Alaska

[PLANEANIMAL]

Any word on when interviews will start , hiring!!

 

[EternalOptimist]

Just rumors so far that I'm aware of. The general consensus in the pilot group (at least from what my husband tells me) is that hiring will have to happen before too long but no one is really sure what the company is thinking. Contract negotiations are really what is foremost on the minds of Alaska Management and I'm pretty sure they wont be hiring until they have to start cancelling flights because of inadequate crew coverage.

What I really want to know though is what the guys in the training department are hearing about the upcoming bid. Are they still re-considering it? Is there still a possibility it might be cancelled? I'm really hoping it will be cancelled because my husband is probably going to end up getting bumped to the MD-80 and while he doesn't have a problem with flying the MD, it probably means our vacation will be cancelled and he'll have to go through the training process AND he'll just eventually have to re-train on the 737 because the MD is on it's way out. So, will those of you "in the know" please let me in on your inside information? Thank you!

 

[ferlo]

Amen to that. This stupid bid is a lose/lose proposition. They want us to vote in a concessionary contract when they throw money away like this?! H*ll NO!!!!

 

[dogg]

I just read a letter from the managing director of planning and administration, and he was attempting to explain the staffing model as it relates to pilots......lots of reference to profitability as the only thing that will spur hiring....he claims that current staffing will make up for retirement at least until 2005. so all bids will simply be realignment bids as the fleet changes until sometime in 2005....the big unknown being profitability...,. interesting that arbitration will conclude in 2005 as well...............

 

[flx757]

We just got the word today to expect an additional class of 12 on the MD as a result of this "realignment" of the ANC domicile bid. So, I don't think the bid was cancelled. This is a class of guys coming off the 737, and will be started at the end of April. They want everyone trained by July. Again, these are all just "realignments" as someone mentioned, and not new hires. In fact, due to these "reaignments", the MD-80 training staff and schedule is maxed out for this April to July period.

 

[mach none]

We just got the word today to expect an additional class of 12 on the MD as a result of this "realignment" of the ANC domicile bid. So, I don't think the bid was cancelled. This is a class of guys coming off the 737, and will be started at the end of April. They want everyone trained by July. Again, these are all just "realignments" as someone mentioned, and not new hires. In fact, due to these "reaignments", the MD-80 training staff and schedule is maxed out for this April to July period.

That is too bad. I guess the line has been drawn in the sand and management is going to prove us wrong. Even if they have to cancel flights during the summer. It seems foolish to spend all this money on worthless realignment bids.

But then again, we are barely making money. That is why on 9/10/01 we had roughly 630 million cash in the bank. Now we have roughly 850 million cash. We have been paying cash for some of the NG a/c in 2003 as well.

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

We are soooooo fat. Yeah.... that's it! That's why crew scheduling can't even cover all of the reserve zones. That's why I 've been flying as many hours on reserve as a regular line holder. We've just hit the start of spring break and our manning is looking ugly already. This summer should be interesting. But then again, I'm just a humble line pilot so, what do I know? Perhaps these decision makers should start wearing g-suits and go on 100% oxygen to recover from tunnel vision.

 

[EternalOptimist]

We just got the word today to expect an additional class of 12 on the MD as a result of this "realignment" of the ANC domicile bid. So, I don't think the bid was cancelled. This is a class of guys coming off the 737, and will be started at the end of April. They want everyone trained by July. Again, these are all just "realignments" as someone mentioned, and not new hires. In fact, due to these "reaignments", the MD-80 training staff and schedule is maxed out for this April to July period.

Are all 12 FO's or are some Captains? Unfortunately, unless all 12 of them are Captains, it looks like my husband will be one of the first ones stapled to the bottom of the MD seniority list. I don't want to complain because honestly we were thrilled when my husband got hired on at Alaska. I still think Alaska is a great company to work for - when they aren't going through contract negotiations, that is. Unfortunately, our much-needed vacation at the end of April is looking like it's going to be cancelled so my husband can go through MD training. Bummer. Of course I guess some miracle might happen to prevent him from moving over to "the dark side".

 

[Singlecoil]

I think the way it shook out was that 4 737 FO's got kicked out of ANC effective July 1. They displaced 4 SEA 737 FO's to the MD in SEA.
On a separate bid, 8 MD Captain's got pushed back to Senior Qualified First Officer, also effective in July. I think that might be the 4+8=12 that Flx757 was talking about. I think only the last 4 737 FOs in SEA are getting displaced.

 

[AK737FO]

Need to hire

I still can't figure out why we are not hiring. Is it "senior management" putting their nose to the grindstone trying to get a new B-scale (no pension for new hires)? ALPA will never go for that - period. Mr. Ayers "vision 2010" is so far out of line. There is a large disconnect between their fantasy and reality. What they offer is an extra 3% into the 401K for new hires, bringing them up to 6% total. There is no way that will work... If they want to get serious, they would have to match dollar for dollar up to 16% - that might make it at a viable option.

I've talked with several SEA reserve crews who will brake 76 hours this month. We could barely cover the increased flying for spring break - how are we going to make it through the summer without cancelling flights? What I can't figure out is how the company gains ground in negotiations by cancelling flights due to no crews? It just doesn't add up.

The letter from Finan's office did a good job of explaining how the company plans it's pilot staffing needs, but failed to explain why we are so short now and what they are going to do about it. We are short now, our pilots on active duty won't come home till late fall at best, our retirment numbers are on the rise and will continue to rise for many years. Management says we are 30 to 40 pilots overstaffed, line pilots and crew sched KNOW that we are understaffed. It just seems like a strange way to run an airline. But what do I know, I'm just a line puke, these decision are way above my pay grade (but boy would I love to have their pay grade!)

For those in the pool and those who dream of flying a jet with an Eskimo on the tail - just hold on. Soon their fantasy will face reality and FLX 757 will be a busy man in the school house!

 

[PLANEANIMAL]

How many are in the pool

 

[Rhino]

in the pool...

There are about 30-35 of us treading water. Sometimes it feels like the backstroke...

AK737FO,

I was able to see the "memo" regarding pilot staffing, and their numbers on paper show little or no wiggle room as far as flight coverage during the upcoming months. I think they are betting that enough pilots will want to earn extra money and fly a bunch of overtime while the company uses those on reserve to the fullest extent allowable. But, like you said, if those reserve guys are flying at or near maximum now, there will be plenty of cancelled flights this summer.

A friend here at my reserve squadron spoke with Mr. Majer during a recent job fair in Reno, NV. Per that conversation, Mr. Majer said he has asked on two separate occasions to start a group of 10-12 from the pool but that the company said no. I guess they are playing hardball for sure. I hope ALPA won't let a permanent B-scale pilot group develop. I guess we'll have to wait to see what the arbitrator decides come December!

 

[kkat]

Singlecoil wrote:"On a separate bid, 8 MD Captain's got pushed back to Senior Qualified First Officer, also effective in July."
It's more complicated than that, I believe only one or two of the permanent captains who were reduced actually bid SQ. It's not that good a deal; so the 8 new positions will most likely be filled by FOs ( At least five or six new type ratings!).
NO SUMMER VSA!!!

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

I have to agree with KKat and some of the previous posts that the company is hoping for the pilots to bite on VSA this summer. We all know that arbitration is a good possibility and our pay is in jeopardy. The company is betting on human greed. I don't like these management vs. union games, but maybe we should think twice before volunteering for VSA this summer. In the end, it's just business. It's too bad that there are so many untalented leadership out there running large corporations.

 

[Singlecoil]

Re: Need to hire

We could barely cover the increased flying for spring break - how are we going to make it through the summer without cancelling flights? What I can't figure out is how the company gains ground in negotiations by cancelling flights due to no crews? It just doesn't add up.

I think the manager you refer to, the one who thinks spending money is earning money, is the same one that thinks it is a good idea to overbook every flight to Anchorage for 4 days in a row over spring break (52 flights overbooked by a total of over 300 pax) and give away free tickets and hotel rooms to compensate the bumped pax. How would that affect your 2010 bonus?