Air Wisconsin, we hardly knew ye

[TWAER]

I wish they had her type at CHQ, Mesa, and Skywest back in '03. It's called RESPECT for the profession and being able to see the forest through the trees. I loathe the day my company joins the list of sellouts for growth.

At least I didn't take a 30% or even higher pay cut to "save" my job. I guess all those major airline pilots are really thinking about everyone else in the industry. Hey, if you want to be fair, you better throw in Airways on that list because they are flying the 170 for lower wages than us. Oh, how bout FLYI and JetBlue, I guess they are sellouts too. I you are going to list airlines, you better not just select the ones you hate to make a point. Your spin is good but not accurate.

 

[nimtz]

At least I didn't take a 30% or even higher pay cut to "save" my job. I guess all those major airline pilots are really thinking about everyone else in the industry. Hey, if you want to be fair, you better throw in Airways on that list because they are flying the 170 for lower wages than us. Oh, how bout FLYI and JetBlue, I guess they are sellouts too. I you are going to list airlines, you better not just select the ones you hate to make a point. Your spin is good but not accurate.

I got plenty of gripes with what Jetblue thinks is an acceptable wage on the 190 ie the DC-9 of the new era. Good luck to those guys house hunting on Long Island. The mainline guys still make an adequate living, so taking 30% is what it takes to save your job at that level sometimes. That has happened plenty of times at the majors as the cycles of torn up and down. At our level we are still trying to correct years of substandard compensation.

Now do you think that you and I make an adequate living? Maybe if you live in Indy, but my CHQ buddy living here in New York begs to differ. The problem is the three carriers I mentioned where the trailblazers that set the precedent down this poor road we are on today towards 70 seaters taking a huge chunk of domestic flying. I don't 'hate' any airline, but you need to realize where the problem started and festered.

Essentially management said the 70 seaters are made by the same manufacturers as the 50 seaters so the pilots should be paid the same and the three mentioned pilot groups bought it hook, line, and sinker. With ASA, Comair, and Air Willy at least you recieved a significant override for operating the bigger stuff, which let's face it only serves to take work from the decently compensated mainline guys.

From then on it has evolved so that no pilot group gets anything significant for the 70+ seaters. That is why you see Mid Atlantic and PSA pay so sh!tty for those airplanes and don't think it didn't have a role in Jetblue's decision. The losers in all this are you and I. I hope there is a solution to this problem and it is on you guys to work on it when you go back to the table in a few years.

I won't thump my chest and say XJet is any better whether you 'hate' us or not. The only way we'll get 70 seaters is if we take the 50 seat pay scales. The fact is it is one terrible downward spiral that began at the three previously mentioned carriers.

 

[jbDC9]

The facts are it is one terrible downward spiral...

Oh man, thanks... you didn't use the phrase "race to the bottom". I'm so tired of reading that cliched line over and over and over again. That and "lowering the bar". Are there any college professor types out there that can come up with some shiny new catch phrases that can be endlessly tossed back and forth?

 

[737 Pylt]

Oh man, thanks... you didn't use the phrase "race to the bottom". I'm so tired of reading that cliched line over and over and over again. That and "lowering the bar". Are there any college professor types out there that can come up with some shiny new catch phrases that can be endlessly tossed back and forth?

I'm not a college professor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

How about "IN THE TOILET!"
737

 

[DiverDriver]

I'm not a college professor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

How about "IN THE TOILET!"
737

"Lowest common denominator"? It's got a math term in it!

No? Ok...we'll work on it.

<mumbles> sumpin catchy...sumpin catchy...