Comair Reserve/Domicile/Upgrade/Future

[CRJ_Driver]

Some questions regarding Comair.

1. What is the current/projected reserve time for JFK and CVG?

2. With base closures, I'd assume a new hire gets a 50/50 chance of CVG or JFK. Is this correct?

3. What is the current/projected upgrade time?

4. What are your thoughts for the future of Comair. Will Delta grow them or Skywest?

5. Lastly, I'm a 121 guy whose been out of the biz for 2 years. Is Comair only interested in low timers or are they open to hiring more experienced guys. Many of you know what I mean.

Thanks!

 

[down2mins]

1. You'll hear different stuff from everyone. What I've heard is current new hires will hold a line in JFK by the end of the year. CVG is over 1.5 yrs.

2. No, JFK for everyone new right now. It will be a while before they figure out how things will work after the GSO/MCO displacements, but maybe by end of year or shortly after, there is a chance of getting back to CVG.

3. I'm not informed enough to speak about that.

4. I think the future looks good. Especially with Delta awarding the 900's... And there is a chance of keeping some of the 50's on property rather than a true one for one exchange.

5. They're hiring all as far as I know.

 

[wmuflyguy]

Some questions regarding Comair.

1. What is the current/projected reserve time for JFK and CVG?

2. With base closures, I'd assume a new hire gets a 50/50 chance of CVG or JFK. Is this correct?

3. What is the current/projected upgrade time?

4. What are your thoughts for the future of Comair. Will Delta grow them or Skywest?

5. Lastly, I'm a 121 guy whose been out of the biz for 2 years. Is Comair only interested in low timers or are they open to hiring more experienced guys. Many of you know what I mean.

Thanks!

1. JFK is like 2 to 3 months till a line. CVG is 2 years (I just got a line after 2 years of reserve).

2. 100% chance of JFK as a new-hire.

3. Last upgrade was 4 years or so seniority I believe.

4. The future is always uncertain as a contract carrier. We aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but may not grow.

5. They will hire anyone qualified that wants the job. They have lowered because the high time pilots for the regional are not easy to come by at the present time. My guess...If you have previous 121 time and you are a decent guy/girl in the interview, they will hire you up in a hurry.

 

[DX Rick]

1. JFK is like 2 to 3 months till a line. CVG is 2 years (I just got a line after 2 years of reserve).

2. 100% chance of JFK as a new-hire.

3. Last upgrade was 4 years or so seniority I believe.

4. The future is always uncertain as a contract carrier. We aren't going anywhere anytime soon, but may not grow.

5. They will hire anyone qualified that wants the job. They have lowered because the high time pilots for the regional are not easy to come by at the present time. My guess...If you have previous 121 time and you are a decent guy/girl in the interview, they will hire you up in a hurry.

This guy knows his stuff!!!

As far as line at JFK, I got one 2 months out of IOE. Should have had one sooner, but thats a whole other story, thanks to crew planning.

WMU, maybe you can answer this, since I am still learning.
Spoke with a lot of MCO and GSO guys. Sounds like MOST of them are going to JFK because of the commute.
Bad thing for new hires is that they will sit rsv longer in JFK because of the HIGH seniority guys there...IF the MCO and GSO transfer up there.

Now wouldn't that increase the flow back to CVG?
Ever since class, they have pushed our return date back a month at a time, to return to CVG. Now we're looking at mid August. It was originally April.

This solid rumor of "250 pilots sent in requests for training records" seems to flying around. Now if there is ANY truth behind that, which I don't doubt. That will also plays into a effect.
I know the atrition has been huge, but slowing up until this pay out is done. Then they're all splitting. We'll find out this week.

As far as hiring. Just dont try and wow them by making up a story that you were a Chief Pilot for a 135 operation flying a DC-3....for a company that no longer exists.
If you're a good person, you'll do fine. Don't be a smart ass, or try to be real cute and funny. I know a guy who did that. He's at ASA now.

 

[Hovernut]

Latest round of upgrades were cancelled after the -900 announcement. So, the junior CA for now is over 5 years.

BK payout tomorrow...we'll see how far the other shoe drops and how that'll affect the June 11 vacancy/displacement bid.

It would be nice to have some NHs with experience like yours. If you satisfy their recency of experience desires (don't know if they require any if at all) you're probably a shoe-in.

Us senior MCO/GSO folk will be pushing the reserve lines down a bit in either domicile. I don't know what the split will be, but I'm guessing a lot from MCO will go to JFK for the commute. GSO is a 2-legger to JFK unless people commute to LGA from CLT. Not being assigned CVG when the upgrade hopefully comes will make the company buy the month-long stay!

Cheers and good luck!

 

[wmuflyguy]

This guy knows his stuff!!!

As far as line at JFK, I got one 2 months out of IOE. Should have had one sooner, but thats a whole other story, thanks to crew planning.

WMU, maybe you can answer this, since I am still learning.
Spoke with a lot of MCO and GSO guys. Sounds like MOST of them are going to JFK because of the commute.
Bad thing for new hires is that they will sit rsv longer in JFK because of the HIGH seniority guys there...IF the MCO and GSO transfer up there.

Now wouldn't that increase the flow back to CVG?
Ever since class, they have pushed our return date back a month at a time, to return to CVG. Now we're looking at mid August. It was originally April.

This solid rumor of "250 pilots sent in requests for training records" seems to flying around. Now if there is ANY truth behind that, which I don't doubt. That will also plays into a effect.
I know the atrition has been huge, but slowing up until this pay out is done. Then they're all splitting. We'll find out this week.

As far as hiring. Just dont try and wow them by making up a story that you were a Chief Pilot for a 135 operation flying a DC-3....for a company that no longer exists.
If you're a good person, you'll do fine. Don't be a smart ass, or try to be real cute and funny. I know a guy who did that. He's at ASA now.

I have heard many MCO people will probably go to JFK for the easier commute. As for GSO, there are no flights from GSO to JFK, only flights to LGA and I thnk a couple to EWR, so I'm not sure what those guys will do. Quite a few Captains I flew with last year were commuting from CVG anyways in order to have a line and may commute CVG to JFK.

As for the increasing the flowback to CVG, that really depends on what comes out in the displacement bid/CRJ 700/900 bis, which will probably be out in a couple weeks. I bet your best bet for CVG is to bid the 700/900, it sounds like they will be based in CVG for now. I'm not sure where they are going to put the flying that MCO and GSO have been doing, that will directly impact the amount of crews needed in CVG or JFK.

I know when I got dispalced to GSO in February of 2005, it took 4 months to get back CVG, and it was 4 months too long. They company fubar'ed the bids. The recalled people from furlough and put them in the domiciles that the more senior displaced pilots wanted. The union let them get away with it too, the answer I got from the union "that is the way it is, deal with it".

As for attrition, I find it hard to believe that it will shoot up overnite. Two out of the last three Captains I flew with had job offers from SWA and were waiting on class dates. Many are looking for greener grass.

The Displacement thing is pretty unpredictable, bid for what you want and hope for the best, that is all you can do.

 

[Clark W.]

The union let them get away with it too, the answer I got from the union "that is the way it is, deal with it".

God Forbid you interupt thier golf game with your stupid concerns What were you thinking!?!?


Let me guess, they were too busy saving babies from burning houses, and trying to get Mrs. Wilsons cat out of the tree.