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If they really honestly want us back yesterday, then why are they not hiring more instructors *now*? Why do they continue with a recall rate of 6/mo? Why has management not approached the MEC to work out an agreement for increased training? No, I am NOT advocating that we contract training out, but, I am sure a "win-win" situation can be found. There are several 737 sims out there.
 
Because people making these decisions (GH & BJ) are not pilots and they are too busy trying to save a few dollars. Of course, we're royally screwed with our current "staffing model." It's going to be very tough to run our Summer schedule with our current pilot staff, even with the usual premium trip & VSA #$%@s stepping in to save the day. We're definitely short on the FO side of the house.
 
Who knows? I think they were being stubborn and wanted to see if they could fly their current schedule with the pilots we have on the property. Maybe they were banking on a bigger turn-out with #^$%s picking up premium and VSA trips. Now, with the increased block hours, they're going to have a tough time with the schedule. I'm sure all lines will be built to 85 hours and all reserves will be breaking guarantee.

I hope there's another bid to bring more folks back by Summer, but they are going to need to put out the bid very soon for that to happen. The pilots coming back from now on will have to go through the entire training syllabus and not the abbreviated version. They will be well outside the 24 months since their last recurrent training.

Unfortunately, the most likely scenario is to try and get through the Summer with the current staffing numbers and start more recalls next Fall to gear up for 2012 and beyond! I hope I'm dead wrong on this.
 
Z -
They have interviewed / hired more instructors who now have to go through the whole process of becoming an instructor (just to replace the one's they let go unnecessarily - but that's another issue...). They can only handle 6 furloughs a month right now, even though they want it to be more. They have approached the MEC for help, and that issue is currently being worked on. They have approached Boeing for sim time. So you are on track - they are doing all the things you mentioned - but it still takes time. Granted, it could have been done better to begin with and I hope that they learn from the mess that they have made and choose a different path the next time this industry goes into a furlough frenzy.

The dust up to get 18 more ASAP comes from marketing releasing the "Spring" schedule - which showed us seriously short. So we are not even talking about what in the world we are going to do for next summer yet!

My money is on a bid coming out in the next two weeks, then a second bid out by March. I have no intel on that - just my gut feeling.

Happy New Year All - lets look forward to a great 2011 with all our people back on board!
 
AK737FO,

Thanks for the info. It shouldn't have had to come down to marketing releasing the Spring block hours for the company to realize that we're going to be short. We are way short now. Just look at the FO reserves in SEA the last few days. They've been deadheading FOs, especially from ANC, to cover SEA trips. Scheduling has been patching together some strange trips just to get flights covered.

I hope they learn from all this, but I'm not going to be holding my breath.
 
"Management" gets paid the big bucks to run this airline. Flt ops has been screaming for more than a year that they cut too deep. Someone needs to "retire" for this royal screw-up! Just my opinion ( reserve scum).
 
"mgmnt" sees record load factors, record on time, record completion factors and high crew utilization. They see $$$$ at every turn. There is no way they are going to go back to the "good old days" of what we as pilots consider proper staffing. I hate to say it, but that's the new reality at this company as long as certain individuals are running crew planning.

Free M. Brisbane!!!!
Mookie
 
Mookie said:
"mgmnt" sees record load factors, record on time, record completion factors and high crew utilization. They see $$$$ at every turn. There is no way they are going to go back to the "good old days" of what we as pilots consider proper staffing. I hate to say it, but that's the new reality at this company as long as certain individuals are running crew planning.

Free M. Brisbane!!!!
Mookie
Click to expand...

Exactly on target. They are not short until you start to see canceled flights. Until that point they are just efficient.
 
Z_Pilot said:
That's too bad. I am soon going to be forced to sign a 2 year employment contract elsewhere.

They do have a magic wand...it's called 1.3 billion dollars of unrestricted cash in the bank and quarter after quarter of record profitability.
Click to expand...

I haven't looked for a while, but I thought you could only bypass recall up to one year if you're in an employment contract.
 
Pretty sure they called today to see if I was available due to no reserves today. They never called back so I guess they found somebody to help out!
 
I think the business side knows that the economy is actually worsening and competition is coming like a freight train......They know that the profit numbers are coming from momentum and that when it runs out so will those numbers....They are trying to stay absolutely lean whether it is to sell the company or stay afloat in coming bad times...
 
I can't believe it's been two years the guys/gals have been on furlough. WOW! Now that the number is down to 44 I just can't see how bringing them all back would hurt the bottom line, especially when flights are STILL being canceled due to lack of crew coverage. 44 pilots split to 4 bases would only help the rest of the troops. As was said previously, $1.3B could get the pilots trained quickly @ any of many available training centers. This holdout seems to be personal, and it would do the Co good to eat the crow and get these pilots back. Good luck to all and I hope you get word soon!

Baja.
 
tico said:
I think the business side knows that the economy is actually worsening and competition is coming like a freight train......They know that the profit numbers are coming from momentum and that when it runs out so will those numbers....They are trying to stay absolutely lean whether it is to sell the company or stay afloat in coming bad times...
Click to expand...

Spot on Tico. There was a time I thought you were all conspiracy, but after the glow of being a new hire @ AS, I see that you have escaped the hold of the Matrix. Blue or Red pill? LOL.

Baja.
 
Going2Baja said:
This holdout seems to be personal, and it would do the Co good to eat the crow and get these pilots back. Good luck to all and I hope you get word soon!

Baja.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think it is nothing personal. They are out of reserves, but there were no cancellations today, or yesterday, or the day before that. That is efficient. They are not going to recall unless they have to. Nothing personal.
 
Green Banana said:
Actually, I think it is nothing personal. They are out of reserves, but there were no cancellations today, or yesterday, or the day before that. That is efficient. They are not going to recall unless they have to. Nothing personal.
Click to expand...

You're right. But damn, it sure feels personal.
 
Green Banana said:
Actually, I think it is nothing personal. They are out of reserves, but there were no cancellations today, or yesterday, or the day before that. That is efficient. They are not going to recall unless they have to. Nothing personal.
Click to expand...
He's right. Unfortunately that's just the way things work at any airline. I spent three years just two people away from being recalled at HA, while those still flying piled on the recall pay. I thought that a cancelled flight would bring me back quickly, but they always found someone, somewhere, to fly the plane. So in their eyes, I wasn't necessary. It's sad, but it isn't personal. It's just business.

HAL
 
Happy New Year.

One FO on reserve at ANC starting at noon good for 1 day...13 ANC trips starting today.
 
They are calling FO's for premium pay. They can't cover 4 trips for tomorrow. Didn't answer the phone.
 
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