Airline Pilot Central Forums - SkyWest to furlough?

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- - SkyWest to furlough? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/23667-skywest-furlough.html)

Is there anything to stop SKW from just letting people go, without going through a furlough?

Oh, you must mean our contract, right?

Why is it that regional pilots are squabbling amongst each other like little kids saying his airline is better than the other's?

Fact of the matter is if this fuel price keeps soaring out of control like it is right now, Majors like DAL , UAL, CO, USAir, and NWA will be forced to cut back on RJ flying, both 50 seat RJs and 76 seat RJs (E175s and CRJ900s). Where they will get this cut will be anybody's guess. No one here has access to the DAL, UAL, NWA, Continental Airlines boardroom conversations.

It is naive to think that contracts will protect one better than the other.
If NWA/DAL merges, and followed by UAL/Continental merges, all bets are off. Typically, an airline CEO is a beancounter and surrounds himself with an army of well paid lawyers whose sole purpose in life is to find loopholes in contracts so they can break it if they need to. Now, I am not privy to the Skywest Contract with DAL, but I'll bet my money that the DAL lawyers have drafted a language in there for a multiple potential loopholes. After all, the contract was drawn up in favor of the DAL. Skywest is a subcontractor for DAL, just like Comair, and other regionals, let's not forget that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetJock16 (Post 341356)

To think that SKW will never furlough is ridiculous. If DAL cuts them back below their guarantees then we'll gain $125M plus lost revenue unless Jerry renegotiates the contract; but I can only see him doing this if, in the long run, it better cements SKW Inc position with DAL.
Also remember that SKW has more UAL departures than DAL and UAL’s not cutting us back like DAL is……………………..yet. SKW has just over 1700 departures and almost 1100 of them are for UAL, unless you through ASA into the mix which takes us up to around 2550 total departures. If Merit you are meaning SKW Inc then the thread should reflect the "Inc" so that it includes possible furloughs at ASA.

As for the cut in flying, this is industry wide and it will affect everyone, SKW Inc isn't DAL's only 50 seat operator.

Also if SKW can work their way around furloughing then they will. Especially when you think that most of the new hires have ended up on the EMB, we are incredibly short staffed on the EMB and our flying on the EMB is NOT BEING CUT due to its profitability. If SKW furloughed they will have to boot some JR RJ FO's down to the EMB and this will cost them a lot of money but if the numbers are right it could happen.

You can rest assure they’ll do the number crunching and they’ll do what's best for the company, but I'd expect them to try to carry as many of us as possible and use some of that $900+M they have in the bank.

Why do I think they will do this instead of furloughing? Well that’s what they did after Sept. 11th and it’s how they’ve been able to keep the Kool-Aid flowing.

Thats a bit refreshing to read as a new hire even if it's just your opinion.

Quote:

Originally Posted by POPA (Post 341358)

Is there anything to stop SKW from just letting people go, without going through a furlough?

In over 35 years SKW has never furloughed. What about your company? I'm not saying it won’t happen but they've looked out for their pilots more than any other regional airline has.

Oh and those pilots have contracts. :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyboyzz1 (Post 341362)

Thats a bit refreshing to read as a new hire even if it's just your opinion.

In over 35 years SKW has never furloughed, that should tell you something and it should help you breathe a little better.

Also know that in almost 30 years of operation, ASA has only furloughed 2 pilots.

But then again, we do have a contract. *shrug*

Time will tell.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetJock16 (Post 341364)

Yes, RAH has furloughed. Management is contractually obligated to furlough pilots instead of just kicking them to the curb. Is there anything that forces SKW to do the same? The "we've never done it before" argument doesn't really hold water, as I'm more interested in something concrete.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetJock16 (Post 341366)

In over 35 years SKW has never furloughed, that should tell you something and it should help you breathe a little better.

Neither has ASA but I wouldn't be feeling warm and fuzzy if I was a new hire there either. Although, an ASA furloughee would have recall rights in writing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lighteningspeed (Post 341361)

Why is it that regional pilots are squabbling amongst each other like little kids saying his airline is better than the other's?

You're right, it's much better to pick fights in the Majors forum and challenge other users' academic credentials.