Penair News
 

it looks like ERA the second largest regional in the state of Alaska is going under
they fly 4 dash 8 100 series
PenAir flies 7 SAAB 340B's
if we have to put 3 more planes on at 3 crews per plane thats 18 pilots
if you ever wanted to fly for PenAir or live in Alaska looks like its time to get ready and get your resume in
I am going to make these guys my career airline wahoo

just want to make my 25th post

Hey, what did you bid for next month?? 7 on, 0 off?

i have a feeling bids will go out the window and we just fly
should be fun
i agree with you on ERA guys being our brothers
the real world is scary

Well, I finished my interview with Penair. They are going to interview throughout this week and next week (Jan 2007). It is wait and see time.

185flier,

I bet several Reeve Aleutian, Wein, Mark Air, Pan Am (the list goes on and on), guys thought they would make a career at those airlines too.:(
I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.
I hope Pen Air has better luck than those carriers.

Where did you hear Era is going out of business, didn't they just exit bankruptcy?

ERA closed the Bethel hub and is liquidating some of the Otters. They are still operating the Dash 8 and a few DHC-6 out of ANC.

(This is a pretty old thread that I renewed for some of the PenAir interviewees)

In this business you can never be fully secure with your company. Just go with one that pays well, treats it's employees well and has a respectable history, like MESA Uh,Oh! Did I say that?!?!

Pen Air
 

It must also suck to have to fly 120 hours a month to make what FO's make flying 40-60 hours at Era, oh ya they are salary.

:o Lanesuzza, I didn't catch it was an old thread, the dates sure look close. Sorry.

Looks like you weren't the only one to miss that ;)

Era wasn't doing all that great when the thread was posted, and I think they are still on a fairly slippery slope.

I heard rumors that they are getting rid of all thier twin otters and getting a few 1900s in replacement. Still a reduction in capacity, but might be a move in the right direction.

Hey, it looks like it has been awhile since someone has posted on this thread. I Interviewed over the phone for a first officer position in the 208 or Navajo last week. Has anyone heard anything back? Any info?

My friend also had a phone interview, around two weeks ago. I don't think he has heard anything back either--by phone, e-mail, or mail.

Does PenAir still have Scaravan FOs?

Yes they do, If you are a low time pilot.

or if you were a metro captain just "furloughed" by said company...

Yea heard the rumor that they laid off metro people. Good luck folks!

Does it look like the metro guys and gals will transition into the saab soon or are they sol for a while?

PenAir didn't furlough them, they outright fired them. About half of the Metro guys got canned. Very random how they picked them. Some were brand new F.O.s, some were 5 year captains. Some had left the SAAB to be captain in the Metro. Employee moral is at an all time low around here. Just waiting for the axe to fall on the next group (whoever that will be). Not sure who made the decision on this one, but I am looking for a way out. If you want to work at PenAir, you have been warned. Seems they will fire good people at random just to prove that they can. Mgmt weasels!

Oh, but hey they are still hiring Caravan FO's if you reallllly like peanuts ;-)

Fired? Is that Legal? Wow!

Yep, it's legal in Alaska. They just passed out memo's explaining how Alaska is an "at will" state, and PenAir is a "at will" employer. Basically they can fire anyone at anytime without a reason. And it appears that is what they do. You have all been warned!

What? where am I, Russia, China???

Fire someone for poor performance, puntuallity issues, safety concerns, but without any reason??? come on now

I think they had their reasons for each person they fired, but the way they did it was still wrong. We lost some really good pilots who put some descent time in with PenAir. I wonder what they have in store for the Saab...

No. You are in the United States, where corporate welfare comes first. Remember this. ;)

FWIW, I was up at Era the other day and things seem to be on an even keel; they no longer have DHC-6s and have three 1900Ds in the new paint (lookin' sharp!) on the property. No word on hiring, though...

At will employment works both ways. This is a capitalist society and a business owner has the freedom to make a profit. What you are referring to would be more common in an ill performing socialist environment.

The recent firings.....
 

Well it seems that Penair Mgt has done it again. Their inability to plan and execute has shown us once again that they think like horses; they look around like horses and they get scared like horses.

The recent firings show us that they lack any integrity with regards to a employer to employee relationship. With everyone that was terminated, I'm sure the company had their reasons. They could have done it in seniority order. Of the people that were let go, 5 of the 10 had worked for the company close to five years. For anyone that is raising a family, this has caused a huge burden I'm sure. The problem is that most of the pilots here are spineless and would not even consider becoming unionized, which would keep management from doing stuff like this.

Their training is also a joke....take this spring for example. Within a one month period, they destroyed a saratoga, a goose and a metro. Thankfully no one was seriously injured. Did I mention that a Metro management pilot flew an aircraft with a near inoprative rudder, that he knew about before he took off.

Is this really a company that you would like to work for?

Glad I never interviewed with them..........

Is the Anchorage FSDO asleep?

It's too cold for them to step outside.

I've got a close buddy at PenAir that I lost contact with over the years, and I'm wondering if he's still there. I'm not about to mention specific names, but I know he is/was a captain on the Metro and has been there since around 2000.......his initials....TT. Is he still there, or was he one of the unfortunate 5 that was let go? Just curious. If you know him and he's still around, tell him an old buddy from UND says hello! Just so he knows who I am....He got me an interview at PenAir in 2003, and we went Salmon fishin' the same day. Thanks.

Do they have a training contract that might help them? It may help the pilot for once.

Have there been recent management/ownership changes? People in positions they don't belong.If this is the case then youshould consider the history of airlines success. Reeves, Wien, Markair. Different ops but looks like similar style.

There's a TT in the Saab. but I don't think he's been there since 2000...

They only go one way...if you quit inside of 2 years, you owe them money, but they don't owe you anything it they fire you.

With a place as small as PenAir, I suppose it must be him. He started on the Metro in around '00-'01, and I do remember him mentioning the Saab option a couple years ago. I know he also does -- or at least used to do quite a bit of bush flying in the Navajo. Thanks for the info!

I wonder what all the guys who were drinking the PenAir Kool-Aid not too long ago think about the place now?

True...1 person was let go beacause they were about to go to OCS in a few weeks...couldn't you wait a few weeks and then you won't have to pay anyway!
I wonder if they would get any military cargo contracts if the DOD found out they terminated somone out of seniority because of their commitment to the military?

The magic eight ball.......
 

Well here is some news....its seems the horses are at work again, they are going to have a management meeting this week. I use the word "management" lightly. More like alcoholic children with etcha-scetchs. Word has it that they are going to FIRE three saab crews soon. This is going to be good news for the captains who have put in more then five years. When are the rest of you going to unionize? Maybe if you man up, those of you who deserve to, might keep your jobs.....

Oh yeah TT or Tamie still works here...he is still a cry baby.

Is Tamie a nickname or what? The TT I'm referring to's first name is Ty. Know him?

Yep, we know Ty. (Tamie...LMAO) He really gets ****ed about that name. He is a SAAB driver now. Gee... wonder if he will be one of the next ones canned by PenAir? Maybe I will. Wahooo...You never know, it's like Vegas baby! Maybe they just draw names out of a hat when they fire people. ALL SAAB guys have to be sweating right now. What a ****ty way to treat people. Come on PenAir cool-aid drinkers. Defend your fearless leaders. I have no respect for any of them.

Would a union change the "at will" situation?