Midwest Stops Flying (it's own planes)

[TapitLight]

http://crankyflier.com/2009/11/04/midwest-airlines-stops-flying-its-own-planes/


This may seem like a footnote to some, but just two days ago, Midwest officially stopped flying its own aircraft. That doesn’t mean, as we all know, that the Midwest brand is going away. It just means that now it is nothing more than a brand. So I think a little obituary (and cookie cannon salute) is appropriate.
Midwest has been around for a lot longer than you might expect. The airline started out simply as the corporate shuttle for Kleenex (and other consumer products) maker Kimberley Clark after World War II. In 1969, the company decided to do more and put its corporate aircraft under the name K-C Aviation to start flying for other companies.
In 1984, the Midwest Express you’ve come to know was formed when the airline launched from under the K-C Aviation name. Midwest Express had wide leather seats and the airline served excellent meals. The airline grew up in the 1980s and actually thrived for awhile. In 2003, the name was shortened to Midwest Airlines, apparently to keep people from thinking the airline was a commuter flying puddlejumpers around the upper Midwest. (That was actually handled by SkyWay, which has since stopped flying as well.)
Midwest had been on a downhill slide for a long time. The meals were taken away, and the generous configuration was shrunk to effectively be only a first class cabin up front with normal seating behind. The only thing that really remained was the trademark cookie that is baked on-board flights.
When Northwest and TPG got together to buy Midwest instead of letting AirTran acquire the airline, CEO Tim Hoeksema was praised for “saving the cookie.” He may have saved the cookie, but it was at the expense of a lot of jobs.
I was surprised when Republic took Midwest off TPG’s hands, but now the strategy has become more clear. They want the brand but nothing else.
On November 2, Midwest Airlines Boeing 717 N920ME landed in Milwaukee at 920p Central Time after a flight from Boston. That somber occasion marked the last flight operated by Midwest Airlines. I imagine it was particularly tough for the crew on that flight – the captain has flown for Midwest for 24 years. Now there are no airplanes left to fly.
Midwest is survived by its weakened brand (operated by Republic, Chautauqua, or Frontier). It was 25 years old.

 

[flyboyike]

The only question I have is who is next?

 

[epic!]

so what happened to all the midwest aircrews? are they being trained in RAH aircraft?

 

[jravi8tor]

so what happened to all the midwest aircrews? are they being trained in RAH aircraft?

Every pilot and F/A has been furloughed!

Furloughed MIDEX pilot

 

[epic!]

Every pilot and F/A has been furloughed!

Furloughed MIDEX pilot

Sorry to hear that. So they bought you out and then put you on the street? That sucks. Any chance RAH will give you all jobs?

 

[planedriver]

I've been thinking about it and I think the way in which Midwest laid off its employees so that they could bring in Republic's to do it cheaper is the closest thing we will get to someone crossing the picket line in the airline industry in the contemporary world. Isn't the spirit of the scab-picket line relationship that one group is holding out for better conditions while another group steps in and thereby thwarts the efforts of the other group? I think it is time we get a new definition of scab that matches the new world in which we live in. To me, Republic pilots are scabs for this and Bedford is the same breed as Lorenzo.

 

[aero]

This does suck for all the employees that are out of a job because of this. That being said it is how it works in the airline industry and the entire us economy in hard times.

 

[Flyerdan]

I've been thinking about it and I think the way in which Midwest laid off its employees so that they could bring in Republic's to do it cheaper is the closest thing we will get to someone crossing the picket line in the airline industry in the contemporary world. Isn't the spirit of the scab-picket line relationship that one group is holding out for better conditions while another group steps in and thereby thwarts the efforts of the other group? I think it is time we get a new definition of scab that matches the new world in which we live in. To me, Republic pilots are scabs for this and Bedford is the same breed as Lorenzo.

That is just silly! What good is name calling anyway? I have friends that fly for RAH, XJT, SKW, & MAG. We are all in the same position really. Just trying to make the best of a career that has deminished in its earning potential and prestige.

I say try to break out on top of all that gloom and enjoy the view. Then when it no longer makes sense to fly for a living do something else. It really is that simple.

 

[WSurf]

Kinda like the Hyatt hotel workers in New York. They replaced their hotel workers that made 14.00-18.00hr. with health benefits, with 8.00hr workers with no bennies.
Its just the trend in this country! Look for an increase in 3rd world pilots making there way into the United States to fly planes.

 

[planedriver]

Kinda like the Hyatt hotel workers in New York. They replaced their hotel workers that made 14.00-18.00hr. with health benefits, with 8.00hr workers with no bennies.
Its just the trend in this country! Look for an increase in 3rd world pilots making there way into the United States to fly planes.

They make more flying airplanes in the 3rd world than they do here. Why would they leave that to come here and make less?

 

[planedriver]

That is just silly! What good is name calling anyway? I have friends that fly for RAH, XJT, SKW, & MAG. We are all in the same position really. Just trying to make the best of a career that has deminished in its earning potential and prestige.

I say try to break out on top of all that gloom and enjoy the view. Then when it no longer makes sense to fly for a living do something else. It really is that simple.

It's more than name calling, it is taking a stand! This has never been done before, to fire an entire airline's staff to bring in a staff that makes a fraction of what the previous staff did. You need to wake up! Do you ever want to make a decent living or do you want to top out at $37 an hour after 4 years?

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Then when it no longer makes sense to fly for a living do something else. It really is that simple.

Makes complete sense to me in this current economy.

 

[kf4amu]

Do you ever want to make a decent living or do you want to top out at $37 an hour after 4 years?

But they got a quick upgrade and they're flying shiny big jets so it's all good. You'll make 60,000 real quick and be livin large!

 

[JumpersAway]

And yet ALPA continues to do nothing about scope...........er, at least ALPA pilots, who make up ALPA, continue to do nothing about scope.........

I have absolutely nothing to do with MidEx and the snafu over there, and even I can't stand to see what's going on. I'm looking for ALPA to get more militant with this, and they fail to do it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking ALPA, and I certainly would rather have them than not, but I'm waiting for a paradigm shift in policy that just never seems to happen. A continued path of the same business with the same results, and the same outcome- lower, lower, lower, and even lower wages with an even more devided pilot body with less and less unity.

 

[WalterSobchak]

Every pilot and F/A has been furloughed!

Furloughed MIDEX pilot

Any truth to the rumour that, on the last day of 717 service, RAH was calling 717 crews asking if they wanted to pick up some open time the next day because Republic's E190's were breaking left and right?

 

[Flyerdan]

It's more than name calling, it is taking a stand! This has never been done before, to fire an entire airline's staff to bring in a staff that makes a fraction of what the previous staff did. You need to wake up! Do you ever want to make a decent living or do you want to top out at $37 an hour after 4 years?

If it isn't just name calling what else do you plan to do while taking this stand of yours?

They didn't just replace staff. The airline was bought, the unprofitable airframes and associated high priced staff were replaced. That does suck but it isn't as simple as you would like to believe.

I think you are the one that needs to wake up and stop living in the past. You need to accept the current reality of what a career as an airline pilot looks like.

If you want to make money you should become a plumber or start a business.

 

[RobCat]

So are you getting at the fact that Midwest was bought by another carrier that already had there own staff?

 

[dougdrvr]

So are you getting at the fact that Midwest was bought by another carrier that already had there own staff?

But they didn't have a single E-190, they will have all been added after they merged with Midwest and paid hefty penalties to terminate the 717 leases.

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

Are you a rep. pilot? If so, I hope your attitude is the minority because it disgusts me. If you think $37/hr is even remotely acceptable to fly any aircraft(much less a 100 seater) you are delusional. This is not a hobby that people do for fun. It is a job that requires great skill, judgement and responsibility and should be compensated accordingly. I suggest if you are a pilot to leave the industry because your reasoning sounds alot like the SCABS of the past.

If it isn't just name calling what else do you plan to do while taking this stand of yours?

They didn't just replace staff. The airline was bought, the unprofitable airframes and associated high priced staff were replaced. That does suck but it isn't as simple as you would like to believe.

I think you are the one that needs to wake up and stop living in the past. You need to accept the current reality of what a career as an airline pilot looks like.

If you want to make money you should become a plumber or start a business.

 

[WayBack]

1.I think you are the one that needs to wake up and stop living in the past. You need to accept the current reality of what a career as an airline pilot looks like.

2.If you want to make money you should become a plumber or start a business.

I'd just like to start this off with, You're a scum bag. You and every single RAH pilot. You guys have stabbed every other pilot group in the back, just to get the "Guppy Killer".

1. No, you need to accept the fact that it's regional pilots like yourself who are willing to fly bigger airplanes for less money. How cool is it that you get to haul around 100 passengers around in that airplane, but as a captain you're still living in your parents basement?

2. If you want to make money, I suggest you quit flying for **** wages which in turn allows mainline management to dump it's pilots for scum like yourself, who will do it for cheaper.