Compass to begin service

[PoorJetDriver]

Air travel

NWA obtains commuter OK

Compass to fly from Dulles near D.C.
September 12, 2006

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BY JEWEL GOPWANI
FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER


Northwest Airlines Inc. came a step closer Monday to starting its new commuter carrier, a key part of its restructuring plan.
The U.S. Department of Transportation said it plans to let the Northwest subsidiary, Compass Airlines, start flying out of Dulles International Airport in Virginia in October.
The department opened a 14-day window to hear objections.
Northwest, which has been reorganizing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for nearly a year, plans to use the subsidiary to fly passengers to its hubs -- Detroit; Minneapolis and Memphis, Tenn. -- and a network of small and midsize cities.
Compass would use Federal Aviation Administration certification that Northwest bought for $2 million from Independence Air, which closed its Dulles-based operation in January.
"The DOT action is another key milestone in the certification process of Compass Airlines," Northwest said.
In documents filed Monday, the Department of Transportation said Northwest plans to start flights between Dulles and Minneapolis using a 50-seat jet in October, a launch date that has been pushed back twice.
Northwest had applied for permission to start Compass operations at the end of March.
By March next year, the airline expects to start flying 76-seat planes -- a size Northwest has said better fits demand in small and midsize cities compared to 34-, 50- and 69-seat planes its other commuters fly and Northwest's smallest plane, a 100-seat DC9.

 

[CoATP]

From where did the crew come? Trained Where? Hired when? Contract or do they just put dimes in a meter?

 

[SEVEN]

.......ypf?

 

[saabservant]

Thanks Duane!

And thanks to our alpa betters at nwa, who "had" to give this to mgmt. or "they will liquidate".
Bu****it. They traded this for bargaining credit to save pensions, jobs, etc.
Life is tough, but it makes alpa, and woerth look silly to be setting up "fee for departure task forces" and advocating for "brand scope", when he just turns around and signs the outsourcing and whipsawing of our jobs. He condemns mgmt. for the most egregious bankruptcy ever, then allows mgmt. and mainline alpa to whipsaw. We don't need that kind of help.

His days as presidente' of alpa are numbered....
Hope all at msa are actively looking elsewhere...Our days are numbered too.

 

[Flyer1015]

Seriously? Compass Airlines?

How long before Pinnacle changes its name to Binnacle Airlines ?

 

[XJohXJ]

Yeah, their full name is: "No Ethical Compass" airlines!

 

[ShyFlyGuy]

I guarantee ALPA won't lay a single soul off regardless of what happens to mainline NWA pilots, Pinnacle Pilots, or any other poor bums who happen to be in the way of this ALPA-induced fiasco. Some jacksaw mentioned something about bringing ALPA to our airline, and I wanted to beat him into an overhead bin.

Shy

 

[Detroitpilot22]

I would really like to know who is going to be flying these planes since training takes 2 months and october 1st is in 2 weeks.

 

[outtahere]

I guarantee ALPA won't lay a single soul off regardless of what happens to mainline NWA pilots, Pinnacle Pilots, or any other poor bums who happen to be in the way of this ALPA-induced fiasco. Some jacksaw mentioned something about bringing ALPA to our airline, and I wanted to beat him into an overhead bin.

Shy

Of any airline that needs union protection, it is your airline. That is the most pitiful excuse of so called management in the world over at the mess called Colon, sorry Colgan. I am so glad not to be there anymore, as tense as things are at ASA, they are 150 times better than there.

 

[gnx99]

I would really like to know who is going to be flying these planes since training takes 2 months and october 1st is in 2 weeks.

I'd like to know too....

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Word over here is that one of the 9E flights out of there everyday will no be under the compass flag using 9E crews. That's a pretty heavy rumor, but I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[Doug Parker]

I would really like to know who is going to be flying these planes since training takes 2 months and october 1st is in 2 weeks.

Whomever it is, they will probably be known as SCABS !!!!



well, at least here on FI.com

.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

I figured they would just use XJ crews to fly it .... but from what I hear they can't keep 1 going at XJ. 7 --> HAHAHA

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Word over here is that one of the 9E flights out of there everyday will no be under the compass flag using 9E crews. That's a pretty heavy rumor, but I wouldn't put it past them.

Interesting rumor, but is the FAA going to accept this as a Compass flight? I doubt it. A PCL A/C with PCL Ops specs. and crews. What call sign is to be used? I don't think the FAA will accept that as the start of Compass operations.
Wasn't the former CP. from "i" hired by the NWA folks in charge of the whole Compass deal? As I understand, they where using one of the former "Independence" CRJ's with former "i" personnel.

 

[OMG7778]

It is not 9E crews that are flying for compass. They have hired their own pilots that were training in Dulles a while back. As for where they came from I have heard that they were some old indy pilots that lived locally out there not trying to start a flame war but that is just what I heard (Union sources so take that for what it is worth)

 

[Detroitpilot22]

Compass will start getting 70 seat aircraft soon after, and they will probably start replacing both dc9 routes and crj routes. My question to people outside of NWA is how many total 50 seat aircraft are there flying for USAIR United and Delta. Northwest has 125 flying for them right now. I am wondering if They will cut that number with 70 seat aircraft coming on to the property. Compass will now be the ultimate whipsaw for Mesaba and Pinnacle combined. The only question now is, who will buy compass after they have 11 aircraft?

 

[redflyer65]

Regional flying has become very competitive as of late do to 'Pay to Play' mentality of all the majors. Some regionals are even gone, while others are in bankruptcy. This sounds like an excellent time for Northwest Airlines (which is in bankruptcy themselves) to get into the regional feed again. I find it bizarre that the bankruptcy judge is even allowing this venture, but I guess its an open court that doesn't really care what they do. Throw out contracts, start a completely new airline, whatever.....

What about using the money thrown at Compass to shore up Northwest finances instead? Guess I'm not thinking like a CEO.