CAL vs CALex DOH
 

Would some L-CAL guys please enlighten us with the facts?

This should be good.

Here go's...until late 2001 early 2002 express jet (formerly continental express, all turbo prop until 1997) was a wholly owned subsidiary of CAL. Pilots from the original COEX all the way back to 88 (a few even more senior) flowed through to CAL in seniority order via negotiated flow through obtained by IACP representing both pilots groups as one MEC. CAL retained the right to hire from the street as well. CAL's list at the time would literally have 3 blanks and then a COEX's pilots name, even though that pilot was still at express waiting to flow through. That segment of flow throughs went on until the mid 90's. All those pilots kept their original hire dates for everything except bidding seniority, they were merged in to CAL bidding seniority when ever they actually transferred to CAL, with some back dating do to deferments related to express staffing.

Example....a guy hired at COEX in 1990 transferred to CAL in 1997, he effectively has a 97 bidding date at CAL, but retains his 1990 hire date for pass travel, sick bank, vacation accrual, and not sure but maybe some A Fund calculation as well.

With now "express jet" still being a wholly owned subsidary,The next segment of flow throughs came from ALPA negotiated flow through tied to the influx of the RJ, once you completed IOE as an RJ captain, you were put in the pool of CAL new hires and were to transfer to CAL as class dates became available, with even more deferments due to staffing (during which these pilots accrued CAL seniority). This segment covered pilots from Express through mid October 1996. These pilots assumed CAL seniority from their original assigned CAL class date.

Example...pilot hired at COEX in early 1996 flowed to CAL in 2001 was a 2001 hire at CAL, but retained 1996 for pass travel, sick bank, and vacation.

Next segment was preferential interview group, covers the pilots that were in the CAL pool but never flowed due to the termination of the flow through because of CAL selling more than 51 percent of express jet. Also covers all pilots that were on the Express Jet list as of mid June 1998. All those pilots were given a preferential interview. If you were hired you flowed to CAL as class dates became available in express seniority order. You stayed in your express seniority merged in with the off the street hires in your class.

Example a pilot hired at COEX in late 1997 interviewed and was hired by CAL in 2006 has a 2006 CAL hire date, but retains his original 1997 date for pass travel only.



Bottom line is everybody is in seniority order from express back to the mid 80's.

Clear as mud?

Don't forget the part where CAL pilots had a chance to fight for all pilots to be on one list thus gaining some control over the management tactic of whipsawing regional against major. Instead many fought against this and CalEx expanded going from 600 pilots to over 2000 with 274 RJs. CAL stopped hiring and progression stagnated then 9/11, then age 65. Never understood why the CAL pilots were so short-sighted as to let that opportunity to pass. It may have set an industry standard that could possibly have had an impact on what happened to UAL and their 737/70 seat debacle.

What years were Continental Express pay for training?

Pay for training?...Please tell me Continental Express wasn't one of those places in the 90's where "privileged" kids paid Flight Safety $10,000 dollars to get a job! ;)

Coex as well as most commuters during the mid 90's had PFT. A scourge on the industry for sure. Driven by lull in hiring and overage of pilots. The same "privileged" kids are
Getting hired today, (as if this industry has ever hired many "poor" pilots give me a break!) with the "aviation" (roflmao)degrees it's just cheaper for mommy and daddy.

Not all of the commuters had it. I know CalEx was PFT in 1996-1997. I just wasn't sure how many of the current CAL pilots fall into the group.

You mean Merger/737 debacle

Bingo.

(For a dramatic example, just count how many 70 seaters were added to replace the 737s on the 737 retirement timeline. Hint: if L-UAL was intending to replace 737s with 70 seaters they really screwed it up.)