ASA PBS Goes LIVE!

[cybourg10]

Cybourg, do you guys have integration over there buddy ? Where they can don what they want to you during the first 3 days of the month? We had it here. I will publicly say that I voted for PBS just to get rid of integration. there is no doubt about it that the current book language in your contract for line bidding and trading is way better than anything we have ever had here. As much as I want this transition to go off as easy and fast as possible I want the best of your contract and ours. if that means getting rid of PBS and shutting this place down then that is what we shall do. 4000 pilots strong, there is no excuse for not having some excellent bidding and QOL language. I really could care less about hourly pay....not that important. We need to have our duty rig (scheduled or actual, whichever is greater), trip rig, and a min day of at least 4 hours. Not to mention the b fund you guys have. In addition to the QOL language. I personally support whole heartedly in fighting this weak MEC and negotiating Committee at ASA, and keeping what you guys have already payed the price for.......with or without PBS. Look forward to working with you ..

Look forward to working with you guys as well, it will be a great contract and company when it is all said and done. I am excited about the new company including the management team which I have high hopes for.

As far as integration we have similar system in which they can put reserve days, switch pairings due to 30/7 or similar issues. Here at XJT you are pay protected for any changes that exceed 2 hrs (i think) change of pay from your original line value. The junior guys get screwed by this because of the lack of line choices and the senior guys use it to get 7-10 days off in row during transitions. I am all in favor of creating better language to make the bid transitions more productive for us and the company. Most reserve guys always get screwed by the transition (sometimes 6 on 1 off 6 on). XJT contract has some serious weak points when it comes to reserve with the exception of long call and not calling to get released after pairing termination.

For February I got 13 days off with 91 hrs of credit and 6 of my 13 overnights will be at home due to trading for layovers in my hometown. I originally was awarded a line with 12 days off and 90 hrs of credit and 2 hometown layovers so by having the trade system we do I greatly increased my QOL and com-mutability. This is a schedule that I do not think, after my research, PBS would allow me to have unless I was top 10%.

Our B fund definitely needs to stay and be increased. CT was in our crew room after the merger saying us XJT guys would have to lower our 401(k) matches to be more competitive. Not going to happen with my vote.

 

[COOPERVANE]

CT was in our crew room after the merger saying us XJT guys would have to lower our 401(k) matches to be more competitive. Not going to happen with my vote.

CT is a piece of ********************, and he hates pilots. But he will tell you the news without sunshine and flowers. In one RGT class I was in he said "well guys, it looks like you'll be working harder for more days, for less money" He had a little twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his face as he said it.

I'll never forget that

 

[mxaviator]

CT is a piece of ********************, and he hates pilots. But he will tell you the news without sunshine and flowers. In one RGT class I was in he said "well guys, it looks like you'll be working harder for more days, for less money" He had a little twinkle in his eye and a smirk on his face as he said it.

I'll never forget that

Sounds right.
In RGT this time he just talked. He didn't say anything besides what we always hear then just walked out. What ever happened to asking questions? Unless he knew that he had no answers to the important questions routinely asked.

 

[Nevets]

Our B fund definitely needs to stay and be increased. CT was in our crew room after the merger saying us XJT guys would have to lower our 401(k) matches to be more competitive. Not going to happen with my vote.

Our B fund and 401k match going away or being reduced will be a no vote for me unless there is a corresponding increase in pay rates on top of our pay raises.

 

[crj567]

Sounds right.
In RGT this time he just talked. He didn't say anything besides what we always hear then just walked out. What ever happened to asking questions? Unless he knew that he had no answers to the important questions routinely asked.

What is the point in questions? None of those guys could possibly give a bullfrog's left gonad what any of us thinks.

 

[crj567]

Our B fund and 401k match going away or being reduced will be a no vote for me unless there is a corresponding increase in pay rates on top of our pay raises.

Wait 'til they drop the hammer on all of us. CT was mainly responsible for talking the mainline DAL guys into voting thru a bunch of contract concessions "to avoid bankruptcy," and sure enough-they were bankrupt within 6 months anyhow. Ask any Delta guy what they think of "CT."

These guys get paid a lot to screw us, and they have practiced their weapons well. I am afraid they will reduce our combined pilot group to a bunch of sniveling babies-begging for a contract half as good as we used to have.

-They are turds, but they are good at what they do. We ain't dealing with know-nothing lackeys anymore. CT and the gang know the game-they are masters, and they get paid more than we could ever imagine to kick us in the balls.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Does anyone want to discuss what the current ASA profit margin is compared to historical profit margins?

Question: Is ASA currently profitable after the Delta rate reset?

Question: Was XJT profitable?

Question: What was the ASA profit margin back in 1998?

 

[cybourg10]

Does anyone want to discuss what the current ASA profit margin is compared to historical profit margins?

Question: Is ASA currently profitable after the Delta rate reset?

Question: Was XJT profitable?

Question: What was the ASA profit margin back in 1998?

Yes I would.

1) I do not know, are they and what is the current margin?
2) Yes we are on the operation with 244 aircraft but were losing a few million per quarter due to "special items" prior to the merger. Inc says XJT will bring $35-50 million in profit after all synergies are in place.
3) I do not know, what was it? If it was higher than it is now that is because of supply and demand. More RJs now vs in 1998 = lower demand and smaller margins.

What do you think an appropriate margin for this business. I think it is 10%. Now how we get to that 10% we may have disagreements on. What was the average management cost per employee in 1998 and what is that cost now adjusted for inflation?

 

[COOPERVANE]

Does anyone want to discuss what the current ASA profit margin is compared to historical profit margins?

Question: Is ASA currently profitable after the Delta rate reset?

Question: Was XJT profitable?

Question: What was the ASA profit margin back in 1998?

If you divide our profit by the number of flights we operated last year, it is about $29.00 per leg profit. WOOHOO!

Not alot of room for B-funds and massive raises. More room if we cut other areas though!!

 

[dojetdriver]

XJT won the Delta LAX flying in 2007

It was rumored, more like true, that XJT did the 10 aircraft CPA flying at cost. The prorate aircraft hemorrhaged money like crazy. Probably safe to say that DAL didn't want ASA doing that flying anymore. Combine this with it being such a short contract, that no other airline wanted to touch it.

Cybourg, do you guys have integration over there buddy ? Where they can don what they want to you during the first 3 days of the month? We had it here.

No, it's worse. Transition for XJT is 6 days. Where they can pretty much blow your cornhole out and do as they see fit with your line. Move days off, etc. Especially if you want to retain the original line's credit. You can put in a "request" as far as how you'd like them to handle it. But it's a "request" only. It especially sucks for reserve pilots, as mentioned. XJT transition rules suck, period. With that being said, I wouldn't trace XJT's line bid/LIW/trade system for ANY PBS system out there. Combine that with the fact that it's automated and in very few cases requires ANY human interface from a scheduler to execute.

Want good transition rules? Look at AWAC's concessionary 2003 CBA for some of the most pilot friendly. They pretty much got them from the ACA 2000 CBA.

XJT contract has some serious weak points when it comes to reserve with the exception of long call and not calling to get released after pairing termination.

One good thing about the ASA CBA regarding long call is that a long call pilot can NOT sit ready reserve, even if he's been converted to short call. One of the few things where the ASA CBA is better. There's a couple more, but they're minor.