comair

[flyboyike]

To be announced next week that the 70/90 fleet to be sold and the pilots who are current and qualified on those aircraft will have the option to follow to aircraft to the new owner agreeing, of course, to the prenuptials. Seniority will not be a factor. If you are a 70/90 Captain you can go and be a 70/90 Captain. If you are a 70/90 FO you can go and only be a 70/90 FO.

You had me up until "seniority won't be a factor" quip. That's when I started rolling on the floor, laughing.

 

[JECKEL]

I think what may have you laughing is you misinterpreting this as some sort of successorship or company acquisition which involves transfer of the ownership or control of all or substantially all of the equity securities or assets of a company. That would require acknowledgement of the seniority list. This would not be the case. This would be a fragmentation agreement of less than half of Comair aircraft.

Under certain fragmentation agreements the acquiring airline can offer the pilots who are CURRENTLY flying the equipment the ability to follow the aircraft to their new owner. Or they can just buy the aircraft and leave without the personnel to operate them. These 27 aircraft are being bought from Delta airlines. No one is buying Comair.

Comair has as many senior guys in the 50 as do they in the 70/90. For the acquiring company to allow pilots who have never flow the aircraft to go with it would be a huge training expense. Something the acquiring company won't pay for or agree to.

This is a fragmentation and not a sell of Comair. Different rules govern seniority and pilot rights.

 

[flyboyike]

Under certain fragmentation agreements the acquiring airline can offer the pilots who are CURRENTLY flying the equipment the ability to follow the aircraft to their new owner.

The key word being "can". My question is, why would they? What airline can you think of would welcome TM and company with open arms?

 

[JECKEL]

The key word being "can". My question is, why would they?

The key word is "can". I totally agree with you.

Why would they? I don't know.

I can speculate and devise some scenarios but they would not even be educated guesses.

That is just part of the rumor going around that has also been suggested by the MEC.

 

[agonyairfo]

In 11 years of Part 121 flying I have heard many rumors. But, these last few weeks at Comair have been altogether something else. It's so weird becuase there is change in the air and this time everyone is talking about it. The difference with the rumors this time is how widespread they are, how random they are, and how everyone passing them along says how "solid" they are. As in, "I personally spoke with the MEC chairman 5 minutes ago and he said that 'x' was DEFINITELY GOING to happen." Or, "Everyone in the G.O. knows that 'x' is going to happen...It's a done deal just waiting to make the announcement, etc."

Now rumor spreaders always say how "solid" their source is. But this time even the guys I know to be those who usually 'wait and see' and who never peddle rumors know something big is about to happen and are talking freely about it. Something is going down. I/we just don't know what yet.

One thing is for sure, Delta would like to lose more 50's. All of the other 50's out there have guaranteed flying for 10+ years. Also conveniently enough, Comair has the oldest 50's and they have no guarantees after January. So I am pretty sure among other things in our immediate future, Comair is going to lose more 50's. And probably not just 1 or 2. And unless we happen to get some new airframes (which no one is talking about...and they would have to be of the 90 or 100 seat variety which has it's own issues) like by January, I think we are looking at an incredible shrinking airline. Regardless of what else happens. Whether we get sold, or part of us gets sold, or we get stapled to the big D, or we flow-thru, or we get stapled with 100 seaters, or we get bought by some investors and the original Comair owners and we go out on our own, or we close the door, or you name it. I am sure we lose 50's in the short term and that isn't good no matter how you slice it.

So now my question is, do I preemptively scrape the bottom of the aviation job barrel available right now, or just wait to be furloughed becuase 1. a few months off while I wait for a slightly better job would be nice 2. There would be a good reason to keep my seniority number becuase there is a slim chance that things pan out in a few years.

 

[tiffanytaylor]

In 11 years of Part 121 flying I have heard many rumors. But, these last few weeks at Comair have been altogether something else. It's so weird becuase there is change in the air and this time everyone is talking about it. The difference with the rumors this time is how widespread they are, how random they are, and how everyone passing them along says how "solid" they are. As in, "I personally spoke with the MEC chairman 5 minutes ago and he said that 'x' was DEFINITELY GOING to happen." Or, "Everyone in the G.O. knows that 'x' is going to happen...It's a done deal just waiting to make the announcement, etc."

Now rumor spreaders always say how "solid" their source is. But this time even the guys I know to be those who usually 'wait and see' and who never peddle rumors know something big is about to happen and are talking freely about it. Something is going down. I/we just don't know what yet.

One thing is for sure, Delta would like to lose more 50's. All of the other 50's out there have guaranteed flying for 10+ years. Also conveniently enough, Comair has the oldest 50's and they have no guarantees after January. So I am pretty sure among other things in our immediate future, Comair is going to lose more 50's. And probably not just 1 or 2. And unless we happen to get some new airframes (which no one is talking about...and they would have to be of the 90 or 100 seat variety which has it's own issues) like by January, I think we are looking at an incredible shrinking airline. Regardless of what else happens. Whether we get sold, or part of us gets sold, or we get stapled to the big D, or we flow-thru, or we get stapled with 100 seaters, or we get bought by some investors and the original Comair owners and we go out on our own, or we close the door, or you name it. I am sure we lose 50's in the short term and that isn't good no matter how you slice it.

So now my question is, do I preemptively scrape the bottom of the aviation job barrel available right now, or just wait to be furloughed becuase 1. a few months off while I wait for a slightly better job would be nice 2. There would be a good reason to keep my seniority number becuase there is a slim chance that things pan out in a few years.

I'm waiting to be furloughed so that will give me time to find a new job. If I were you I'd just wait and if you get furloughed maybe you will be recalled. If we lose a/c, I'm pretty sure I'll be on the furlough list. I just wish we'd know something soon. If an announcement is going to be made about us losing a/c, being sold etc., why is JB waiting until 9/13 to start the employee town hall meetings. Seems like he'd start those meetings right away if we are supposed to get real bad news this Tuesday or Wednesday. I wish you and others all the best.

 

[V-1]

If you have a plan "B" now would be the time to enact it.

Now?

Five years ago would have been better.

Better late than never I guess.

I read all the fear and rumormongering and find it reminiscent of the weeks leading up to the Comair 5191 accident...an accident a very large contributing factor for was job insecurity. Here we are almost four years later to the day and nothing has changed.

I wonder how many more customers Delta is willing to kill while pursuing their effort to destabilize their crewmembers' well-being?

Delta will do whatever is in Delta's best interest. Life goes on.

 

[wmuflyguy]

If an announcement is going to be made about us losing a/c, being sold etc., why is JB waiting until 9/13 to start the employee town hall meetings. Seems like he'd start those meetings right away if we are supposed to get real bad news this Tuesday or Wednesday. I wish you and others all the best.

It's because there is nothing to announce in regards to that.

 

[wmuflyguy]

Now?

Five years ago would have been better.

Better late than never I guess.

I read all the fear and rumormongering and find it reminiscent of the weeks leading up to the Comair 5191 accident...an accident a very large contributing factor for was job insecurity. Here we are almost four years later to the day and nothing has changed.

I wonder how many more customers Delta is willing to kill while pursuing their effort to destabilize their crewmembers' well-being?

Delta will do whatever is in Delta's best interest. Life goes on.

We need to all stay focused regardless of whatever silly rumors are out there.

 

[agonyairfo]

I understand that job insecurity can be a chronic stress issue and lead crews to distraction. But... I for one am not that concerned with it. I feel like we have known this is a jacked up industry for a long time. I have gotten used to it. Of course, I only have my mouth to feed and have saved a few dollars. I appreciate that others may be in a different scenario and really have legitimate concerns. But, you want to talk stress. Ever had center say, "jot this number down!" To me it is hard to concentrate with that until you land. (Only happened once. Turned out to be nothing.)

I just don't understand people getting that worked up over it now. I always tell myself, I was flying before Comair and I will be flying long after Comair. I protect my career, my passengers, my fellow crew. I may have a job in a few months, I may not. If anything I think I appreciate the flying more (The actual flying. not the 4 hour airport breaks, frequent DHing, etc. That part still sucks. But I know that it won't last long now.)

So WMU, things are going to change. I am a level-headed, 7 year fo, who generally has a pretty good attitude, and who wants the best for Comair. I am not a naysayer. But seriously, it is pretty bleak. At most regionals it is all about new (i.e. replacement) airframes. Regional aircraft don't last forever and when they start getting up in years, like a good chunk of a/c at Comair and Piedmont, etc., the status quo is not an option. Sure we may not lose 50 a/c next year like some of the rumors go, but at best it will only be 5 or 10 and then 5 or 10 the next year, etc. I don't have a fleet break down, but the earliest RJ's have got to be on a short list to go away. Think of our CRJ 100's as Brett Favre. Ok, maybe we will get one more year out of them. But 2 more years, 3 more years? Without some replacement airframes on the near horizon we are left with a shrinking fleet.

I am not saying Comair is done forever. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. I don't put much stock in grand plans from Delta, or their still being upset by the strike, or us being "marked" as red headed step children. There are a thousand factors and things are very dynamic. It could all boil down to an arbitrary board room decision in Atlanta. Crazy things happen. Maybe we will be flying the new C-series in 3 years. I truly believe anything can happen. I bet money that we do get an announcement and it will be something that we haven't even heard of yet. I.E., Soaper got canned and I didn't hear a peep about it before it happened. But as for our fate, no news will be bad news. Comair is a sinking ship unless positive changes take place. Present course is a shrinking airline.

So...WEBN is buying us. There you go. Heard it here first. And we will get one 757 to fly the Bengals and the Reds to games.