A Day in the Life of a MKE Skywest Pilot....

[rtmcfi]

I totally agree with you, just it seems though at times in the past, there have been some that held out SkyWest as some sort of regional heaven. At the end of the day, it is more like other regional airlines than it is different. I hope folks know that it is not the "regional of choice" for everyone.

 

[Goose Egg]

I totally agree with you, just it seems though at times in the past, there have been some that held out SkyWest as some sort of regional heaven. At the end of the day, it is more like other regional airlines than it is different. I hope folks know that it is not the "regional of choice" for everyone.

Good call. I certainly don't consider it a "career" job. Looks like the term "regional of choice" needs to be qualified a bit.

-Goose

 

[USC328]

This is just my viewpoint of the MKE staffing issues with SkyWest. I to am based in MKE.

First off, I have caught crew support holding open time trips outside the 120 hour window and not posting them on open time. Other crew member state "I don't have a CA on my trip", however its not posted in open time. I've heard stories of other CA catching this as well. If you call crew support, and politely debate the situation and how it violates SP 317, they will give you the trip. I can understand crew support trying to save money by flying the reserves and not paying lineholders more, but it is against policy. If they would tdy more reserves to MKE, they could accomplish better cost savings. MKE guys that want time off, can then drop things. This would allow more flying to go to reserves that they are paying anyways. Also, it might give reserves the chance to break guarantee. If not break guarantee, it will at least allow reserves more flexibility to request early releases and have them granted. To me, it seems like a win/win for the company, for line holders and for reserves.

Unfortunately, during the downsizing of MKE, I think they transferred to many pilots out. As one poster mentioned earlier, they don't want to transfer them back in since it might become a reality of having to transfer them right back out after they already paid them 55 hrs credit to leave.

So I can understand what the starter of this thread is thinking, however, this is not the way to fix it. I hear our FA are signing a petition to SIA to try to get this resolved. We need to contact SAPA and see what can be done from there. FA have it worse in that they don't have MKE trained reserve FAs in other domiciles capable of being TDYd to MKE. There might be a few, but very few as some that left MKE are lineholders in their new domicile. As most may know, SkyWest requires extra training to be Midwest FA qualified.

Hope that helps shed light on what is going on. Either way, we need to take this opportunity come Thanksgiving and everyday to just be thankful we have jobs. Fly safe everyone!!

 

[ehaecker]

I am on RSV in ORD and would do almost anything to get back to MKE (yes, I transfered out) and not be able to get a day off. I went 6 weeks without flying ONCE in ORD. I would MUCH rather be in your shoes, flyingfool.

 

[Flyin2low]

Who should I call and do you really think think they will just change anything because I called... Whatever... and all you guys that have comments like at least you have a job.. and stuff like it could be worst should shut up.... those arguments don't make any sense... There will always be airlines doing good and other not... Should I stop eating food because somewhere in the world someone is starving... Shut up.. of course it could be worse but that shouldn't stop me from trying to make things better... Never mind you're all idiots....

Flyingfool, you really are a FOOL.

 

[Dubya]

This is just my viewpoint of the MKE staffing issues with SkyWest. I to am based in MKE.

First off, I have caught crew support holding open time trips outside the 120 hour window and not posting them on open time. Other crew member state "I don't have a CA on my trip", however its not posted in open time. I've heard stories of other CA catching this as well. If you call crew support, and politely debate the situation and how it violates SP 317, they will give you the trip. I can understand crew support trying to save money by flying the reserves and not paying lineholders more, but it is against policy. If they would tdy more reserves to MKE, they could accomplish better cost savings. MKE guys that want time off, can then drop things. This would allow more flying to go to reserves that they are paying anyways. Also, it might give reserves the chance to break guarantee. If not break guarantee, it will at least allow reserves more flexibility to request early releases and have them granted. To me, it seems like a win/win for the company, for line holders and for reserves.

Unfortunately, during the downsizing of MKE, I think they transferred to many pilots out. As one poster mentioned earlier, they don't want to transfer them back in since it might become a reality of having to transfer them right back out after they already paid them 55 hrs credit to leave.

So I can understand what the starter of this thread is thinking, however, this is not the way to fix it. I hear our FA are signing a petition to SIA to try to get this resolved. We need to contact SAPA and see what can be done from there. FA have it worse in that they don't have MKE trained reserve FAs in other domiciles capable of being TDYd to MKE. There might be a few, but very few as some that left MKE are lineholders in their new domicile. As most may know, SkyWest requires extra training to be Midwest FA qualified.

Hope that helps shed light on what is going on. Either way, we need to take this opportunity come Thanksgiving and everyday to just be thankful we have jobs. Fly safe everyone!!

VERY well put. Professional and right on point....no whining, no bs. Thank you.

flyingfool... grow up and take notes.

W

 

[fam62c]

Lots of us lost our jobs after many years at Skyway and Midwest and you are now doing the flying that we once did. If you think your life is tough try being unemployed in this environment. I get to watch your planes fly over painted up like our planes used to be, doing flying that I used to do. We spent years building up a customer base on those routes only to get replaced by you. We used to complain about tough days, lots of legs, lack of staffing too although we were used to it because we had lots of experience working for a small operation with limited destinations. Many of us did the job for years in the 1900 back in the day and trust me; you don't know what tough is until you've done 8 legs in that thing on a crappy day with no autopilot, FA, APU, etc. We were used to working hard.

Even with all the imperfections I would love to have my job back and have things the way they were. Sometimes you don't appreciate what you have until you lose it; if Skywest went of business tomorrow and you were on the street you would understand. When you complain keep in mind that there are guys with many times your experience level who lost their jobs so that you could have yours. Airline flying at the regional level is a zero sum game; the jobs that one airline gains are lost by another airline. I'm not blaming you because business is business and that's that but try to keep things in perspective. The guys who came before you and lost their jobs have a lot worse problems than you do so have some respect for them and do your complaining somewhere else.

 

[Jetjockey]

Great post fam62. Keep the faith. I was kicked to the curb twice by heartless Tim.