Skywest wins delta RFP
 

NEWS RELEASE
For more information contact:
Michael J. Kraupp
VP Finance and Asst. Treasurer
St. George, UT 84790
Telephone: (435) 634-3203
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 21, 2006
SKYWEST, INC. SELECTED FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL JET FLYING

ST. GEORGE, UT, PRNewswire/

-- SkyWest, Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYW) announced today that it has been selected for the first allocation of regional jet flying related to an existing Request For Proposal (RFP) by Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta). The first allocation of aircraft consists of 12 Bombardier CRJ700s, previously operated by Comair, Delta’s wholly owned subsidiary. The aircraft will serve markets from Delta’s hub in Cincinnati and will begin to transition to SkyWest, Inc. in February 2007. The aircraft will operate under a contract flying arrangement with Delta.

I think that sounds like good news in terms of expansion for SkyWest

Yeah....at Comair's expense!

I start class with Comair on December 14, I wonder how this will affect me?

I'm sure comair knew this would happen. I think this will make the attrition increase even more than it already has been

Look's like the beginning of the end for Comair. I hope not.:(

Seems like all of the "regional" flying for Delta will be done by Skywest, Chautauqua, then Comair in that order. Don't know what the percentages are, but it looks like this is the way it's going to fall.


atp

I would not like to see the end of comair.

Sorry, I was beng selfish about my post, I did not mean to offend or disrespect the current or future employees.

It's horrible that Comair is losing this flying. But at very least we can be thankful that SkyWest got the planes, and not the likes of Mesa, GoJets, or some other bottom feeding ******hole.

TRUE!!!


atp

Uhhhhhhgggggghhhhhh.....followed by the sounds of my hands slapping my forehead. I think the skywest guys are now going to have to look deep within themselves to wonder whether or not this is crossing the line, and I hope you all know what line I'm talking about.

embarassed former SkyWest,
Mookie

While it really sucks for the Comair guys, I'm not sure SkyWest should feel guilty about winning a contract put out by Delta. I fear this will create ill will toward SkyW and it isn't fair. The writing has been on the wall for a while now concerning Comair, and that has nothing to do with SkyW. A good quality airline won a contract, that's it as far as SkyW is concerned in my opinion. I'm sure tons of other airlines had bids in on it as well. It happens all the time in this industry. And incidentally, there's a lot more to come, from just this RFP. I sincerly hope no Comair pilot loses his job to it as I know what that is like. (furloughed TSA)

12 out of 143 is winning?

12 out of 12 so far, or 12 out of 27, I'm not quite sure which it is, but this is the only part that's been announced. Like I said before, there's a lot more coming.

So does this mean the Skywest pilot's flying the former Comair routes are scabs???

Grabbing an asbestos suit.....

Well, as far as I know Comair is not on strike, and we have not been called upon to fly any struck work, nor has any alter-ego airline been spawned to bypass any of Comair's work rules, wages, or union. Would you call all the Chautauqua pilots which fly Xpress Jet's old Continental routes scabs? This term is thrown around way too loosely.......

NO! They have not undermind any pilot group or such. All "regional" flying is basically contract. So a mainline RFP award winner is never a "scab".....now GoJet is a much different story:rolleyes:

To make this even more interesting, the NMB has offered dates to the ASA pilots union to once again meet with our management. Will something be done this time? I think that managements back is against the wall, and something will get done. I would not go as far to say that we will get a TA but I think that there will be progress.

Does anyone know if ASA or SkyWest got the flying? I thought the post read that SkyWest INC. was awarded the flying, not SkyWest Airlines???

I guess you feel the same about all of the ASA flying we are doing too? And what about the CHQ guys flying the XJT stuff?

Actually that those are DELTAs routes. Regionals don't own any routes they just own the planes.

"bottom feeding s**thole Mesa"
 

How is it we can be thankfull. I imagine you work at Skywest.

One of the finest regional contracts is being dismantled and we can be thankfull about that, tell that to the next Comair flight you jump seat to Cincy?

After all of this, who was it that sat with Delta and ASA pilots last week to discuss how they will not get into a pilot bidding war to compete for the Comair flying. How they will not allow thier company to lower the standards any further.

Oh yeah, it was "bottom feeding ******hole Mesa", that's who. Funny how the Skywest guys missed that meeting. Funny how they are still some how smelling good.

We are making an effort to stop this race to the bottom, a few props for the guys who said no would be nice.

Figure 5 and half crews on 12 planes. That's 132 pilots/brothers and Sisters displaced, Happy Holidays!

My point is not that it is the pilots fault, they have little control over these things and if you think they do please inlighten me. I just get real tired hearing about MESA pilots being scumbags and scabs and bottom feeders. And Chataqua and Skywest guys walk on water. They are both fine company's I am sure and they must all work to compete and they should, but we cannot let our lives and income be the negotiating factor.

I see lots of hate towards skywest in the future.

Skywest isn't a mesa or gojets. They have the highest 50 seat pay in the industry and make more than almost all regionals with profit sharing. Skwyest is growing because they are a top airline run by very smart managment who treats their employees with respect.

I cam from a part 121 airline that complained about other airlines taking flying. Problem is that most pilots and ground people didn't care if we were on time and always bashed managment. If you have thinking like that you don't deserve it.

I don't see how you get that Skywest is the highest paid. I think the guys at Horizon might have something to say about that. Not to mention Express Jet.

I don't have a problem with Skywest. Everyone seems real nice and I don't think that Comair had a chance at the flying anyway. Who could have done it cheaper than Delta's own company Comair? So Delta never really wanted Comair to do it anyway.

This is a more valid argument than most realize. Talking to people from the inside who knew the inner workings of the economics of everything it would have saved Delta money with Comair. This is obviously a first step in doing what we all know Delta is planning on doing to Comair. So sad!!

Skywest is a great Company but I think some guys may get carried away by saying its the best

Because as we all know,

This is the Greatest and Best Airline in the World

ExpressJet

ASA will get a contract negotiated by January and will be the one to do the CVG flying.

Sorry to offend. Didn't mean to. And no, I do not work for SkyWest, but they'd probably be at the top of my list if I do decide to become an airline pilot.

New question: Why exactly is Delta out to destroy Comair?? Since they own Comair, if I understand correctly, Comair's profits go directly to Delta. Some here have even said that Comair really isn't expensive for Delta to run. So why is Delta acting this way?

I have also heard that there was alot of tension between the Comair managment and the pilot corps, and that the managment actually once sued the pilots (and lost). Do you thing this might simply be Delta's payback against Comair pilots?

PS: I like Comair alot. I will say that before all this crap happened, if I decided to become an airline pilot and wanted to stay in the east, Comair would have been at the top of my list (along with AWAC).

This is me, but Skywest is the same as Frank Lorenzo's Eastern ALPA busting Continental. Jerry is taking ALPA flying (Comair) and assets (ASA), and transferring them to a non union carrier (Skywest). The Skywest pilots are at Jerry Akin's mercy because they have no union. They are flying the 700 and 900 RJ's for 200 rates.

Go easy on Mesa, they burned up their negotiating capital on scope during their last contract, I expect their rates to be much better the next time around. And they are at least participating in the meetings between the union DCI carriers, Skywest is not. Right now, Skywest is lowering the bar, by not demanding real 700/900 rates. They better get their act together.

We're going to hold the line at ASA, even if it means burning the place to the ground. It is the only thing that will stop this crap, hopefully everyone else feels the same way..

Not to add on to the post...but CHQ was there too and we did NOT bid on any Comair (or any other CRJ) routes...

Note: The 12 airplanes were awarded to SlyWest, Inc., not SkyWest airlines. Management has stated that they have not yet determined who will fly the planes, SKW or ASA.

I understand your frustration as an ASA pilot, but I really don't get the idea of going easy on Mesa while calling Skywest a union busting airline. I came to skywest from an ALPA carrier, and QOL and pay are drastically better here (even considering the $4/hr 1st year pay cut--work rules are MUCH better). I hardly think that skywest is lowering the bar right now. I'd like to see a much better pay package than what was offered, but I think that we've got our primary competitor--Mesa--to thank for the lack of raises over the last five years.

Like I said, the Mesa pilots held the line, they had a choice between alter ego airlines like Freedom, whipsawing them against their own, or collectively bargaining to do away with the whipsaw. Andy Hughes (Mesa MEC Chairman, at the time) saw the writing on the wall and fought the whipsaw. They took a step back (pay rates) to take a step forward ( future pay rates and security).

If you think that a Skywest pilot has a better hourly wage on the 700 or 900 than anyone else in North America, I would like to see it. Take a look at your rates and then tell me how nice it is.

Come on HAYDUKE, cat got your tongue, or is it Jerry?

New shiny jets for 50 seat pay!!!!, yeah!!!!!, grow some, then talk about how bad Mesa is, BTW, I don't fly for Mesa, but I have been around this stuff long enough to know that the Mesa guys and gals will fight for a great contract. Will the the Skywest people?I don't know but based upon your input, probably not...

8 minutes after you reply to Hayduke you post this. Yer' not da sharpest tool in da shed, is ya? LOL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BALZAHARI (Post 84190)

Come on HAYDUKE, cat got your tongue, or is it Jerry?

---

Better than anyone else? no probably not, better than almost anyone, yes. Horizon has better, Comair has better. ASA doesn't, Eagles, Republic Holdings and Mesa's F/O's don't, and our Captains is comparable to all of those carriers. I think when you look at our payscales you forget to add 2-3 bucks for F/O's and about 5 bucks to the capt rates for the profit sharing checks we get that almost no one else in this industry gets. You also forget that our 50 pay is tops. We have a great company, with great QOL, that provides a quality product that the majors like. SkyWest shouldn't be ashamed of that. If everything was so bad here as you would have us believe, our 2 union drives in the last 5 years wouldn't have failed. (The more recent one failed horribly.) Are we the best paid in the industry? no Is it still pretty damn good. yea.
On another note if these ALPA carriers and other union carriers are so great then please explain why in my class of 43 there were 3 Mesa's, 4 ASA's, 11 Trans States, 2 Eagles, several Corporate and Regions, plus 135 guys, and military. Of the 43 total in class only 5 came directly from CFI gigs. SkyWest must be pretty good with that many making lateral moves. Also I suggest you speak with some Mesa pilots and ask them if they think their contract is, as you call it, "great". I think they might die from laughing. So put your sword away, and recognize that a quality airline with quality pay won some planes, and it has nothing to do with Frank Lorenzo or anything like that. Believe me if Jerry was at all like Frank, your airline (I believe you said you work for ASA) wouldn't exist anymore. It would've been liquidated soon after he bought it.
Incidentally your gripe about our 700/900 pay may not be valid much longer, much to the disappointment of many pilots here, the new pay scale, being voted on as we speak, includes seperate pay for the 700/900. However many pilots here would rather the one pay scale with a smaller increase across the board for all pilots. Just a difference in company culture I guess.

Also please don't take my post as anti-union, they most certainly serve an extremely important purpose in this industry, just right now, SkyWest's pilots' QOL and pay are just as good as the average to above average union carrier, and I'd hate to see us compared with the likes of Lorenzo. I also forgot to point out to BALZAHARI that my latest ALPA fastread said that SkyWest pilots DID attend the meetings he said we weren't at. I took this straight from the email he clearly didn't read.
Pilot union leaders from Mesa Air Group, Comair, and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, all of which fly as Delta Connection, came together last week in Salt Lake City, Utah to discuss current issues facing them and their carriers, and to develop strategies to counter management tactics that undermine professional airline pilots. Representatives from the SkyWest Pilots ALPA Organizing Committee (SPAOC) also attended.

But... but... but Mesa pilots opinions don't count! Mesa pilots are the root of everything that is evil and wrong with the airline industry1

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

[quote=reelbigchair;84212]

ASA doesn't, Eagles, Republic Holdings and Mesa's F/O's don't, and our Captains is comparable to all of those carriers. I think when you look at our payscales you forget to add 2-3 bucks for F/O's and about 5 bucks to the capt rates for the profit sharing checks we get that almost no one else in this industry gets.

Oh, you are an FO, so yeah, I stand corrected. Take a look at 70 seat Captain rates, you'd have to be at Mesa or Go Jets to be doing any worse. The ASA people in class at Skywest are FO's that got scared of the transferrring of ASA (Union) assets (70 seat RJ's) to Skywest (Non Union). I'm not saying that Skywest is a bad place to work, it obviously is a great place. I happen to work for the same guy you do, and he is trying to break ALPA.

I hope what you say is true about a new 700/900 rate for Skywest, that would be great, just in time for the ALPA vote, right? Do you see it, it's clear to me.

I did look at the captain rates, and yes they are very similar because of profit sharing. Add about 5 bucks an hour to those rates, and you'll find they beat most everyone. The rates you see on APC don't include everything. In fact I remember seeing a few months ago ASA pilots complaining that because of profit sharing our rates (skywest) were better than yours (ASA). You can't have it both ways. Either you guys are paid better and have a good contract and we're "lowering the bar", or you guys aren't paid better and need a new better contract. Pick one or the other. I notice you forgot to say anything about SkyWest pilots being at that meeting you said they weren't. Also these particular pilots from ASA transferred before plane #1 moved to SkyWest. I talked to them, they moved because they honestly believed their lives for any number of reasons would be better at SkyWest. The pay talks were going on well before the ALPA vote, and this paticular pay package was pretty bad, so it will probably help ALPA get in. It was bad enough that it will in no way impede ALPA's drive. He's not actively out to break ALPA at ASA, he is trying to keep ALPA out of SkyWest probably. But then so are about 50% of the pilots, so he isn't terrible for that one. All he's doing at ASA is trying to get the best possible deal for management. Your union is trying to do what's best for the pilots. That happens everywhere, it's a basic concept. I do think your comparisons to Lorenzo are completely unfair. Contracts can very easily take 4 years to get done, and Jerry's only been involved for 1 year. I know it sucks for you because you were bargaining with Delta before, but give SkyWest INC. some time, it'll get done. I actually believe, and hope, that after your contract talks are done and forgotten at ASA, that you'll be relatively happy with Jerry as your CEO. Not trying to start any rumors here, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if Jerry gets you guys some Frontier flying in DEN, and it looks like you may be getting those Comair jets in CVG.