Is Pinnacle the next ComAir?
 

Lots of dark clouds on the horizon. Big rumors of a major cash shortage this month. With written plans of Delta to eliminate half of the CRJ-200 aircraft, is Pinnacle the next ComAir?

Being former OH. The path Pinnacle is taking seems familiar.

I don't think the XJ 900's are going anywhere. They could be a 1000 pilot airline in a few years.

Nope, Eagle is the next ComAir.





Pinnacle might be the next Eagle though...

Eagle is the next Expressjet, or Compass. The efficiency of Eagle is top in the industry. With the kickbacks from the employee groups it will open make that stronger. If we get spun off be ready for another player in the whipsaw game everywhere. Or wait for your airline to buy us, and enter into an internally whipsaw.

Skywest is already tell their employees they arent as competitive as Eagle.

It's beginning to look very familiar.

Put your resume in everywhere and don't wait for the downfall.

Sorry to hear, good luck to all.

With all the props gone, the ATL -900s, and a significant number of -200s returned, 9E Corp would consist of only the original 41 XJ -900s, maybe a small number of -200s, and whatever new part of the 70 bigger RJs Delta might give. It's all going to boil down to cost. If 9E Corp is just down to 41-60 RJs, they'll be flown by some of the most senior regional pilots in the country, guys hired in the 80s and 90s. The real question is, can they compete with GoJets and Compass? Delta killed off Comair, which was suppose to be down to a 44 RJ operation, being super senior. In BK, would 9E match the payscales and longevity of GoJets and Compass?

Interesting... A bit of brightness in this doom and gloom we're in now

I see the dark clouds and think we are in pretty bad shape. I am actively looking for work everywhere I can. All that being said, why would Delta spend so much on us now just to kills us off over the next couple of years. Why not just pull the plug now. I understand that it is a considerable amount of lift to replace in a short period of time, but, if they really wanted us gone, why make the investment?

The difference is OH was owned by Delta. I do believe 9E will be shrunk down to 1000 pilots.

Delta hasn't spent on 9E. If anything, they are making money (or suppose to make money) from the loan sell-off of Mesaba to Pinnacle.

Comair was the first domino. The plan is already in place. If you doubt it, ask a Delta pilot to show you their contract. Unless you are mainline, there is no place for you in the future.

Interesting, I don't mind being the dumbest guy in the room, would you mind explaining your answer.

They gave them the bankruptcy money so they didn't shutdown on them overnight. Then forced them to pull the plug on the UAL contract. That way their staffing was focused on DL flying. It's just another one of DL's puppets. If DL wants the doors closed, they'll close them.

Yes we are the next Comair. Delta is keeping us going only until the flying can be absorbed by others. Its over.

I could agree partially but how could any other airline even with deltas help cover that much flying so quickly. ?

In a land with plenty of aircraft and pilots, shutting down an airline and starting another is a great strategy if you want to keep wages low.

It works so well they do it all the time.

...and that is why I am polishing my lawn mowing skills...

Like the old joke about the plumber...

Me to my lawn guy, "$75 for doing the yard? It only takes you a half hour, so that's $150 a hour! I don't even make that as a professional pilot!!!"

Lawn guy back to me, "Why do you think I got out of aviation???" :cool:

Job's going back to mainline is a good thing, right?

I wouldn't say it's over JUST yet...DAL is still waiting to see if PCL bites on the proposed paycuts and work rule changes. PCL is really stuck between a rock and a hard place.

In theory. But when is mainline going to hire???

Eagle is not an airline. Your mec gave away all your airplanes so it's just a pilot group. It also happens to be a very senior expensive pilot group. AA would save alot of $ by farming out all of eagles flying and just rehiring you guys as new hires.

I'm sure AA is taking cues from DAL in shutting OH down for cheaper rates. Expect some other loser start-up to do your flying soon.

I've never heard this from Mgmt. but nice try, I needed a good chuckle.

BTW, you're teeth are red from all the Kool-Aid......

Whatever it is, it's goin to be 2-3 years before the dust settle.

The wheels were set in motion at Comair in August of 2005 and it will have taken 7 years to get to where they are now. I feel the closing was really put in stone back in Aug/Sept of 2010 when the announcement to park half the fleet.

They dynamics are different with Eagle and Pinnacle. PNCL is a publicly traded company and has management that can look for work and answers to creditors. Eagle is more like Comair, wholly owned with another company calling the shots. It has managers who take their directions from their bosses at AMR.

CAL didnt play this card with expressjet, or Delta with ASA or Mesaba. USair still maintains PDT and PSA. I dont think the comair end is Eagles end. Its a growing company still, taking over many ground handling units for United Express and other airlines. They are not really that much more senior than units of Skywest and RAH. I still put my money they get spun off and buy someone up, or get sold to another holding company, and much up some of your watering mouths of gaining our flying.

Just remember all you guys drooling at the idea of getting AMR flying, you could just as quickly be getting thrown into a merger with Eagle.

Except AMR is trying their hardest to spin eagle off. The SEC filing last fall put that in stone.

Says the dishonorable teamster recruiter....

Last time I looked at Section 1 of the Delta contract it allowed a minimum of 450 DCI aircraft...and when we hire 35% of mainline new hires have to come from ALPA DCI. Oh, furloughed ALPA pilots have priority rights....

The company has said many times before bankruptcy that they want to diversify the feed. I really don't think you younger eagle pilots know how bad the MEC boned you. You all would have gone with the planes and only eagle pilots would be able to fly the crjs "the only plane that AA wants." Right now the company is a pilot list with no aircraft. 90%+ of the planes being flown are unprofitable 50 seaters that are about to time out. The new TA which you all will vote for has no job protection or future. I can think of 3 other regionals that have orders for aircraft that AA managment wants. Hopefully you guys wake up and vote no for that new TA.

How many years have they been saying that now?

Delta would have done the same thing with Comair if it could have, but an airline with predominately 50 seater's doesn't have a ton of buyers.

Skywest seems to like 50 seaters. They might buy eagles and put them under xjt certificate as well with 3 separate lists. What a nightmare that would be.

Jerry has gone on the record saying he is done buying other regionals. Contracts, airplanes, etc are all he or the board seems to have a taste for anymore.

No, Comair was a good airline at one time...........

Well played.

November 2007 was the first official announcement that I remember, the same month that I applied to Compass. Eagle was great to work for, I'm just really glad that I left when I did.

So, when is that going to be 100% sans military pilots?

if a big enough contract comes with Eagle, I think anyone could bite. Dont assume Eagle is the next Comair. It could be the next Mesaba, Compass, Expressjet. Or it could be the next PSA/PDT. Also as recruiting gets harder, I could see those with solid flow through options as the only place that can hire.