Any new info on Continental Airlines? Future hiring?

[NavinRJohnson]

How much notice do they have to give the company if they don't want bridge medical?

 

[SkeWest]

How much notice do they have to give the company if they don't want bridge medical?

My understanding is none. I recently flew with a guy that said his lump sum would go down 100K if he waited. He hasn't given the company notice but figures if they don't give him bridge medical, he can buy plenty with the 100K. His lump sum estimate will decrease next summer by only an additional 9K if he sticks around. Everyone's case is probably a bit different.

 

[jonjuan]

Not a single gummer is leaving early.

 

[pianoman]

The other piece of the puzzle is the availability of the lump-sum option. CAL mgmt. has indicated that if enough pilots retire at once, there may not be enough funding to maintain it, leaving only the annuity option for the later retirees.

Perhaps some pilots will choose not to risk the chance of the annuity disappearing in a future bankruptcy/restructuring/underfunding nightmare.

 

[DontFeedTheBear]

If anyone is planning on retiring to make the GATT rate cutoff, they have already put their letter in if they want the bridge medical. I just flew with a guy who is leaving at the end of October because the rate change on Nov.1 will push his lump sum down, he gave his notice this past spring. The company will review shorter notices on a case by case basis and he said he has not heard of anyone being denied yet.

I wouldn't hold my breath for a giant influx of retirements.

Gonna have to disagree with you on this one. Although not a big influx, I think the company may get a surprise. Flew with a CA last week who said he is leaving, but didn't put in papers. Doesn't need the medical, as he is ex-military. He said f@@k the company for furloughing, let em be shorthanded. I'll give em a weeks notice at best... and I'm not the only one!

Yogi

 

[Kugelblitz]

The numbers of people who are going to put in for their retirement is independent of any financial considerations in my view. Much like the age 65 change, this isn't really about money. This is about the displaced and the dispossessed afraid of having to confront that one person they never want to meet. Themselves.

Continuing to fly allows them the illusion of indispensability, and distracts them from the disaster their personal lives have become, primarily as a result of decades of work at an airline that demands one sells oneself out for the sake of "just being lucky to have a job".

Those of you who can't wait for us internal critics to leave have my condolences, because with that sort of perspective how can you ever expect CAL to get better? You don't want to face the ugly truth that our "contract" is and simply think your going to negotiate some sort of sweetheart deal with the likes of Mr. Smisek. Good luck with that one.

 

[SFR]

Just released for the day! Officially, 0 (zero) hours for Sept. 2009!!! Yup, this place sucks!!! Gotta shut this place down!!!!


Where is that FUPM bracelet when you need it, gosh!!!!

 

[propdog]

Just released for the day! Officially, 0 (zero) hours for Sept. 2009!!! Yup, this place sucks!!! Gotta shut this place down!!!!


Where is that FUPM bracelet when you need it, gosh!!!!

I'm confused. There are so many complaints of short-staffing at CAL here in the forums and you flew zero hours in Sept.? So is the company over-staffed then?

 

[ERJdca]

Hi!

CAL sucks the same way the DAL/UPS/FedEx/Cathay/Emirates, and about everyone else also sucks. Some pilots are completely unhappy at fed up at all of the above carriers.

cliff
NBO

Really? I work there and haven't flown with anyone who wishes they were anywhere else. Let me guess, a friend of a friend of a friend said......

 

[whymeworry?]

My prediction is 250 guys will bolt between now and next June. By then the A fund will be so depleted that mgmt will default on the lumpsum option. The remaining A-funders will be whining but it will have been their fault for ignoring the writing on the wall.

The incoming CEO said it himself last month, he will NOT put the company in jeopardy to save the lump sum. A standing ovation from the non-pilot crowd followed his commentary. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is coming next.

If it were me, I'd be out of here by year's end. Anything after than will be like flipping a coin as to whether you're going to get any A-fund lump sum benefit.

 

[SFR]

I'm confused. There are so many complaints of short-staffing at CAL here in the forums and you flew zero hours in Sept.? So is the company over-staffed then?

Not sure about staffing, all I know is that I flew 0.0 hours for Sept, just finished my last reserve day for the month today.

As far as I am concernced, CAL is the best place in the world to work. I know NOBODY that got 8k last month to never show up to work.

 

[EWR_FO]

Gonna have to disagree with you on this one. Although not a big influx, I think the company may get a surprise. Flew with a CA last week who said he is leaving, but didn't put in papers. Doesn't need the medical, as he is ex-military. He said f@@k the company for furloughing, let em be shorthanded. I'll give em a weeks notice at best... and I'm not the only one!

Yogi

A good friend of mine has been handling a large number of retirements for CAL pilots, he is one himself. He told me the company has a pretty good handle on who is looking for bridge medical and who is not. He recommends burning your sick time and buying insurance on the open market, needless to say he has not made any friends in HR. He has also slimmed down the length of time it takes a guy to get his money. It used to take between four and six weeks for the company to transfer the money due to a bunch of BS hoops they were making people jump through, he has it down to two days.

In my opinion, he has an extremely good handle on the retirement situation and I stand by the statement that you will not see a big movement in retirement numbers.

 

[SkyNation]

the latest

 

[SFR]

Not sure about staffing, all I know is that I flew 0.0 hours for Sept, just finished my last reserve day for the month today.

As far as I am concernced, CAL is the best place in the world to work. I know NOBODY that got 8k last month to never show up to work.

I take that back. A 756 captain that I know outside of work did not fly in Sept on reserve either...he probably brought in 15k.

 

[Ex737Driver]

Read up on some of the older threads. The short of it is we have 147 on furlough, and they tried to furlough approx 150 more this fall. Furlough mitigation efforts stopped the extra bunch going onto the street.

I would say no movement until next year. When is a big question I think everyone is asking.

My 2 cents, but I think the company is waiting until Nov to see how many retirement letters come in (Lump Sum is changing to a corporate bond/GATT combo). That will determine our next couple of system bid requirements.

Not so positive is the bottom line. Wish I could say otherwise...

Latest info on retirements from CALFORUMS was 33 but now up to 40ish with the possibility of more as we get closer to the NOV deadline. SOme good news is CAL has posted openings for 777 checkairmen which bodes well for the two 777 coming in the 1st quater of 2010 and most of the retirements coming out of the 777 CA seats.

 

[Flopgut]

The numbers of people who are going to put in for their retirement is independent of any financial considerations in my view. Much like the age 65 change, this isn't really about money. This is about the displaced and the dispossessed afraid of having to confront that one person they never want to meet. Themselves.

Continuing to fly allows them the illusion of indispensability, and distracts them from the disaster their personal lives have become, primarily as a result of decades of work at an airline that demands one sells oneself out for the sake of "just being lucky to have a job".

Those of you who can't wait for us internal critics to leave have my condolences, because with that sort of perspective how can you ever expect CAL to get better? You don't want to face the ugly truth that our "contract" is and simply think your going to negotiate some sort of sweetheart deal with the likes of Mr. Smisek. Good luck with that one.

I really enjoyed reading that. Incredibly spot on for this group.

 

[Ex737Driver]

......The incoming CEO said it himself last month, he will NOT put the company in jeopardy to save the lump sum. A standing ovation from the non-pilot crowd followed his commentary. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out what is coming next.

If it were me, I'd be out of here by year's end. Anything after than will be like flipping a coin as to whether you're going to get any A-fund lump sum benefit.

Unfortunetly he has no choice in the matter, unless he decides to abrogate the pilot contract through BK, which we are not even close to. If mgmt decides to follow through with this I fully expect not only a run on the A fund by the "cling-ons" but a major court battle as a violation of staus-quo, a presidential grievance from ALPA, and possibly some type of self-help.

 

[SuperFLUF]

Just released for the day! Officially, 0 (zero) hours for Sept. 2009!!! Yup, this place sucks!!! Gotta shut this place down!!!!


Where is that FUPM bracelet when you need it, gosh!!!!

It only took three of your "hey look at me" posts before someone responded. Everyone else is tired of it, so just give it a rest dude.

A few guys have a decent life on reserve, a few senior guys get a descent sched., the rest are getting hammered by PBS.
If you only care about yourself then you will eventually get what you deserve.
You can sit under your bridge on reserve and not participate in making this place better if you want to but gloating about it only makes you look like a tool. Are you?

 

[Flybywire44]

Looking for any info regarding future hiring. Thanks

Talked to a pilot interviwer earlier today about hiring. We have atleast two years before they run an interview. Enjoy where you are now; it may last a couple more years unless some of the 60+ guys realize they're killing themselves... but aren't we all?

 

[ATRCA]

Talked to a pilot interviwer earlier today about hiring. We have atleast two years before they run an interview. Enjoy where you are now; it may last a couple more years unless some of the 60+ guys realize they're killing themselves... but aren't we all?

While this may prove to be true, no one on this management team has proven the ability to plan 24 months ahead. They are generally only about 2 quarters ahead of themselves. To think that they have all of a sudden developed the ability to plan 24 for months accurately is foolish.

This business is far too unpredictable for them to tell you with ANY accuracy what will be happening at CAL two years from now. When I was hired they told us they would be hiring 12 pilots a week for YEARS. Nothing could have been further from the truth.