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Alaska management verbally announces furloughs for
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ALK To Cut Capacity, Slash Jobs
Alaska Airlines to cut capacity, slash jobs
By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP, AP Business Writer
Friday, September 12, 2008
(09-12) 15:50 PDT NEW YORK, (AP) --
Alaska Airlines said Friday it will cut capacity by 8 percent this winter and slash up to 1,000 jobs, as high fuel costs and a weak economy provide a "one-two punch" to the carrier's bottom line.
The job cuts represent about 9 percent to 10 percent of the airline's 10,000 employees. The 850 to 1,000 positions on the chopping block include pilots, flight attendants and aircraft technicians, as well as reservations, customer service and ramp agents.
The carrier, a unit of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group Inc., says the capacity reductions and job cuts will start in November and continue throughout next year.
Alaska Airlines plans to cancel low-demand flights on Saturdays and holidays, reduce flights by about 1 roundtrip flight per day on major routes and end seasonal service on three Mexico routes. In total, the capacity cuts will reduce the airline's flights by about 15 percent.
Alaska Airlines said it is working with the unions that represent affected employees, and offering them "early out" programs and extended leave of absences to lessen the number of involuntary furloughs.
Alaska Airlines says the moves were needed because of "the one-two punch of record oil prices and a softening economy, on top of increased competition."
The company said it has taken steps to offset record costs, including increasing fees and adding charges, reducing fuel consumption and deferring capital projects.
"These steps, when combined with the recently completed transition to an all-Boeing 737 fleet, improve our viability, but are not enough to eliminate the need to reduce the number of our employees," said Alaska Air Group Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer.
Spokesman Stephen Gordon of the Machinists union, which represents more than 3,700 ticket and gate agents, ramp personnel and mechanics, said the layoffs weren't a surprise.
"Clearly we knew this was going to be coming ... it's an industrywide issue," he said.
But some other employees insist there are other ways to solve the carrier's problems.
David Campbell, an Alaska Airlines pilot and a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, said that from his perspective, the layoffs were a "bad decision."
Capt. Bill Shivers, chairman of ALPA, said he is concerned the airline will cut its staff of pilots back too much and not be able to take advantage of opportunities for growth in the future.
"We are concerned that competitors such as Southwest, Virgin America or JetBlue will be in a position to capitalize on opportunities that our company has denied itself the ability to take advantage of," he added.
ALPA, which represents the 1,500 pilots at Alaska, is asking the airline to reduce the guaranteed number of flight hours — and therefore reduce their pay — instead of using furloughs.
Alaska Airlines to cut capacity, slash jobs
By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP, AP Business Writer
Friday, September 12, 2008
(09-12) 15:50 PDT NEW YORK, (AP) --
Alaska Airlines said Friday it will cut capacity by 8 percent this winter and slash up to 1,000 jobs, as high fuel costs and a weak economy provide a "one-two punch" to the carrier's bottom line.
The job cuts represent about 9 percent to 10 percent of the airline's 10,000 employees. The 850 to 1,000 positions on the chopping block include pilots, flight attendants and aircraft technicians, as well as reservations, customer service and ramp agents.
The carrier, a unit of Seattle-based Alaska Air Group Inc., says the capacity reductions and job cuts will start in November and continue throughout next year.
Alaska Airlines plans to cancel low-demand flights on Saturdays and holidays, reduce flights by about 1 roundtrip flight per day on major routes and end seasonal service on three Mexico routes. In total, the capacity cuts will reduce the airline's flights by about 15 percent.
Alaska Airlines said it is working with the unions that represent affected employees, and offering them "early out" programs and extended leave of absences to lessen the number of involuntary furloughs.
Alaska Airlines says the moves were needed because of "the one-two punch of record oil prices and a softening economy, on top of increased competition."
The company said it has taken steps to offset record costs, including increasing fees and adding charges, reducing fuel consumption and deferring capital projects.
"These steps, when combined with the recently completed transition to an all-Boeing 737 fleet, improve our viability, but are not enough to eliminate the need to reduce the number of our employees," said Alaska Air Group Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer.
Spokesman Stephen Gordon of the Machinists union, which represents more than 3,700 ticket and gate agents, ramp personnel and mechanics, said the layoffs weren't a surprise.
"Clearly we knew this was going to be coming ... it's an industrywide issue," he said.
But some other employees insist there are other ways to solve the carrier's problems.
David Campbell, an Alaska Airlines pilot and a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, said that from his perspective, the layoffs were a "bad decision."
Capt. Bill Shivers, chairman of ALPA, said he is concerned the airline will cut its staff of pilots back too much and not be able to take advantage of opportunities for growth in the future.
"We are concerned that competitors such as Southwest, Virgin America or JetBlue will be in a position to capitalize on opportunities that our company has denied itself the ability to take advantage of," he added.
ALPA, which represents the 1,500 pilots at Alaska, is asking the airline to reduce the guaranteed number of flight hours — and therefore reduce their pay — instead of using furloughs.
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It sure is, once you've outsourced EVERYTHING! He's not quite there yet with ALK. Once Delta does all of our MX and a third party flies our routes, he'll be set.
Then, he can go to PSE and raise all of our energy prices.
QCappy
Left Coaster
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2005
- Posts
- 521
Read it again. It says he would be Chairman of the board at PSE, not CEO. Big difference.
Sure, as long as we get DOH, your pay scale, and work rules.
Oh yeah, fences around bases too. I don't think I'm
asking for too much.
Going2Baja
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Posts
- 1,258
Sure, as long as we get DOH, your pay scale, and work rules.
Oh yeah, fences around bases too. I don't think I'm
asking for too much.
Baze - Agreed. As long as the work rules don't include tons of ups n downs. I left the commuters for a reason.
Baja.
Yeah, I'm getting too old for a lot of ups & downs.
You're lucky that you don't have to deal with flying
SE trips.
It won't matter in 4-5 months anyways. I've
already updated my resume. I'll probably spend
part of today updating my logbook.
Once they show me the door, I'm probably never
coming back!!!!
Mookie
luckiest man alive
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2002
- Posts
- 879
seriously baze...ya need to chill...
I'm sure there are alot of people who helped you get on here that aren't too stoked to hear that...
this is called a business cycle folks. it sux right now, but we will outlast the bafoons in the long run. with some exceptions, every airline has it's ebbs and flows. it's not time to throw out the baby w the bathwater just yet.
Mookie
I'm sure there are alot of people who helped you get on here that aren't too stoked to hear that...
this is called a business cycle folks. it sux right now, but we will outlast the bafoons in the long run. with some exceptions, every airline has it's ebbs and flows. it's not time to throw out the baby w the bathwater just yet.
Mookie
Mookie,
One of the people who helped me get on here was
trying to steer me away from this place. He was
wondering why I didn't look elsewhere and that
I should have considered WN, etc.
So, it wouldn't hurt their feelings.
In any case, that's just how I feel.
I have enjoyed working with probably the best
employee group at Alaska. Unfortunately, I
expected some semblance of integrity from
the Anglers. What was I thinking?
They are so arrogant that they think the
furloughed pilots are all going to run back
when they are recalled. They may be dreaming.
Okay, I'll go chill now... there's some Fat Tire
in the fridge, but it's too early to drink right now.
No beer until after 12:00 PM.
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