July 23, 2008
To all PSA employees:
On July 8, Doug Parker announced that US Airways Group was implementing a
10% management and staff reduction as part of the business transformation
initiative required to sustain US Airways through this very difficult period
of high fuel prices. For PSA, the ten percent reduction amounted to fifty
positions. PSA met that target through attrition, not backfilling open
positions, returning flight and in-flight instructors to a line position,
and the separation of management personnel. Unfortunately, further
reductions are warranted at PSA and therefore, we regretfully must announce
reductions to our pilot staffing levels effective September 2008.
Let me explain why additional pilot furloughs are required. We can all
remember just a few short months ago we were hiring pilots in record numbers
to meet the demands of the J4J pilots returning to mainline, US Airways'
Preferential Hiring Program, and the loss of pilots through attrition. Then
the industry, including US Airways, announced reductions in capacity which
eliminated the demand for our pilots. PSA found itself overstaffed and
subsequently furloughed twenty-seven first officers to partially adjust to
this lower demand.
With the torrid pace of training completed, full time pilot instructors were
returned to the line which again inflated the pilot ranks. In addition, we
recently received word that our block hour utilization per aircraft through
the remainder of the year has been reduced. These two issues, along with a
significant reduction in our attrition, require that we must again reduce
our pilot force.
Therefore, effective with the September schedule, thirty-three of our
current captains will be downgraded to a first officer position, which will
in turn result in an additional forty-nine first officers being furloughed
from PSA. Notification to those pilots affected will be sent out shortly.
I want to thank everyone for working hard through this very difficult time
to run a great airline. We have come through challenging times before and I
am confident that we are making the changes required to overcome the current
round of challenges. Thanks for your contribution. Keep up the good work!
To all PSA employees:
On July 8, Doug Parker announced that US Airways Group was implementing a
10% management and staff reduction as part of the business transformation
initiative required to sustain US Airways through this very difficult period
of high fuel prices. For PSA, the ten percent reduction amounted to fifty
positions. PSA met that target through attrition, not backfilling open
positions, returning flight and in-flight instructors to a line position,
and the separation of management personnel. Unfortunately, further
reductions are warranted at PSA and therefore, we regretfully must announce
reductions to our pilot staffing levels effective September 2008.
Let me explain why additional pilot furloughs are required. We can all
remember just a few short months ago we were hiring pilots in record numbers
to meet the demands of the J4J pilots returning to mainline, US Airways'
Preferential Hiring Program, and the loss of pilots through attrition. Then
the industry, including US Airways, announced reductions in capacity which
eliminated the demand for our pilots. PSA found itself overstaffed and
subsequently furloughed twenty-seven first officers to partially adjust to
this lower demand.
With the torrid pace of training completed, full time pilot instructors were
returned to the line which again inflated the pilot ranks. In addition, we
recently received word that our block hour utilization per aircraft through
the remainder of the year has been reduced. These two issues, along with a
significant reduction in our attrition, require that we must again reduce
our pilot force.
Therefore, effective with the September schedule, thirty-three of our
current captains will be downgraded to a first officer position, which will
in turn result in an additional forty-nine first officers being furloughed
from PSA. Notification to those pilots affected will be sent out shortly.
I want to thank everyone for working hard through this very difficult time
to run a great airline. We have come through challenging times before and I
am confident that we are making the changes required to overcome the current
round of challenges. Thanks for your contribution. Keep up the good work!
