Dear General,
I understand your passion for Delta Airlines. In fact, I admire it. I fly for Comair, yet I grew up in a "legacy carrier" and I too wish them well and hope for my familys sake that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
After reading numerous posts, I get the feeling that it is an us against you issue. I can assure you that there are a fine group of pilots here at Comair, some who wish to stay, others who do not. There are still plenty of pilots here that have dreams of being 777 captains, and believe it or not, are mainline friendly.
With that being said, take the RJDC out of the issue, we have a group here who did fight for a better contract. I cannot take credit, I was at another regional carrier at the time, but they brought the scale up where it should be, not above what it should be. Any business savy individual can look at Comairs structure, in the worst of times, with our "high" payscales, Comair is still able to pull in a 32 million dollar profit for a quarter. This does account for lease payments and all assoc costs that Comair accrues with their business, hence, it is a self-sestaining operation.
Being a professional from Delta, I look at your statement of "maybe you should look at your peers wages at Mesa," as a pretty bold remark. You know, I'm sure Comair could make 58 million with Mesas wages. But another point in case, they could make triple that if they paid us nothing at all, we could all work for free. When is enough, enough?
Do you know what Mesa scales are? As bad as things get with Delta, I'm fairly certain none of the pilots will be making 20,000 a year. Yet, that is what you condone for Comair. We don't need those scales to survive, to make a profit, we already are doing so. We need them to compete against one carrier Mesa, I don't think so. Give it all to them if thats what it comes to because I am a professional pilot, not a burger flipper, hey, but at least I could be home every night I suppose if I chose the later.
I wish the Delta pilots could keep every cent of their paycheck, I wished it for United, American and Northwest as well. But unfortunately, Delta competes with the LCC's, and they can't make a profit, even a small one, against these young,lean operations. They cannot support their business, and its not a matter of bringing down the pay scales to the lowest carrier amoung all of your competitiors, it is about making Delta money.
You can look at the RJ any way you want, you can call it dooms day for all I care, because whatever the future holds for it, Delta has benefited from them in the past and currently the present. Its not the answer to industry problems by any means, but it is used as a money making tool for the time being. I don't think that any of us strut around as loving our RJ's---its a busines tool that our company gives us to work, thats about it, so you won't see me defending it. But, ask any Comair pilot, and we will defend our pay. It is not out of the realm of reality and what the business can support.
I know not one specific piece of information that could draw a conclusion about what your pay rates should be, so that is why you never see me comment to the 30% debate. If we go into bankruptcy, then anything is up for grabs, including Comair. Until then, why do you want to bring our paycales down, just to make yourself feel better? It won't benefit you, because there is just not that much to give. Comair asked for 8 million between the pilots and flt attdts, compare that to Delta's quarterly loss and it is a drop in the bucket. It's the business plan that needs to change, and of course, the pilot wages are a part of it, but again, not the solution. United pilots really took a hit, but I do not see Air Wisconsin at Mesa wages.
It's pretty sad that our pilot groups as a whole are so disconnected. If the RJ operators worked with the Mainline Operators, we could actually combat the race to the bottom with the wages. Instead, it turns into a who is more important game, which is such a thing of the past. There are tons of great people at the regionals that would probably be Delta pilots today if the economy would dictate it. Those same people deserve a decent wage so that they can come fight the good fight at Delta someday cause they know what they are worth. Isn't that the type of pilot that you like General, or would you rather get all the ones the low ball themselves?
I think we are all on the same team, it would be nice if we could act like it. I know any time money is involved, it will be a deeply emotional issue. I too, General, love Delta Airlines. They are a great family of people, and I love the heritage that it represents (I was especially excited to see the FLY DELTA JETS sign lit up in Atlanta a few weeks back-very nostalgic). I don't wish ill will towards anyone at Delta, so why do so for Comair?
