Comair is done

[JECKEL]

The letter put out by the Comair MEC this morning implies, slightly, that this isn't over yet. And they may be partially right.

If the Comair pilot group were to agree to huge concessions they just might save a few airframes. Maybe 10 to 15, but the vast majority those are slated to leave will do so on schedule.

 

[silver02ex]

Today was the first time I was in CVG in almost 2 years. The last time I was here I parked at the NWA gates. Now CVG is not what I remember it. It's sad to hear about this news today. I wish you all Comair guys the best.

 

[Baronman]

The letter put out by the Comair MEC this morning implies, slightly, that this isn't over yet. And they may be partially right.

If the Comair pilot group were to agree to huge concessions they just might save a few airframes. Maybe 10 to 15, but the vast majority those are slated to leave will do so on schedule.

Aren't they already under a concessionary contract? Just from the looks of it (on APC) they don't get 100% DH pay, their salaries look so-so, matching is so-so, per diem also.....How much more can they cut?

 

[agonyairfo]

This is not about concessions. This is not about the strike either. This is about Delta trying to lose lots of "unwanted" 50s. We are the only place they can take them from penalty free. I think that is it. Now I am not saying they won't try to also get concessions out of this. They will. The memo alludes (elludes? whatever. deal with it! Mitt's going to question my intelligence.) to that fact. I do think that Delta sees definite "bonuses" in all of this.

1. We happen to have the oldest 50s.
2. We have the most senior/highest pay roll (easy there! ...relatively speaking)
3. They can sleep better by telling themselves we did it to ourselves during the strike.
4. They can look like they are really tough on unions. "You want some of the Comair treatment too!?"

This was going to happen period. We could/should say we will offer them %50 off on all pay rates if we can keep all the a/c. They would go out in the hallway and not have a freaking clue what to do next. Because those aircraft are going away period and we all know it. The only hope is that not as many or not as soon. I for one won't give up a penny just to prolong the inevitable a few months. This is just "business." Save a few bucks while you can and try to get a job while your "current."

Good luck everyone

 

[DX Rick]

It's a negotiation. Delta wants us to work for free. We don't want to work for free. It's in the middle somewhere. I'm sure that if we make the deal of the century with Delta (we have a shill management called "Comair") they won't furlough anyone. Why would they? They aren't getting rid of ALL of their 50 seat lift, and if we agree to work significantly cheaper than other carriers guess where all that flying goes?

I think that more than anything Delta wants to use us as leverage.

Comair is already making less than SKW and ASA pilots. If they really wanted to sell us, they could have when the two other sales happened.
My question is "Why release this info now?" It's not going to start until 2nd QTR in 2011. Is it management trying to keep us up to date with all the latest info? I don't think so Tim.
My predictions :
-Another round of early buy outs.
-Possibly voluntary furloughs for higher seniority numbers.
-Former Freedom DO....now expect Freedom wages.

 

[Gobi Gred]

Very sorry for the Comair employees today. At one time it looked like that Comair would someday be an independent airline. I still remember their ads in USA today and wondering what they would look like in 10 years. Then came the Delta buyout and the strike. It never seemed the same after that. Good luck to all Comair employees!

 

[WayBack]

What does this do to that "merger assessment" fee you guys had to pay into?

 

[Capi_Cafre']

This is what it is all about: driving costs down, and not just at Comair.

Coming soon, to an airline near you!

Yep, it sounds like the same thing is happening at Horizon, the only other airline to capitalize on Comair's success at the table. At least Comair will still have some viable airframes left after the dust settles. Horizon's doubly screwed trying to compete with an all-turboprop fleet. I just jumpseated home from the bay area the other day on a Dash 8. I'm sure that's going to go really well for them.

 

[WSurf]

This sucks! Piedmont/ALG went through this..... 110 Airframes down to 44! Good Luck Comair Folks. We at Piedmont know all to well.

 

[79%N1]

This sucks! Piedmont/ALG went through this..... 110 Airframes down to 44! Good Luck Comair Folks. We at Piedmont know all to well.

At least a lot of them (allot as another poster spelled it today) got to go to Mid Atlantic as that was happening, a place to thin the ranks. Where are the Comair folks going to go? Most majors are still not hiring or are done for now, and Net Jets is no longer an out option for people escaping 121.

This sucks for those guys, and even the Freedumb guys.

 

[at7driver]

Good luck guys

 

[WSurf]

At least a lot of them (allot as another poster spelled it today) got to go to Mid Atlantic as that was happening, a place to thin the ranks. Where are the Comair folks going to go? Most majors are still not hiring or are done for now, and Net Jets is no longer an out option for people escaping 121.

This sucks for those guys, and even the Freedumb guys.

True, it did help with some of the pain.

 

[Bugsmasher Plus]

This is not about concessions. This is not about the strike either. This is about Delta trying to lose lots of "unwanted" 50s. We are the only place they can take them from penalty free. I think that is it. Now I am not saying they won't try to also get concessions out of this. They will. The memo alludes (elludes? whatever. deal with it! Mitt's going to question my intelligence.) to that fact. I do think that Delta sees definite "bonuses" in all of this.

1. We happen to have the oldest 50s.
2. We have the most senior/highest pay roll (easy there! ...relatively speaking)
3. They can sleep better by telling themselves we did it to ourselves during the strike.
4. They can look like they are really tough on unions. "You want some of the Comair treatment too!?"

This was going to happen period. We could/should say we will offer them %50 off on all pay rates if we can keep all the a/c. They would go out in the hallway and not have a freaking clue what to do next. Because those aircraft are going away period and we all know it. The only hope is that not as many or not as soon. I for one won't give up a penny just to prolong the inevitable a few months. This is just "business." Save a few bucks while you can and try to get a job while your "current."

Good luck everyone

I'm sorry, this is indeed all about the strike. Comair has not been able to compete since that CBA was signed and has lost all subsequent growth as a result while others have flourished.

One of the major points behind the strike was to make Comair a career rather than a traditional stopping point on the way to a major for pilots. As a devoted former Comair employee who lived through the strike, there is no aspect of the strike that hasn't manifested itself throughout the years as "lesser" regional airlines have flourished providing long term job security through growth opportunities because they were cost effective.

I'm heartbroken to see this happen there.. so sad to see such a great airline hanging on by a thread. Also, if anybody thinks that the unions are going to "play nice" and give concessions, it's not going to happen and that will probably be the end of the company.

 

[regionaltard]

One of the major points behind the strike was to make Comair a career rather than a traditional stopping point on the way to a major for pilots. As a devoted former Comair employee who lived through the strike, there is no aspect of the strike that hasn't manifested itself throughout the years as "lesser" regional airlines have flourished providing long term job security through growth opportunities because they were cost effective.

The really sad thing is that there would probably be exactly the same number of small jet airframes flying today if everyone had stood up and fought for Comair money. Instead, we had the Freedom debacle and the beginning of what someone much funnier than me called the "SJS Prodigy Air" era.

 

[Flyprdu]

Unfortunately for you guys, Comair is first in a case study of the Regional Airline model. We now know that without a complete revamping of fleet or business model, a regional airline has a lifespan of approximately 20 years.