9E Upgrade Forecast
 

Assuming you guys don't burn the place down by the end of '08, do you guys anticipate the current "upgrade as soon as you meet company mins" to continue?

And do you guys anticipate ever getting 900s on the NWA side? Or is that all going to XJ?

Seems like the 900 flying is going to be a slow development until they get the rates settled. Just wondering if 9E management smells the coffee and realizes they need to transition to the new world of >50 seat flying to survive, or if they'll stick with the -200 flying and your current payscale until there's nothing left but a certificate and some 200s in the desert.

You answered your own question. Welcome to the worn-out history of NWA whipsawing.

Ask for a decent contract > NWA takes planes away > Management/NWA threatens to shut down the airline > Pilots threaten to strike/go on strike > Halfways decent contract finally emerges > New planes arrive to the detriment of other NWA regional > Move on to said other regional, lather rinse repeat.

Just ask the XJ guys.

That's up to NWA, not 9E. The service agreement allows NWA to swap out the -200s for 76-seaters I believe.

XJ currently has a bunch of unexercised options with Bombardier. Betcha those options get moved to 9E after a new pilot contract is signed (SEE ABOVE).

Nice post. Sounds very similar to ASA/Skywest as well!!!

ASA had low pay and morale while Skywest had relatively great pay and morale, then ASA got a decent contract (sorry to any -700 guys, but you gotta admit it's a decent contract)...now that ASA has a decent deal, Skywest gets screwed.

Well, then again I guess the whipsaw comparison isn't 100% true, because at least at 9E you guys have a union and have the ability to strike, unlike Skywest!!!

As far as hiring and upgrade, things are going to slow down. That's for sure. 9E knows that 50 seaters are not going to be around for much longer with these fuel prices. I think the ball is pretty much in NWs court to replace those 200s. Remember that NWA owns most of those 200s. Also the contract is for 124 aircraft. Either the current 200s or bigger planes (900s maybe). The number of units is fixed in the contract, the seat capacity per unit is optional (no less than 50). The low yields from the 50 seaters is going to hurt NWA more than 9E. Apparently NWA is leaning more towards Mesaba for bigger airplanes than 9E. PNCL is really gambling with Delta and the 900s. They really need to bring more planes, 16 are just not enough and Delta is already cutting regional flying. We'll have to wait and see what happens on that side. On the NW side I see NW looking for bigger RJ for 9E, but priority is going to be given to Mesaba, that's for sure.

Despite Skywest being non-union, yes there are a lot of similarities. (And don't forget good old Comair making it a whipsaw threesome!) NWA and DAL have both mastered this game, and you can practically get motion sickness watching all the whipsawing.

I'll give , who is 9E?

9E = Pinnacle Airlines, INC

We still cannot fill CA seats in DTW. Upgrades will continue. I expect more Sh*t to hit the fan though around here before things get better. I have been here almost a year and a half and I would just now hold DTW CA LINEholder, rsv can be held in new hire if you have the time. Only thing is you would be on rsv for a while. MEM is still senior and I plan to upgrade ASAP in a July class and hopefully will hold a line, most likely a couple months of rsv in MEM. MSP,ATL, and MEM will take a while to hold as a CA but DTW CA upgrades are quick.

The movement will start again in the summer. I just flew with a CA based in MSP who is junior to me. By the way, I started here in August :eek:

What kind of line would a DTW CA hired in Feb 05 hold. 156XX employee number?

Left last year where at the time it was a year away from the upgrade

P.s. Im much happier