RedBaron007

I just read this article about slower growth at RAH. It seems like a good plan to slow down a bit since their growing pains seem to be pretty severe. How does everyone thing this 20% attrition rate is going to affect pilot hiring over the next year? And does anyone know how it compares to other regionals - like AWAC, SKW, PSA, Piedmont, any others anyone might have some insight into?

UPDATE 1-Republic Airways sees slower growth in 2007
Thu Apr 26, 2007 2:40 PM ET

(Adds details from call)


April 26 (Reuters) - Republic Airways Holdings Inc. <RJET.O> said higher-than-planned pilot attrition rates and mechanical challenges related to its CRJ fleet will results in a slow down in the airline holding company's growth plan for the rest of 2007.


In a conference call with analysts on Thursday, the company said it sees an additional $4 million to $5 million of pretax transition costs in its second quarter.


The company said these costs are related to additional training expense and decreased pretax profits associated with reduced revenue and non-productive aircraft costs.


Republic Airways said it now expects the third quarter to be hurt by $6 million to $7 million, and the fourth quarter by $1 million to $2 million.
The company experienced about 20 percent pilot attrition in the latest first quarter, and said if the attrition rate continues at that level, it could mean additional expenses of $4 million to $5 million, pretax, in calendar year 2008.


Shares of the company fell 8 percent to $21.69 in afternoon trade on the Nasdaq. (Reporting by Sreerupa Mitra in Bangalore)

bintynogin

thanks for that post..

labbats

I think it's easier to blame the pilots than accept responsibility that you bit off more than you can chew. Those CRJs were a terrible idea.

ghilis101

but attrition of Captains is happening everywhere. If that attrition was FO's like Mesa then I guess youd have a bigger problem on your hands


and i dont think the CRJs were a bad idea, they were probably just off in their forecasting of how quickly they thought theyd be up to speed

labbats

I could be wrong about the CRJs. But doesn't anyone else find it weird that they were the lowest bidder when Mesa/AirWis/Pinnacle currently fly that plane? Startup costs alone would eat you alive.

HotMamaPilot

mesa is the only one with the capacity, and they suck

SharkyBN584

We weren't the lowest bidder.

SharkyBN584

As far as attrition goes, I'd say it's about a 70%-30% split CA's vs. FO's from what I see on the seniority list. The FO's that are leaving are going to corporate gigs or cargo (and I know of at least one that went to CAL). I think I've heard of one, maybe two that went on to other regionals. That's all a WAG FWIW.

This company planned for our "traditional" attrition rate which was somewhere in the realm of 9-10%. They also planned on a number of J4J guys accepting CA positions on the 175 considering US Airways said at the end of last year that they still had 1500 guys on the list. In January, US Air decided to say "Opps, the list is exhausted" and none of the J4J guys accepted CA positions cuz they all got called back to mainline. Our problem is a combination of **** poor management planning and factors outside the control of the company. Either way, it's gotta turn around at some point.

G-Dog

The CRJs were needed because X-Jet kept the 145s that CAL planned to move to RAH, which was within X-Jet's rights. If X-Jet were unable to use the planes, CHQ would be sitting pretty. But, since that did not happen, the CRJ was put into use and training for the plane and it's lack of reliability has plagued the situation. The growing pains will soon pass. Give it a few months and everything should be fine.

HotMamaPilot

yes indeed. Rah is the real mccoy