Anything new at CommutAir?

[Airplane]

Just wondering what's going on at CommutAir these days. Any movement with the seniority list? I heard there were a few recalls a month or so ago.

Seems like Andy doesn't like to update the 800 talkline...

Thanks,

Airplane

 

[CornJulio]

Yeah, there were a few recalls; I think 16 have been called back so far. But the overall size of the pilot group is shrinking. At furlough time, we dropped to 130, but we've lost quite a few to Executive Jet and a few other commuters and haven't done as many recalls to compensate. We're down to around 105 active pilots, I think.

We have lost money every month since the codeshare change over a year ago. We should be out of business by now by all rights, but a lawsuit by the pilot group asserting fraud and embezzlement relating to the ESOP is (I think) what's keeping us going right now.

Since the jackasses in PLB negotiated a codeshare agreement that specifically excludes us from CO's hubs, we've had to form a hub of our own. So Albany has turned into CommutAir's "hub" of sorts. It's improving things a little bit, but passenger loads are still embarassingly low because we're not feeding the mainline carrier at all. There's very little marketing to speak of; our agreement with CO was that we'd do our own marketing, so we got a lower franchise fee.

But our "in-house" marketing is virtually nonexistent as far as I can tell. And Continental's reservations system generally prefers to route people on Express, not us. The fact that the flights through Albany are generally single flight numbers (meaning they can list the flight as "direct," even though it stops) will hopefully help us come to the top of the list between some city pairs, and hopefully it'll mean a little more revenue. But it's probably too little, too late.

I hope we can hold out a little longer...at least until the better companies are actively hiring again.

 

[walkthasky]

who are you?

Hey cornjulio, were you based in syr. over the summer??
i was there for a short time, just curious if i knew ya!

 

[sparky]

recalls

I got a call the other day from Terry to tell me I'm recalled, but I'm not goin' back to that sinkin' ship, baby

Sparky (pilot 601)

Good Luck to all we had fun while it lasted

 

[BE1900DATP]

CornJulio and others that feel like you

I hope we can hold out a little longer...at least until the better companies are actively hiring again.

I have a question to ask... I'm not sure who you are, but with the current standing of our pilots, you've been here for a while. The question is the better companies were actively hiring when you interviewed here, why did you turn them down? Did someone hold a gun to your head at the interview and say you have to work here? Did they intercept a resumes of yours while you were faxing it to Delta?

The pointy that I am trying to make is that everyone came to this company for different reasons. The number one reason that I have heard is the experiance and the fast upgrade. Well the upgrades have stoped, but the experiance hasn't. I do feel for the FO's out there that were supposed to upgrade, but had their classes canceled. But what about the people ahead of us that had to instruct for 5 years to get a right seat job, then sit there for another 5 years before upgrading. Are you better then them? This industry is cyclical and we are in a cycle right now.

As far as the Jackasses in PLB go, I'm willing to bet that they don't have the first clue about flying the D down to mins in a snowstorm while chucking ice, then turning the airplane in 10 min to go out and do it again. And I'm also willing to bet that you don't have the first clue how to run an airline. Look at history, if the owners were as idiotic as people like to think, I don't think that the company would have survived as long as it has. Now the owners don't try to tell us how to do our job... let try not to tell them how to do their's.


I'll admit that things could be better, but until they change, there's really nothing to complain about, the pay checks are still clearing the bank, and the fuel and hotel bills are being paid.... Better then at Great Lakes anyway


Just my 2cts worth

 

[Boeingman]

Since the jackasses in PLB negotiated a codeshare agreement that specifically excludes us from CO's hubs, we've had to form a hub of our own.

The reason you don't fly into CAL's hubs is because it is a violation of the scope agreement for CAL and CALEX.

 

[CornJulio]

Re: CornJulio and others that feel like

Did someone hold a gun to your head at the interview and say you have to work here? Did they intercept a resumes of yours while you were faxing it to Delta?

As you said, people came here for lots of different reasons. Like most, I came here because it was a thriving company with a strong codeshare and quick upgrades. Now it's none of the above, and it's purely because management made a serious miscalculation. They thought US Airways was bluffing when they said they wouldn't renew us unless we got a bigger airplane.

We bought a bunch of new 1900's, and they almost immediately dropped us and hired Colgan, Trans States, and now Shuttle America to fill the void. Our steadfastly clinging to the 1900 while the rest of the world was upgrading is what sank us. It's a terrific plane, but its day has passed.

Well the upgrades have stoped, but the experiance {sic} hasn't.

SIC time isn't going to do much for career advancement. We came here for PIC time, and it's never going to happen at this company for more than half our original pilot group. PIC time is what the bigger fish are looking for, and since it's never going to happen for lots of folks here, they've basically wasted two years of their time. They're going to have to start at another commuter's right seat and spend a couple more years before they'll get that coveted turbine PIC time.

But what about the people ahead of us that had to instruct for 5 years to get a right seat job, then sit there for another 5 years before upgrading. Are you better then them? This industry is cyclical and we are in a cycle right now.

Better than them? Not at all; they were vicims of industry circumstance. But CommutAir's woes aren't part of any industry cycle. It fell apart while other commuters were making money hand over fist, and it fell apart before 9/11's impact on the industry.

As far as the Jackasses in PLB go... I'm also willing to bet that you don't have the first clue how to run an airline.

As evidenced by our current financial problems, it's clear they don't either. They used to. I don't know what changed. But that's my point--A smart company would have restructured management when the company was in trouble, but this one didn't. It just cut the operation in half, presumably so we wouldn't lose money as fast while they figured out what to do.

Now the owners don't try to tell us how to do our job...

Yes they do.

... let try not to tell them how to do their's.

It's clear that they need help, or we wouldn't have half our employees out on the street. Why they don't hire a professional consulting and marketing firm is still a mystery to me. They seem to be just sitting there wondering why the passengers aren't flocking to our planes. (Planes that are now competing directly with the Dash-8's that replaced us at US Airways.) Most of our former passengers never knew we existed because they were US Airways customers. They still are. We need to get the word out.

I'll admit that things could be better, but until they change, there's really nothing to complain about,

What planet are you living on? We closed half a dozen crew bases, people are spending half their lives commuting from these bases (some that we don't even fly to anymore), they're working >14-hour days with hours upon hours sitting on the ground (and no duty rig)... need I go on? I'll agree nothing much is accomplished by complaining, but there certainly is plenty to compain about.

And before you tell me not to let the door hit me on the tail on my way out, I'm one of many who was hired for a new job after our furlough, but had the class date rescinded in the wake of the 11th. Don't worry, I'm working on it. I used to love this job and this company, but I stopped caring when they did. Like everyone here, I'll do a professional and safe job, but that's about all.

...the pay checks are still clearing the bank, and the fuel and hotel bills are being paid.... Better then at Great Lakes anyway

I hear that... Rumor has it GL's management is asking their employees to accept double-occupancy of the hotels on overnights. I'm glad we're not that far gone yet.

I'm sure this reads as more hostile than I meant it to. My frustration is directed at our management group, not at you. As I said, I hope things improve for us. I just think it'll take a bigger change than PLB is willing to make for it to happen. Let's hope; I'd love to see this company be great again.

 

[Beechnut]

What's really funny is that the Dash 8 was the faster aircraft in that story.

S.

 

[waveoff]

BE1900DATP, you got some brown stuff on your nose. Perhaps you should change your name to COMPANY MAN. Maybe if everyone was in the training dept. like you they would think like you. It's too bad that you've got management's veil over your eyes and have forgotten what it's like to be a LINE PILOT. You're so two faced in your post...but then again, everytime you open your mouth you make an a$$ out of yourself.

 

[BE1900DATP]

Sorry guys... I think you have me confuse with someone else.... The guy that you are talking about used BE1900DPilot....

 

[Colonel Cairo]

I don't think so!

Sinkrate,

You put your name on the old board so don't BS us, there's no confusion here. You know that once someone finds out who you are the news spreads like wildfire to anybody who's interested. Maybe you should try a new screen name. Just remember to keep your identity under wraps because despite the fact that this isn't a company board, management does monitor it.

 

[CornJulio]

Furlough status

Just in case anyone out there who hasn't found something else is wondering when they'll be called back, CommutAir is currently up to pilot #615 for the upcoming bid. That leaves, I believe, just 25 people on the seniority list to be called.

I guess there's SOME movement in the industry, or we wouldn't still be losing people.

 

[deskjobssuck]

Things are definitely moving at CommutAir. A bunch of guys and girls have gone to ExecJet, Airtran and Comair according to the 'Burg. keep your fingers crossed and hopefully everyone will be back online soon.

 

[walkthasky]

ive heard similar things up there. i talked to scheduling the other day and the whole "recovery" effort is done, and they are on the upswing. They plan to have everyone recalled in 3 or 4 months, maybe sooner. Also, they have plans to bring back 2 planes a month this summer some time, so im assuming they are gonna hire again soon. yeah, who would of thought???

 

[I.P. Freley]

Yay!

I hope that the news is true, that CA is on the upswing. I left to go elsewhere, but always hoped they would get back on their feet. Good news for all the remaining furloughees! WOO HOO! I know a few people who are eagerly awaiting their recalls, I'm sure they are thrilled.

 

[KingAirer]

So i guess the new "hub" design is working? Do you see a growing future for Commutair?

 

[CornJulio]

So i guess the new "hub" design is working?

Compared to the non-hub system, well, it's working better anyway. But we're still way below break-even on average. We're stunned if the passenger loads make it into the double digits, because it happens so rarely.

Unless we get into one of the hubs of our "partner," Continental, we'll never turn this around.

Do you see a growing future for Commutair?

Absolutely not. Coming to work here would be like buying a ticket on the Titanic after it hit the iceberg. Several years ago it really had potential, but since they blew the codeshare with US Airways, it's been downhill ever since.

Run away. Run fast.

 

[walkthasky]

who are you cornjulio?

were or are you based in syr ???