You spent last night in DTW, so how can you say you got tagged?

 

Hey guys, so i didnt get to attend the meeting with th pres, but i heard that he said something about a flow thru agreement for the pilots....? who was he referring to with whom? i find it hard to believe that delta mainline would agree to that. just curious

 

I believe it is a flow through to waste management.

 

That's interesting.

JB: "Take another 10% pay cut across the board and Delta will give you preferential hiring."

Comair Pilot <3 years on property: "That sounds great! Sign me up!"

Comair Pilot >3 years on property: "Wait a minute. You promised us growth in exchange for concessions in 2005. That didn't happen. You promised we'd be "competitive" if we took concessions during bankruptcy in the year you testified under oath we were projected to earn $50 million. In exchange for those concessions, you got rid of half the fleet we were operating at the time."

JB: "That was like six Presidents ago. I'm on your side. After all, you can see how much better things have gotten since I came here nearly two years ago."

Comair Pilot <3 years on property: "You senior pilots are just in my way. You need to move on so I can upgrade and flow through to Delta. JB has always looked out for our best interest."

JB during subsequent phone call to Atlanta: "Just look at these idiots. We've got them fighting among themselves. There is no unity to worry about. In just a few months, they'll vote anything in."

Six months later......

JB: "Well folks, thanks for the concessions you agreed to in order to be competitive. As a result, we were able to sell the company to Mesa."

Comair Pilot <3 years: "What about my flowthrough?"

JB: "We're looking into that. Word is Delta is going to take the most senior fifty."

Comair Pilot <3 years: "But you made that agreement with all of us!"

JB: "That's true, but it doesn't matter, because I just do what Atlanta tells me to. By the way, I just got promoted to be the Vice President in charge of Delta Connection. Aren't you happy for me?"

Comair Pilot >3 years: "**********, when are we going to stop selling our skills and abilities short?"

Comair Pilot <3 years: "Shut up. Just be thankful I haven't pushed you down the aircraft stairs yet to get you out of the way of my upgrade."

 

Why not just agree to shut this place down? It solves everyone a lot of heartache.

 

In the long run, that may be the best option. Being a pilot in this segment of the aviation industry does not appear to be a lucrative long term option.

For every Legacy airline job available once retirements pick up, there will be ten or more regional pilots competing for it.

If Americans are too poor to be able to afford to pay what it takes to operate a 50-seat jet into their backwater town, pilots should not be expected to subsidize their lifestyle. As a result, fewer pilots will be needed.

Scope limitations at the legacy carriers will continue to strangle regional carriers' abilities to operate cost-effective equipment. Turboprops are likely the most viable solution for regional airlines as the global economy recovers and the price of oil climbs. Even that may not be enough if the U.S. government builds enough resolve to seriously invest in high speed rail transportation, as they are slowly starting to do.

How many times should pilots be expected to pay to practice their profession?

Half the seniority list at Comair already earns less than what a cab driver in New York City does...a person who barely speaks English, hasn't taken a shower in a week, and has skills no greater than 99% of the rest of the U.S. adult population. I use that as a benchmark because recently 35% of Comair's pilot group was based at JFK. Seems valid, especially considering the tarnished "brass ring" of the Legacy airline job is unlikely to be reached by the overwhelming majority of regional pilots.

There's something fundamentally flawed with the regional airline business model. Perhaps the wisest course of action would be to suspend participation in the game.

Just some thoughts to consider.

 

Sweet! A bigger paycheck...and a company that doesn't suck!

 

Are you stalking me?............Creppy

Fine, I'll buy you lunch next time.

Btw, Irrelevant that was great.

 

umm... No. You send out a mass text message. That's how I know.

 

My mind has drawn a blank...can someone please pm me and remind me how to see the line awards? I thought they posted a link when they were released, but I do not see one on EPIC.