Air Wisconsin Signs 5 Year CPA With United.
5 year CPA
65 CRJ-200's
Feb 2018 - Feb 2023
Hub's at ORD and IAD

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Fellow Employees,

I am very pleased to announce that yesterday Air Wisconsin and United Airlines executed an exclusive five-year Capacity Purchase Agreement to operate up to 65 CRJ 200 aircraft through February of 2023, with a potential two-year extension. The aircraft will be inducted into United’s network commencing no later than February 2018. This exciting news creates a long term future for our company and provides security and opportunity for our employees as we expand and place our full fleet into service with United.

As many of you may know, for over 20 years through 2006, Air Wisconsin provided regional airline and ground handling services to United Airlines. Many of our current pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, dispatchers and management employees were part of the team providing those services. We are very proud to be re-establishing our partnership with United and once again serving as a United Express carrier as part of United’s global network. We look forward to providing United’s customers with the safe, reliable and outstanding customer service that is the hallmark of both Air Wisconsin and United Airlines.

I am attaching a letter from Scott Kirby, President of United Airlines, welcoming us back to the United family and outlining the instrumental role of 50-seat aircraft in strengthening United’s network. United is keenly focused on connectivity within its system, and with competitive economics Air Wisconsin is poised to play an important role in that strategy.

We expect our geographic footprint within the United Express network will include hubs in Chicago (ORD) and Washington Dulles (IAD). We are working with United to minimize disruption to our employees and to retain as much of our existing physical infrastructure as possible - including our Milwaukee (MKE), Norfolk (ORF) and Columbia (CAE) maintenance facilities.

Importantly, Air Wisconsin pilots will become eligible to enroll in the United Airlines Career Pathway Program (CPP) which provides qualifying pilots with the opportunity to become pilots for United mainline. As we expand our service for United, our aggressive hiring plans will create fast upgrades for First Officers and the CPP program creates a direct professional pathway into United mainline for all eligible pilots. Our recently announced new hire/first year pay structure and our generous retention payments establishes Air Wisconsin as a premier regional airline for pilots and reflects United’s and our commitment to the long term future and growth of Air Wisconsin.

We will keep you informed and updated as we develop and finalize our plans to transition from our partnership with American into our new partnership with United. Air Wisconsin has had a great relationship over the past 12 years with US Airways/American – and I speak for all of us when I say that it has been a privilege to serve them. I know I can count on all of you in providing outstanding service for American as we complete the remaining term of our flying with them.

I personally want to thank each and every one of you for your loyalty and dedication to Air Wisconsin. I know that the last several months have not been easy for you in the absence of knowledge regarding our company’s future and the anxiety this may have created for you and your families. I along with our leadership team deeply appreciate your professionalism and commitment to proudly delivering an outstanding product each and every day. As we move forward in our new relationship with United Airlines, we will keep you updated on a regular basis and we look forward to working together with you as we embark on this exciting new phase in Air Wisconsin’s future. I am thrilled by the opportunity to announce a new chapter in Air Wisconsin’s proud history! Let’s go!

Sincerely,

Christine

Christine R. Deister

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Bababouy, Thanks for your desire to know what I posted to another boricua, but in the future, google is not the best source when it comes to colloquial language ....
Paid2fly, wow, !Are you talking about a sea wall!?!, Am confused!???
Back to the topic,: I think you r right P/sharp,I think the tables have turned, the only thing I see difficult for the AWA pilots group is the commute. We will see what happens.

 

I'm not sure how much competition this will cause for DCA pilots. AWAC still has lower first year pay and lower retention bonuses ($15k signing, $10k at year two, and $8k at year three). They still have a very senior pilot pool making upgrades slow. They are shrinking some making upgrades even more difficult. They will have SSP (guaranteed interview) with United which is kind of nice. They also have some better pays (open time, etc...). I imagine the quality of life for a junior FO with them will be pretty rough for a couple of years and the uncertainty of base might scare a few others away.

 

I stuck my head in this morning's Indoc class. I didn't get a head count but it looked full.

 

It's full till the end of the month, then that's when things trail off. Expecting hiring for attrition coverage through the summer and beyond.

This air whiskey deal inst good news for the company. One has to assume they based a certain percentage of new hire pilot growth from the AW pilot group. Not only are they probably not coming over here now, there competing against them for new hires. This company seems to have a big plans for a successful future with wanting 150-200 airplanes, but reality keeps coming around...every few months.

 

What is your source? How many are scheduled already for class in March and how many applications are we receiving and how many interviews are we conducting each week?

I would love to see your source for this information.

 

Last I heard March was full, April and May not as much as March. The attrition is going to pick up as we head into summer, even more so when these LLC pass there new contracts. I wouldn't suggest basing our growth upon applications received or interviews completed. Its all about who shows up, and who passes CLT sim. From your previous posts, you seem to be in the hiring department. Not trying to be so pessimistic here but if you think were stacked 60 a month for the next 4-5 months then I'd be really shocked. So hows this summer looking then?

 

Now that AWAC flying will be gone from PHL, would it increase the likelihood that PSA could open a base there eventually?

 

Nothings really changed from AA's perspective. AWAC found a home, but they were always moving out of the AA system. PSA my open PHL, or ORD, but this news doesn't change their plans.

 

I do not think PSA will open in PHL. AA's other WOs have opened in the other old AWAC bases. Envoy in New York and Piedmont in Philly.

It might make hiring a bit harder, but right now I think a pilot looking to be based in the DC area would still pick PSA over AWAC. AWAC has a lower signing bonus, much longer upgrade times, and older planes. They do have some nice other stuff such as open time pay is higher.

Where guys decide to go will still come down to if they have a base you live in or an easy commute, good pay, high QOL, and fast upgrades. At least for now AWAC's QOL is very questionable as is their future base locations. Pay is competitive, but towards the lower end of competitive.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk