Airtran MEC Update

[400ADude]

Don, let it go, amigo. You're not going to convince anyone and it's not worth the aggravation.

Jack, Frank and the boys have it covered. Go sit on your boat, drink a frosty beverage, and relax, it'll all work out, just gotta have a little faith.

I'm sure there all over it.:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh: Jack and Frank are not gonna have too many options I'm afraid though.:laugh::laugh:

 

[elcid]

Apples to apples: 5th yr FO. Can't say how many days off, but I did two 17 day military detachments, another week of military orders, and two weeks of vacation. Even on the non-mil months I probably averaged 15 days off (less than average because I bust my hump and pick up on my days off)

Hourly comparisons just don't work. I pick up trips with paid deadheads, reserve blocks where I sit at home, time and a half, etc. As you can see I was paid 1200 trips (120/mo ave. for you math majors) and only flew 623 block hours for the year. And I'm fairly junior in my domicile (bottom 3rd).

2010 TOTALS:

5th year pay, 1200 trips flown / 623 block hours /
145,974.55 Gross (including $6,567 retro)
+about 14,000 company 401k contribution (9.3% company match)
+ profit sharing (sorry, couldn't find statement) (I think about 7%)

2009:

4TH yr pay, 1000 trips flown / 572 block hours
$102,052.44 Gross
+7,960 401K
+ profit sharing

So last year I made 12K/mo which is 152/hr @ 80 hrs/mo or 174/hr @70 hrs/mo. I don't know what's average over there. That's more than a 10 year captain or maybe even a maxed out captain at Airtran. You can make the numbers say what you want, but by those figures, I think you could make a fair argument for a staple of all airtran below me

Seriously guys, good luck, but you won't be doing bad here even in the worst case scenario. I wouldn't burn the place down over some crap the ALPA pot stirring machine is pouring down your throat. What have they done for you anyway? Muse got a good offer, decided they would go for it all and got nada, zip, zero. I don't think that's an impossible scenario here even with BM legislation. Not to mention the happy campers at Frontier. I don't think you'll find one who doesn't wish they weren't stapled here.

Come drink the koolaid. It's great!

 

[waveflyer]

More math majors flying da plane I see.
;-)

(shh... But 1200tfps is an average of 100 tfp/month
But in a 10 month year you'd be correct

Iow: none of us really know how, or even why, we get paid. We just know we do(!)
;-)

 

[elcid]

Sorry, it was 106.7 trips per month in 2010 (1280 total), and 100 per month in 2009 for 1200 total. My bad.

 

[DonVerita]

First off, you have to use your original payscale that was used as a snapshot in Sept.

Disagree.

I doubt an arbitrator is going to use a 10 year old payscale when negotiations on the new one was just about completed when the announcement was made on Sept 27th. That new payscale went into effect Dec. 1st...a mere 34 days after merger announcement.

 

[DonVerita]

correction: 64 days

 

[bravodude]

Disagree.

I doubt an arbitrator is going to use a 10 year old payscale when negotiations on the new one was just about completed when the announcement was made on Sept 27th. That new payscale went into effect Dec. 1st...a mere 34 days after merger announcement.

If you are correct whats the point of a snapshot then?

 

[On Your Six]

Glad you are happy sitting reserve in DTW. Did the A-holes at Delta hire you or are you a NWA guy? You must have just gotten off of probation and are all excited. Congrats.

A-holes? Come on, not here! :0 I am enjoying being back at an airline after my corporate gig that had me seeing the World, but on a beeper. I liked the international travel, but it may be awhile until I can hold those same countries again.(lots of South of France type trips) Not to worry though, I am happy where I am at now. And, still very new. Thanks.

OYS

 

[St. Nic]

Beautiful- this is what happens when the industry lacks a gold standard integrating pilot groups.
Southwest pilots control this merger- get used to it Trannies. You better play nice in the sandbox because the alternative is unemployment. Southwest has the longevitiy, the routes, the senior pilots and the numbers to drive the train. Trannies- you are along for the ride. Look what happened to Northwest and there isn't a thing they could do about it because they were the minority.
My alternative erases all the BS- DOH is the gold standard. No need for stupid toothless congresional regulations about arbitrations to make the politicians feel good- DOH across the board and problem solved. We would all be better off!

 

[FlyinGuy]

DOH only works if you have two similar carriers merging. Not what I would call a gold standard.

 

[PSL]

In my short 25 years in this industry I have not seen one merger where two pilot groups saw themselves as similar.

It is human nature, and certainly justified by the seniority system itself, to advocate in earnest for your side.

I wish I had an answer relative to SLI(s), but I think the words 'fair and equitable' have little effective and useful guidance attached to them.

Aircraft deliveries can be changed with a call from the CEO to the supplier, just as payrates and working conditions can be changed via a force majeur claim substantiated to the court.

In the end, if the SWA-AAI deal goes to an arbitrator, it will be educational to read the justification supporting the decision.

Until then ... the best thing we can do is move our pax safely, comfortably and on time.

 

[Kharma Police]

Beautiful- this is what happens when the industry lacks a gold standard integrating pilot groups.
Southwest pilots control this merger- get used to it Trannies. You better play nice in the sandbox because the alternative is unemployment. Southwest has the longevitiy, the routes, the senior pilots and the numbers to drive the train. Trannies- you are along for the ride. Look what happened to Northwest and there isn't a thing they could do about it because they were the minority.
My alternative erases all the BS- DOH is the gold standard. No need for stupid toothless congresional regulations about arbitrations to make the politicians feel good- DOH across the board and problem solved. We would all be better off!

The industry, "gold standard" is to accept the arbitrator's decision.

 

[bladeusa]

No Kidding!!!!

 

[Scope out RJ's]

Beautiful- this is what happens when the industry lacks a gold standard integrating pilot groups.
Southwest pilots control this merger- get used to it Trannies. You better play nice in the sandbox because the alternative is unemployment. Southwest has the longevitiy, the routes, the senior pilots and the numbers to drive the train. Trannies- you are along for the ride. Look what happened to Northwest and there isn't a thing they could do about it because they were the minority.
My alternative erases all the BS- DOH is the gold standard. No need for stupid toothless congresional regulations about arbitrations to make the politicians feel good- DOH across the board and problem solved. We would all be better off!

And you consider yourself better off? Compared to who?
You work for 1/2 of a dysfunctional airline, making less than what a Republic pilots makes. Your group has zero respect in the industry, and you are the laughing stock of aviation.
Now run along and tell the mods that I wrote this, run along now.:bawling::bawling::bawling:

And make sure and pack MCDU a nice lunch for school, and you dress warmly, I hear it's going to be cold out east today. You'll need a heavy jacket for the 9 walk arounds you'll do.:laugh:

 

[elcid]

DOH only works if you have two similar carriers merging. Not what I would call a gold standard.

Exactly. What if SWA, (or Airtran for that matter) bought Chautauqua for example. Should we just fold everyone in by date of hire? Guys with 1000 hours of RJ time and a couple of thousand total time going ahead of SWA guys who worked their way up to get to their dream job? There is no simple gold standard. Not a fair and equatable one anyway. An arbitrator will ultimately figure this out for us in all likelihood. I'm fine with that. If I was at Airtran, maybe not so much. With talk of sick outs, work actions, Airtran guys admitting to how "militant" a group they are, etc., I wouldn't want to touch this with a 10 foot pole if I was Gary. I'd find an excuse to back out, oil prices, blame the pilots, whatever. There are other deals out there, or just good old fashioned organic growth and competition. It's a harder way to grow in the short run, but beats dying of cancer in the long run. No offense to the silent majority of good dudes over at Airtran (I can only hope), but if the guys on this forum are any representation of what is coming our way, we don't want or need this any more than a hole in our collective heads. Run away SWA, run like the wind!

 

[GearUpJammer]

Excellent post PSL,my exact philosophy.Don't worry Elcid,noone at AAI wants to burn the SWA house down.Don't let these forums formulate your opinion of the entire group.

 

[Roomwithaview]

The industry, "gold standard" is to accept the arbitrator's decision.

That's funny! You been paying attention to USAir/AWA? Someone should tell USAPA!

 

[elcid]

Excellent post PSL,my exact philosophy.Don't worry Elcid,noone at AAI wants to burn the SWA house down.Don't let these forums formulate your opinion of the entire group.

Glad to hear it GearUp. Where are the rest of your like minded brothers? I look forward to drinking beers with you guys on the overnights if this thing ever works out. Good luck.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

We are here. Just quietly watching.

 

[CaptSeth]

When I read this thread, I just can't stop giggling like a little schoolgirl.