Continental pilots win case over small-jet flights

[inflightboi175]

DALLAS (AP) — In a victory for Continental Airlines pilots, an arbitrator ruled that the airline can't put its name on United Express flights operated from Continental's hub airports.

The pilots' union argued that its contract with the airline required that Continental pilots fly 70-seat planes carrying the airline's name.

Arbitrator Richard Bloch agreed with the union in a ruling issued Thursday.

Parent United Continental Holdings Inc., which also operates United Airlines, planned to add Continental's name or "code" to several dozen United Express flights from hubs in Houston, Newark, N.J., and Cleveland.

The union said its contract requires that planes with more than 50 seats be flown by Continental pilots, not pilots of regional carriers under contract to Continental. To pilots, that's seen as a job-protection measure.

But United, which has a separate contract with its pilots, is permitted to shift such flights to regional affiliates. Parent United Continental wanted to put Continental's code on some of those flights.

Continental spokeswoman Julie King said the company would comply with the ruling. She said some of the United Express flights could still be shifted to meet demand at Continental hubs. But the company won't be able to advertise them as Continental flights.

Meanwhile, the company and two pilots' groups are seeking a federal mediator's help in negotiating a single labor contract for United and Continental. The airlines combined as one company in October but must fly as separate airlines until federal officials let them merge fleets and operations, which is expected in late 2011.

Shares of Chicago-based United Continental fell 22 cents in after-hours trading Friday to $24.04.

http://www.abc24.com/business/story...small-jet-flights/KflzUBie-U-0M6AwORtM2g.cspx

 

[densoo]

"DALLAS (AP) — In a victory for Continental Airlines pilots,"....

That's all most people will read, and that alone was worth the fight. It will appear in hundreds of newspapers across the country.

-- It negates some small amount of advertising dollars where they try to paint the company in a positive light.

--It gets the board of directors' attention for the CEO ("I thought you said labor wasn't going to be a problem?").

-- It doesn't allow them to expand RJ flying beyond UAL's current limit nor code the flights as CO, costing them some revenue (it must, otherwise they wouldn't have fought over it).

Put together, it will incrementally improve the pilots' negotiating position. It may be a small increment, but it is something at least. More battles and more wins like this will result in a much better contract.

 

[Flopgut]

+1

It turns the tide....

 

[shmenter]

Congrats to the Continental guys. Even though Im a Skywest guy, it is sure good to see the flying stay where it belongs.

 

[BornAgainPagan]

So what? So the new United will just change the name and not use "Continental" on regional flights......which is what they were planning on anyway. It sucks, but business as usual.

 

[StopNTSing]

Well done guys! It's gonna cost all the legacy pilots some major bargaining capital to put the RJ genie back in his bottle of Scope, but hang tough on this one. Our collective futures are all riding on it. :smash:

 

[boxjockey]

Well done guys and gals!! This is a more important fight than some understand, and is another step in the right direction for a GOOD contract. Kudos!!

box

 

[contrail67]

So what? So the new United will just change the name and not use "Continental" on regional flights......which is what they were planning on anyway. It sucks, but business as usual.

They would have done that in the first place if it were that easy...

 

[bluefin]

So what? So the new United will just change the name and not use "Continental" on regional flights......which is what they were planning on anyway. It sucks, but business as usual.

Not so easy, UAL express is just about maxed out on allowable outsourced flying per UAL contract. They will not effectively be able to expand with out cutting service somewhere. So this is big, may not stop management, but it changes their plans!

 

[Snaab]

Awesome! Glad something tilted in favor of the CAL pilots contract, and that the judge saw this.