Comair to furlough another 120 pilots

[flap operator]

Simon - I agree with you! You must not have tasted the sarcasm in my post. My comments were in agreement with you and V1 that the "bottom feeder, race to the bottom, under cutter" comments are unwarranted towards the Mesaba pilots. The history of Mesaba and current events are facts that prove none of the typical FI nastiness is deserving. I'm a Mesaba pilot, BTW, not a hater.

 

[V-1]

Not only are they unwarranted, Mesaba and Comair are now sister companies. They've been through the same crap Comair has been through, and is currently going through.

It is in our collective interest that all the wholly owned carriers work together in the spirit of mutual respect. Decisions regarding equipment allotment are made in Atlanta, and that is where angst should be directed.

 

[The Transporter]

my heart gos out to u comair guys u r a class act and i hate to see us grow on the backs of yourselves..we went threw it and it sucks but in fairness you all know as pilots we just show up and fly what we are given..sincereley.. good luck guys.if we were to take some flying it would have been easier to take it from a scurge of the industry operation!

 

[CALRepublic]

A few years back, Comair was it. Them and Air Wisky were the only 2 regionals where you could actually go and have a good career. Getting stuck at comair or Air Wisky wasn't so bad........

boy have the tables have turned.

 

[JoeMerchant]

It sure would be nice if ALPA had some brand scope and protected ALL of it's members......Sorry I was having a dream......

 

[NEWSOUTH]

A few years back, Comair was it. Them and Air Wisky were the only 2 regionals where you could actually go and have a good career. Getting stuck at comair or Air Wisky wasn't so bad........

boy have the tables have turned.

Well, I guess so. However, it seems that everyone that I talk to seems to think of Comair as the regional elite.

But, my overall perception of Comair is and as always been that they were the biggest pay for training airline in the history of regionals. This dated back to the very early years of the 1990's. In fact I beleive they were the begining of the concept under the CEO of Gary Green. In those years they were not very highly thought of. They were the king of PFT.

After their 90 day strike, followed by their industry leading contract, they became the regional elite. Then they gave some givebacks. But, still have alot of respect from other regionals.

However, I was always surprised how everyone seem to forget that they lead the industry in PFT.

How does the leader in PFT earn so much respect from regionals that never participated in writing the book on PFT so quickly. Please explain how history is so quickly forgotten. No flame intended. Just shocked at how stereotypes are so quickly forgotten. Comair was the leader in PFT for many years. Why does this not factor into the overall respect of this regional?

Please...only serious replies.

 

[DoinTime]

You may be just saying this comment in general which is fine, but I just want to point out that Mesaba pilots have never undercutted any company or gutted our contract to get any type of flying from another company.

I seem to remember some pretty significant concessions to secure the Avro's. The offending document was called LOA-15 and it didn't hide the fact that your FO's were sold down the river for the promise of some big shiny jets. Those Avro's were direct replacement for Northwest DC-9-10's.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Well, I guess so. However, it seems that everyone that I talk to seems to think of Comair as the regional elite.

But, my overall perception of Comair is and as always been that they were the biggest pay for training airline in the history of regionals. This dated back to the very early years of the 1990's. In fact I beleive they were the begining of the concept under the CEO of Gary Green. In those years they were not very highly thought of. They were the king of PFT.

After their 90 day strike, followed by their industry leading contract, they became the regional elite. Then they gave some givebacks. But, still have alot of respect from other regionals.

However, I was always surprised how everyone seem to forget that they lead the industry in PFT.

How does the leader in PFT earn so much respect from regionals that never participated in writing the book on PFT so quickly. Please explain how history is so quickly forgotten. No flame intended. Just shocked at how stereotypes are so quickly forgotten. Comair was the leader in PFT for many years. Why does this not factor into the overall respect of this regional?

Please...only serious replies.

NewSouth,

Many carriers at the time were PFT...We were at ASA, and your carrier PNCL was also.....I refused to apply to the PFT carriers back in 1990 when I was starting to apply to carriers........Then after several years of not getting anywhere I changed my mind and applied to Flight Safety with over 2000 hours for the PFT program.....ASA and Pinnacle (then called Express 1) called me right away after years of getting nobody to respond....

The only thing refusing to apply to a PFT carrier right away did was to make me a year or more junior to those who applied sooner.....

This is a cutthroat business and seniority is King.....The CMR folks are good folks...as are you guys at PNCL....The fault for all of this lies with our union and the mainline pilots.....They are responsible for this bidding and fighting amongst us.....

 

[JoeMerchant]

I seem to remember some pretty significant concessions to secure the Avro's. The offending document was called LOA-15 and it didn't hide the fact that your FO's were sold down the river for the promise of some big shiny jets. Those Avro's were direct replacement for Northwest DC-9-10's.

Heaven forbid a pilot group does what is best for themselves (especially a "regional" pilot group).....Everyone else does it.....including the mainline pilots when they underbid regional rates.....

The "we are all in this together" ship sailed along time ago.....

 

[DoinTime]

Heaven forbid a pilot group does what is best for themselves (especially a "regional" pilot group).....Everyone else does it.....including the mainline pilots when they underbid regional rates.....

The "we are all in this together" ship sailed along time ago.....

Well, it goes to show that there are skeletons in everyone's closet. We can only strive to learn something from our mistakes and to do better next time.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Well, it goes to show that there are skeletons in everyone's closet. We can only strive to learn something from our mistakes and to do better next time.

What happens when "doing better" for the profession and "doing better" for number 1 conflict? Number 1 will always trump the "whole" unless you create a true national union with lateral movement.....

 

[NEWSOUTH]

I agree we that. I was just amazed how quickly Comair's reputation was changed so quickly to elite status shortly after the strike. Comair became the best regional in the industry. Yet, they seem to have been the front runner in a PFT game that was quickly forgotten. That surprised me. That was my point.
I did not PFT. I had my chance with Comair in 1991. I said no. That was my choice. Right or wrong. I flew 135 instead. PCL dropped PFT before I got there, as long as you had several(?) thousand hours. I'm not saying I have a problem with PFT. Just could not figure out, at the time, how a regional could kill their dark horse so quickly. It shocked me and at the same time I was impressed.

 

[N813CA]

I never paid for PFT. I left UND went to Piedmont and then came to Comair. The only reason I came here was I wanted a place to make a good living during the down time at the majors, and yeah it sucks. We have been screwed ever since. I personally hate Mesa,Chataqwhatever, and Big Scare. So be it.

 

[JoeMerchant]

I agree we that. I was just amazed how quickly Comair's reputation was changed so quickly to elite status shortly after the strike. Comair became the best regional in the industry. Yet, they seem to have been the front runner in a PFT game that was quickly forgotten. That surprised me. That was my point.
I did not PFT. I had my chance with Comair in 1991. I said no. That was my choice. Right or wrong. I flew 135 instead. PCL dropped PFT before I got there, as long as you had several(?) thousand hours. I'm not saying I have a problem with PFT. Just could not figure out, at the time, how a regional could kill their dark horse so quickly. It shocked me and at the same time I was impressed.

The problem is this industry doesn't reward anyone for making the "right" decision.....I refused to do PFT initially...No reward.....You refused to do PFT at all.....No reward.....The CMR pilots went on strike for 89 days.....There reward as one of the highest cost carriers and the only regional to strike....is to have their flying transferred to other ALPA regionals like ASA, PNCL, and Mesaba.....

No single pilot or pilot group can solve this mess.....Only a true national union with brand scope and a sympathetic mainline group can reverse the trend.....

 

[JoeMerchant]

I never paid for PFT. I left UND went to Piedmont and then came to Comair. The only reason I came here was I wanted a place to make a good living during the down time at the majors, and yeah it sucks. We have been screwed ever since. I personally hate Mesa,Chataqwhatever, and Big Scare. So be it.

In essence...anyone who goes to the "regionals" only to one day go to the "majors" is participating in PFT......There really shouldn't be a "regional" or "major".....