ExpressJet to buy Chautauqua ?

[BoilerUP]

Yes, I am a student at Purdue. I interned at CHQ much like I presume you did at Chicago Express. I very much enjoyed working there and I liked the culture that I saw, and I hope I might have the opportunity to work there this summer after I graduate.

I especially liked this quote from you:

I know my place in this industry, and that would be the bottom. However, that does not mean that I have no right to be defensive when it comes to discussions about advancements in the regional airline industry

It fits not only you, but me perfectly as well. I am at the bottom below you, but I take offense when people who ignorant of what a pilot group has been through start throwing around false statements and hyperbole because they are pissed that group couldn't negotiate a few extra dollars per hour in their contract. You know what made me want to work for CHQ the most during my time there? People seemed genuinely happy and content with both the company and their job. Of course more money would be nice, but every pilot I spoke with commented about the very good QOL, and to me, that is worth more than a few extra bucks per hour. I'd rather have a good job paying a good, fair wage (but not the best) with good security than "max pay to the last day" stickers on my bag a couple times during my career. But that's just me, and as a young aspiring pilot, take that for what it may be worth.

I'm tired of the downright lies and ridiculous rumors that some people (ie REGIONAL PILOTS) spread about other companies. I'm tired of the snobbish percieved superiority some pilots have towards other pilots. I'm tired of hearing on this board the disdain some people have towards CHQ/SKW/Mesa/etc, yet hearing from line pilots everybody smiles and plays nice when talking to a crew or asking for the jumpseat. The hypocracy is sickening and most definately not needed. But thats what we have, and I have no solution to it other than suggesting groups turning blame inward, and not outward to other companies.

Once you get hooked on the airline business, it's worse than dope.

My gawd, ain't it true. I should probably be out at the bars & chasing tail, but since I've dumped a TON of money into this career, I figure its worth a few minutes each day to get the pulse of the front-line employees and the state of the industry from a source not the USA today. I take everything with a grain of salt, but I honestly believe most people on here would get along great if they got together during an overnight or something. We are all different, but yet we are all the same.

I may be a poor broke college student and CFI, but once you hit the line, if you are ever in LAF (for some odd reason) or in LEX over the holidays, the frosty cold beverages are on me.

Frats,


BoilerUP

 

[TWAER]

When are all you guys going to realize that the bar is being lowered by mainline. All you want to talk about is CHQ lowering the bar yet fail to admit all the gains mainline pilots have given back to management. AA, United, Airways, and soon Delta will have given back BILLIONS in order to save their jobs. Yet here we have CHQ who took NO concessions and improved every part of our contract. I know there is a big difference between mainline and regionals, but you are failing to realize mainline jobs are being turned into regional jobs more and more every day.


BTW I could care less if CHQ ever flies for Cont. And as far as Airways goes. If they liquidate, Delta has opions on all those aircraft. Who knows if they will take them or not but they get first pick.

 

[KingAirer]

It will be great to up the bar with an industry leading contract at XJT only to have Mesa or CHQ sneak in from behind offering to do it for much less. They are already drooling over the opportunity to gather up CAL flying from XJT... since most of their current flying is very likely to disappear with US Airways.

You can "rah rah" for XJT all you want, encouraging the pilot group to "raise the bar", but as soon as you operate one flight under CAL colors formerly operated by XJT you lose all rights to complain about the degradation of the industry. You are doing the same flying for less. All the gains from over two years of negotiations to "up the bar" with Contract 2002 will be out the window.

But you know, in all honesty, aren't all us regional pilots guilty of that?

Dude you got it all wrong. Yeah we are drooling over all the CAL (cant wait to fly that globe around)flying, but what we really cant wait for is to become part of Travolta Air. Word is he already has bought ATA and is just going to cover up the first A and WAMMO, travolta air.

 

[nimtz]

My gawd, ain't it true. I should probably be out at the bars & chasing tail, but since I've dumped a TON of money into this career, I figure its worth a few minutes each day to get the pulse of the front-line employees and the state of the industry from a source not the USA today.

It ain't worth it. You'll do yourself a bigger favor in the long term by putting those few minutes back into the bar and tail. After all Purdue looked pretty good blasting Syracuse last week.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

Yes, I am a student at Purdue. I interned at CHQ much like I presume you did at Chicago Express. I very much enjoyed working there and I liked the culture that I saw, and I hope I might have the opportunity to work there this summer after I graduate.

I especially liked this quote from you:
It fits not only you, but me perfectly as well. I am at the bottom below you, but I take offense when people who ignorant of what a pilot group has been through start throwing around false statements and hyperbole because they are pissed that group couldn't negotiate a few extra dollars per hour in their contract. You know what made me want to work for CHQ the most during my time there? People seemed genuinely happy and content with both the company and their job. Of course more money would be nice, but every pilot I spoke with commented about the very good QOL, and to me, that is worth more than a few extra bucks per hour. I'd rather have a good job paying a good, fair wage (but not the best) with good security than "max pay to the last day" stickers on my bag a couple times during my career. But that's just me, and as a young aspiring pilot, take that for what it may be worth.

I'm tired of the downright lies and ridiculous rumors that some people (ie REGIONAL PILOTS) spread about other companies. I'm tired of the snobbish percieved superiority some pilots have towards other pilots. I'm tired of hearing on this board the disdain some people have towards CHQ/SKW/Mesa/etc, yet hearing from line pilots everybody smiles and plays nice when talking to a crew or asking for the jumpseat. The hypocracy is sickening and most definately not needed. But thats what we have, and I have no solution to it other than suggesting groups turning blame inward, and not outward to other companies.

My gawd, ain't it true. I should probably be out at the bars & chasing tail, but since I've dumped a TON of money into this career, I figure its worth a few minutes each day to get the pulse of the front-line employees and the state of the industry from a source not the USA today. I take everything with a grain of salt, but I honestly believe most people on here would get along great if they got together during an overnight or something. We are all different, but yet we are all the same.

I may be a poor broke college student and CFI, but once you hit the line, if you are ever in LAF (for some odd reason) or in LEX over the holidays, the frosty cold beverages are on me.

Frats,


BoilerUP

This statement is exactly why wages at the Regionals will continue to be at poverty wages. Boiler, you still have a lot to learn about this industry. This isn't meant to be harsh, but you are basing your opinions on a Semester Internship at Chatauqua. You are probably single, in your early 20's, and no family to support. This won't always be the case. Eventually, you will be married with a family to support, and you will find that the wages paid at carriers like Chatauqua are not enough to support a family of 4, unless your wife works full time or you have a 2nd job yourself to supplement your income. That's the reality for thousands of pilots at airlines like CHQ, XJT, Mesa, Eagle, etc. So, until you've walked a mile in one of these pilot's shoes, you should reserve comment until you have.

Now, where do I pick up my MAX PAY TILL THE LAST DAY ALPA sticker!

 

[BoilerUP]

This statement is exactly why wages at the Regionals will continue to be at poverty wages. Boiler, you still have a lot to learn about this industry. This isn't meant to be harsh, but you are basing your opinions on a Semester Internship at Chatauqua. You are probably single, in your early 20's, and no family to support. This won't always be the case. Eventually, you will be married with a family to support, and you will find that the wages paid at carriers like Chatauqua are not enough to support a family of 4, unless your wife works full time or you have a 2nd job yourself to supplement your income. That's the reality for thousands of pilots at airlines like CHQ, XJT, Mesa, Eagle, etc. So, until you've walked a mile in one of these pilot's shoes, you should reserve comment until you have.

Now, where do I pick up my MAX PAY TILL THE LAST DAY ALPA sticker!

Saluki,

I am guilty on all counts. I am in my early 20s, single with no family to support. My opinion of Chautauqua comes from my semester interning there, as well as the daily interaction I had with both flight crews and management. I also am swayed by the opinions posters on this board have of their current employer, as well as other companies out there.

I stand by my statement that I'd rather have a GOOD, FAIR WAGE and an excellent QOL than industry-leading wages with a marginal QOL. That having been said, I am not a line pilot nor do I pretend to be one. Because of that reason and my situation as posted above, I am signing off of this thread and leaving the discussion to current line pilots who have been there and done that. Perhaps I know not of what I speak.

Good luck getting the contract you deserve.

 

[Jetlink]

Hostile takeover? Yeah, sure. XJT's got the cash for that.

Besides, Wexford owns 51 percent of the stock, so that can't happen. And since Delta holds 17 percent, it likely won't dump something that's making money.

Kind of like Continental wouldn't dump XJet because its making money....oh wait, it did...to make more money pronto.....hmmm

 

[TWAER]

This statement is exactly why wages at the Regionals will continue to be at poverty wages. Boiler, you still have a lot to learn about this industry. This isn't meant to be harsh, but you are basing your opinions on a Semester Internship at Chatauqua. You are probably single, in your early 20's, and no family to support. This won't always be the case. Eventually, you will be married with a family to support, and you will find that the wages paid at carriers like Chatauqua are not enough to support a family of 4, unless your wife works full time or you have a 2nd job yourself to supplement your income. That's the reality for thousands of pilots at airlines like CHQ, XJT, Mesa, Eagle, etc. So, until you've walked a mile in one of these pilot's shoes, you should reserve comment until you have.

Now, where do I pick up my MAX PAY TILL THE LAST DAY ALPA sticker!

Well, I can comment since I am a line-holder. I have a nice house, 3 cars, two kids and a dog. Hell, I even take two weeks of vacation a year. Our wages are not the very top, but last time I checked, I was not in poverty. Oh, my wife does work PART TIME.

 

[rumorhasit]

The rumor I'm hearing around CLE is that CHQ put a bid on the Continental flying for $200 to $300 less per hour than XJET is getting.

I've heard the same thing from management. that is why all the recent layoffs in the last few weeks!!! the head of chq went into gordo's office and offered to undercut xjt by 20-30 percent and when oil prices @ record levels gordo is going to listen!!!!

 

[Bayoupilot]

Kind of like Continental wouldn't dump XJet because its making money....oh wait, it did...to make more money pronto.....hmmm

Good point ... except that Wexford still owns 51 percent of RJET.