USAirways1149
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2001
- Posts
- 32
Yesterday US Airways delivered the first draft of their "plan-C" to the labor groups. The plan included 70/90 seat RJs which would "feed" the mainlin.
I'm curious what your opinion is regarding the portion of the plan dealing with 70/90 seat RJs and what their impact is on the profession that we all signed up for.
Its a contentious issue -- I'm aware of that. But I'm curious. The easy answer, the one you'll hear most mainline types give, is:
"The F-100 was 85 seats and it was paid for -- so why go out and buy new RJs?"
But we all know it is more complicated than that. The company wants to decrease the overall costs of flying airplanes from 50-100 seats.
So the question that we, as airline pilots, must ask ourselves is: What does this do to our profession?
Is it another "B-Scale"? Will it restrict the ability of regional airline pilots to advance in their own careers?
If 70-90 seat RJs are flown by Express carriers there is no need for aircraft such as the DC9, 717, 737-300, Airbus 318/319, Fokker F-100 etc. to be flown by the mainline.
How many FEWER mainline jobs does that create for the next generation of mainline airline pilots?
The problem, in my opinion, is that if it occurs it has blurred the line between a regional airline and a major airline. Unfortunately, that will leave the burden with the regional airline pilots and their unions to "repair" the damage that has been done to the profession.
Yes, I believe it is ALPA's fault. When the first Canadair RJ showed up at Comair, ALPA should have started campaigning for and demanding mainline compensation/benefits at the regional level. They should have been filing alter-ego grievances and demanding that the regionals be merged with their mainline counterparts.
They failed and what we're left with is an industry where its hard to tell where the major ends, and the regional begins. Airlines like Comair are major airlines in their own rights with route structures which rival some of the "traditional" majors. These are no longer feeder-companies which fly 19 people at a time from Jamestown to Pittsburgh...but rather integral parts of the airline network which have replaced the Bac-111, the DC9, the F100 etc...and, right under our noses, have done so with pilots who are unfairly saddled with lower compensation and with inferior work rules.
ALPA dropped the ball, and now -- though it is unfair -- it seems to me that it is up to the individual regionals to restore the integrity of the profession that we all signed up for.
Just my opinion. Flame away but be gentle.
Fraternally,
Mike
I'm curious what your opinion is regarding the portion of the plan dealing with 70/90 seat RJs and what their impact is on the profession that we all signed up for.
Its a contentious issue -- I'm aware of that. But I'm curious. The easy answer, the one you'll hear most mainline types give, is:
"The F-100 was 85 seats and it was paid for -- so why go out and buy new RJs?"
But we all know it is more complicated than that. The company wants to decrease the overall costs of flying airplanes from 50-100 seats.
So the question that we, as airline pilots, must ask ourselves is: What does this do to our profession?
Is it another "B-Scale"? Will it restrict the ability of regional airline pilots to advance in their own careers?
If 70-90 seat RJs are flown by Express carriers there is no need for aircraft such as the DC9, 717, 737-300, Airbus 318/319, Fokker F-100 etc. to be flown by the mainline.
How many FEWER mainline jobs does that create for the next generation of mainline airline pilots?
The problem, in my opinion, is that if it occurs it has blurred the line between a regional airline and a major airline. Unfortunately, that will leave the burden with the regional airline pilots and their unions to "repair" the damage that has been done to the profession.
Yes, I believe it is ALPA's fault. When the first Canadair RJ showed up at Comair, ALPA should have started campaigning for and demanding mainline compensation/benefits at the regional level. They should have been filing alter-ego grievances and demanding that the regionals be merged with their mainline counterparts.
They failed and what we're left with is an industry where its hard to tell where the major ends, and the regional begins. Airlines like Comair are major airlines in their own rights with route structures which rival some of the "traditional" majors. These are no longer feeder-companies which fly 19 people at a time from Jamestown to Pittsburgh...but rather integral parts of the airline network which have replaced the Bac-111, the DC9, the F100 etc...and, right under our noses, have done so with pilots who are unfairly saddled with lower compensation and with inferior work rules.
ALPA dropped the ball, and now -- though it is unfair -- it seems to me that it is up to the individual regionals to restore the integrity of the profession that we all signed up for.
Just my opinion. Flame away but be gentle.
Fraternally,
Mike
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