AAflyer
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Air Tran Pilots not specail?
Below is part of an article from the Atlanta paper...
AirTran pilots restless
At AirTran, the discount carrier that has capitalized on major carriers' woes, pilots and managers are about to begin mediated talks in Washington. The tone of the talks is far less amicable than in 2001, when pilots voluntarily took pay cuts to avoid post-9/11 furloughs.
AirTran has posted annual profits since 2002 and overhauled its fleet with new, more fuel-efficient aircraft. But surging fuel costs have squeezed profit margins, and airline officials say they refuse to increase pilot pay as measured by cost per available seat mile --- a common industry metric.
AirTran pilots say they are at the bottom of the pay scale for major carriers, and they will remain below low-cost leaders Southwest and JetBlue even if they get everything they are seeking.
"The pilots are basically asking for cost-of-living adjustments for three or four years," said Brian Gaudet, a spokesman for AirTran fliers. "AirTran management has the opportunity to sign an infinitely reasonable contract that would ensure labor peace. I'm baffled as to why they don't jump at it."
Steve Kolski, AirTran's senior vice president for operations and its chief negotiator, said pilots are seeking more than that and calls their proposals "extremely vague and undefined." He said it would be irresponsible for the company to increase pilot pay when the airline is barely breaking even.
"This is the wrong time to increase our pilot costs --- and we simply refuse to do it," he said. "We're not asking for a decrease. But we know our costs, and we're not going to raise them."
Kolski said AirTran scrimps by avoiding costly real estate, in-flight meals and other expenses. AirTran's negotiating position with pilots, he said, is consistent with what it has told mechanics, flight attendants and other employees.
He said AirTran ignores the pattern bargaining that has been an airline industry norm for decades.
"Delta pilots got their contract in 2001 because of what United did," he said. "That doesn't make any sense to us. If your neighbor buys a Mercedes, does that mean you have to get one, too? Pilots like to think they're special people. They're not. Their contribution to the success of AirTran is no greater than anyone else's."
FULL ARTICLE: http://www.ajc.com/sunday/content/epaper/editions/sunday/business_349ce84ca21720b7000c.html
Below is part of an article from the Atlanta paper...
AirTran pilots restless
At AirTran, the discount carrier that has capitalized on major carriers' woes, pilots and managers are about to begin mediated talks in Washington. The tone of the talks is far less amicable than in 2001, when pilots voluntarily took pay cuts to avoid post-9/11 furloughs.
AirTran has posted annual profits since 2002 and overhauled its fleet with new, more fuel-efficient aircraft. But surging fuel costs have squeezed profit margins, and airline officials say they refuse to increase pilot pay as measured by cost per available seat mile --- a common industry metric.
AirTran pilots say they are at the bottom of the pay scale for major carriers, and they will remain below low-cost leaders Southwest and JetBlue even if they get everything they are seeking.
"The pilots are basically asking for cost-of-living adjustments for three or four years," said Brian Gaudet, a spokesman for AirTran fliers. "AirTran management has the opportunity to sign an infinitely reasonable contract that would ensure labor peace. I'm baffled as to why they don't jump at it."
Steve Kolski, AirTran's senior vice president for operations and its chief negotiator, said pilots are seeking more than that and calls their proposals "extremely vague and undefined." He said it would be irresponsible for the company to increase pilot pay when the airline is barely breaking even.
"This is the wrong time to increase our pilot costs --- and we simply refuse to do it," he said. "We're not asking for a decrease. But we know our costs, and we're not going to raise them."
Kolski said AirTran scrimps by avoiding costly real estate, in-flight meals and other expenses. AirTran's negotiating position with pilots, he said, is consistent with what it has told mechanics, flight attendants and other employees.
He said AirTran ignores the pattern bargaining that has been an airline industry norm for decades.
"Delta pilots got their contract in 2001 because of what United did," he said. "That doesn't make any sense to us. If your neighbor buys a Mercedes, does that mean you have to get one, too? Pilots like to think they're special people. They're not. Their contribution to the success of AirTran is no greater than anyone else's."
FULL ARTICLE: http://www.ajc.com/sunday/content/epaper/editions/sunday/business_349ce84ca21720b7000c.html
