I know the entire industry is hurting, but my opinion is that there is a lot of creative accounting in the business that makes things seem worse than they are. How can businesess continue to operate with such large losses? The answer, they cant!

And his name was BINGO ;)

If the express stuff was that bad they wouldn't be planning a 10% increase in ASM for next year, and we'd be seeing cutbacks now. The SkyWest RJs for United are being used just about as much as they can. Something in the order of 9+ hours a day. Delta on the other hand...

Yeah, ok. I guess the press release is fraudulent. Perhaps charges are in order. I have posted proof, what do you got? "Hey my cousin works in the mailroom, UAX makes money". Funny stuff.

Wow, really put me in my place with THAT one. Sorry but I'm not posting anything I see at corporate on this site. I could care LESS if you believe me or not. FYI its a PRESS release....but make sure you buy it all like its gospel

I wondered how long it would take before a completely unrelated thread wandered towards a discussion of SKW's non-union status. It's APF's version of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

I have two instances where SKW's rates didn't "help" Comair's bargaining power...

I seem to recall Comair management and the Bankruptcy Judge throwing out Comair's negotiated pay rates in 2006. They replaced them with a rate they determined by averaging the ASA, CHQ, SKW, and MAG rates for each equipment type.

The SKW and MAG numbers sure flushed the pay rate for the 70-seat guys. A 5-year 70-seat FO (yes, Comair's 5-year guys are still FOs) went from $46.99 to $36.50. Big ouch.

In addition, the next year SKW won Delta's RFP and were awarded half of Comair's 70 seat jets.

Every time you see a SKW CRJ700 numbered NxxxCA you're witnessing the benefits of a "non-negotiated, below-industry-average pay scale"

The Comair guys mostly blame Atlanta and not the SKW pilot group, but it sure gets frustrating year after year hearing:
"If you won't fly for cheaper, we'll give your planes to (fill in the blank) because their pilots will..."

Let me know if my memory is off.

I understand your point but understand that at the time of Comair's concessions our 5th year 50 seat FO rate was almost $39/hr and our 2006 CR7/9 rate with the override (BS override) was near $41/hr. So yes Comair had the highest rates but to say that SKW was on the low side of the bell is horse......................

Actually it was MAG and RAH that hurt you guys the most while ASA and SKW were somewhat comparable to each other although they were and are still much lower than Comair's pre-concession rate.

5th Yr FO rate:

RAH - $37/hr (current rate which I believe was less in 06)
MAG - $35/hr
SKW - $39/hr (50); 41/hr (66+)

I mean no offense so don't take any, just correcting your posting with the facts.

More or less true, Comairs rates match up with ASA and Skywest well (now). MAG doesn't hit 35 till year 5, comair hits 34 year 2.

And I just learned that RAH maxes out (FO side) after FOUR years on a TWENTY year payscale?! (at a paltry 37 too)

Sad isn't it. We all deserve so much more and when I say deserve I truly mean deserve.