What does that mean? I NEVER pick up open time, and have been furloughed FIVE times. Yes, I've been there, so I know what it's like. As a matter of fact the third time I got furloughed my father passed away the NEXT DAY, so I got a double whammy. I'm a pilot advocate through and through, but in the end, management is going to do what they want REGARDLESS of what concessions I/we give them. Most of our line values are already around 72 hours with many taking VRF. How much more do you want to give up? I'd think having 88 hour lines before all this crap started and dropping to 72 hours is a pretty good cut in anyones book. Would I take more? That depends.........but I'm not willing to give up more for some guy to come back, get current and bail for another company. Personally, I wish someone would have backed keeping the AGE 60 mandatory retirement age in place, and then we wouldn't even be having this conversation, would we? Those are the pilots you need to focus on, not me.

NOT TRUE, I was a checkairman over at ExpressJet for many years pal and I completed many IOE on Fo's that left for CAL with a lot less than those requirements, their dady's or mommy's were CAL Captains

I'm curious then, what times did they have when the went to CAL?

Less than 1500 TT and NO jet PIC and they were not interns, just members of certain organizations.

You are proving my point. Management cuts pilots to save money. If I am offered a job that pays more money, why shouldn't I take it? Should I turn it down, and say, "No, Continental's been so good to me I can't let them down." That's foolish. If Management wanted, they could retain the 147 and pay everyone a min guarantee of 80 hours. If they wanted, they could dole out trip and duty rigs, fly the DH as the IRO to Europe, etc., etc. They don't do this because it doesn't make business sense to them. They would rather save a dollar than instill loyalty. I don't have a problem with it, it's realty.

As for shoving a better contract down their throats, I'm quite serious. The only way you're going to get anything is this game is to fight for it. I have yet to see management give us anything (except the shaft).

Please don't confuse loyalty with professionalism. I keep my books current, iron the suit, fly professionally, go out of my way for passengers, etc. I don't do this out of loyalty but out of respect for my coworkers and myself.

I never said they needed jet PIC.

It seems odd that they wouldn't extend the same below published minimums hiring to their former interns (at least those they liked).

Correct me if I'm wrong but haven't you only been a Continental Pilot for only 10 1/2 years?

I applaud those who came to CAL, decided they didn't care for the crummy pay and benefits that you voted yes for, and moved on.

Nothing wrong with that at all and that's from someone who has over 21 years at CAL for real.

Ever heard of Frank Lorenzo? His ghost is still haunting us and careful, I'm one of those Pilots your referring to.

Oops......my bad. I guess Pan Am Express, Trans World Express, Express One and Express Jet aren't/weren't considered "airlines" or part of the industry. Wow...you're really at the top of your game, aren't you? :rolleyes: I guess you're pretty happy with the "crummy pay and benefits" that I voted "yes" on for you 21 years ago (even though I wasn't in the industry or at CAL right?) otherwise you'd have made a "smart" decision and LEFT...................:eek: You seem to have ALL the answers, unfortunately, MOST OF THEM are wrong.:rolleyes:

I'd prefer to do this via PM EBP, but you just don't get it do you? I was referring to your yes vote on Contract '02, not when I got hired.

Your resume seems impressive and I'm just curious as to why you constatly defend our lousy contract and our callous management?

Anyway, PM me if you'd like to discuss this further.