Comair Pilots Leaving

[JonnyKnoxville]

All I seem to hear from everyone around the Comair campus is the talk about how so many Comair pilots are leaving after the bankruptcy claim payout. I have only met one pilot who is actually leaving out of the apparently HUGE group leaving. The payout is June 5th, just a few days away. What do you think will be the monthly attrition rate. I bet it is hardly a change at all from the current rate.

 

[Clark W.]

All I seem to hear from everyone around the Comair campus is the talk about how so many Comair pilots are leaving after the bankruptcy claim payout. I have only met one pilot who is actually leaving out of the apparently HUGE group leaving. The payout is June 5th, just a few days away. What do you think will be the monthly attrition rate. I bet it is hardly a change at all from the current rate.

So you hear that many pilots are leaving, but then sum it up with only knowing of ONE pilot who is actually leaving....out of 1600 pilots.

Hasn't the pay out been delayed for about a month or two now? I bet you anything it gets delayed again, especially if ALPA has thier hand on the money.
Speaking of this money and ALPA. Who is getting the intrest that is building, while $60+ million is just sitting in the bank. ALPA sure hasn;t mentioned anything about that cash.

In the end, Yes. Many guys are leaving. I know several who are leaving for Cathay, SWA, JB and NetJets.....but they're waiting for the payout before they arange class dates.
Its a damn shame that overnight, they go from the highest paid, to another Mesa Production, thanks to the fine work of ALPA. Let me guess "We hard our backs to the wall" or "it's the better of two choices!"

Eat it ALPA.

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

So you hear that many pilots are leaving, but then sum it up with only knowing of ONE pilot who is actually leaving....out of 1600 pilots.

Hasn't the pay out been delayed for about a month or two now? I bet you anything it gets delayed again, especially if ALPA has thier hand on the money.
Speaking of this money and ALPA. Who is getting the intrest that is building, while $60+ million is just sitting in the bank. ALPA sure hasn;t mentioned anything about that cash.

In the end, Yes. Many guys are leaving. I know several who are leaving for Cathay, SWA, JB and NetJets.....but they're waiting for the payout before they arange class dates.
Its a damn shame that overnight, they go from the highest paid, to another Mesa Production, thanks to the fine work of ALPA. Let me guess "We hard our backs to the wall" or "it's the better of two choices!"

Eat it ALPA.

I think ALPA gave the company 30-days to pay out the claim once the allotted amount given to each pilot was figured out. I heard they did this because the company had the resources to set up the payout whereas ALPA would have had to create a payout system. So, overall, I believe the company has held onto the money for at least three of the four weeks and maybe all four. So they are definitely taking their cut of interest on our money. It will pay on June 5.

Currently, ALPA is a very weak and ineffective union but I feel that they did an okay job on the bankrupcy claim payout.

 

[DX Rick]

A lot of guys are big talkers. For instance, I had a guy bitching about the airline and how much it sucked...blah blah blah. Typical stuff.
I asked him where he has his resume into, and where he wanted to go. Response "Man, I ain't leaving! I got to much time invested into this place!"

"how long you been here?"

"4yrs man!"

Everyone is leaving until its comes to the time to leave.

 

[agonyairfo]

Back to the original topic, attrition rate after the pay-out...

I don't think there will be a huge "spike." I think that a few people will leave aviation altogether, so they have the flexibility to wait until the payout and can basically quit the next day. BUt most other pilots wanting to leave for good jobs (ones that take 6+months to get) already were looking to leave before they even knew there would be a payout. It would be tricky to plan your departure that closely when ultimately it isn't up to you. You can't decide if/when you get hired somewhere and when they will call you for class. I realise that some places you can postpone a class (like SWA with waitinng to get the type) but typically it seems to be that most employers will only let you pass up one class if any.

 

[Hovernut]

Well, "Johnny," I hope there are enough CAs bailing so's my upgrade class re-convenes lickety-split! If I'm getting booted from MCO, I at least want to commute for 4 bars!!

 

[imacdog]

Everyone is leaving until its comes to the time to leave.

I left. I see numerous former Comair pilots at my new job. If you think the attrition hasn't skyrocketed since the bankruptcy then you are kidding yourself. I'm really curious to see what happens after the payout and base closures. People can't just leave overnight though; getting a job at a place other than a crappy regional can take some time.

 

[DX Rick]

I left. I see numerous former Comair pilots at my new job. If you think the attrition hasn't skyrocketed since the bankruptcy then you are kidding yourself. I'm really curious to see what happens after the payout and base closures. People can't just leave overnight though; getting a job at a place other than a crappy regional can take some time.

I know atrition is huge right now, well it was until the pay out. But I know lots of guys are leaving, but not as many as they all claim.

New hires are claiming they're taking thier payouts and leaving for better airlines (Skywest, Express Jet, RAH) since they got thier 121 time, CRJ time, and their times to get them into the doors of other regionals.

 

[CopilotDoug]

New hires are claiming they're taking thier payouts and leaving for better airlines (Skywest, Express Jet, RAH) since they got thier 121 time, CRJ time, and their times to get them into the doors of other regionals.

I'd laugh at this statement if it weren't true.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I don't think that Comair mgmnt has any idea what the hiring situation is, currently, or how much worse it will be in the next few years.

If they were paying attention, they never would've asked for concessions from the pilots-they would've proposed a pay raise so that they could continue to man the planes they have.

I also don't understand why ALPA and the Comair pilots didn't ask for a payraise, explaining to Mgmt the pilot hiring situation.

Did it have to do with bankruptcy???

I think when Comair tries to start recruiting pilots over the next few years, with their low pay, they will be shocked.

cliff
YIP

 

[DX Rick]

Hi!

I don't think that Comair mgmnt has any idea what the hiring situation is, currently, or how much worse it will be in the next few years.

If they were paying attention, they never would've asked for concessions from the pilots-they would've proposed a pay raise so that they could continue to man the planes they have.

I also don't understand why ALPA and the Comair pilots didn't ask for a payraise, explaining to Mgmt the pilot hiring situation.

Did it have to do with bankruptcy???

I think when Comair tries to start recruiting pilots over the next few years, with their low pay, they will be shocked.

cliff
YIP

Are you serious? Managment can give two sh!ts on what the hiring process is like through out the industry. Thats why they decided to drop thier mins to 600TT...heard rumor its only 300/100 now....because they knew they would get new hires in thier with no problem.
They fill every class to about 20 people, and start on every monday.
Rumor is that the June 4th class will be the last one for a while, while they figure out whats going on with the airline.

The airline and alpa knew we were getting bigger airplanes during negotiations. Everyone knew it. They still went in there and negotiated pay cuts, becuase thats what they do best. DAL managment took a bonus for getting us to take a cut. Crap happens every time, and the union sits back and allow to happen.

 

[imacdog]

Keep in mind, that Comair ALPA didn't "just decide to take a cut". The leadership during the first proposal was terrible with no approval preference given, but after that the company actually got court approval to throw out the pilots contract. Many people seem to forget that the company had no legal obligation to give a final proposal (the one that is in effect now) to the pilots. The proposal voted in is actually a fair amount better than the contract that the company was legally allowed to impose. I'm not a huge fan of the CMR ALPA leadership but given the battles they faced, the pilot group and union did fairly well. Not enough for me to stay but there are people out there willing to take my spot.

 

[WateryGrave]

I left over a month ago. What do you think the odds are that some people who have left already will slip through the cracks and still get the full BK payout? I know I'll be checking my fidelity account on Tuesday.

 

[DX Rick]

I left over a month ago. What do you think the odds are that some people who have left already will slip through the cracks and still get the full BK payout? I know I'll be checking my fidelity account on Tuesday.

I bet you'll get it.
They're so up to date on their paperwork, that guys who have quit over 3 months ago are still getting bid awards. Pisses me off, because I'm right at the point where I am supossed to come back to CVG, but can't due to some guy still getting his bids....and he's flying corperate out of Chicago now!

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

So, up to this point, Comair has had no problems filling their new-hire classes?

They would be the 1st regional I've heard of that is having no problems.

cliff
YIP

 

[down2mins]

13 in our class. They said that was a big one.

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

As long as pilots keep showing up for class, management knows they are paying the pilots too much. Not enough in class you say...just lower the mins. Still not enough...conditionally hire them before they have a single flight hour in a plane. Once they are certified the newbies can start flying and get paid for it. There is no bottom!

The answer is for us to control supply in the supply and demand equation.

Pilots need to take note of what doctors have been doing in this country all along. We need to limit the number of pilots allowed to initially train to get their Commercial certificate. The AMA has control over how many people can attend med school in this country. If ALPA or any pro-pilot organization lobbied for this control, we would solve most problems that cause this website to be so popular. In my opinion, that should be the top priority for ALPA and top priority for any airline pilot who would like to have a sustainable future in what is left of this profession.

 

[crxpilot]

As long as pilots keep showing up for class, management knows they are paying the pilots too much. Not enough in class you say...just lower the mins. Still not enough...conditionally hire them before they have a single flight hour in a plane. Once they are certified the newbies can start flying and get paid for it. There is no bottom!

The answer is for us to control supply in the supply and demand equation.

Pilots need to take note of what doctors have been doing in this country all along. We need to limit the number of pilots allowed to initially train to get their Commercial certificate. The AMA has control over how many people can attend med school in this country. If ALPA or any pro-pilot organization lobbied for this control, we would solve most problems that cause this website to be so popular. In my opinion, that should be the top priority for ALPA and top priority for any airline pilot who would like to have a sustainable future in what is left of this profession.

Wow, you would make a great COMMUNIST! :nuts:

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

Wow, you would make a great COMMUNIST! :nuts:

Just like all of the pinko doctors in the country...right?

I would just like to be compensated for the education and responsibilities I have. My high school drop-out neighbor who sells above-ground swimming pools makes more money than I do and he gets every holiday off... oh yeah and he gets to sleep in his own bed every night.

 

[NOLEFAN]

Few will leave

All this talk about leaving is crap. Some will. They will jepordize a great deal to go to the "next big thing". Low cost carriers, transatlantic 76 jobs... wow look at me I made it to the "next level, look at me" jobs... yaddy yaddy yaddy. Whatever. Stay the course don't get ratttled by management crap or ALPA "fraternity I flew an F-16 so I'm entitled to the right seat of the throne: junk. Stay the course. Don't deviate from what your gut tells you to do. Make decisions that are wise. Enjoy your time at work. Its a good profession.