Delta Airlines the Comair Connection?

[Palerider957]

General:

Yeah, I can respect that. I know how loyal you are to the furloughees and that's a good thing. I've only had one bad run-in on the jumpseat with a DAL FO who went out of his way to make me uncomfortable--"So, you flying that scope jet!?" At the time I was an E-120 driver and told him so---"Oh, prop trash." Sigh..... I just thought, whatever, and thanked them both for the lift. I had one other run in at GTR, again when I was on the E-120 and there was a DAL 757 on a charter at the ramp. I was talking to a ramper when the DAL FO came over and started telling me what a piece of sh.it my plane was (he's right-but not very diplomatic) I was dumbfounded as I hadn't said a single word to the guy and didn't even see him coming. Without anohter word he went back to the 75....geez.

To be fair these are isolated incidents, all other times my dealings with DAL crews have been pretty positive.

Interviewing with DAL? Wow, that seems like a million years away. I guess when the time comes we'll see.

 

[tittyjet]

Comair thinks that Delta's the Comair connection!!

General,

You'll be happy to know that I turned down a job at Communistair because I knew that I'd have a hard time sleeping at night knowing that I took a job away from a furloughed guy who didn't even get the CHANCE to interview.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Comair thinks that Delta's the Comair connection!!

General,

You'll be happy to know that I turned down a job at Communistair because I knew that I'd have a hard time sleeping at night knowing that I took a job away from a furloughed guy who didn't even get the CHANCE to interview.

Do you have any clue what you are talking about? Mainline furloughs would be worse without the Comair feed and as far as Comair interviews, they welcome Delta pilots. The issue is that as long as Comair remains a separate company with separate seniority lists Comair Management requires that they quit their other job before investing more than $25,000 in them to fly the RJ.

Makes common sense to me. After all, the minute any major pilot gets recalled he will quit the Comair gig, anyone would.

The Comair MEC was willing to negotiate what they did not understand is that the Delta MEC had no intention of negotiating, the Delta MEC gave an order. The Comair MEC said lets talk and Bill Burgey said his priority was on future military applicants - that there was nothing to talk about.

So it sounds like your beef, as well as General's beef, should be with the Delta MEC, or Comair's management.

If you turned down a job at Comair, who did you end up working for?

 

[rightrudder]

Maybe you don't remember what happened over the XMAS holiday of 1999-2000. We wanted to show some sort of action, but President Bush said No. He has the power to do things like that, ya know. He said there will be no strikes in the Summer of 2000.

Bush didn't take office until January 2001.

 

[comrcap]

**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**?! Did I say that?!
I've done my share of jumpseating on DAL and can say that they have been nothing but gracious. I have a problem with people talking like it's their God given right to fly anything larger than an arbitrary seat range. You don't have routes, city pairs or a right to anything. Management determines that and more importantly, the capital markets dictate who gets the money. Why do you think we still take delivery of a/c and hire pilots? We are profitable. Been that way for 20 years and will continue to be that way. You just don't get it. You guys didn't want anything to do with Comair pilots when we initiated the PID, now you're pissed that we won't hire furloughee's. We're not good enough for YOUR list, but now you want on ours?! Right here pal!

 

[tittyjet]

Yeah, I know exactly what I'm talking about....I'm talking about the fact that both ASA and Pinnacle (my employer) did the right thing by not having their mainline guys resign their seniority. As a matter of fact, Pinnacle voluntarily implemented a policy that 80% of the new hires would be furloughed NWA guys. Comair should take a lesson from this. It's called integrity -- your company should try it sometime.

As for the jumpseat, all Comair guys are welcome on my jumpseat. Anytime.

 

[sf3boy]

How about Pinnacle taking furloughed Mesaba pilots. We have quite a few. It seems that a few years back, when big bad NWA started shifting flying to Mesaba from Express, Mesaba let numerous pilots transfer over for Express. Captains got to keep either half or a third of their seniority, depending upon which airplane they flew. Even the FO's that came over got to cut in line with a couple of classes that were already hired. There is even a LOA stating that if the situation is reversed, Express would allow Mesaba pilots to transfer "under terms and conditions no less favorable." How many furloughed Mesaba pilots have transfered to Pinnacle?

 

[tittyjet]

I don't have a problem with that -- they should be able to come over.

 

[avrodriverj85]

Hey Guys,

I was flying to ATL the other day in my 69 seat - 93,000 lb "regional jet", and in the terminal saw a DAL pilot pass by and on his flight bag he had a sticker that said; "We WILL RESTORE THE PROFESSION".

Is there a campaign over there at DAL or is it just another RJ bashing thing.?

Just curious...

 

[NYRANGERS]

Hey Guys,

I was flying to ATL the other day in my 69 seat - 93,000 lb "regional jet", and in the terminal saw a DAL pilot pass by and on his flight bag he had a sticker that said; "We WILL RESTORE THE PROFESSION".

Is there a campaign over there at DAL or is it just another RJ bashing thing.?

Just curious...

It was in reference to the 2000 contract. Try to remember that there are other issues for us. It's not always about "how can we screw the commuter guys". I think it is great that you fly a 69 seat 93,000 lb RJ. Enjoy it.

You may also see a sticker that says "Furloughed but not Forgotten". I can't wait to hear what you think this means.

Enjoy flying your 93,000 lb airplane and please do it safely. I hope you guys hold the line over at Mesaba. Comair and ASA are counting on you guys.



NYR

 

[justmeinmsp]

How about Pinnacle taking furloughed Mesaba pilots. We have quite a few. It seems that a few years back, when big bad NWA started shifting flying to Mesaba from Express, Mesaba let numerous pilots transfer over for Express. Captains got to keep either half or a third of their seniority, depending upon which airplane they flew. Even the FO's that came over got to cut in line with a couple of classes that were already hired. There is even a LOA stating that if the situation is reversed, Express would allow Mesaba pilots to transfer "under terms and conditions no less favorable." How many furloughed Mesaba pilots have transfered to Pinnacle?

Here is the official position of the PCL MEC:

1. The LOA covering this topic was negotiated as a result of EXA losing 40% of its total flying and ALL of that flying being sold to Mesaba. A financial transaction occured between MSA and NWA.
2. In this case the pilots of MSA achieved a substantial windfall in flying jobs at the immediate expense of EXA pilots.
3. The LOA states that should a similar transaction occur in the future, MSA pilots would be allowed equivalent handling as given to EXA pilots. The PCL MEC has interpreted this section to mean that PCL must enjoy a substantial gain of flying at the immediate and direct expense of MSA pilots. In other words, the agreement acts as a catastrophic insurance policy. The MSA MEC has chosen to interpret the language to mean that ANY loss of jobs at MSA during a time when PCL is hiring is enough to trigger to agreement.
4. The MSA MEC has furnished to the PCL MEC certain data relating to the movement of flying between the two companies. Once the data was reviewed by us, it became apparent that the data did not support their contention. Once this was pointed out to the MSA MEC, the data has never been mentioned again.

There is no data available to support the contention that PCL has gained to the detriment of MSA. Sure, there is plently of anecdotal evidence, but once you put in all on paper, the arguement falls apart.

The last transfer of a complete category of flying from one carrier to the other occured last year when PCL lost over 120 jobs directly to MSA when the last of our Saab flying was given to MSA. Under these circumstances, the PCL MEC has no choice but to disagree with our friends at MSA.

I hope this gives you some better information when you speak with your friend at MSA.

 

[General Lee]

Rightrudder,

What I meant about Bush and the Xmas season were two different things. During the 2000 Xmas season we tried not to take open time, but a judge in ATL said that was a no no. Then Bush said No airline could strike in the summer of 2001--I believe. It has all meshed into one. But, we did try and we were told a big NO by Pres. Bush.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[sf3boy]

justmeinmsp,
Thanks for the reply. We at XJ have not been given all the info relating to this matter, ie it wasn't mass distributed. I agree that we have not lost anywhere near 40% of our flying to 9E. Good luck to ya in MECCA.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I have an interesting take on the Delta/Comair thing.

I would like to be hired by Delta, and I also tried really hard to get hired by Comair. I think they're both good airlines and I think they both pay decently. I think flying for either of them is preferable to a TON of other jobs out there.

I probably won't fly for DAL, because of the current airline situation and my age. Comair is not now one of my top choices (it was my second) because I would have to take a large pay cut for a number of years to move to Comair, but I am considering it, as I would prefer to fly PAX, and commuting to Comair would be relatively easy for me.

What I think the best solution for all airline pilots would be for each carrier brand to OneList, with all aircraft, from 19 seats on up to be owned by the major airline, and each pilot to be a pilot of the major airline, but, obviously, that is a big change. I think this is where ALPA missed the boat years ago.

Cliff
GRB

 

[ACE]

Unfortuantly cliff, that is easier said than done. I wish there were an easy answer. It would make sense to all become one and stop the whipsaw. The problem is how to accomplish it. Many at Comair do not want a staple and Delta does not want integration. I personally think a staple would be fine as long as there is a fence. No flowbacks until such and such a date. And I mean a date 5 years from now. No Comair or ASA pilot should have to lose their job. You will not see one list though for years if ever.