Flows to Majors. Who will get them?
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
The majors could solve both their feed shortage and retirement replacements in one move. Start ab initio training like some foreign carriers do. Once the ab initio program is in place the only hiring comes from their 0 to hero pilots and everyone still in the regionals is stuck there for the duration of their careers. Not only does it stop the bleeding at the regional level but it ensures the regional feed for the next 30 years.
I should be a CEO somewhere.
I should be a CEO somewhere.
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 0
Alot of guys can't leave the industry. Changing careers in a tough economy is not easy. If you have the skills to do something else, yeah you'd leave, but the majority of guys only have one skill and thats flying an airplane.
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 0
So their total list is 400 pilots? Thats not even a pebble in the ocean compared to the entire pilot population. You'll have to find a much larger sample size to prove a flow through actually works.
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
Well, some don't want to leave anyway. But if you're going to say that an ab initio will go in front of the ones that do, that have worked hard and sacrificed almost everything to get to mainline, and some "ab initio" is drafted into that level of pay and quality of life in front of them. I'm not buying it, it'll never happen. You gets points for creativity though.
#25
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
From: Left
Kirby stated in the most recent earnings statement that he wanted a flow from the wholly owns to mainline.
I think it's a great way to control longevity at the feed level. If they have to fill the mainline seats anyway why not make their regional cheaper?
I think it's a great way to control longevity at the feed level. If they have to fill the mainline seats anyway why not make their regional cheaper?
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 0
More training cycles, it costs more to flow pilots from your regional to your major than to just hire them from outside. Kirby was trying to justify the laughable contract they offered us at Eagle, he also made the comment that regionals were "stepping stones" lol.
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 0
Well, some don't want to leave anyway. But if you're going to say that an ab initio will go in front of the ones that do, that have worked hard and sacrificed almost everything to get to mainline, and some "ab initio" is drafted into that level of pay and quality of life in front of them. I'm not buying it, it'll never happen. You gets points for creativity though.
#28
Moderator
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13,088
Likes: 0
From: B757/767
BTW, pre merger Mesaba pilots are still flowing up as well.
#29
What? You wanted an example of a flow through that has worked, and that is the only current flowthrough (along with a handful of XJ pilots) that does and continues to do so until the guys with flowthrough rights is exhausted.
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 0
I'm glad you found one flowthrough that worked, I guess that proves that they're worthwhile. The majority of pilots who have some sort of flowthrough agreement to a major airline are still sitting at a regional, many for 10+ years. Overall I think they are worthless and the pilot groups should never accept them as a carrot in their contract negotiations.
If there is a pilot shortage you won't need contractual language to make it to a major. if there is no pilot shortage you're not making it to a major whether you have a "flowthrough" or not. It's just another set of the emperor's clothes that managements keep selling us and we keep buying.
If there is a pilot shortage you won't need contractual language to make it to a major. if there is no pilot shortage you're not making it to a major whether you have a "flowthrough" or not. It's just another set of the emperor's clothes that managements keep selling us and we keep buying.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post



