Two points:

One, there is overcapacity in the regional market, so the bidding for business is competitive between many companies. Although it would suck for those pilots, it would do the regional industry overall good if some companies closed shop rather than continue to push their workforce and rules to scrape by.

Second, in the case of the newest RFP's, the companies are given the planes to fly, so the cost to operate is directly related to wages/benefits, as that is really the only variable that a company can control (assuming operational capability is similar).

As a pilot group, we would all like to see wages improve to a livable level, and the original COMAIR contract was a step in the right direction, but it is plainly obvious that they lost the business from Delta because the pilot's wouldn't take the pay cut (to a non-negotiable "magic number" that I'm sure was handed down by Delta -- see the news from yesterday)... and this hurts the group as a whole.

At some point...ALPA needs to step up and lay out a plan for the "standard" regional work package - if the group pulls together, across all the regionals, something may improve. But - when you've got CFI's with SJS who are just happy to be there, normally due to a lack of knowledge on their part..... I think to be affective, ALPA needs to be aggressive in recruiting - go to the schoolhouses and intervene with these guys before they jump and be an active part of the transition process.

Rant off, and making room on the soapbox for someone else....
Spongebob

 

Amen to that brother

 

Define irony.

 

You haven't been in this business long enough to talk. Most SKW pilots just want to live in the west. A few new-hires under 2000 hours have SJS, but the majority are from other airlines and have shiny-money syndrome.

 

You're right on with this. Where's the master plan ALPA?

 

There is a fundamental problem here...it is not "free market" forces in action, it is our longevity pay scale in action. The longevity scale is basically an archaic mechanism to get pilots to work for peanuts today in exchange for a payoff down the road.

Unfortunately management had figured out that they don't have to actually make good on the the promise...they take your work up front and when the time comes to pony up, they either reduce your payscale in Ch.11 (maninline) or liquidate your jobs and sell them off to the youngest (lowest) bidder in the case of regioanls. The low bidder will always be the company that has the largest number of super-junior pilots.

Comair has simply reached the natural termination point in the life cycle of a regional pilot group. They are older, wiser, and have families and bills so they require more compensation...the longevity scale would have provided that in the past, put today it only provides the means of their demise.

But don't worry, you will get your turn in the barrel when you are an eight year captain with 2-3 little kids...

Actually you work for mesa, right? I think mesa is about to learn all about market forces as they relate not to labor cost, but to product quality. Good luck with that...

 

Excellent thoughts, especially the last paragraph. I'm grateful to have the job, and it's probably best I not comment further, except perhaps to say I think I'm bit concerned based on observations I've made. That being said, no company is without its problems.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but how so?

 

You're kidding right? Yes we make 19 an hour but with our credits you'll easily make near 30K your first 12 months (including per diem). Will you make that at XJT, NO. A fiend of mine just finshed his first year at XJT and he didn't make near that much. Yes second year pay is more than the Mighty Bro but not more than our RJ. Plus during your second year on the Mighty Bro you can upgrade to CA which is significantly more than your 2nd year pay.

Plus, jump at the chance to fly larger equipment? Yes they jump once they get 1000/100 and pass up a XJT, Eagle, Mesa, Piedmont, Colgan and many other interviews at 600/100. If you wait till your at a 1000TT your not jumping at anything. You're jumping at 500-800TT. And don't say you don't get hired at XJT at 600/100, I have 7 friends that all got hire at XJT under 800 and most just over 600.

 

I second that!!!!!