ASA Furloughs

[ASABound]

Yesterday 5-20-03 in Jackson, TN I heard a rumor of ASA furloughs from an ASA pilot. Anyone know anything about this or is this just another rumor someone is starting. Any news would be great !! Thanks

 

[FL000]

Rumor...one that I haven't heard yet; not in the cockpit, the pilots' lounge or anywhere else. I think that one would have made some ripples.

 

[Ted Striker]

Furloughs

I heard it too. We are going to ax about 1600 or so, start over with ten dudes and a twotter and see if we can do it right this time.

 

[sleepy]

Hummmm......This rumor was floating aroung a few months ago. It never happened. Here are some reasons I can think of why it won't:

1. We are still interviewing.
2. We just saw a lot of growth in DFW and to the West (ok, we have more seats, but fewer cockpits).
3. DAL bookings are up 13% over last year, and the Summer travel season is predicted to be pretty good.
4. We are short of pilots on the CRJ (will change when all of the EMB people get out of training.
5. Better rumor that DAL will leave SLC and take over DEN hub from United.

Why it could happen:

1. The unpredictable always happens at ASA.
2. We could be overstaffed when the EMB transition is complete in the Fall.
3. FA's are being offered unpaid leaves (yet hiring continues).
4. Guys on military leave will start returning soon.
5. We are in contract talks, and the company may want to dick with us.
6. General Lee wants our pilots to feel some pain

 

[Huck]

I can see it now - George and John come out of exile, buy a load of Bandits, Macon to Columbus to Albany, just like the (bad) old days....

 

[bailout]

This question came up in recurrent a couple weeks back. I doubt VERY seriously this will ever happen here. (unless another tragedy) Sleepy, you need to look at the July prelims. There are only about 12 guys left to finish up transitions. In ATL we are going to have over 70 F/Os on reserve and 80 Capts. This is why those rumors get started. With the lines getting even less next month, how can the company support all of the excess pilots ? Fuloughs! NOT. There is supposedly a big expansion propsed for Sept 1st, so we will see. The prelims also show that we are @ 20 F/Os short on the RJ in DFW. SO if anything happens first, it will be the moving the bottom twenty guys in ATL over to DFW. Then we will be set in both hubs for awhile.

ANd the newest rumor?? What was the head of flight ops doing in Phoenix last week? Meetings about what? HHmmm, a PHX base?? Makes sense to go along with the Sept expansion, which includes all west coast cities. Although a rumor it is, he was indeed in PHX.

 

[C-5 MEM]

I am wondering something. A few weeks ago I was in Jackson Tn. This pilot came up and started a conversation. He stated he was a pilot with ACA. When I started asking questions about whats going on, things did not make sense. When I started asking questions about training and what jet he was flying he was way off base. When I asked him his employee number it was an strange number. Later I found out by one of the line guys he was full of it. I see in this post about an ASA pilot. Man.... Jackson TN is full of pilots I see.
Whats next? I space shuttle pilot...........

 

[asarjfo]

Re: Furloughs

I heard it too. We are going to ax about 1600 or so, start over with ten dudes and a twotter and see if we can do it right this time.

LMAO!!!

 

[sleepy]

This question came up in recurrent a couple weeks back. I doubt VERY seriously this will ever happen here. (unless another tragedy) Sleepy, you need to look at the July prelims. There are only about 12 guys left to finish up transitions. In ATL we are going to have over 70 F/Os on reserve and 80 Capts. This is why those rumors get started. With the lines getting even less next month, how can the company support all of the excess pilots ? Fuloughs! NOT. There is supposedly a big expansion propsed for Sept 1st, so we will see. The prelims also show that we are @ 20 F/Os short on the RJ in DFW. SO if anything happens first, it will be the moving the bottom twenty guys in ATL over to DFW. Then we will be set in both hubs for awhile.

ANd the newest rumor?? What was the head of flight ops doing in Phoenix last week? Meetings about what? HHmmm, a PHX base?? Makes sense to go along with the Sept expansion, which includes all west coast cities. Although a rumor it is, he was indeed in PHX.

I have not seen the July prelims yet. So if we open a Western crew base, how many people do you think will leave ATL to go there? Seems to me that it would be alot cheaper for them to just get MESA to fly for DCI out of PHX?

 

[bailout]

I agree with you, I doubt a PHX base would happen at all. But just curious on what was going on out there. Probably just looking to add a leg to pass through there on the way to somehwere else. Keep in mind ASA was asked twice over the last 2 years if we could pick up the connection flying out of LAX (instead of Eagle), and both times we said we werent equipped to handle it. Maybe we are ready now?

 

[Ted Striker]

I heard the deal with LAX is that it is hard to make $$ out there, just like Florida. That's why we didn't take it. The only way Eagle makes it is they are double dipping for AA, AS, NW, DL connection flying. And we know how Chitaco can make money in FL......

As far as a western base, I doubt it. That was rumor when I was new here over 3 years ago. Sunsabitches!!!!

 

[sgu]

I heard the deal with LAX is that it is hard to make $$ out there, just like Florida. That's why we didn't take it. The only way Eagle makes it is they are double dipping for AA, AS, NW, DL connection flying.

And CO too....!

 

[wil]

We will have a western base, not if but when. Eagle is flying Delta Connection because at the time we were not big enough and Skywest has contractual obligations to United. The contract carriers that are in the "fingercuff" position with the big boyz are going to get burned and we will benefit. Now, if we could ditch the contract carriers altogether we would have enough flying to bring the furloughs off the street! Fly safe!

 

[Ted Striker]

We will have a western base, not if but when. Eagle is flying Delta Connection because at the time we were not big enough and Skywest has contractual obligations to United. The contract carriers that are in the "fingercuff" position with the big boyz are going to get burned and we will benefit. Now, if we could ditch the contract carriers altogether we would have enough flying to bring the furloughs off the street! Fly safe!

I have heard Skippy in recurrent state that we will have a western base "over his dead body". I don't know if this was TIC or not, but I know it sure as hell hasn't happened yet. At ASA, I believe it when I see it. About half of it comes true, and the half that does takes three times as long as they say it will.

 

[wil]

Ted- just remember that the CRJ is no different than the EMB, it
is just harder to put the baseball cards in the spokes!
I heard the same thing but it just seems logical (I know, I know) for us to have a west coast presence. I think that we are in for some major news soon- at least I hope so, I am getting sick and tired of being in the basement at DFW!

 

[sleepy]

Skip probably realizes that the management we have is hard pressed to run just the two bases we already have. I doubt they can handle anything more. We are under the FAA microscope (per Mr. King, the new POI), and they may have told Skip to put the brakes on our growth for a while.

I guess a new base would be great, unless it causes us to shrink ATL or DFW in the process. Where are the new airframes going to come from? Our order is complete this year (per Skip). What if they open a new base with half of the jets in ATL, and then bring Conair (they just got 6 more new ATL flights today) or Chit into ATL to take over half of the ATL hub flying. Who wants to be displaced in something like that?

Flame away!

 

[bailout]

>>I guess a new base would be great, unless it causes us to shrink ATL or DFW in the process. Where are the new airframes going to come from? Our order is complete this year (per Skip). What if they open a new base with half of the jets in ATL, and then bring Conair (they just got 6 more new ATL flights today) or Chit into ATL to take over half of the ATL hub flying. Who wants to be displaced in something like that?<<

I agree, but ATL is shrinking anyway. We are supposed to be at @180 lines by Aug. Down from 220 in April, to 210 in May, to 204 in June. Makes sense though, 8 RJs to replace 15 EMBs in ATL.
Yeah we're growing alright.. NOT. Were simply shifting our flying to DFW.

 

[CF34-3B1]

I have not seen the July prelims yet. So if we open a Western crew base, how many people do you think will leave ATL to go there? Seems to me that it would be alot cheaper for them to just get MESA to fly for DCI out of PHX?

Thankfully, Mesa can't fly for DCI, they fly a/c over 70 seats. If they didn't I'm sure there would already be Mesa RJs in DFW flying to HOU or CAE or something.

 

[MetroSheriff]

Thankfully, Mesa can't fly for DCI, they fly a/c over 70 seats. If they didn't I'm sure there would already be Mesa RJs in DFW flying to HOU or CAE or something.

Indeed.

Per the new contract at Mesa, they don't have to pay their pilots.

That would put us at a tremedous disadvantage in the effort to keep some of the outsourced Delta feed.

 

[Huck]

Whoever heard of Delta ignoring a contract clause....