ASA Bennies

[Whydoitry]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

 

[crj567]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

Simple-

SKYW has not stripped away a lot of the nice stuff under threat of transferring aircraft away. Watch how fast things start to disappear once they whip that one out.

-Provided that one list doesn't come to pass.

 

[79%N1]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

Because you can spread your costs over 100 more airframes. That is how it works, and why growth lowers an airlines costs, because they can spread it over more seats. You really need to stop using your "Low casm" as such a chest pounding tool. If, say, you lost 50 airplanes your casm would thus shoot sky high.

 

[Whydoitry]

Because you can spread your costs over 100 more airframes. That is how it works, and why growth lowers an airlines costs, because they can spread it over more seats. You really need to stop using your "Low casm" as such a chest pounding tool. If, say, you lost 50 airplanes your casm would thus shoot sky high.

Well then how do you compare costs in this industry? That is just how it is, it's not chest pounding, it's how costs are measured.

 

[NotTooBad]

Thanks for the info.... So let me get this straight. If you go in for surgery and you pay out of pocket 2500, then 20% up to 6K? So for doctors visits etc you have to reach the 2500 bucks first before the insurance kicks in? Are there any other options?


We have a 0(zero) deductable plan and then we pay 10% up to 2500 per person or 5000 per family.

That is true but you have to remember it is offset by the lower premiums and the tax savings for the HSA....not to mention anything the company throws in. The company has no scheduled contributions at this time but rumor has it they are going that direction. They did offer 500/1000 (Single/Family) for initial sign ups for the HDHP.

 

[Plainsman]

They should offer 500/1000 single/family a year period. If the company saves money they will do it.

 

[centralpilot]

They should offer 500/1000 single/family a year period.

At the bare minimum. Higher company contributions would encourage more to choose HDHP/HSA option. If we allow the the company to end the PPO plan in contract negotiations (hope not), we'd better lock in generous company HSA contributions and strong limitations on changes that can be made to the HDHP terms (deductibles, max out of pocket, etc.)

 

[sweptback]

All I can say is that I now hope this deal falls through. How is it that things can be so much better at XJT and we still have the lowest CASM?

Things are so good at XJT that you lost money last quarter, and the quarter before that. If your costs are so low, why are you not making money?

Also, your United airplanes are on a short-term contract. They may be extended, or they may not be. What happens to your costs when the aircraft is parked?

 

[Tarzan]

Comair set the bar, XJT held the bar......where is it going now?

Until they took concessions...... Just sayin!

 

[Whydoitry]

When I say things are good at XJT I am referring to our contract and benefits. You can have the lowest costs but if you don't charge enough to cover them you're going to lose money. I never said we had great management, although until about a year ago I did support them.

As for concessions, yes we bent over and took it, but that was only to our pay rates, no work rules, and our rates are still at the top of the industry. Hell, had we not taken those concessions, our rates would have been higher than than just about all other regional's 70/90 seat rates. Just sayin....

 

[79%N1]

And your company can't charge enough to make money to cover the high cost of your industry leading contract. If they charge more, their mainline partners (Continental, United) would have given the work to someone else. They HAD to take the deals at razor thin margins or LOSE the business to someone else! We were told this when XJT took our LAX flying; that we were so underbid and that XJT was operating at near zero margin to get the planes in the air. This is why XJT is no longer profitable. If you think your management should have or could have cut costs elsewhere then so be it. What were your ideas?

There has to be a balance. ASA's contract is near the top in every category, and the company is making money. I want more, more, more.....but I also want a job. I love your pay rates and work rules. I hope they bring them here, but not at the expense of our flying contracts with Delta and United.

 

[skootertrash]

That is true but you have to remember it is offset by the lower premiums and the tax savings for the HSA....not to mention anything the company throws in. The company has no scheduled contributions at this time but rumor has it they are going that direction. They did offer 500/1000 (Single/Family) for initial sign ups for the HDHP.

What are the monthly premiums? I'm paying 230$ a month for the 90/10% plan with max out of pocket of 2500 per person/5000 family.

 

[Nevets]

Along the same subject. When are we gonna stop funding the competiveness of our company with our benefits?

The cost of EVERYTHING, fuel, planes, etc is rising. Instead of raising ticket prices they are raping everybody's contracts.

Well, you should vote for PBS because you need to be cost competitive.

Because you can spread your costs over 100 more airframes. That is how it works, and why growth lowers an airlines costs, because they can spread it over more seats. You really need to stop using your "Low casm" as such a chest pounding tool. If, say, you lost 50 airplanes your casm would thus shoot sky high.

We already lost 30 aircraft and yet still have a low CASM.

Things are so good at XJT that you lost money last quarter, and the quarter before that. If your costs are so low, why are you not making money?

Because we were whipsawed by SKW.

Also, your United airplanes are on a short-term contract. They may be extended, or they may not be. What happens to your costs when the aircraft is parked?

What happens to our costs if UAL wants more of our aircraft flying for them?

Until they took concessions...... Just sayin!

Actually, our pay rates and work rules are still industry leading despite the concessions...just saying!

And your company can't charge enough to make money to cover the high cost of your industry leading contract. If they charge more, their mainline partners (Continental, United) would have given the work to someone else. They HAD to take the deals at razor thin margins or LOSE the business to someone else! We were told this when XJT took our LAX flying; that we were so underbid and that XJT was operating at near zero margin to get the planes in the air. This is why XJT is no longer profitable. If you think your management should have or could have cut costs elsewhere then so be it. What were your ideas?

There has to be a balance. ASA's contract is near the top in every category, and the company is making money. I want more, more, more.....but I also want a job. I love your pay rates and work rules. I hope they bring them here, but not at the expense of our flying contracts with Delta and United.

Yeah our company cannot cover costs thanks to your management. Our management is supposedly working on cutting costs by up to $40 million. Their ideas can be found on their SEC filing under Operations: Green Light.

But with the estimated $70 million a year savings SKW is predicting on only merging two operations, there is absolutely no reason why some of that should flow to the pilots and still be competitive as a company. Now throw in additional savings from merging three operations into one, there is absolutely no reason why the synergy costs savings should not be equitably distributed to pilots as well.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Well, you should vote for PBS because you need to be cost competitive.

Competition dictates the fact that you have to be cost competitive...The only unions that don't have to worry about being "cost competitive" are the public workers unions because they don't have competition...They simply borrow more and tax us more when they hold a gun to the head of their management.

We already lost 30 aircraft and yet still have a low CASM.

Because we were whipsawed by SKW.

You were "whipsawed" by CAL....We are all simply "lift providers", and our own union doesn't acknowledge that we "own" any of our own flying. The "whipsaw" comes from the "brand" putting out RFPs for flying....Jerry is simply trying to win long term RFPs...If you have a problem with that "game", then you need to lobby ALPA to change the game or the rules of the game.

Actually, our pay rates and work rules are still industry leading despite the concessions...just saying!

Then why did you take the concessions? In addition, go back and look at your contract when it was negotiated. You sold out the FOs originally by not negotiating 60% capt. pay for FOs....It was industry standard by the time you negotiated your contract. ASA had it back in 1998 and CMR had it before that....Don't fall off that high horse you're on.....

Yeah our company cannot cover costs thanks to your management. Our management is supposedly working on cutting costs by up to $40 million. Their ideas can be found on their SEC filing under Operations: Green Light.

So this all Skywest fault? Get real....You are being whipsawed by the fact that we are all independant contractors bidding on flying....If you don't like it, change the game...

But with the estimated $70 million a year savings SKW is predicting on only merging two operations, there is absolutely no reason why some of that should flow to the pilots and still be competitive as a company. Now throw in additional savings from merging three operations into one, there is absolutely no reason why the synergy costs savings should not be equitably distributed to pilots as well.

Margins are getting squeezed by the "brand" carriers....Skywest Inc is barely making $70 million a year. At ASA, the net margins are about 80% less than they were 12 years ago.

 

[Nevets]

Competition dictates the fact that you have to be cost competitive...The only unions that don't have to worry about being "cost competitive" are the public workers unions because they don't have competition...They simply borrow more and tax us more when they hold a gun to the head of their management.

And there comes a point when enough is enough and its not worth it anymore. If the company wants to be cost competitive, look for savings somewhere else. Its not like we get paid fairly to begin with.

You were "whipsawed" by CAL....We are all simply "lift providers", and our own union doesn't acknowledge that we "own" any of our own flying. The "whipsaw" comes from the "brand" putting out RFPs for flying....Jerry is simply trying to win long term RFPs...If you have a problem with that "game", then you need to lobby ALPA to change the game or the rules of the game.

CAL was able to whipsaw us thanks to the non-union pilots at SKW. Of course whipsaw comes from mainline. But we don't need to add another layer of whipsaw from regional management as well.

Then why did you take the concessions? In addition, go back and look at your contract when it was negotiated. You sold out the FOs originally by not negotiating 60% capt. pay for FOs....It was industry standard by the time you negotiated your contract. ASA had it back in 1998 and CMR had it before that....Don't fall off that high horse you're on.....

Look, you don't have to keep revisiting the past to justify or rationalize your way of thinking. Right here right now, JA wants to trample our scope. That is wrong no matter what happened in the past.

So this all Skywest fault? Get real....You are being whipsawed by the fact that we are all independant contractors bidding on flying....If you don't like it, change the game...

Well, actually part of it is. Like I've already explained to you. Anyways, change the game? What do you think holding strong on one list is? We want to change the game so that we aren't also whipsawed by JA every time CAL, UAL, or DAL put out another RFP. Its bad enough already!

Margins are getting squeezed by the "brand" carriers....Skywest Inc is barely making $70 million a year. At ASA, the net margins are about 80% less than they were 12 years ago.

And BR said ASA/XJT will be making $35 million a year after soc while they have $800 million in the bank. I'm not talking about killing the goose.