That's not what I heard. I heard we're 're-negotiating' our contract to fly EMB-190/195s for 'competitive' rates and will be getting contracts with Delta, American, United, AirTran and there are rumors about a Southwest feed. New F/Os will start at $15/hour but that low wage doesn't matter because upgrade will be quick, like 6 months. Oh, and mins have been lowered to 'student' and they'll take care of the rest in the sim. Lookin' great!

I don't know where you get all your doom and gloom.

 

good one!!

 

I'm really not a doom and gloomer by nature, but let's be honest for a second here. The owner's are simply not going to budge on their high profit margins that they expect out of a contract, and the employees are not going to take any more concessions in pay. The company seems to have less than zero interest in larger aircraft and the higher pay scales that would come with them. With these things in mind I just don't see how the company is going to exist past 2015. It's not exactly a secret that nobody wants 200's anymore.

 

It's not like it's all peaches and cream anywhere else. The industry is in a shambles and will be for a while.

But between now and 2015 is a long, long time in the business. I doubt the owners will just let it die at that time. They are making money. Why would they get out?

In the meantime they milk the -200s for everything they can because that's what smart airlines do.

Look at NWA, now Delta, with the DC-9s. Think everyone wants to fly ancient DC-9s? I very much doubt it. But you know what? They're paid for and making money. Same with the CRJ-200s at AWAC. Whether or not they're paid for I don't know, but money is being made somewhere and as long as that's the case they will be around. When they stop making money the -200s will be gone.

The owners of ZW have made a killing by shrewd business decisions. I doubt that will change. In the meantime either live with the decent-for-a-regional contract or find another airline that suits you better. Some are indeed hiring. I nearly left last year myself in order to be home more. Didn't, but came very, very close.

No shame in making the right decision for you.

 

Right-- Add into the mix that the owners would have to take a much lesser risk in 2015 than they did in 2004/05. They had aircraft in 2004 with 10+ yr leases left. Now we are left with a company in which the owners can park airplanes at a much less risk. My money is on repo flights to CA and AZ.

These owners are used to high profit margins in this world they should move on and invest into better industries. In the meantime be honest to the employees for once that they are shutting this place down! Easier said than done to leave this place but anyone on this property should be "Looking for a new job"

 

Believe me, I hope my future is not here for the rest of my career. But I do believe there will continue to be an Air Wisconsin after 2015.

That said, my blinders are not on and I do of course look for other opportunities. But I'm for sure not going to make the mistake of simply taking the first non-Air Wisconsin job to come along right now. Many folks have done that over the past 6 years that I've been here and came to regret that decision very quickly.

The grass is not always greener 'over there'.

Right now it sucks because there is essentially zero movement anywhere in the industry. That will change.

 

One Captain i just flew with said it best...."My friend....we have the terminal cancer...."

 

I think AWAC should buy PSA and move their HQ to CLT. Then we could be one big happy yet dysfunctional family.

 

And Republic....maybe we can save them lol

 

Because they won't be making money after the Airways contract runs out. Their revenue stream will dry up with the end of that contract.

While that is a nice point about the DC-9's, it doesn't apply to AWAC. The majority of our fleet is tied into leases which will be running out in the not so distant future. I could easily see them working out a deal with Airways to start drawing down flying and sending planes to the desert as those leases do indeed come to the end of their term.

Absolutely. That's all that any of us can do really. I keep my eyes and ears open daily for any opportunity that I think might be a better fit. Of course, there isn't much out there at the moment, but that will change at some point.