ALPA proves there is no pilot shortage.

[Roomwithaview]

Don't need to, I agree with him. We can't find pilots, like all of us in this sector. Therefore there is pilot shortage. But it is nothing that can not be fixed with money. But instead we redefine competitive mins to absolute minimums. We find if we interview a very well qualified pilot and don't get him in class within a couple weeks of the interview they have found another job. I think almost everyone we have interviewed this year have been unemployed. In 17 years of doing this I have never seen this situation of almost no one applying.

As the years go by and the shortage creeps up the food chain, the major airlines will also redefine competitive mins, like the late 90's where begin hired without a college was not unusual.

The wage problem exists because ALPA and APA stepped on their d*cks back in the early days of the regionals. Had they not been so arrogant and elitist about main line flying they would have umbrella-ed the commuter pilots and made sure the pay and bennies was adequate. Additionally, they could have set the commuter gig up for what it eventually became which is the farm team for the big leagues. That wasn't the attitude back in the 80's and 90's and is the petrie dish for why we (unionized pilots) are fractionalized and constantly getting our ass handed to us.

 

[atpcliff]

Atlas Air has lowered their mins four times in 4 years...not much further to go to reach straight ATPmins.

 

[atpcliff]

Was reading the ALPA propaganda. If there is such a "Large Pool", then why are guys calling AA/DAL/UAL and no-showing for class? Why are guys leaving UAL during groundschool for another carrier? Why is Atlas Air having problems getting enough pilots?

 

[bafanguy]

...then why are guys calling AA/DAL/UAL and no-showing for class? Why are guys leaving UAL during groundschool for another carrier?

I find that astonishing. How much of it is happening and do you know any of the people involved ?

 

[waveflyer]

If I were in a United class and delta called, I would leave.
There is always a little bit of this based on domiciles and personal preference-
But to leave united right now- seems pretty wise -

At the moment until their leadership structure changes significantly- what looks like a lateral move...isn't

 

[jynxyjericho]

Don't need to, I agree with him. We can't find pilots, like all of us in this sector. Therefore there is pilot shortage. But it is nothing that can not be fixed with money. But instead we redefine competitive mins to absolute minimums. We find if we interview a very well qualified pilot and don't get him in class within a couple weeks of the interview they have found another job. I think almost everyone we have interviewed this year have been unemployed. In 17 years of doing this I have never seen this situation of almost no one applying.

As the years go by and the shortage creeps up the food chain, the major airlines will also redefine competitive mins, like the late 90's where begin hired without a college was not unusual.

That's a business model failure you are describing, not a pilot shortage. Ive got a shortage of guys who will mow my lawn for 5 bucks a mow, at 6 dollars a mow it's worth my time to mow it. I've a hurting shortage right now for lawn mowers.

Regionals can't attract because of pay, pay can't go up becuase mainline will take it back. Unless a regional can offer someing besides pay and work rules that attract pilot (read: quick upgrade) that regional will fail and regionals as a whole willl fail and shrink. All those people will be flown around by mainline, and mainline will have zero problems hiring.

Regional business models don't work in 2014 with competative pay packages and widespread industry competition. It's luck if your regional was gifted with a bunch of airplanes and or a high turnover rate thanks to flows. There will be a couple regionals left flying small fleets around, mainline will be stocked, and we will forget this stupid Pilot Shortage part VII.

 

[bafanguy]

If I were in a United class and delta called, I would leave.

Times change, for sure. There was a time DL wouldn't touch a pilot from another airline...even a furlough who didn't want to return to his previous carrier.

I sat across the desk from Art Davis who told me he couldn't even consider a couple of my buddies because they were furloughed from other legacies...even if they'd resign.

New time in history...different management.

Didn't UAL suspend new hire classes (or maybe interviewing ?) for a while because the training dept. was covered up with the UAL/CAL musical chairs and couldn't fit in new hire classes ?

What is UAL doing now regarding interviewing/hiring ?

 

[jynxyjericho]

Times change, for sure. There was a time DL wouldn't touch a pilot from another airline...even a furlough who didn't want to return to his previous carrier.

I sat across the desk from Art Davis who told me he couldn't even consider a couple of my buddies because they were furloughed from other legacies...even if they'd resign.

New time in history...different management.

Didn't UAL suspend new hire classes (or maybe interviewing ?) for a while because the training dept. was covered up with the UAL/CAL musical chairs and couldn't fit in new hire classes ?

What is UAL doing now regarding interviewing/hiring ?

They are interviewing right now and I think classes are going but I don't know for sure.

 

[bafanguy]

They are interviewing right now and I think classes are going but I don't know for sure.

Thanks.

 

[maru657]

During the 80's Newt and the boys along with St Ronnie did away with some labor laws. One which required companies to give preference to furloughed Or Un-employed pilots. Another which required preferential hiring for ex-military guys. These were both done away with because companies like Delta didn't want to have to risk hiring riff-raff or ex-enlisted military guys. Of course they still want political consideration and govt contracts.