PistolP

After reading this article, it makes me think Comair doesn't have a leg to stand on. Comments?



Knoxville (WVLT) - There's word of a possible strike at ComAir. The pilots are talking, but they haven't backed off the threat of walking; the deadline is Saturday.

What could that mean for your business trip next week, or maybe a bowl trip this weekend?

The commuter flight next week is a bigger concern than any bowl trips.

Most Vol fans have booked through other carriers, but even next week's threat may not be that big a worry.

A lot's changed since that pilot strike five years ago.

Few trips are ever as hectic as that flight home after Christmas. Linda Maertzweiler's simply glad her ComAir flights not this Saturday.

"Although I'm sorry for everybody else, I'll sit at home and watch it on TV and feel really bad for them," she says.

Pilots have threatened to walk if ComAir guts its own contractual promises, and imposes a $6,000 pay cut rather than a $2,800 raise.

"It's really hard, I think a lot of people are taking pay cuts, or you're just taking the same amount you were making the year before," says Linda.

The expense cuts are court-ordered, but ComAir already has been losing a fifth of its pilots a year to other airlines.

"We're booking ComAir, we're not selling away," Knoxville Travel Agent Bill Murphy's betting the pilots won't dare strike, because their position's even weaker than Comair's.

"Their impact on Delta's overall picture has been lessened by the fact that Delta has awarded some of ComAir's routes to other carriers, Delta has pretty much spread the risk out among all their regional carriers," Murphy says.

Five years ago, a pilot's strike grounded ComAir two and a half months.

Back then, it flew 8 trips to and from McGhee Tyson.

Today, as one of four partly-independent Delta subcontractors, it's down to three.

So even if you have booked and the pilots do strike, "Our agents will go ahead and take the initiative, and back travelers up and book them on other flights," Murphy says.

"I hope the pilots don't go on strike," says Linda.

ComAir is looking for some insurance against that.

Even while talks go on, it's asking for a court order tomorrow to declare any walkout illegal, given its bankruptcy status.

Delta hasn't talked about any contingencies if the pilots do walk, but Knoxville, and a number of ComAir commuter markets have competition, either from other airlines or delta direct partners.

STILL GROUNDED

I say strike, let the company grieve it. Thats we are supposed to do, fly it then grieve it.

cyrcadian

I just don't see how the judge would allow the union to strike. Some points to consider are the precedent made by Mesaba's struggle as well as the judges ruling on Comair's own 1113.

Going to be a very action packed week in the Natty.

buffalopilot

Comair and the union will not come to an agreement this week. The judge will rule no strike. Many pilots will leave Comair. Hiring will continue to fill seats. Union will appeal, court will say no, but if they say yes, Bush will stop the strike!

thats what i think

G-Dog

Screw the courts. The court should be telling management to honor the contract. This whole situation sucks. If management wants a new contract, work with the union, instead of running to the courts.

Good luck Comair guys.

buffalopilot

the part that gets me is that the management says the pilots are the only group who have not made concessions. I thought they did last year!?

HSLD

This seems to be an untested grey area in labor law during the past few years. The question is: does a Bankruptcy Judge have jurisdiction over RLA self help remedies?

cyrcadian

No, the last "concession" was the pay freeze.

Besides, it's nice to "shoulder" the entire cost problems of the company. Yes it is all our fault.

vagabond

As I wrote in my commentary regarding the RLA, it's unfortunate that carriers have to declare bankruptcy and now bankruptcy judges (many of whom may not know much about the intricacies of the RLA) have de facto jurisdiction instead of de jure jurisdiction. I will say again how important it is to have a strong, unified union fighting the cause on your behalf from both the judicial and legislative fronts.

DMEarc

I say this it like this...

Is the CEO going to take a pay cut of that magnitude as well?