Much less than 400 new training slots. And like I said the O&G industry is cyclical -that's fact driven. The economy can substantially shift with the new pro business, pro oil exploration administration coming up. The current administration was anti-exploration and anti-fracking which has hurt the big O&G companies based in Houston...again factual. I think things will get better for industry in the near term. Houston can get some substantial gains shortly.

 

Ummm....the big fracking boom (2009-2014) occurred during the current administration, no? For a bunch of anti-business, anti-exploration types they sure hurt the fracking industry.

Considering that ultimately the oil business is driven by the marketplace price of oil I'm not sure what the new administration can do to "help" the oil industy other that policies that support higher oil prices. That's perhaps good for the loacal IAH economy but bad for the airline as a whole.

Ironically the fracking boom is largely responsible for the drop in prices in the first place.

 

You either fix the problem or you don't.......if you don't fix the problem all line pilots pay the price.

 

CLE probably open until 2019, straight from Hervé Lavenant (the guy who puts out the bids). A deal with city when we merged was to maintain "a presence" until then. The crews are that, plus the mx perhaps. Subject to change.

 

Just curious but how are you personally paying a price right now? Not trying to be flippant but I don't see an issue if one, a cyclical change for the positive could occur in the near future and two, do you not hurt 1,000 plus pilots by creating a base flush bid? Are they not line pilots?

 

Well SFO. Is not flying CDG we lost TPE for a month......this hurts all SFO pilots people that could hold lines don't, people that could hold better flying can't, less pilots in base.....hurts the pilots from the bottom up except for the 150 pilots that are in the IAH 787 FO seat

 

I didn't say that. It will likely never affect me but I've been a strong supporter of elimination of the age discrimination for a long time. I don't mind seeing fellow pilots continue flying at any age. Current standards would apply to all. (Also a propionate of lowering the age requirement for the ATP to the age to obtain a drivers license.)

We're hiring guys off the street at 60+ - what's wrong with letting them continue their time at United. There's no way of determining why a guy needs or wants to extend his career at United(their airline) but in the spirit of unionism, I say get rid of the age discrimination and negotiate a fair way to determine how they should be allowed to return after forced retirement.

The political environment is ripe to finally rid ourselves of this age discrimination - GO RED TEAM!

 

So that's forced flying (on one fleet (and a small one at that)) during winter months that will probably be short term yet a flush bid is a permanent move that affects over 1k pilots permanently. I still don't see the logic behind your reasoning. Plus the training and logistic costs to the company, which would be astronomical.

 

So what... guys can just go out on LTD indefinitely?

 

I guess you'll vote for it then?

I think LTD ends at mandatory age as it is today - not sure.

You pay more for insurance as age increases, LTD may have to be adjusted for the inevitable.