It's just a saying.. stumbling over a good opportunity, not realizing it is there-- because of short sightedness. (focused on that dime)

I think he is saying that everytime we take a step forward here at Comair it is followed by a few steps back.

Yea, but there isn't the attrition and they are already at 1200 pilots...so they will have to double in size for you to upgrade (I can't see Delta letting a company get 2000+ pilots for the sake of the power struggle). Delta may hire in the future, but they could also not. Also with 17 50 seaters that delta could tank whenever they feel like it...I'm not so sure upgrade is going to come really soon for someone hired today.

They are the golden goose today, but easily could be a goat in 2.

Well, ya know, kinda like you are walking down the street and you see a dime laying on the sidewalk, so because an individual may be so focused on picking up that dime they completely miss, and trip, over the dollar bill that is laying right in front of it.

I totally agree, but I don't see Comair, even if it recalls its furloughees, being any kind of place for advancement.

This is due to its senior gentlemen who have no desire to go sit right seat at JetBlue, Delta, Southwest, etc...

Take a less senior airline for example, like Mesaba, where its captains don't have so much vested into the place, young guys will accept a paycut to go fly for a major carrier when things get back on the upswing. Our 55 year old captains will stay and retire.

So while again, the short-term looks stagnant just about anywhere, but in 5 years where will you be?

Also, one has to consider the age 65 rule that hosed us. Those guys will eventually drop off.

If Comair upgrades were 5 years when times were good, imagine what they will be now.
If Mesaba's upgrade was 2 years when times were good, then it's probably about 4-5 years now, probably right about the time these Baby Boomers start jumping ship.

I'm sure if given the choice, you would choose a pay check, all be it slightly less, than no pay check at all. Your post illustrates exactly what is wrong with this senior pilot group. It's not 1999, it's not a pilots market, oil is not $30 a barrel. We're in a recession, it's tough to get a job much less keep a job, just look what happened at DHL today. This is a time for us as a pilot group to stick together and work with the company on provisions that will benefit us as a group rather than push for things that that try and make up for concessions of the past. Too many personal feelings are involved and the quest for vindication will ruin this pilot group and ultimately this company. The mentality of us against them is not the correct approach; nobody wins and more pay the price just to further the ego's of a few.

No paycuts. Gas and Food isn't getting any cheaper. Why should I have to take ANOTHER pay cut? Benefit us as a group or you? They did this in BK and I'm tired of it, if they want to furlough me fine, i'll find work somewhere else. We as a group are sticking together by saying we aren't going to give into a pay cut just because the company says so.

You have my 100% support on this one. We as a pilot group have to stick together not necessarily on the topic of who does or does not have a job, but on the topic of we will not continue to take less and less. Remember why we are supposed to be so pi**ed off at Freedom guys right.. because of the simple reason they are willing to accept less and less just to get that Jet Job paycheck. Because they accept employment at less than industry standards. If one is for lowering the min line value at Comair, accepting a pay cut, then I better not hear them say a word about how crappy the Freedom guys are.

You caught my drift... even our FO MEC co-chair is okay at 100 hours until another 240 furloughs go down.

Friends don't let friends take pay cuts. The guys at the top and middle don't deserve to be punished for their years of service at Comair. Let them furlough until the cows come home. Many of us are better off for it.

Yours Truly,
Furloughed Comair Pilot