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Any news about Mesaba???

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Raskal,
Had you been around XJ for the last 10+ years, you'd know that this is the first time that XJ has been proactive in hiring for aircraft. Whether it be the Saab, the Avro, or the last bunch of CRJ's, they always waited and played the short staffed game. (Anyone else remember canceled summer vacations?) In a sick way, it's ironic that management here is being treated from "their upper management" the way they've treated the pilot group. . . Being s$%t on at the last minute. I'm not defending management here, but they were planning on more than just 5 aircraft coming. That doesn't help the guys at the bottom of the list though. No furloughs until J.S. came to run the ship (A.K.A. he drove the ship right into the ground). You reap what you sow J.S. and J.R.

J.S., btw, are you more concerned with winning aircraft contracts and flying or ground servicing contracts?

I was not here for the pre-bankruptcy fun, but I had friends who were and watched them get hired and furloughed. Is this not very similar to when we were supposed to get the CRJ's the first time? A load of pilots were hired for planes that never showed up but were 'firm'. Besides the actual bankruptcy, what was different?

I understand the short-staffing game, it sucks, but it's like a Jekyll/Hyde thing with the new aircraft, we go from short to over in a short period of time.
 
I was not here for the pre-bankruptcy fun, but I had friends who were and watched them get hired and furloughed. Is this not very similar to when we were supposed to get the CRJ's the first time? A load of pilots were hired for planes that never showed up but were 'firm'. Besides the actual bankruptcy, what was different?

I understand the short-staffing game, it sucks, but it's like a Jekyll/Hyde thing with the new aircraft, we go from short to over in a short period of time.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong and have taken this incorrectly, if so, I'll admit it. But I was here pre-bankrupcty and post bankrupcty, and wasn't "just a friend". But there was nothing "firm" pre-bankruptcy. Pre-bankruptcy was Big Sky and parking Avro threats (among numerous other things including labor issues). S*&tty-ass threats from J.S. and the rest of management that were pure games and B.S. Those that were furloughed were not furloughed due to CRJ's not being delivered. They were furloughed due to reduction of Avro's and becoming a strictly Saab fleet (a.k.a. whipsaw tactics by NWA and partners). There was no overstaffing at that time, unless you consider overstaffing of an airline that went from 100+ aircraft to 49 saabs, then yes, we were overstaffed, but not due to aircraft that were "firm". It was all cost saving and reductions. There were no firm contracts for CRJ's. Ask the 6 year Saab FO's that were on reserve that long. Those guys suffered more than anyone. Get your facts straight before you start "quoting friends".
 
Maybe I'm reading this wrong and have taken this incorrectly, if so, I'll admit it. But I was here pre-bankrupcty and post bankrupcty, and wasn't "just a friend". But there was nothing "firm" pre-bankruptcy. Pre-bankruptcy was Big Sky and parking Avro threats (among numerous other things including labor issues). S*&tty-ass threats from J.S. and the rest of management that were pure games and B.S. Those that were furloughed were not furloughed due to CRJ's not being delivered. They were furloughed due to reduction of Avro's and becoming a strictly Saab fleet (a.k.a. whipsaw tactics by NWA and partners). There was no overstaffing at that time, unless you consider overstaffing of an airline that went from 100+ aircraft to 49 saabs, then yes, we were overstaffed, but not due to aircraft that were "firm". It was all cost saving and reductions. There were no firm contracts for CRJ's. Ask the 6 year Saab FO's that were on reserve that long. Those guys suffered more than anyone. Get your facts straight before you start "quoting friends".

Hmm, I'm not trying to come across as argumentative, I'm just trying to understand what the difference is.

The furloughs I'm referring to involved when XJ was getting CRJ 200's (I don't remember the number, maybe you do) and the company was hiring classes. I not only had a couple of friends go there for these classes, I got an offer and class date (the call was from Scott in HR-what happened to him anyway?). This was in early-mid 2004. Due to circumstances I didn't take the offer and stayed put. This is what I'm referring to-there were a number of pilots hired for 200's that did not show up, those same pilots were furloughed-most without ever flying the aircraft but did make it through class.

So, bottom line and in all sincerity, what facts don't I have straight?
 
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So, bottom line and in all sincerity, what facts don't I have straight?
You got the facts right, the problem is/was the timeline was so short (6 weeks from profitability and growth, to BK and furloughs) that it is almost impossible to say anyone was furloughed from cancelled CRJ orders or AVRO removals.

I would also say that this was the first time XJ was proactive in hiring. We have historically waited till the very last minute to hire/train anyone. It seems this time we had a pool, people in the pool were being given projected class dates, and we were overstaffing the SF340 fleet in preperation for the movement.

Hopefully, this will be a short-lived situation. Flying should be picking up for the summer, and maybe everything will stabilize out. Till then, I'm off to fly my 91 hr credit line for Feb. (because we are overstaffed).
 
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Be careful what you ask for. After 6 years of reserve in the left seat at Comair, I finally got off reserve - back to the right seat of the 700/900.

I'm actually seriously considering intentionally failing my PC next month to go back to the Saab so I don't have to keep sitting this ready reserve BS all month.
 
Raskal,
Had you been around XJ for the last 10+ years, you'd know that this is the first time that XJ has been proactive in hiring for aircraft. Whether it be the Saab, the Avro, or the last bunch of CRJ's, they always waited and played the short staffed game. (Anyone else remember canceled summer vacations?) In a sick way, it's ironic that management here is being treated from "their upper management" the way they've treated the pilot group. . . Being s$%t on at the last minute. I'm not defending management here, but they were planning on more than just 5 aircraft coming. That doesn't help the guys at the bottom of the list though. No furloughs until J.S. came to run the ship (A.K.A. he drove the ship right into the ground). You reap what you sow J.S. and J.R.

J.S., btw, are you more concerned with winning aircraft contracts and flying or ground servicing contracts?[/quote]

That statement right there is the first one to make me actually think the rumors of a Comair/Mesaba merger are pending.....
 
You got the facts right, the problem is/was the timeline was so short (6 weeks from profitability and growth, to BK and furloughs) that it is almost impossible to say anyone was furloughed from cancelled CRJ orders or AVRO removals.

I would also say that this was the first time XJ was proactive in hiring. We have historically waited till the very last minute to hire/train anyone. It seems this time we had a pool, people in the pool were being given projected class dates, and we were overstaffing the SF340 fleet in preperation for the movement.

Hopefully, this will be a short-lived situation. Flying should be picking up for the summer, and maybe everything will stabilize out. Till then, I'm off to fly my 91 hr credit line for Feb. (because we are overstaffed).


Must be nice since they keep putting out so many reserve lines that we keep getting this ready reserve crap they dreamed up last year.....
 
we are 110 pilots heavy at the mo...i bet realignment notice to come very soon cos i dont think to many old guys are gonna take the early out
 

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