What do you think PSA is seeing in their future that would make them not only want to recall, but work on hiring? Seems like American Eagle would be just as hurt as UAX. Any thoughts?

 

PSA works for AA, who just sent out WARN letters to a bunch of pilots. After already furloughing them once. They have permanently eliminated a buttload of aircraft:



The bottom line is they won’t be hiring at mainline for quite awhile and they are currently fighting against Frontier, Spirit, United, and SWA to not lose gates and slots at some of their hubs. And some carriers have already pledged these ‘use it or lose it’ slots and gates which they don’t really even own for loans.


https://thepointsguy.com/news/airlin...laguardia-jfk/


https://simpleflying.com/jetblue-ple...ts-for-a-loan/


https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/un...stry-an-44275/

No way are they going to make the utilization requirements to hold onto those slots with mainline aircraft - not once the current COVID induced waiver expires - so they are depending on regional feed to keep those gates active enough to keep them. The problem is the ULCCs are starting to hire and AA mainline won’t be hiring for a long time - and chapter 11 bankruptcy is a real possibility. So the WO ‘flow’, which was once an inducement is much less so now. AAG needs to keep their WO regionals staffed in the face of declining opportunities at AA mainline and ULCCs that have already started hiring. I think they are just trying to steal a lead on the regional hiring. It isn’t like first year FOs at PSA cost much. Not compared to the third year AA furloughees they can then avoid recalling.

AA is in serious trouble. If it gets through this without bankruptcy it’ll be lucky. So it’s looking at the big picture - and trying desperately not to give up any slots or gates in crowded hubs.

 

Right? Then there’s Christmas! Phew...dodged a bullet there.

 

The relative compliance costs of brewing beer vs. reprocessing plut is pretty significant.

 

So what will happen to that westwind school that United purchased?

 

its still going and they’re rebranding the name to something like the United aviate academy.

 

Believe it or not this isn’t the first time United has owned a primary flight school. This was not uncommon back in the 1960s.

 

Think of the “bag tag” possibilities!!!

 

I thought surely they would back out of the deal somehow, seeing as the world shut down about a month after they announced the Aviate program last year. Yet the planes are still flying, and I see their new student shuttle drive by daily, emblazoned with Aviate logos.

 

Now it's the only major US airline that owns a flight school.