PNCL's new CEO
 

Ryan Gumm (Comair) will be replacing John Spanjers per the creditors' conference call. Discuss.

Im guessing 1,000 scenarios will be proposed on here, not of which will occur.

......... Ok

Is this a rumor? Nothing yet on the news wires. If Spandex is stepping down, wasn't he the Yes man? Always saying yes to whatever NWA or Delta said/wanted? Why bring a guy from Comair to lead? Hire a CEO based on past credentials and performance, but Comair?

ExecutiveVice President & Chief Operating Officer Delta Private Jets
Airlines/Aviation industry

October 2012 – Present (4 months) Erlanger, KY

Directly responsible for daily operations to include safety, finance, sales, maintenance, and flight operations for Delta's private jet operation. Focus on strategy and goals to continue to grow Delta Private Jets into a world class private jet provider and total travel solution.

President Comair
Privately Held; 5001-10,000 employees; Airlines/Aviation industry

September 2010 – October 2012 (2 years 2 months) Erlanger, KY

The position is responsible for overall safety, efficiency, and quality of the airline which has 62 regional jet aircraft and 1,875 employees. Manage corporate policies, procedures, goals, staffing, and financial performance with an annualized budget of over 270 million dollars. This position reports directly to Delta Airlines for strategic planning and corporate direction for Comair.

Leading the organization in developing a strategic planning and management system utilizing a balanced scorecard including major emphasis on process improvement and team based leadership.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ryan-gumm/52/705/b86

I completely agree ShyGuy. A public announcement should be made in the next few weeks (per the conference call).

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Besides, Comair management didn't manage Comair, Delta managed Comair. The only thing the Comair management managed was the day-to-day operations. Any actual business decisions associated with Comair were made in ATL.

It's going to be the same story when Pinnacle becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta. Pinnacle management won't have any real control over the company.

He does know how to turn off the lights at an airline, though.

Gumm's a wind down man. F8, OH, and now 9E, if he's the one in the helm.

Enjoy the job while it lasts.

Choosing Gumm is a clear indication of what the future holds at 9E. For any who think "i'll be safe even after the cutbacks" - you might want to ask the Comair captains how that turned out. I know it's hard to leave those captain paychecks (actually, i don't, but i got pretty good at imagining), but if you can leave now for a better, non-regional gig, DO IT. Waiting will only make you junior to your former FOs, and that's if you're lucky enough to get hired somewhere else.

Or there are those of us that won't go to another regional. Who cares about this company whatever happens happens.

Yep gotta have a guy that knows how to shut an airline down running the show

Ouch, I guess this is what Delta envisioned all along. I wonder if they'll wiggle out of those guaranteed interviews next.

You know that if they shut us down the bridge agreement requires that Delta pays us seven years of pay right?

Where does it say that?

It doesn't matter who the figure head of Pinnacle is, Delta is running the show.

How do you uphold an agreement with your own company? After all 9E is wholly is owned. If Delta wants out of that 7yr pay, I'm positive they'll get out of it.

Heard that an awful lot at OH. Guess where the most vocal ones are flying now?

no clue and couldnt care less.

RAH and GoJets, no?

There is a difference between consolidation and elimination. In fact it appears to go beyond consolidation into inclusion - MSP: same office building, HQ location, ramps, hangers, etc.

I go out on a limb again and predict that the current Pinnacle CEO (Spanjers) will "move up" in the airline industry.

Then we as a group can sue for just compensation, the bridge agreement is a contract between the pilots of 9E and Delta. Either Delta goes bankrupt(not going to happen), or we pinnacle pilots wildcat strike(even more unlikely than a DAL bankruptcy).

and the word gullible isn't in the dictionary either.

He was a pretty good Chief Pilot at YV (fair and resonable) then he moved up the ranks at F8, then OH and so forth. Like MusicPilot said, he is the wind down man at DL now and I wouldn't expect miracles. Overall, he was a good guy but I'm sure someone else will be pulling the strings in this play and I doubt anything good will come out of this.

Good luck

Ok. Devils advocate wonders if there is an intended wind-down, why didn't they do it now vs. moving an HQ and making a deal? That would have been cheaper.

No need to "wiggle out."

Last time I checked, Delta's not obligated to hire a blessed soul they've interviewed.

They can interview us in seniority order but the ratio of 12 9E pilots are not guaranteed interviews but seats in class.

The same thing could have been asked of why Comair offered buyouts and paid a lot of money in doing so before shutting their doors. Delta is good at making sound financial decisions.

I don't know, maybe gives them time to find other carriers to take up the slack?
DAL spent over a billion with Comair and where are they now? Are there any holes or gray areas in that TA?

Because moving to a property that Delta already owns means they owe nothing when they shut them down.

Ouch, never thought of that. It's genius! Man them Delta boys are ice cold, no mistakes.

I hope we shut down in a year, Delta backing out of the bridge agreement would be very beneficial to 9E pilots.

PNCL's new CEO
 

Is there a source to this story?

I hope they shut it down too. It would also be beneficial to Delta pilots.
My guess is, RA has already run the numbers for every conceivable scenario, and knows the exact day it will be shut down.

I'll bite. How?

My understanding is PCL ALPA has a contract with Delta to have at least 81 CRJ-900's for 7 years. Some may argue that Delta owes 7 years of wages to the pilots that would staff those aircraft if Delta winds PCL down. If they wind PCL down in a year some pilots would get 6 years of pay. This contract is between ALPA and Delta not PCL corp. This would be my understanding on why people think they would owe years of wages to some pilots.

The SSP agreement promises the aircraft, but it would be a stretch to say they owe them 7 years of pay. This is from the SSP. All Delta has to do is find a reason to terminate the DCA. And if the terminate the DCA the SSP is terminated as well.

The commitments in Section 1.a.-b. will terminate and shall be of no further force or effect upon the earlier of: i. the termination of the Delta Connection Agreement between Delta and Pinnacle (“DeltaPinnacle DCA”), as may be amended from time to time, that governs the operation of the aircraft subject to Section 1.a.-b., in accordance with its terms so long as Pinnacle, or its successor, is not an affiliate (as defined in the Delta PWA) of Delta Air Lines, Inc

That sounds like something USAPA would come up with.... and lose on yet again in court.

What reason would that be? Since Pinnacle is about to become a subsidy of Delta, the only way to terminate the Bridge agreement would be a Delta bankruptcy, or a coordinated job action on the part of Pinnacle pilots. That provision you reference above is in there so Pinnacle pilots don't strike and hold Delta hostage with that 81 aircraft scope. It covers no other reason of termination, i.e. performance numbers, cash on hand, etc.

edit: there is one other scenario that voids the bridge agreement, and that is complete scope recapture of all 76 seat RJs to mainline.

Just because a CEO has shut down two companies, it doesnt mean that he has come here to do the same. Delta has a very cheap operator in pinnacle now and they have them for the next 7 years at least. Im not saying it wont happen but I think that Delta has different plans for pinnacle. Having said that, you should still be looking elsewhere because delta's plans change by the second.