SkyWestPilot1

You may be in a "bad" spot but its certainly not hopeless. The bright spot in this is that its Skywest thats looking to aquire you. I know an earlier post by an ASA pilot spoke negatively about being under the skywest umbrella but I would disagree. Thursday, in the hotel van I was talking with a checkairman from ASA and he was very positive about the change. Granted ASA was very broken before the purchase so really the only way to go was up, but still it could have gotten much worse, meaning they could have been parted out. XJT seems to be in better shape than ASA overall however your stock value certainly doesn't prove that to be true. Obviously I can't speak for SkyWest, but history shows that you have nothing to worry about. I think the biggest mistake the ASA group made after the purchase was that they tried to force their new owner into a corner, (900's) that is never a good idea with a new employer who your trying to be friends with. One thing I've learned about SkyWest is that they are a very smart and savvy group of businessmen and if you treat them right, they will treat you right. Best of luck to you all.

mking84

I hope so. But I think SkyWest has already showed us their move with the pilots. Our MEC has not been consulted by SkyWest, got this right from the top. However they want parts of our contract repealed. Something is missing here!

N2rotation

Yeah I don't think Skywest management has experience dealing with a real contract, like ExpressJet's. They need to consult ALPA and the employees whose future they are affecting, if they are indeed caring any bit about people.

dojetdriver

True, and it makes a lot of wonder why ANYBODY would want somebody that ONLY has 50 seat (and less) aircraft.

It leads many of us to believe that there is way more of a bigger picture and more players involved than just CAL, SkyWest, and XJT. Potential legacy partners that SkyWest and XJT are involved with, the potential the MESA may drop paving the way for XJT to possibly secure some flying, CAL possibly getting scope relief, etc.

Until we know ALL that is going on and everybody that's involved, EVERYTHING is just pure speculation.

When XJT was operating under the exclusiveness of CAL's umbrella and the protections that the CPA provided, our life was pretty easy. All we have to do keep the 274 planes flying for CAL along with the promised completion factor and all was well in the world.

Unfortunately, the combination of CAL exercising their rights of the CPA, coupled with the current economic factors just made XJT's life more interesting.

Slaphappy

Skywest knows very well what the expressjet contract says. Looks like Xjt has 2 choices sell and delete the 5 pages in the contract or stay on their own and lose all their cal flying in the next 3 years not to mention the loss of money on the branded. Seems like the MEC needs to step up to the plate and figure out whats best for the future not try and act macho.

But none of this really matters since expressjet has already said No to the buyout and I don't think JA will want to spend much more the 188 mil for an airline who doesn't own much or own any of their a/c. I think skywest will get the cal flying either with xjt or without.

Don't underestimate JA he is probably one of the smartest people in the biz, and knows all the outcomes, he isn't some pushover just ask the ASA pilots about it.

mking84

A revised response. The CPA that is currently on the table we know of is the one with XJT. You should know that the soonest CAL can take an airplane from us is 18 months away....a long time in today's market.

Sorry you dont like ALPA, but here at XJT some things work. My MEC is looking to protect pilots, and their jobs. Whether that is with SkyWest or not, I assure you they are looking into it. But I'm sorry. If you think that XJT pilots should sit by, and watch a new management team rape the contract they fought hard for and won, the contract that is often held as the "standard", the you are sorely mistaken. Nobody called JA clueless, we called LK a few things but not JA. My point is if JA wants a good relationship now is the time, not later.

dojetdriver

If ONLY airline managements cared about how their decisions affected employees. I think the LAST thing they are going to do is consult ALPA.

They care about two things the most;

1)Lining their own pockets, then protecting their own financial future
2)Keeping the shareholders happy

Employee satisfaction is way down that list.

dojetdriver

Read my other post about other factors/players that might be involved.

And yep, they said no, for now. I think it's already been mentioned in this thread. But IF you are trying to sell something, do you AUTOMATICALLY take the first offer?

Slaphappy

Asking to have those pages deleted is not "taking it up the Ass" they want it done so skywest isn't forced to give you guys any UAL flying if CAL and UAL merge and to keep ASA/SKYW/XJT from merging into 1. I'm sure JA would sign an agreement similar to the with asa allowing you to keep from having any airplanes moved around. You should be happy skywest is trying to help out your airline. Sure the branded will be gone but its better that your current future of Chpt 11 followed by Chpt 7.

ALPAs failures become more apparent with each passing day.

Your MEC is not looking out for your jobs, they are looking to make a political point the same way the ASA pilots tried to make a point and failed and the same way the current USair east pilots are making a point. Sorry but your MEC doesn't have any leverage right now, you may feel differently but the reality is the best way to protect jobs is to work with JA and accept what he is offering. There are so many ways this deal could get even worse that it currently is. For example there is nothing stopping Ream from entering Chpt 11 ala Mesaba style, getting nice cash bonus from whomever and just having your entire contract thrown.

An airline with 280 50 seaters and a branded operation that is losing money and 205 airplanes that will 100% be out of work in 2 years is not one that should strutting around like a male peacock.

mking84

You beat me to it! LOL. I dont think SkyWest is coming to our rescue. The point I am trying to make is that I think the MEC and the pilots would be willing to work through things, I can only speak for myself...but I am willing to play ball. It is certainly not the best that that could happen, but not the worst either. But they havent made that move yet...it was just a offer on the stock price, which is very disconcerning to me. You have to remember these things have gone BOTH ways, so I am not exactly sold. Just more to work out.