CAL begins the process
 

Fellow Furloughees,

The calls have started.

We are calling the top 100 on the list over the next few days as a courtesy to explain the process and answer questions. As we gauge the response from the senior furloughees we will re-evaluate how many more we will need to contact.

Initially, Continental will send offer letters and election forms to the top 100 on the furlough list. Once this information has been received the furloughee will have approximately 14 days to respond (actual deadline will be on the letter). If you elect to join Continental, they will contact you shortly after the deadline to give you your official class date, have you fill out the application and setup your travel arrangements to complete the hiring process in IAH. The completion of the process will consist of fingerprinting, drug testing, uniform fitting and paperwork.

Continental has also established a Guam volunteer list for our furloughees. The top 400 on the furlough list (including the top 100) will receive a letter (and a Guam information guide) asking if they would like to volunteer for a Guam assignment. The election will be required prior to the deadline stated on the letter. Once received we will compile and sort the list in seniority order. The most senior volunteers will be placed in Guam slots in the October 4th class. If you decide not to volunteer for the Guam list we will not count this as a bypass. Please do not volunteer unless you are willing to accept the assignment.

United and Continental recognize that some of you have a military commitment and may not be able to attend a class date that is offered. In this case you will be placed on a “deferred status” until your current military obligation is fulfilled. After claiming Military Deferment, you must notify Continental once you are able to accept a position. More detailed information is available in the offer letter.

As we continue to work our way through the process we will establish new timelines for the additional classes. I just returned from IAH where I toured Continental’s training facilities. There is a level of excitement down there that I can equate to TK when I was a new hire in 2000. Most of the excitement has to do with our furloughees joining them…and some has to do with the very nice 787 sim sitting in one of the bays (I got to take a peek and it did not disappoint). I look forward to speaking with many of you in the coming weeks and meeting you on day one of training.

Sounds like a fair solution to the GUM issue. I wish they would use the same process for the EWR 757. Those pilots will be basically locked into the domicile for the duration of the seat lock because the position is so senior at IAH.

Please notice he didn't mention how great the actual training facilities are, be prepared to be UN-impressed.

liquid

What is that suppose to mean? Pen, desk, computer and seat. Sit down, study and move on to the sim. Maybe if you put up enough of a fuss they will invite the circus to stop by and entertain you.

Finally. Some good news. Let's see what the bypass ratio will be and how deep the GUM pool goes to. Stay tuned.

Pilotgolfer,

Did you write that for this forum or is there an email going out to all furloughed pilots that we may not have received?

Thanks
MB

It was sent out about 1.5 hours ago.

I just deleted the portion of the letter that had Ted's signature and contact info. If you didn't get the email, you probably don't have up to date contact information with the furlough coordinator. Something you may want to look into.

Thanks! I get some stuff but I'll check to make sure all is correct!

MB

With the Guam volunteer list it should lower the bypass ratio to 3-1. How long before we'll know bypass data?

Wonder how the Mil defer aspect will impact things.

Any guesses or thoughts on this?

Not true at all, the last bid had IAH 757/767 coming down to within 18 seniority positions of EWR.

i predict the ratio will be 2-3:1 and guam will go within 250 pilots

I predict the ratio will be 10 calls to every 1 taking a job at CAL

Mmmm, you sure about that?

Or perhaps what exactly do you mean by this?

I thought about bidding IAH 757 and I'm a few hundred from the bottom and I decided against it because I'd be a handful from the bottom. So even if you had the chance to bid IAH, you would basically be the wedge at the bottom for quite some time.

Until we get those 787 guys out of their current aircraft, there's really no movement anywhere.

UAL Double FURLOUGHEE, hired in 99' I will be on the bypass list.

Good luck to those that take it, I would love to meet the CAL group and do some IAH flying--but I will pass for now.

10-1 is about right, most of us have found better jobs elsewhere. I do expect all the GO-JET and SKYWEST furloughed bubba's take it .....but I could be wrong.

I am about 70 from the bottom and I could have been on the 757/iah on this last bid.

I would love to go to Guam, and I need employment. Too bad I am 1,220 down the list!

I am bout 1400 down - don't worry there is ALWAYS somebody that has it just a little bit worse. Hope you get the call as futile as that sounds......

Go to CCS and check the bid award for yourself. The bottom 15 or so positions in IAH 756 are furlough returns. The bottom active person in IAH 756 is only 18 senior to the bottom EWR 756.

I think all of the UAL furloughees are going to get a chance to go to CAL. Lots of us have other jobs, or are in the military and will be on military leave and have to bypass. Lots of us don't want to go to the bottom of CAL and would rather go back to UAL. I think the people who frequent these blogs are the exception and most of the UAL furloughed will never go back. Most estimates I get from friends who have ties to UAL training say it will be about 30-40% TOTAL best case when United recalls them.

Boy, I hope you're right! Just want to get back to flying my Champ for fun only!

What was the recall acceptance rate the first time around? I don't think they will find out this time around for years. We have 10 year recall and flight benefits during that time. I think most will keep using the cheap tickets and stay on bypass even if they don't intend to go back?

Last time many of us went back because we were forced to or quit. Some left really good jobs just to get furloughed again a few months later. It's just my impression many will sit it out and wait to see what the contract is before they risk a third furlough?

I think you are right. Folks that currently don't have a job(or have one that really sux) and folks that took the "express" flying jobs are probably the only ones that will take these positions.

I don't what the final numbers were for the first recall, but I know that most of the folks around my seniority level (6/2000) disappeared for good from the list when all was said and done. I guess after 4+ years on the first furlough, most of the smart ones found better jobs... :)

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