A higher percentage of their residents who live in graveyards vote than in IL?

 

Much better chance that he is an '83 scab who fought tooth and nail against any union but now enjoys the benefits of one. For years IAH was "taken care of" at the expense of other bases, the party is over- of course the local economy going in the tank didn't help either.

 

Pretty much sums it all up......




June 8, 2017

Houston – The Incredible Shrinking Base

Fellow Pilots,

Yesterday the company released displacement 17-09D2, a displacement just as ridiculous as its name implies. While we were expecting more 787 displacements with the previously announced closing of IAH 787, the displacement of IAH 756 CA, 737 CA & 777 FO is an outright slap in the face to us Houston pilots. About two months ago senior management stood in IAH announcing the 787 closure and assured us that they would be able to absorb overages, especially in growing fleets (i.e. 777) where there is system wide manpower need. Just yesterday Flying Together Front Page News announced more 777-300ERs entering revenue service. We currently have less than half of these new airplanes in service with more to come, yet we are displacing IAH 777 FOs. The 9 IAH 756 CA displacements and 8 737 CA displacements are nothing more than an end run around our UPA 8-I-4 Base Trade language. 8 to 9 pilots are a blip in the system staffing, yet the company is laser focused on raising the junior man number in these categories to eliminate this as a “popular landing point” for some pilots.

In his Crew Resources Update yesterday, Paul Carlson claims that “…displacements are not just ‘numbers’ to me and my team. We fully recognize that behind each displacement is a pilot and his or her family”. We don’t buy that for one second. Paul Carlson, Howard Attarian, Scott Kirby and others from Willis Tower can try to say the right things, but until they back that up with action, these words ring hollow.

We have some ideas for anyone in management reading this. How about honoring your word to absorb the overages by pushing block hours and flying where the manpower is? Why don’t you uphold the language of 8-I-4 that allows a pilot to base trade to their home, instead of chopping them right off the bottom as soon as you have a chance? Why don’t you wait a month or two for displacements other than the closures of SFO 747 and IAH 787? With these four categories closing, the landscape will look much different in a few months. Why don’t you wait on further displacements until the much-anticipated fleet plan is announced? With category closure displacements complete and a known fleet plan, pilots can make an informed decision on what works for them and their family. What about the upcoming re-banking of Houston planned for October? This was supposed to allow for up-gauging of aircraft, increased connections, more flights, and positioning us to challenge DFW as the premier Texas airline hub. How will we “Win Texas” when we are shrinking?

For the 87 IAH pilots being displaced this month, and the rest of us taking a seniority hit with the ensuing fallout, this hurts. Your Council 171 Officers realize what a burden this is, and we stand ready to support you in any way we can. Please reference the attached documents for further information.

Fly safe,

Brad, Nic, and Jamie

 

Your ignorance is showing Joe. There were less than 100 '83 scabs on the property at the merger, some of which were former ALPA members at Braniff and TWA. Less than about 50 left around here today. A bit fewer than the 85 United scabs, and far fewer than the 600 or so former PEX and NYA pilots.

But yeah, I get it. It's always fashionable to trash talk your fellow pilots based in Houston. Makes you feel like one of the kool kids, huh?

And right, the Houston pilots were always loved better by mgt, and they loved losing money to protect them.

Economy in the tank?. Try hiring a home builder, or remodeler in the Houston area. We'll put you on the waiting list.

This DEN marketing ping pong is beyond boring. It is an inexperienced marketing department that does understand the market and is trying to make a name for themselves. They will eventually go the way of their predecessors who tried the same thing, failed and left in their wake damaged families, careers and revenue losses for their former employer.

O,BTW, who are we merging with now? That's the United way.. right. Merger on the horizon, so cancel orders, park airplanes, lose money so as to make the next merger partner look better in the list arbitration?

Give us a break and put away your tin foil hat.

 

 

 

That may be, but it's more likely because home builders have abandoned Houston in favor of greener pastures.

I'm not trying to offend here, it just comes naturally for me so don't take any of the following personally. I wrote that sentence because Baseball didn't like my comments about the Houston/Texas area sliding into a regional recession a couple of years ago (it was nothing personal on my part and I understood both Baseball's and your responses on this matter). I made that comment based on various reports I read and the region's dependence on energy prices. To date, Houston's admirably walked a tight line between technically sliding into recession (two consecutive quarters of negative growth) and economic growth.

Here's an economic report from the University of Houston's Bauer School of Business (a much better source of economic information than me): Resilience in the Face of a No-Growth Scenario

Houston has been diversifying their economy which will help. Energy prices probably won't help - I expect WTI to slide into the $30s after the summer driving season which will be no Bueno for TX frackers.

A big advantage for the future that IAH has is that, unlike LAX, SFO, ORD, and EWR, it appears (to me) that they've got room to increase daily departures. Those other bases are pretty much maxed out and don't really have room for much further growth.

I understand why you and most IAH based pilots are upset. But the airline is still growing block hours... +5.8% mainline ASMs YTD through the end of May (we continue to shrink regional flying). http://newsroom.united.com/2017-06-0...al-Performance
Houston's economy just sucks right now and the company's continuing to shift planes and people to optimize the company. +5.8% ASMs is pretty decent growth.

 

Ok, substitute '83-'85 scabs if it makes you feel better. If you don't think IAH was treated with kid gloves by Abbott and his a-hole friends you weren't paying attention. I remember looking at the IAH 757 bid packages and seeing half the lines start with a DHD to EWR, they constantly forced flying to IAH especially after Abbott got his feelings hurt by Kaye Riggs.

Just because you can't find a builder doesn't mean the economy is roaring, I guarantee you it's just as hard in SFO and IAD and their economies aren't directly tied to the price of energy.

When the RASM is increasing, calling the people who decide on marketing "inexperienced" rings a little hollow. Maybe you could swing by Willis Tower and help them out on your days off.

 

The renogiated rates/fees at DEN made all the difference in the world to our bottom line. DEN will be expanded greatly NOW but the next oil spike for an extended period of time hopefully great expansion at IAH.

 

Andy - I live in the Heights...relatively higher end urban living inside the loop in Houston. The amount of new homes being built in Houston is incredible and they are selling in one day to approx a week. Just chatted with a local realtor about it 2 days ago. All of he Central and S Texas economy (Metroplex down through Austin to SAT and over to Houston) - at least home sales - is off the chart.