And just one month ago management stood in our recurrent and swore up and down that there was 'no chance we are furloughing.' Ok!

Then again, ASA business plan only seemed to include hoping for Mesa to fail soon and pick up some pieces. I guess when that never materialized, along with Delta shunning us for any more flying in our only back yard (as well as any other opportunities) there is only one result. I'm guessing we are not even going to keep all the flying we currently have. Remember, 50's are going away, now and in the future.....and ASA is not a player in the larger RJ game. These will be going to Pinnacle, Mesaba and Skywest.

Good luck to any of you directly affected.

Actually, Comair lets you keep your number for 5 years. You can do what you want until recall.

On the other hand, new-hires at Comair (and many other places) must drop their number if coming from another airline; Comair doesn't want to train them just to have them get recalled at their old airline six months later.

If you've heard furloughed Comair guys talk about losing their number, it's because Mesaba requires them to resign entirely from Comair before starting training at XJ.

Good luck to you guys.

I thought the same thing. They offer voluntary furloughs for a year with no benefits, while offering COMA for a year with full benefits? Duh...

This from the same guy who brought us the "$75 roll pf paper". Another poorly thought out memo.

I heard recently from a very credible source in the GO that furlough notices go out 1/2. They are going to furlough 50 at a time and EXPECT to bring them back within 90 days. Meanwhile, they will fly the crap out of those 50 to get/keep them current, hopefully minimizing retraining costs. they are not planning downgrades or displacements AT THIS TIME.

My opinion is that they are going to try to hold us over until the summer schedule is released in March. Then if that flying is at or above expectations, they will bring the furloughees back. It it's below expectations, they will furlough more.

Does anyone else see the irony that Pinnacle and Mesaba are hiring while ASA and Comair are furloughing?

Is it just me, or is Delta trying to eliminate the high paying airlines and grow the low paying airlines? And we're all in the same union! We're right back to the Lorenzo days.

Hellooooooooooooo ALPA? Where are you?

I agree. What incentive does someone have to take voluntary furlough and have no benefits when the email before said that if someone takes an extended COMA you can retain benefits and seek employment elsewhere as long as the company is notified. Seems like SH hastily pushed that email out. I wonder if this means F the 130ish not on the contract and hope the other 100 people that are said to be expendable will be picked up by all these offerings. Great way to start Christmas if you ask me.

Just thinking out loud, with what JP said this might make sense. See in the next week how many people take these programs then they will have a more reasonable figure on furloughs. no?

Its certainly not just you. This statement is right on the mark. It looks like JA was spot on with his 4 options, as the expensive ones alwayshave a target on their backs in this Regional Airline model. It is for that very reason that Mesa will survive, and Skywest, Pinnacle and Mesaba will flourish while ASA, Comair and ExpressJet have and will flounder. We are now feeling the punishment for being expensive (not all of that is to be blamed simply for polit wages). The other reason for ASA's future pain is that we are not players in the 900 market. This has been my gripe with management as the trend in future growth is in that market, as 50 slowly get replaced...........but again, it goes back to cheapest vs more expensive. So, ASA takes it's lumps now, unless we want to take steep cuts and undercut those that are getting the growth.

Not much ALPA can do about this. They got us what we asked for, despite we being told that we would stagnate or even shrink if we got it. We gambled and lost, and are getting the exact future JA predicted us. Nobody is going to give any money or work rules back to undercut Pinnacle and Mesaba, are they. So, we will watch our company brothers and sisters hit the street while we watch others grow.

I'm in no way advocating any type of pay cuts, but I'm just pointing out why we are here. The only way to get growth now would be to tell Delta we will fly 90's for 50 seat rates, and give back things like trip rig, min day,etc... Without that, we have a big target on all our backs.

The only thing I think ALPA needs to ensure is that we maintain our 80% ATL flying if we still meet the metrics.

Ironic, yes. And more irony when the Mesaba Saab's show up in Atlanta to fly former ATR routes.

It was also disturbing when SLC closed and some of our 70's didn't come back. Or when we were told we were getting 90 seat flying then Skywest was awarded it instead. And 9E getting awarded flying in ATL. Now the ATR's gone.

Just wonder if we are even doing 80% of the flying out of Atlanta anymore or if Delta is in breach of contract.

I would guess ALPA is very aware of what is going on. What else can they do?

Truman, last I checked, ASA and SkyWest costs were very similar. Don't get confused!