90 Seat RJs - Redefining the Profession

[surplus1]

The customer will define the market. Not the pilot. Keep jamming the rj down their throat and you will drive them away. They will gladly fly SWA or JB for the bigger A/C. People don't want to fly on "little" airplanes. They will pay more to ride a larger A/C. In the long run relying on an RJ that competes on a route with one offered by a mainliner, the customer will pick the bigger A/C every time. The only pax that like these jets are the ones in markets only sevred by them where they don't have a choice.

That's all very interesting and it probably supports your desires. However, it is also a contradiction of fact.

Passengers on regional jets often pay more than the do on narrow body jets.

The back end of a regional jet (the only end) is no different in comfort from the back end of a 737 or DC-9. It's actually better if you happen to be stuck in the middle row.

The on-board service is the same. Same peanuts, same booze, same free coke, etc.

Getting on and off the rj is much more convenient. So is baggage handling (unless you're carrying the kitchen sink).

Frequency of service is generally better. You go when you want to go, not when the airline wants to go.

The customer will NOT pick the bigger a/c every time. I know of many routes where RJs compete directly with SWA and do so successfully, inspite of higher ticket prices. When you charge $59 to go from A to B, you have to put a LOT of people on a 737 just to break even. At $20 more, a 50-seat RJ can operate at a profit with a 40% load factor.

The 73/DC-9 may take you there 2 or 3 times a day. The RJ will give you 6-7 options of schedule.

So there's no first class. There's no first class on SWA either. Most people don't buy 1st class tickets. Those seats are mostly filled by "upgrades" using free mileage and non-revs paying nothing.

Unless you have heavy loads to fill 75% of more of the mainline aircaft consistently, the airline loses money.

If what you say were true, the airlines would not be buying and operating ever increasing numbers of RJs. Unlike pilots, airline managers are interested in making PROFITS, not in paying higher salaries to airplane drivers operating empty aircraft

Whereever the big aircraft can be operated at a higher profit it will be used. When the profit isn't there, you see the RJ instead. This whole thing is not about what keeps pilots happy, it's about what makes more money.

 

[TurboS7]

Enough is enough, I guess I have to jump in. I fly commercially a lot, we call it the curse of the charter business. I have flown as a passenger the RJ's too much, and mainline birds too much also. In order to pass the time I usually try to strike up a conversation with a real customer(non-aviation type) and try to find out what they like and what they do not. Here is what I have found out...
1)safety and all that stuff is a given, the RJ is a great airplane and the crews are safe and well trained so lets just put all the pilot stuff aside and look at the customer.
2)the customer wants to go non-stop-no hubs
3)they love the RJ and once they get settled they would be happy to spend 3.0 hours in it vs. 20 minutes.
4)they would love to have a meal- the ONLY advantage of a mainline airplane-since that went away on 911 who cares now.
5)they love gate checking their carry-on's and picking them up at the gate-MAJOR CUSTOMER SATIFACTION DEAL PEOPLE LOVE THIS
6)ON TIME IS A MUST-people treasure their time they demand that the aircraft move on time.
7)People don't mind odd hours for travel if it results in few or no delays. Non-stop on the back side of the clock the aircraft would be full all the time.
8)People think the airlines are pretty dumb to use a 2000 mile range jet to go 300 miles-NO WONDER THEY ARE LOOSING MONEY -they comment.
9)Jet is a jet and they all fly the same, you just sit a little higher off the ground for some if you are flying a RJ enjoy the job.

 

[chawbein]

As one of the customers of the airlines and someone who is 6'4" tall, I would like to give my thoughts on RJ's. Big plane, little plane, they are all equally uncomfortable (for me). What are the most important aspects in flying commercially:

1. Schedule
2. On Time
3. Customer Service (I don't know why, but I think that SWA has the best customer service. I will NEVER fly NWA again, because their customer service is so poor.)

Regardless, I will look for the lowest price and non-stop flights. After those two criteria are met, then I look at the criteria mentioned above.

 

[57FLY'N]

My post was not intended to rally support for large A/C it was simply to state what influence the pax have on this toppic.

Timelyness, cust service, and safety are at the top of the list. If the RJ can fly the direct route from the small towns that the pax want then it clearly is the best choice. But unfortunately People from these areas do not want to go to the same place. The larger A/C comes into play when the leg is 1+ hours. I to have talked in great leangth with the flying public, both in uniform and out, and have found:

1. People want to go stait home.

2. Are dissapointed when they find out they are on any type of commuter. Unless it is there last leg home.

3. They do not want to be on an RJ for an extended period of time.

5. Have come to expect their flights to be cancelled or consolidated towards the end of the day when riding with regionals.

4. And of course, most stated the same facts as in other posts.

You can talk money all you want, but without considering the customer, you are ignoring the #1 reason for being there in the first place. First we took away their leg room now we are giving them that same leg room in an even smaller aircraft. What a deal. If we keep making it more unpleasant for them mayby they won't show up at all.

If you had the choice on a 3 hour drive and one friend is driving his suburban and the other is driving his brand new Yugo, the only difference is the suburban needs stop briefly and then continue. Which one would you pick? What if the suburban was non stop?

 

[surplus1]

My post was not intended to rally support for large A/C it was simply to state what influence the pax have on this toppic.

Speaking for myself, I did not make that assumption. What I did do was challenge some of your ideas. We agree completely that the passenger is #1 and will make the decision.

Timelyness, cust service, and safety are at the top of the list. If the RJ can fly the direct route from the small towns that the pax want then it clearly is the best choice. But unfortunately People from these areas do not want to go to the same place. The larger A/C comes into play when the leg is 1+ hours.

I happen to work for a regional and fly an RJ. I also ride in the back of airplanes, as a passenger, almost as much as I ride in the front office and seldom in uniform. Probably more on "big" airplanes than small ones. I don't know what "regionals" you ride on, but the one I work for and the ones I ride on don't fit your descriptions.

Timeliness: My airline has a much better on time record that its mainline partner. That record is better than most major airlines, consistently.

Customer Service: Our CSAs are as proficient as any I've encountered, friendlier than most to the paying passenger. baggage handling is better and more efficient and the percentage of bags we "lose" lower. In-flight cabin service is MUCH friendlier and intimate (without being "familiar"). We just don't have disgruntled flight attendants, many of whom on the majors are visibly unpleasant. What we offer for free, in the back, is no different than what I am offered on most of the majors, over the same stage length. The seat-pitch, in the back, is either the same or so close I can't tell the difference. I'm never sandwiched into a middle seat. The overhead bins are smaller, but it's easy to get my carry on loaded (in the back) and it's available now, when I deplane. I don't have to fight for bin space on board. There is plenty of room for those things I do carry-on. I don't get tv and video games, outdated movies, or sound tracks I don't like. Those things are available (and of my choice) via my laptop. I don't miss the onboard telephones. With high frequency, I have more choice of schedule in most cases.

My regionals of choice, fly to small towns and also fly to the large hubs (all that exist in my area of operation). I don't go to the West Coast very often so I don't know what happens out there.

Sometimes I have to connect and change planes on my regional. In most cases, I can change to a mainline aircraft or to another RJ at all the big hubs. In the smaller cities, the mainline aircraft are so scarse as to be impractical.

Safety: No different (as a matter of fact better records) on the regionals I use. I do admit however, there are some regionals on which I would not let my family ride. All regionals aren't the same, just like all large aircraft operators aren't the same.

Most sectors that I ride on (and operate) are between 1 - 2 hour duration, with an occasional 2.5. The block time is no different on the big aircraft and the total travel time is always shorter on the regional jet.

What I'm say is, my experiences don't seem to match yours.

There are some airlines with big airplanes on which I would never ride, even though it's free, unless I had to. I don't like the cattle car concept or the poor service. BTW, that doesn't include SWA, which although crowded, has always treated me "nice". Same with the regionals.

I to have talked in great leangth with the flying public, both in uniform and out, and have found:

1. People want to go stait home.

My regional lets you do that in most cases. No need to switch at hubs. Some flights (many actually) that do make a stop, let you continue with no change of aircraft and it doesn't takes us 2 hours to turn. If I do have a plane change, I can do it in the same terminal with minimum of hassle and continue on another RJ operated by the same airline. When I have to change to a big airplane, I have to ride a bus (like you do in IAD) or the train/shuttle same as the major airline.

2. Are dissapointed when they find out they are on any type of commuter. Unless it is there last leg home.

Most passengers don't have a clue, unless of course you choose to tell them. The one's that say "it's so small" can almost always be identified as first-time or very infrequent flyers. What I call the "bus" set. By the time the flight is over they have a change of heart more often than not, thanks to the great FAs'

3. They do not want to be on an RJ for an extended period of time.

Again, if you don't empnasize it a majority don't know. Those who do know, usually like the airplane and chose it on purpose for the good schedule, good service and on-time performance you mentioned.

4. Have come to expect their flights to be cancelled or consolidated towards the end of the day when riding with regionals.

Huh? I don't know which regionals you ride on, but my airline NEVER cancels or consolidates flights due to passenger load, regardless of the "time of day". We operate our schedule and the cancellation causes are no different from those at a major airline.

Again, I'm lost as to which regionals you ride on, 'cause what you describe is foreign to me. Yes, I've had "bad service" on a regional, but frankly it has been less frequent than on a major. Some personell at the majors (CSA's and FAs) seem to think they're doing you a "favor".

I know my treatment as a non-rev isn't the same as full fare (in some cases), but I'm not wearing blinders and I know who the paying customers are. We stand in the same lines, sit next to each other and since I travel in civvies, they don't know I'm a non-rev and I don't tell.

I agree with you 100% that the customer is and should be King. That is how we treat our customers and it's on a par if not better than most majors I've ridden on. We go out of our way to make it "pleasant" and they keep coming back by the millions. They do have other options, so there must be a reason.

Since we don't have but a couple 3-hours plus segments, your analogy with the SUV doesn't seem to apply.

I wonder why our experiences appear to be so different?

 

[FlyingSig]

Timeliness: My airline has a much better on time record that its mainline partner. That record is better than most major airlines, consistently.

Does Comair have ACARS or do you call out your own times? That really makes a big differance. Ask SWA

Customer Service: Our CSAs are as proficient as any I've encountered, friendlier than most to the paying passenger. baggage handling is better and more efficient and the percentage of bags we "lose" lower. In-flight cabin service is MUCH friendlier and intimate (without being "familiar"). We just don't have disgruntled flight attendants, many of whom on the majors are visibly unpleasant.

Agreed. Comair in MCO does a great job. Comair handles Delta in MHT and they are extremly friendly and knowlegeable. I enjoy flying in there. All the other outstations I've flown to on Comair, were staffed by Delta mainline ACS agents and not Comair agents though. The "younger" in-flight staff goes a long way to being able to keep smiling vs. the 95 year old FA's that have been working since they dated the Wright brothers.

But this really depends on the airline. Gilligan's island in DFW and Concorse C in ATL is not a plesant expericance for non-revs and the way I've seen paying passengers treated by CSA's is pretty embarrasing. Not knocking the flight crews there...just the gate agents.

4. Have come to expect their flights to be cancelled or consolidated towards the end of the day when riding with regionals

Never found this to be a problem on CMR out of CVG. Not since the Metro's went away in MCO either... however I have found reliability to be an issue in DFW on all three DCI carriers that fly out of there. Again, not the flight crews fault and just my observations (I usually flew on CAL or AA for this reason and after 9/11 I found myself driving between Houston-Dallas more than half of my trips)

 

[surplus1]

Does Comair have ACARS or do you call out your own times? That really makes a big differance. Ask SWA.

No, we're not using ACARS. Our pay system does not lend it self to padding. There is no need. Most of us would prefer to maintain our reputation than the few cents you migh occasionally pick up. It's a pride thing, seldom understood in today's world. Part of our "culture", which is very much our own.

Agreed. Comair in MCO does a great job. Comair handles Delta in MHT and they are extremly friendly and knowlegeable. I enjoy flying in there. All the other outstations I've flown to on Comair, were staffed by Delta mainline ACS agents and not Comair agents though. The "younger" in-flight staff goes a long way to being able to keep smiling vs. the 95 year old FA's that have been working since they dated the Wright brothers.

I'll be the first to admit that things do change where we are not handled by our own people. Obviously, I was making reference to our own staff, not the subcontractors.

But this really depends on the airline. Gilligan's island in DFW and Concorse C in ATL is not a plesant expericance for non-revs and the way I've seen paying passengers treated by CSA's is pretty embarrasing. Not knocking the flight crews there...just the gate agents.

I don't know too much about the "island" (which we don't operate) and I'll have to agree that I've often shared the pain of Concourse C in ATL (which we also do not operate). Now that we're doing some ATL runs, it's a cause of constant concern (at C & D) in maintaining our accustomed level of service/reliability. I didn't want to point fingers at other carriers.

Never found this to be a problem on CMR out of CVG. Not since the Metro's went away in MCO either... however I have found reliability to be an issue in DFW on all three DCI carriers that fly out of there. Again, not the flight crews fault and just my observations (I usually flew on CAL or AA for this reason and after 9/11 I found myself driving between Houston-Dallas more than half of my trips)

The Metro has difficulty qualifying as an airplane. They are long gone, but they still didn't cancel for loads. They canceled for mechanicals. If you look at the trip numbers between IAH and DFW you'll find we don't fly that route. We have 1 daily RT CVG-DFW; 3- DFW-CRP and 1 DFW-SAT. If you've had trouble on those let me know. I know there's this DCI thing, but the truth is we still haven't been "assimilated" (thank goodness). Please don't lump us into that barrel. We've been bought, but we still have our identity which I know, regretably, may eventually die. We can't be responsible for other "brands" or their people. Like I said in the other post, "all regionals are not the same".

PS. Hoping you'll soon be back.

 

[publisher]

since Comair strike

Comair was a wake up to the majors that they could be held hostage by their feeders. Since that moment, they have been distancing themselves. It has been apparent to me at every turn and confirmed with the Regional Airline Association meeting in Nashville.

It is certainly in the realm of possibility that there will be no wholly owned regional by the end of the next three years. Scope is certainly no answer. As point to point flying in smaller jets by passes hubs, every regional will need to be competitive with their counterparts and the totally independents.

From where I sit, most of the argument, not all, that is on this subject has already been decided. It was reflected in the tough line that Delta took with Comair, with the stance that American took with the APA, with the spin off of Pinnacle and COEX. With the success of Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Air Tran.

 

[surplus1]

Re: since Comair strike

Comair was a wake up to the majors that they could be held hostage by their feeders. Since that moment, they have been distancing themselves. It has been apparent to me at every turn and confirmed with the Regional Airline Association meeting in Nashville.

I've been trying to guesstimate where you're going with RAA spin and haven't quite been able to pin you down. Your posts are clever.

There's a story behind the story of the Comair strike that you or the RAA or both may not have grasped.

First, negotiations were in progress for more than two years before Delta bought Comair. Second, the needs of Comair pilots (at the bargaining table) did not change as a result of the Delta purchase. Third, had it not been for the Delta purchase the outcome of the strike would have been quite different.

If the majors do spin off the regionals like Comair in the future, the RAA may get more than it seems to be counting on, if I'm reading correctly between your lines.

It is certainly in the realm of possibility that there will be no wholly owned regional by the end of the next three years. Scope is certainly no answer. As point to point flying in smaller jets by passes hubs, every regional will need to be competitive with their counterparts and the totally independents.

That sounds like you think the RAA believes that if regionals are spun off, they can more readily be played against each other for even lower wages and benefits. If that's the idea, they may bite off more than they can chew.

From where I sit, most of the argument, not all, that is on this subject has already been decided. It was reflected in the tough line that Delta took with Comair, with the stance that American took with the APA, with the spin off of Pinnacle and COEX. With the success of Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue, Air Tran.

There is no regional in the business that could have sustained the $680 million dollar 90-day "tough stance" that Delta did. Had the strike been against Comair instead of Delta, some think there would be no Comair, others think the strike would have been settled much earlier with the pilots achieving most of their goals.

If all the big regionals are spun off, they will soon find that joining together is the only way they can survive in a free market. They won't be competing with each other for the crumbs. They'll consolidate and control their end of the market. You could wind up with the tail wagging the dogs.

What do you think a merger of Eagle, Coex, Comair, ASA, SkyWest, AirWisconsin, Horizon and Atlantic Coast would look like? Perhaps that's far fetched, but perhaps its not. How do you think the pilots of such an entity would fare at the bargaining table?

Will the RAA be able to keep regional pilots from uniting with each other if they are no longer burdened with the yoke of their mainline masters?

It might turn out to be the best thing that could happen to regional pilots. Somehow I don't think it would take them too long to figure out how not to be the "lowest bidder".

Careful what you ask for. You might get it.

 

[may]

Huh? I don't know which regionals you ride on, but my airline NEVER cancels or consolidates flights due to passenger load, regardless of the "time of day". We operate our schedule and the cancellation causes are no different from those at a major airline.

BULL ----- **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**,

Your service has caused me more grief in the past than 3 screeming two year olds. I have to voice out now that you have crossed the line. I tried to read all your posts on recent issues with an open mind, and do firmly believe that you do have the blinders on. FDJ and Clownpilot have my vote. You accuse them of not seeing the other side but with your statements in the post in which I have quoted, you clearly are Hard headed one sided and all in it for yourself. If you are married than I would guess you have been divorced. If not, then I guess you have never been maried. If you are married and never been divorced then I'll bet your wife is affraid to divorce you. You show no signs of compromise and want it your way. I think BK is still hiring, and I don't mean their flight dept. You can fool yourself into thinking the RJ is for everybody, but until you create your own airline of them you will always be the step child. You are right in one thing you do probably get treated differently as a nonrev, because you certainly don't see the missery of the paying public.

 

[may]

Surplus ,

Do you even fly the line? You seem to have more time to spend here than any pilot I know.

 

[sabreliner]

I don't know too much about the "island" (which we don't operate) and I'll have to agree that I've often shared the pain of Concourse C in ATL (which we also do not operate). Now that we're doing some ATL runs, it's a cause of constant concern (at C & D) in maintaining our accustomed level of service/reliability. I didn't want to point fingers at other carriers.



The Metro has difficulty qualifying as an airplane. They are long gone, but they still didn't cancel for loads. They canceled for mechanicals. If you look at the trip numbers between IAH and DFW you'll find we don't fly that route. We have 1 daily RT CVG-DFW; 3- DFW-CRP and 1 DFW-SAT. If you've had trouble on those let me know. I know there's this DCI thing, but the truth is we still haven't been "assimilated" (thank goodness). Please don't lump us into that barrel. We've been bought, but we still have our identity which I know, regretably, may eventually die. We can't be responsible for other "brands" or their people. Like I said in the other post, "all regionals are not the same".

Hmm...Very interesting posts. I'd like to see Comair run the stations (ATL C+D and Gilligan's Island) better with the resources and job pool we have. I'll admit, it is pretty bad in ATL, but DFW actually does a decent job. Unfortunately, making matters worse in both places, Delta has us operating more flights than we have gate space for at times. This alone is a source a good portion of our troubles. If we would invest in a facility like that Taj-Mahl Comair has in CVG, it would certainly help. In order to do the job, we need to have the resources.

Also, I've spoken to managers regarding the manpower problem. I don't know what the situation is like in CVG, but in DFW and ATL, we simply can't find people to work the ramp. Those that do come to work often aren't worth the money we pay them.

Finally, it certainly isn't our crews. All of us are working twice as hard to try and pick up as much of the slack as possible. Howfully management will get it together. Or, if we were merged, they could bring in some of the Comair guys and apply their ideas. See if they could make it work.

After all, we essentially work for the same company already...

Frats,
An E120 Captain at that "other" carrier

 

[FlyingSig]

No, we're not using ACARS. Our pay system does not lend it self to padding. There is no need. Most of us would prefer to maintain our reputation than the few cents you migh occasionally pick up. It's a pride thing, seldom understood in today's world. Part of our "culture", which is very much our own.

I never mentioned pay. It's very easy to just say "out ontime" over the radio when you're say, a mere 5-10 minutes past departure. As for pay - for my own education - you don't get paid scheduled vs. actual? Are you paid a peg time? How do you get paid for going over block?

The Metro has difficulty qualifying as an airplane. They are long gone, but they still didn't cancel for loads. They canceled for mechanicals. If you look at the trip numbers between IAH and DFW you'll find we don't fly that route. We have 1 daily RT CVG-DFW; 3- DFW-CRP and 1 DFW-SAT. If you've had trouble on those let me know. I know there's this DCI thing, but the truth is we still haven't been "assimilated" (thank goodness). Please don't lump us into that barrel. We've been bought, but we still have our identity which I know, regretably, may eventually die. We can't be responsible for other "brands" or their people. Like I said in the other post, "all regionals are not the same".

I never said loads (first pay now this... guilty concience?). I said reliability. This includes maintenance. As for DFW-IAH , Comair did fly that route when I was employed. Skywest took it from you guys I think in JAN or FEB. Now I have to jump on you for the second half of that paragraph... are you or aren't you operationally integrated? That seems to be the big argument for the PID but here you are putting it in writing that you're not.

PS. Hoping you'll soon be back.

Thanks, me too, but I have been enjoying the time off. When's the next time my schedule will show 82 days off (and counting) in a row? I just wish I could afford to golf more....

 

[skydiverdriver]

May,
What does president mean? Is this your website? Perhaps that would explain why it always leans in a particular direction. You are very opinionated, which is fine, but do you feel that others should be able to express their opinions as well?

 

[skydiverdriver]

Surplus,
Don't worry too much about Publisher. Most of what he says makes no sense, and what does is pretty offensive. I think he likes airplanes, but hates hourly workers. He keeps telling us that he went to the RAA convention in Nashville, but nobody seems to care. I personally don't like shows, I would rather fly airplanes. People like publisher are the reason I don't like talking to management types.

 

[publisher]

Surplus

You may be right that Comair could not have withstood the strike that long and costly, the question is whether everything else would have remained the same if Delta had not been the parent.

The RAA is an association and does not really state positions on this as to spin offs or not.

The majors interest at this point will be in maintaining several feeder relationships and they will watch carefully to see that they do not grow too large.

I do not have a crystal ball but I would think that AE is a likely candidate for spin off. They could move everything to Executive and do it quite easily. Perhaps an ACA and ASA combine and spin on the Delta side.

Skydiverdriver, I do not think that Surplus is worried about me. He puts intelligent thought into what he writes.

The point as to your labor agreements, the majors are just going to want enough lift out there that they always have a contract carrier available. As for me, I am not even sure what a regional is.

 

[TurboS7]

There is no doubt that more frequency with smaller aircraft is not as efficient as one flight a day in a large aircraft. But the customer drives the need and it looks like, especially based on the SWA model that more freq. with smaller aircraft is what the general public wants to see. Both here in America and Europe, look at Easyjet and Ryanair in the U.K.

 

[surplus1]

Hmm...Very interesting posts. I'd like to see Comair run the stations (ATL C+D and Gilligan's Island) better with the resources and job pool we have. I'll admit, it is pretty bad in ATL, but DFW actually does a decent job. Unfortunately, making matters worse in both places, Delta has us operating more flights than we have gate space for at times. This alone is a source a good portion of our troubles. If we would invest in a facility like that Taj-Mahl Comair has in CVG, it would certainly help. In order to do the job, we need to have the resources.

Also, I've spoken to managers regarding the manpower problem. I don't know what the situation is like in CVG, but in DFW and ATL, we simply can't find people to work the ramp. Those that do come to work often aren't worth the money we pay them.

Finally, it certainly isn't our crews. All of us are working twice as hard to try and pick up as much of the slack as possible. Howfully management will get it together. Or, if we were merged, they could bring in some of the Comair guys and apply their ideas. See if they could make it work.

After all, we essentially work for the same company already...

Frats,
An E120 Captain at that "other" carrier

First off, no offense to ASA pilots. As you point out, flight crews don't cause customer service problems in 99% of cases. I know a lot of your pilots and I don't find you to be any different from us. This isn't about pilots, it's about customer service and what used to be a corporate culture. (Note the past tense).

Now that Delta owns both Comair and ASA, whatever happens in the future will be Delta's responsibility. At one point in time Delta was noted for superior treatment of customers. Ever since Ron Allen's 7.5 initiative, Delta service has deteriorated. That's not exactly a secret. Leo has been trying to restore it, but the "difference" that once was is gone.

What I said about ATL is based on my own experience as a passenger, not as a pilot. Who you hire to do your work is management's responsibility. The "job pool" available to you is dependent on how you pay your people and how you treat them. Even in Georgia, it IS possible to find good people, train them and pay them.

I didn't start out by criticizing anyone or naming any company, I just responded to FlyingSig who is a Delta pilot not an ASA pilot.

However, the truth is the truth. ASA service in ATL is lousy. In terms of the facility that CMR has in CVG, keep in mind that we didn't get it from Delta. We did it ourselves, with our money. The ability to provide good service was the result of reinvesting in the Company. There used to be a reason for that. Now that we have no company, what Delta does is what Delta does.

Before Delta bought ASA, it was well known that your owners put all the money in their pocket and invested little back into the company. That's their fault, not ours. The fact is that ASA's operations have improved as a result of being acquired by Delta. I'm probably blind but I can't think of anything that's improved at Comair since Delta swallowed it.

I agree that you don't have enough gate space in ATL, you never did. Based on observation, the gate space that you DO have is not managed very well. Chaos, is what it looks like to me. Again I blame ASA management (pre Delta). They did nothing to imporve their service and kept all the money. Pretty much everyone has the opinion that Delta bought ASA because of its bad service. I don't know if that's true or not. All I know is I haven't seen much of what I would call improvement. Delta has more money, but your new management hasn't done anything that I can see as a passenger (except change your paint job).

I obviously have no idea what Delta will invest in ASA or CMR in the future. Since Delta's interest in Comair has little if anything to do with the quality of service, I suspect it will deteriorate over time to the new "company standard".

Bringing in Comair people wouldn't do much to improve anything, in my opinion. The show is Delta's now. They are erasing our culture whereever they can and replacing it with their own. The truth is it doesn't matter any more. We've lost what we had and will just have to live with whatever replaces it. When a shark swallows a gold fish, the glitter vanishes in the gray.

Take care bro. The past is history, the present is mediocrity and the future is anybody's guess.

 

[surplus1]

BULL ----- **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**,

Your service has caused me more grief in the past than 3 screeming two year olds. I have to voice out now that you have crossed the line. I tried to read all your posts on recent issues with an open mind, and do firmly believe that you do have the blinders on. FDJ and Clownpilot have my vote. You accuse them of not seeing the other side but with your statements in the post in which I have quoted, you clearly are Hard headed one sided and all in it for yourself. If you are married than I would guess you have been divorced. If not, then I guess you have never been maried. If you are married and never been divorced then I'll bet your wife is affraid to divorce you. You show no signs of compromise and want it your way. I think BK is still hiring, and I don't mean their flight dept. You can fool yourself into thinking the RJ is for everybody, but until you create your own airline of them you will always be the step child. You are right in one thing you do probably get treated differently as a nonrev, because you certainly don't see the missery of the paying public.

Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed or were you just born with an unpleasant personality?

 

[surplus1]

I never mentioned pay. It's very easy to just say "out ontime" over the radio when you're say, a mere 5-10 minutes past departure. As for pay - for my own education - you don't get paid scheduled vs. actual? Are you paid a peg time? How do you get paid for going over block?

As far as I know, when it comes to statistical reporting, "ontime" is within 15 minutes of scheduled departure/arrival. As far as ACARS goes, I've used it and know all those tricks too. The ONLY point I was trying to make is that we have no incentive to pad the times.

With respect to pay, its greater of schedule or actual by segment. Isn't that how you get paid? I don't even know what a "peg time" is. There is no incentive for being under block. If we're over block we are paid for actual. Sorry, but I've apparently missed your point.

I never said loads (first pay now this... guilty concience?). I said reliability. This includes maintenance. As for DFW-IAH , Comair did fly that route when I was employed. Skywest took it from you guys I think in JAN or FEB. Now I have to jump on you for the second half of that paragraph... are you or aren't you operationally integrated? That seems to be the big argument for the PID but here you are putting it in writing that you're not.

You didn't say "canceled for loads" but the original posted implied that was the reason for cancellation/consolidation. Yes, you said reliability. I think our dispatch reliability is better than yours.

No, I don't have a guilty conscience about anything. Any chance you have a chip on your shoulder?

Where did I say we were not operationally integrated? Unless I'm mistaken what I did say was that we hand not yet been "assimilated". That means that in spite of the operational integration, we haven't yet lost all of who we once were. Some of us (that includes me) don't want to, but ALL of us realize that it's eventually inevitable.

We've already had the funeral service but we're still in mourning (and praying for a resurrection that we know probably won't come).