ASA Performance+ Payout
 

Looks like we're getting it after all, checks in the mail early next week!

I think that's great. Morale has been in the dumps and apparently SkyWest management has come through again to patch things up. For BH to say I think you deserve a bonus even though we didn't meet the parameters is impressive.

I was hoping someone would mention this. Skywest went above and beyond on this one, showing once again they appreciate their employees. Smart move too, with summer coming and flying up. They'll need us busting our humps out there.

I agree, it's going to be one hell of a summer and this is a great way to boost morale. Whatever people think of BH/management it's a good decision all around and makes me feel good about working for them, especially when the fall flying is still up in the air and plenty of people are worried about furloughs and downgrades

i am glad you guys are all excited about the bonus, but are they going to send a bonus to the guys on furlough while you are busting your butts covering the flying this summer?

What does that have to do with anything? Stick to your own problems, don't you have a contract to sign yet? Oh wait, you guys are too busy showing them you mean business...

thats your best response? my response was to the previous posts about how they are glad they got the check because they are going to have to work extra hard this summer. i sure hope you guys enjoy those little checks you are going to get at the cost of working extra hard this summer while you have guys on the street. furloughed pilots are my problem. the displaced captains here at pinnacle are my problem. but yeah i just thought i would point you to this thread. maybe your bonus check is the savings from furloughing your fellow pilots. http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/re...lough-asa.html

i mean does anyone else think its a little weird that you guys didn't meet the performance goals to merit the bonus, but they are going to give you one anyway? why would they do that? nice guys? no, they have more flying coming this summer and would really like to avoid recalling anyone.

you sound like another ive got mine guy. but hey, at least your not furloughed right? sad really.

I really have to say "bad form" on this one. I have talked to some of the guys I still know over there. Some, NOT ALL, but some on reserve have been flying 80 hours a month. This is despicable by management to do to the 80 furloughees. Fly the reserves above guarantee, have MORE flying planned to cover this summer, and still have the audacity to tell 80 guys you convinced to leave their previous jobs that there is no flying for them. I don't get into the business of telling others to sacrifice, but I know several ASA pilots that are not picking up open time and flying the contract with regards to junior manning right now. I hope others can see to join them until the full workforce is back on property.

Oh spare me the 'off the back of the furloughs' crap, you don't even work here. As for this summer...working 'extra hard' in the form of 85 hour lines? Staffing reserves at 18-20%? Oh yeah, we're in for it!

I don't think our staffing model is suffering right now. Does that mean summer won't be a goat rope? Probably not, but it's a stretch to say that the bonuses are coming off the back of the 80 guys on the street. As for the company buying good will, who knows, who cares, it's good business on their part, something we haven't traditionally been exposed to at ASA.

Secondly, let's talk contract (something you guys might get one day...)

According to our contract, a pilot is eligible for payout if they are on active status as of the last day of the quarter and have worked at least one-half of that quarter for a payout for that quarter. So, according to the contract under which we're flying and we agreed to fly under, the company has no obligation to pay the furloughs. Whine all you want about being a good union soldier, but the fact is the two are separate here.

I'd love for everyone to get their job back, I flew with a few of them and I hate to see folks get tossed out. But the fact is the numbers do not support their coming back. Line values at or around 65 and 'some' reserves going over guarantee doesn't support it. There is a lot of room in the line values and the ratio of reserves before our staffing model needs to change. Avoiding open time does nothing to help their coming back either. That's just the reality.

As for being in bad form, Air Support is the General Lee of APC. He's Pinnacle's biggest FO cheerleader. Him commenting on the goings-on at ASA, and telling us we're profiting off the backs of our furloughed is laughable. Sorry if it appears somewhat edgy.

And for clarification we did meet performance goals for January and February. Skywest Inc. did not earn the 1% profit that is required for the payout. So they are paying the performance part of it and not the profit part of it. So the "savings" from the furloughees did not get the profit over 1%. So the bonuses are not "off their backs." Regardless of what you say it's a good move by management.

WOW! This is coming from an RJ FO. Amazing. Reminds me of a story. ASA guy riding jumpseat on mainline looks over at the Pinnacle jets next door and has the audacity to complain about "those guys are stealing our flight time." You can imagine the reply from the mainline guys. Comical!

Got one better for you. RJ guy on a mainline JS watches one of the last 737-200s taxi by before they were all gone. Actually utters the phrase, "There goes my captain's seat." It was a very quiet flight. Afterwards, the boss turns to me and says, "Did he really say what I thought he said?" Turns out the captain hadn't really heard him and said he would have returned to the gate and kicked him off if he had.

Now, I've also heard from friends still at regionals who have told me of mainline guys opening their mouths and inserting foot, so it's not limited to any one group. There are fools everywhere who don't think before engaging lips. You just gotta take 'em with a grain of salt.

Jeez - you can't even be grateful for a bonus check without someone throwing it back at you. Airsupport, I'm not obligated to explain anything to you, but will anyway. My last 3 months have been blocked at 65 hours/credited to 75, so no I have not picked up open time, wouldn't have anyway, even though the pros and cons of that have been argued ad nauseum on this and other forums. Secondly company came out with email basically stating Delta has ramped up summer flying more than anticipated and our lines will be blocked mid-80's with credits likely running higher. Oh no-what to do? Not bid a line and get reserve? Bid a line and drop trips back down to 75 hours? That'll show them! No wait...

And as to furloughs, by the time they're trained and brought back on line, fall will be just around the corner and then we furlough them again? Sounds like a lot of expense for a little more than a month or 2 of work.

It was a smart move by management to get their folks behind them before the summer crunch happens.

Air Support, did you say you work at Peanuckle? If that's the case, then kindly butt out of our issue. Your "opinion" of why the sent out the check is irrelevant! How's that contract coming over there at PCL anyhow? Maybe you should get your own house in order before you tell us how to fix ours.

But to address your concern, I think you're finding a conspiracy where there is none. I wouldn't expect you to understand from the viewpoint of a PCL pilot under your oppressive management, but SKW does things differently. They "get it" that happy, empowered employees work harder and make more money. Ever since our performance hit in March, and the grounding of the planes in April, morale here has been in the dumps. We line pilots have felt like we busted our butts for nothing. Management recognized this and for the purpose of restoring morale,awarded a smaller bonus as a token for our hard work. I think they'd have done it even if we didn't have a huge summer coming. That's how SkyWest Inc does business.

Just a side note, has anyone here on reserve REALLY blocked over 75 hours? And if so are there a lot of you doing so? When ever I have looked at the reserve list I see a good portion of them haven't flown a bunch but are getting extra credit due to vacation time and such. There were a few that had flown a bunch, mainly because the weather has been crappier than crap and IROPS are no longer IROPS since an irregular operation is when things actually go as planned. But for the most part they haven't really exhausted all of the reserves. There are just days that they are shorter than they would like to be obviously due to there own decisions. So I still don't see this shortage in crew members. I'm sure the company would recall if they trully needed too. I mean over a year ago they were hiring pilots like they were going out of style just because Delta said keep em coming, we got tons of work for you. Yeah, that didn't work out so well.

hahaha, i will get right on that since the pilot group has the power to do that right? i mean you guys made it happen. yeah....

anyway my point was this. about 3 years ago the company came to our pilot group and offered to raise fo pay. the reason behind it was that people were coming here, getting some time, and then going to better regionals. this was killing the company. so you would think all of us that were fo's would have loved the 10 dollar an hour raise and would have jumped all over the money. sure it helped the company out some but we would have been glad to go from 24 bucks an hour to 34 overnight. that would have just been good business for management, right? Instead we told managament that unless that raise comes with an entirely new contract then no thanks. it didn't. we didn't get the raise. and things have not changed for us. we are at the 5 year mark now.

ASA went throught he same thing. Now there is a new contract at asa and about 80 pilots on the street. They read these boards too. they are anxious to get back to work and to have a job once again so they can support their families. I just think its a little harsh that some of you on here are talking about the bonuses you are getting and that you all promise to work extra hard this summer because of it, while there are guys on the street who dont have jobs, let alone a bonus. sorry if you all feel that i am "butting" in to your business.. (because none of you all have ever commented on pinnacle before right?) but it just upsets me a little to see you all celebrating while there are guys who moved to atlanta for the job and now have nothing. So take your bonus and work extra hard this summer, just dont wave it in the face of your uneployed brothers.

I just think its funny on the thoughts of others not working for SKW or ASA about these bonuses. The bonus (performance based) is set up so that those currently working for the company for a year can see a reward for the job they are doing... For me it makes me feel better that my personal attempts to make flights get in on time, leave on time, etc has some effect on the total operations. Plus I get rewarded for it in a $200 pay check (at least this qtr).

Yes, some of us are, but only 5-6 each month on the 200 FO side.

oh dont get me wrong. I love the bonus idea. I would like to think that maybe in the next contract (if and when we get one) we would have something like that. I think it is a great incintive for people to work hard and make the airline run great. An extra 200 bucks always can come in handy.

You are again showing your ignorance and low time in the industry.

At ASA, when the pilot group finally got fed up with management's games, they did a safety campaign and brought the company to their knees within a month (September 07). The contract followed soon thereafter. So tell me again when you guys are going to get fed up and stand up for yourselves.

Nobody's celebrating nor rubbing anything in anyone's faces. We're pointing out the fact that management did the right thing, without being asked to nor forced to. That is all.

As for the furloughees, I feel badly for them, but unfortunately, that's life in this industry. We all faced that threat when we were new. Some are lucky, some are not. It's time we stop framing every single issue in terms of WWAFD (What Would A Furloughee Do?). It's getting old.

Looks like I'm getting $250 gross as a 4th year FO, not bad!

now you are resulting to personal attacks? Its so hard to have a discussion on here without someone going down that path. the only thing you know about me is that i am a pinnacle fo. You do know we have lots of fo's here who were captains at some of the majors right? We even have a couple of retired Fedex captains flying as fo's here. So just because someone is an fo doesn't mean they are ignorant and have low time in the industry. I mean you were an fo once right?

So look at what you said. In the beginning you had to do illegal union activity (no other way to put it when you say you brought the company to their knees) and then all the sudden you commend that same management for doing the right thing? Whats really great is you have a cool new catch phrase for all the people out there. WWAFD. At least you got yours, who cares WWAFD!!

Any way i am glad things are going good over there. I hope the furlough guys find jobs or get their old jobs back. I would like to think that pinnacle will either get to go on strike this year, or get a contract signed but i am not holding my breath (and i am not responsible for the brakes either). so since we are going around in circles i hope you have a good one and we will talk again some other time on a different subject.

Where do you find this out?

That was only a person attack if it's untrue. So you're "one of those" who "might" have extraordinary experience? So out with it... qualify your position. Were you a former mainline captain? Are you retired from FDX? How long have you been at PCL. I bet big that I was 100% correct about you. Low time in the industry. I glean that from what you say.

That was under a different management. Again you speak of things you don't understand. SkyWest didn't make any changes ("hose out the GO") until after the contract was signed. The management team and management philosophy we have now is like apples to oranges. Kind of like your example.

Now you made a personal attack on me with the "I got mine comment", which is untrue. See, you do exactly what you accuse me of. I was a union representative. I spent 6 years as an FO. I spoke loudly against furloughing. I worked to get the furloughees financial relief through a private fund while ALPA wrapped them in red tape. What have YOU done for your pilot group?

You can have a part in it. You could talk to everyone who will listen and advocate action. Or you can sit around and wait for someone else to take a leadership role. It's up to you.

I vote for closing this thread. Not constructive at all.

As for the furloughees, of which I am one, yeah it sucks but like many have said before: that's how it works in this industry. Would I like to go back? Yup. But I can hardly believe that the few hundred each pilot got (and probably need) would pay for me and 79 other guys/gals to sit on reserve.

So I'll stay here and wait for a callback when I'm actually needed. That's better for me than getting furloughed a second time on Sept. 1.

am i missing something. i thought the performance side of profit plus was based strictly on performance and the financial side was based on your gross pay for that quarter. im a 2+ year and got a whopping $68. im not complaining about the extra cash, but after 5 straight months of crap schedules it will take more than 68 dollars to get my morale back on track.

Yeah, my net is $143...
We are due a bonus if:

• ASA posts a minimum quarterly profit margin of at least 1 percent;
• And ASA meets it’s goals associated with the following operational metrics

so this was goodwill on behalf of management. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!

It seems like some are bristling when posed questions about bonus payments versus recalling furloughed pilots. I do not quite understand why there seems to be resistance to discussing something like this.

Which option would raise your morale the most;

1. A $150.00 bonus check?


2. Using those funds to recall as many furloughed pilots as possible?


The Dash Whisperer

not sure where you're going with the horse and mouth stuff but i was under the impression that the performance portion of profit plus was the same for everybody. do you know how they calculate the payout for each pilot?

trust me, i would trade in my $68 and deal with 75 hours of credit every month for the foreseeable future to have the 80 pilots back.

so dash in your theory ,say it was a $200 performance check. Each ASA pilot during the last qtr, which they earned from set goals by Skywest inc, if they had at least 1 year senority by the end of the qtr. That would be $326,000 from the 1,630 pilots... and say you figure 2nd year pay that would bring back 11 pilots back... ok so only to possibly be furloughed again in the fall. Yea its only a "reward" check that amounts to just the per diem of a 4 day trip but it has the potential for more if the ramp, pilots, fa, dispatch, gate agents, etc working together to make the company more attractive in performance to the BIG D or whoever... Can you say the same for performance at MESA??
If its just a little carrot to get the group to working more as a team for a goal so be it... The big picture is that the regionals must make the "BOSS" happy or they will do what they can to drop us... (DELTA vs MESA ring a bell?) All of us would love to have every furlough pilot for our respected airlines back on the line... but if that airline cant justify all the costs of retraining and a pilots salary then what is that airline suppose to do? If you question what your particular airline website says about whatever, look at the financials, do your OWN research, send the CEO or whoever about ideas to save costs that would bring those pilots back on line yet still make the company money... ITS ALL ABOUT PROFIT vs COSTS, sadly us pilots are a cost that can at times be easly cut. And us pilots sometime just look at the world with blinders when our airline furloughs and just run around like sheep. If someone would come up with an idea to save money, keep jobs, and in many ways to make more money for the company, I know the higher ups would listen...

But thats just my opinion

I would prefer to see money used to recall furloughed employees instead of used as bonuses. Has any SKW/ASA manager received a bonus while pilots are on furlough?

Cost saving idea; Drop the Skywest inflight magazine. There is not one customer out there that chooses SKW because of its magazine. If ASA has a twin publication, drop it as well. Use the mainline magazine and apply the savings to recalling pilots.

BHopper, my friend, punctuate please! Your post reads like an eye chart.

ASA doesn't have a magazine. You don't know what you're talking about. Please stop.

I said "if". Please read.