What Lack of Scope will Do
 

Northwest Chief Executive Doug Steenland said Northwest is aiming to match its capacity to customer demand as airfares increase.

"We don't anticipate doing anything in addition, but if fuel continues to be challenging we clearly have the wherewithal to take additional action," he told analysts at a conference on Tuesday.

Still, Steenland acknowledged that even the cuts announced Tuesday would not get Northwest to its profit goals. When one analyst asked why Northwest didn't cut enough to meet its profit goal, Steenland said cutting more flights would run the risk that another carrier would simply move in and take that business.

"You have to do it always with an eye on the competitive ball," he said.

Northwest Airlines Corp. said it expects to reduce mainline flying by as much as 9.5 percent compared with a year ago. Domestic flying, including regional carriers, is now slated to go down by 7 percent to 8 percent. The cuts are expected to take effect in the fourth quarter, which begins in October.

But it said regional flying would rise by as much as 55 percent as it adds new 76-seat jets. Chief Financial Officer Dave Davis said the smaller jets cost about 30 percent less to operate because of lower labor and fuel expenses, even after making the debt payments

Pretty Soon our Brazilian and Canadian Friends are going to make 150 seat airplanes and call them Regional Jets.. This SUCKS

Yep we'll be RJ-drivers for the rest of our careers :mad:

some will some wont, Mainline gets bigger, Regional aircraft get bigger.........its what has been happening in this industry for 20 years........ I may not like it but its what has been happening.

the companies and pilot groups that adapt the best will survive, those that dont and pine away for the way things USE to be..... might just be part of History.

Adapt, improvise and overcome!

I know, just imagine if we were all on the same page; like if Skywest pilots voted ALPA! Nothing like unity to stand against what we believe in. SAPA isn't going to save us thats for sure.

hahahaaha hahahaha unity in ALPA....all I have seen good about ALPA is the sticking up for individual pilots at individual airlines....we are all battling against each other trying to survive and grow our own airlines...It is MEC vs MEC when ALPA shows true unity across the spectrum of pilots and airlines then maybe places like skywest will hop on board....

sorry I am having a bad day rant over

That "growth" at the NWA regionals is not additional growth. Nothing has changed at these companies, they have not ordered anymore planes. They are still getting the deliveries that were originally planned thus the "increase". Scope still applies.

...such as it is. It's not anything like pre-BK scope, that's for damn sure.

I hate to say it but you hit the nail on the head. As long as individual MECs have the autonomy they have and must undercut each other to secure their flying, ALPA (or any union) is of rather limited use. ALPA's very structure is hurting us...we need more central control with the ability to set payrates across the board.

Re-regulation.

You're right but my point was the comments about the regionals growing 55% is not anything new. Scope should have never been given up, some did and that line is still being held. Nothing has changed as far as compass or mesaba goes so that "announcement" of the regionals growing 55% isnt an additional 55%. We should get you guys on board here and get this over with. That flying should have stayed at mainline and you should be at mainline IMHO.

That is a good idea, however, it's now going to have to wait til after the SLI.

Why single out only one of the non union pilot groups? I understand that you are pro ALPA. I think all pilots would join a union that worked with a company instead of destroying it by driving wages through the roof or let mec battle mec during mergers, did not have its own political agenda and would set across the nation wages, benefits and working conditions.

It would be interesting to see how someone at OO or WN has faired financially thru their career vs a person who maybe made more for a few years then was furloughed, concessioned etc. This is just food for thought?

Are you nuts?? SAPA may not have any legal teeth, but take a look at ALPA's bona fide "victories" and see what the hell that gets you. Nuffin.

Stick with SAPA, buy up AOPA's professional legal services plan if you feel the need (I recommend it), and count yourself ahead of the game.

Re-regulation, no... I don't like the idea of giving unelected bureaucrats total control over my career. If you think an anti-labor NMB is bad, think about life under an anti-labor CAB. Just because the industry would be regulated like pre-1978 doesn't mean the regulators would have the same priorities. You can bet affordable tickets would be near the top of their list.

What I'm talking about is a national pilots' guild formed in cooperation with all the unions. Set rates across the industry so nobody is undercutting anybody and airlines are forced to compete on the competence of their management rather than their ability to whipsaw labor.

Absolutely...Just hafta find somebody to lead the charge.

I guess you weren't paying attention during the attempted buyout of XJT by SKW.

Yes...XJet's contract did good by them in that instance for sure. But I'd say that their united Pilot group would do more any day of the week...

But only one of them is legally binding.