I got the same call from the union "furlough rep." Called me while I was in the air. Apparently ALPA has not resolved the emaestro debacle, thus he would have been able to check my line and called me when I was on the ground.

 

Got the call today, doesn't sound too promising for recalls anytime soon. But I think most of us knew that without being told. Subject to change as always.

 

have they given a tentative recall timeframe? i know tentative means not likely soon, just curious if they said anything about recalls

 

I heard from my neighbor's dog's owner's sister's roommate that if we get no additional flying, recalls would begin in the second quarter of '09 for attrition, with no more than 50 recalls for the 2009 calendar year. Now, obviously those numbers would change if we get more flying or lose more flying.

 

thanks diver, art said they will keep the pool during the furloughs, so ill keep swimming and looking for something better i guess.

 

Ya, I'm hoping that Delta has a long term plan for us that looks good and we have to take a few hits in the short term, but maybe I'm just clinging on to that thought for my own sanity. We can only hope that Ornstein runs Mesa into the ground and we get some of that flying so the furloughees can come back and we can start sucking some of the water out of the pool.

 

when i talked to the furlough rep today i asked him about recalls... he said crew forecasting is saying that theyre expecting 50 recalls in march/april 09... also in the past the average has been 27 actually come back for every 50 called...

ps. skywatch thank you for your post...finally somebody makes sense

 

This economy that we are living in right now is the worst since the Depression. Let's all look at the big picture for a second. While oil is on the decline, this industry is still 100% dependant on it. Just my opinion, but that oil will stay low through the upcoming election. Watch what happens after the election. Watch what happens when Putin burps on Obama, or McCain. Watch what happens when North Korea fires another test missle. I think you get the point. Gas is still yet going to go higher until we become less dependant on it and as of right now nothing is being done in this industry to change that.

I would like to ask those who are optomistic a few questions..

What is going to happen with the industry in the next year, or two that would warrent all of the airlines gaining business and calling back all of their furloughs, or hiring?

How do you stay optomistic that we will gain flying for someone else? Everyone is furloughing, or at least cutting capacity. Who would we gain flying for? United? Get real..... Why would United have all kinds of extra flying sitting around right now?

Let's give it to them in our next contract negotiations. What exactly are you going to do? What do you think will get better? Pay? Fat chance. More days off? Good luck. There is no way that things are going to get better anytime soon. There will be very little momentum for the pilot group going into such negotiations.

I know I sound really bitter, but after 5 years I have seen both sides of this company and neither side has substance to give this pilot group hope. Now let's merge all of our problems with those of Mesaba, Pinnacle, and/or Compass. Delta will never be a possibility. Do you think things are going to get better?

 

get out of the pool you are drowning there!

 

Well, if that's the case, then a big union dawg that I flew with lied to my face a couple weeks ago.