The crew did a great job in what had to have been a very stressful, frightening situation. Friggin' ATRs.

 

What regional has the pilots/aircraft to pick up any additional flying right now?

Think about it. By keeping their flying in house AMR can make us (Eagle) do that flying at whatever rate the BK judge agrees to. As opposed to a back and forth negotiation with a subcontractor like Republic or Pinnacle.

Besides, the pilot group at Rebublic is inches away from total implosion. The only real alternative would be Compass, but again they don't have the manpower. Even if they did, Compass couldn't go any cheaper with their rates than they are already at. It would make no economic sense for AMR to outsource.

Lets also not forget that Delta-who Compass currently flies for- would not look to kindly on an agreement with AA. Compass may not want to rock that boat.

 

AMR could finance the aircraft and transfer half the current Eagle pilots to the new carrier as the old one shrinks and then pit former Eagle pilots against their old compadres. They need a whipsaw scenario and why do you think they've been so reluctant to furlough at Eagle ?

Basically, they would unscramble a 15 year old egg and turn the one Eagle back into at least 2 Eagle's (instead of the old 4). A third outsider could pick up a percentage of the slack as well. Give them some credit. They've been masters at putting pilots heads in a vice for decades and they didn't just forget how to do that.

 

That is all a possibility, there is no telling what kind of crazy things they are cooking up.

But again, remember we are in bankrupcy. AMR can impose anything they want on us, including a new contract. All they need is the judge to sign off on it.

Why would they even bother with whipsaw? The point of that is to create a civil war as a way to get around the unions and our contract. Right now that isn't even nescessary. AMR can get what they want and there is very little any of us can do about it.

They can keep all of this very simple. Keep their regional flying in house under whatever terms they can convince the judge is "fair". Even more simple for AMR would be to staple us to the bottom of AA's seniority list with fences. For all we know that is exactly what is being tossed around.

One AA pilot already told me their pilot group was on board with that idea. So who knows? All I can say is that given our current situation and that we are in bankrupcy it doesn't make any sense for AMR to go through the trouble of whipsaw, outsourcing, or even dangling planes in front of us.

The only person of interest for them right now is the judge. Period. We are all just along for the ride.

 

Everyone's going to be getting a piece of Eagle's pie... not just one carrier.

 

Because that way you will finally be able to call yourself an Eagle pilot like you always wanted, right?

Keep hoping. It's AMR's pie, not Eagle's. And the boys at centerpoint won't negotiate with any subcontractor as long as they have 3,000+ pilots on property who are forced to accept whatever contract the judge signs off on.

 

Delta woudn't care and I highly doubt Hulas cares about rocking the boat if he could make money. the economic sense in outsourcing is the whipsaw against one another, not necessarily being cheaper right off the bat, but ensuring it stays cheap in the future.

Unfortunately I saw the same thing happen at Comair. We took the paycuts, got a 76 seat rate, and then saw most of the 76 sweaters go to other carriers while we parked 50 seaters. The furloughed FO's will just go to where the flying is at the other carriers. I hope it turns out different for Eagle, I just don't see it though.

 

Why bother with a whipsaw ?

Because at some point, you WILL be back in negotiations. A term sheet would make that sooner rather then later. Either way, the whipsaw scenario puts and keeps leverage ALWAYS in the hands of the company. Yes, many here ARE "on board" with an Eagle pilot inclusion for one seniority list, but it has always been AMR who dicides that, so what one pilot says means little as remember that we too are at the mercy of a judge. If AMR sses that arraingement as in their best interest, it could become reality, but if they don't, then forget about it.

Actually, if you read your own term sheet, the "flow though" language and options don't seem to support AMR's interest in an SSL. If they were thinking along SSL lines there would be no need to waste time with all that methodology and language for the 238 or the 824.

 

This is a serious presumption. I wouldn't be so sure that they aren't talking to others or planning on another entity taking over some of the current Eagle (and AA) flying. You may want to reference Attachment H of your term sheet for more information.

 

One list does't solve the "longevity issue", making people flow at 1st year pay and probation by making Eagle's contract subpar does!