Houston..You have a problem.
06-08-2017 | 06:49 PM
#72
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,599
Likes: 205
From: 787
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
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
You have more pilots than the system can support get over it.
Its real easy C171 if management had put the 787 on the west coast where it belonged from day 1 non of this would be happening in IAH. You have been living large for the last 5 years now its time for real life. I know my life would be ALOT better if IAH crews were not DHing into SFO to fly all of our 3 day trips.
06-08-2017 | 07:25 PM
#74
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,508
Likes: 109
You're taking credit for taxes paid by the top 1% of CA residents. You on the other hand get to deduct your CA state taxes from your federal tax burden, which is a subsidy. Let's not talk about poverty levels and social entitlements keeping a sizeable portion of the states population afloat.
06-08-2017 | 08:34 PM
#75
Line Holder
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 558
Likes: 6
BooHoo C171.....lets **** everyone else in the system by forcing flying to IAH. GROW UP you little babies. Where was your temper tantrum letters when ORD 747 closed? DEN 76T? LAX 747? SEA 777? LAX 777?
You have more pilots than the system can support get over it.
Its real easy C171 if management had put the 787 on the west coast where it belonged from day 1 non of this would be happening in IAH. You have been living large for the last 5 years now its time for real life. I know my life would be ALOT better if IAH crews were not DHing into SFO to fly all of our 3 day trips.
You have more pilots than the system can support get over it.
Its real easy C171 if management had put the 787 on the west coast where it belonged from day 1 non of this would be happening in IAH. You have been living large for the last 5 years now its time for real life. I know my life would be ALOT better if IAH crews were not DHing into SFO to fly all of our 3 day trips.
Pot meet kettle...perhaps your life would be much better on another fleet..
06-09-2017 | 12:13 AM
#76
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,032
Likes: 18
You're taking credit for taxes paid by the top 1% of CA residents. You on the other hand get to deduct your CA state taxes from your federal tax burden, which is a subsidy. Let's not talk about poverty levels and social entitlements keeping a sizeable portion of the states population afloat.
Not necessarily if you're in the AMT.
06-09-2017 | 12:21 AM
#77
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,032
Likes: 18
He wrote a newsletter called the "Magenta Line" that highlighted every management shortcoming and fu- especially calling into question Fred Abbott's decision making ability. He was told to cease and desist (allegedly) but kept writing anyway. Shortly after, they issued a bid that moved a huge anount of 737 flying from EWR to IAH which tilted the division of the house vote from EWR to IAH. No one seemed to give a **** then when a ton, I think it was somewhere around 60-80 positions, moved from one base to another purely out of spite. It was a great day when Abbott got booted.
06-09-2017 | 01:43 AM
#78
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,213
Likes: 14
From: guppy CA
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.
But again, this 2 June report written by U of H doesn't paint a pretty economic picture of the region: Resilience in the Face of a No-Growth Scenario
Nor does the anemic O&D growth out of IAH and HOU, which is really the most important stat for this topic. A lot of flying has been forced out of IAH; management has decided to reduce the amount of IAH forced flying. Flying will increase there as O&D traffic increases.
06-09-2017 | 03:20 AM
#79
Line Holder
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 1,200
Likes: 33
From: 777 CA
That may be.
But again, this 2 June report written by U of H doesn't paint a pretty economic picture of the region: Resilience in the Face of a No-Growth Scenario
Nor does the anemic O&D growth out of IAH and HOU, which is really the most important stat for this topic. A lot of flying has been forced out of IAH; management has decided to reduce the amount of IAH forced flying. Flying will increase there as O&D traffic increases.
But again, this 2 June report written by U of H doesn't paint a pretty economic picture of the region: Resilience in the Face of a No-Growth Scenario
Nor does the anemic O&D growth out of IAH and HOU, which is really the most important stat for this topic. A lot of flying has been forced out of IAH; management has decided to reduce the amount of IAH forced flying. Flying will increase there as O&D traffic increases.
HOUSTON - No city in the United States is growing faster in population than Houston. Newly released census numbers show our growth beat out several major cities, including Dallas.
Census data shows Houston leads in population growth across U.S.
06-09-2017 | 04:53 AM
#80
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,213
Likes: 14
From: guppy CA
The O&D traffic is there. Business travel is down with oil down but we don't even have a true first class seat anymore anyway.
HOUSTON - No city in the United States is growing faster in population than Houston. Newly released census numbers show our growth beat out several major cities, including Dallas.
Census data shows Houston leads in population growth across U.S.
HOUSTON - No city in the United States is growing faster in population than Houston. Newly released census numbers show our growth beat out several major cities, including Dallas.
Census data shows Houston leads in population growth across U.S.
Posted: 7:30 AM, March 24, 2016
Updated: 6:07 PM, March 24, 2016
Did you know the 'latest' census data is from 2015?
I have posted an article written by the University of Houston that is less than a week old stating that the regional economy's done poorly for the last few years. Finding old data that predates the slide in oil prices is not pertinent to this topic.
O&D traffic - it's pretty much flat for Houston. O&D traffic from IAH was negative in 2016. Research it, find some recent numbers and post them - no stale numbers please. Take out Southwest's international expansion at HOU a couple of years ago and the numbers would look a lot worse.
Bottom line: the airline continues to grow and continues to be unjeffed. jeff's team overbuilt the IAH base - whether due to cronyism or incompetence doesn't matter - and the double whammy of low oil prices means that IAH continues to be overstaffed years later. Unjeffing this airline means moving jets and people to where the customers are and want to go, not having customers pass through airports that have negative O&D. This isn't hard to understand.
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