But you have to admit that it is absurd to agree to work for 2000 - 2500 a month with years of experience ! Adjusting to save your job shouldn't mean working for barely livable wages especially during record profit times and when Already working under a bankruptcy contract. Aren't we taking about highly skilled people here ??

 

nor do they think of the fact of what happens to them when they have to commute on PSA metal in a year or two when PSA has more airplanes.....

 

I don't disagree with you, I also don't make 2500 a month. First year guys here are making that. First year guys who have 1500 hours giving lessons in a 172, is that highly skilled? Well if you've flown with a guy straight from a 172 into a jet then you can answer that. Do I believe in paying your dues the first year at an airline? No I don't but such is life even at the majors. A first year FO on a bus at mainline makes 36k That is an insult and at that point you are experienced, but that's the way it is. I don't believe that just because I had to pay my dues that someone else should have to. I also can't go back to 2500 a month or less because I tried my best to better the industry.

 

If an FO at PSA(other than 1st year) is only making 2k a month they are doing something very very wrong and probably need to be educated.

 

Do you mean like all the original RJ pilots that flocked to take those mainline routes?

This is a really interesting time in the industry. There are going to be more losers than winners as the majors rationalize their express feed.

The PSA pilots don't appear to have done anything that thousands of other RJ pilots have done over the years in taking jobs at rates less than mainline wages in the hopes of getting a mainline job.

The other carriers should look at their leadership for putting them in these positions. The RJ cost structure doesn't support high wages or long longevity. At some point PSA will be in the same position as Eagle and there will be another carrier that will accept terms to take the flying away. It is the regional cycle of life.

 

Well put... Although the Eagle guys haven't gotten the fact that it's not "their flying" yet.

 

Why? It's an honest question. Why would anyone stay at ANY regional for that long?

 

Rationalization. It's great how mental gymnastics come so easy to some in order to convince themselves, and at times others, that they did nothing wrong.

 

I think you just proved his point.

 

John,

Where is the Envoy airlines ticketing office? Same for PSA, Expressjet and all the others. The express companies don't fly their own customers. They fly DL, AA and UA customers. It is the legacy airlines flying. How long would envoy exist if they just sold tickets to and from the hubs under their own brand against an express company flying the mainlines code (IIRC in the case of independence it was around a year or less). The Post regarding senior pilot groups is very true. The regional model only works with more new employees than old. The revenue doesn't offset the cost to operate the airplanes.

I'm sorry for the eagle guys but this isn't the fault of PSA. They like eagle pilots are flying what was negotiated by their ownership. As they get more senior the exact same thing is going to happen to them. History has shown this to be the case and the major carriers are going to rely less on express carriers going forward. Envoy ALPA should bear some of the blame. They created unrealistic expectations with their line in the sand negotiations. IMHO I believe the same fate is going to take place at expressjet soon also.