going on? What’s the angle?

Why does ALPA give a **** about what OO does or doesn’t do. We have a pilot shortage, that equates to leverage, let’s utilize it.

Margaritaville

Yeah. SkyWest cited staffing shortages as a reason to drop EAS routes and ALPA called BS.

Margaritaville

It's good leverage to settle all the open contracts but that's short sighted. The big picture is by admitting there's a shortage it gives management ammo to roll back the 1500 hour rule which they have been campaigning hard for. If that happens the pilot shortage and associated leverage goes poof overnight. This is why a high level view is important. Chess vs checkers, forest for the trees, etc.

FXLAX

How many total airline pilot jobs out there? How many certified ATPs? If more ATPs than jobs, by definition there is no shortage. It’s a pilot pay shortage.

Swakid8

It doesn’t take a rocket science to figure out the angles here. You over here playing Checkers while ALPA and Skywest and other airline management are playing chess.

By cutting routes to EAS and regional markets, Skywest and airline management are playing a play to undermine the ATP law and or push for relief n other areas that aren’t mentioned (future of single pilot ops).

ALPA and just trying to counter Skywest chess move by blocking them.

KirillTheThrill

Huh, so while I’m cluelessly playing “checkers” I have a question about the 1,500 hour rule.

Let’s say tomorrow it ended, poof, gone. Now the regionals scoop up all the joyful CFI’s below the required 1,500 hours mins. Then what? Who’s going to train the future pilots when all the CFI’s are no longer required to fly 1,500 hours? At least 1,000 hours worth of training given per CFI now gone, that’s what? 4 students per CFI?

You’re speculating SkyWest pulled out of those routes for the sole purpose of persuading congress to alleviate from the regulatory minimum. Are you sure they’re not just chasing the money? Are you sure this has anything to do with the 1,500 rule at all from the side of ALPA? SkyWest doesn’t have a pilot hiring problem, they have a Captain retention problem. In fact the 1,500 hour regulation going away would only help the dumpster fire Regionals like Mesa, which is a direct competitor to SkyWest.

Myfingershurt

Executives don’t GAS about long term sustainability. Their only concern is this fiscal year…maybe next. Bonuses are their only motivation. Long term planning and logic have no place in corporate America.

KirillTheThrill

What management has been campaigning for the 1,500 hour rule to be removed?

Only one I can find is Mesa, and why do you think that is? So did ALPA respond harshly to Mesa’s CEO’s statement? If they did I can’t find it, but I’d hope so right?

https://airlineweekly.com/article/2022/02/14/mesa-ceo-calls-on-lawmakers-to-change-1500-hour-rule/