Fed Ex; not so good news

[dixieflyer]

We just got an email from one of the ACPs. Looks like no plans to hire for the next few months. He's a straight shooter, and he wouldnt put something out in print unless he had it on good authority that the info was true. Also, looks like FDX can could pick up some 757 for cheap. However, the associated cost of having a new fleet ie, pilot, mx training ect is keeping the deal on ice.

Sorry guys. I wish I had better news. I would like nothing more than to see all of yall in the pool on the property.

 

[P3tarbaby]

Are we talking October or will this push things past the first of the year with the holiday busy season?

 

[PurpleTail]

Uh Oh...

I just got done reading the same email and it doesn't look real promising for any new hires on property this year. Things can always change but you better have a back up plan.

Here is the funny thing though, I just got a call earlier today from the company drafting for a Friday morning trip. I turned it down. It looks like the company is trying to do more with less and keeping things a little on the lean side.

I am not sure if everyone has been keeping up with whole 'DHL buying Airborne' deal but if it is approved and if it does happen things could get even worse. Problem is DHL is a German owned/based company and are not 'techinically' supposed to be able to own and operate a US company (I don't exactly have the details so don't hold my feet to fire on that one.)

Also stated in the email was that we did NOT get any extra postal lift, it was awarded to 34 different airlines. The 757 look like the winning replacement but money is tight so who really knows when all that will happen. All I know is that transaction (acquistion, training, mx) is going to be a nightmare for the company.

 

[klhoard]

757's

Maybe we could all throw $10 into a hat to help them out?

 

[AV8OR]

Purple Tail

"I am not sure if everyone has been keeping up with whole 'DHL buying Airborne' deal but if it is approved and if it does happen things could get even worse. Problem is DHL is a German owned/based company and are not 'techinically' supposed to be able to own and operate a US company (I don't exactly have the details so don't hold my feet to fire on that one.)"

I have already addressed this in aother thread but I'll briefly address it again here.

DHL GROUND = a German owned company that has no restrictions in the US.

ASTAR Airways = formerly DHL Airways, a fully U.S. owned, that's 100%, airline, that formerly had a foreign investor, DHL Worldwide, who owned 25%, (the max allowed by law).

ASTAR now has NO foreign money, but does have an 11 year ACMI agreement to carry DHL product.

Because of this agreement, FedEx and UPS seek to redefine the historical definition of "operational control" which meant just that, and now say that because over 50% of our business comes from a foreign company we are therefore "controlled" by them and are not US citizens.

FedEx and UPS have said that what they seek is our operating certificate, thereby shutting us down and, in affect, DHL. If this happens it'll affect a wide range of ACMI airlines.

Does ASTAR want to compete with FedEX and UPS? You bet. IS there any foreign money being pumped in to subsidize us doing it. No.

You can read the whole account from the DOT website at...


www.dot.gov

under dockets, put in 13089.

 

[PurpleTail]

Thanks...

AV8OR-

I guess you have been keeping a close eye on it. Thank you for the very informative reply.

 

[corky]

the pool

Is the pool accurate on this site? 25 pilots in the pool?

 

[P3tarbaby]

pool

No, the pool is about 60...

What happened to hiring for retirements this year?

Thank god for the reserves!

 

[dixieflyer]

Where are all these retirments that we have been hearing about? It was my understanding there were about 80 guys to retire this year. Doesnt FDX issue FCIFs to let the crew force know when someone is about to fly their last trip? It seems I've only seen about a dozen, at the most, all year. Im still a new kid on the block, so its qutie possible Im not seeing the whole picture.
Does anyone know how many guys have hit the 60 year mark this year?

 

[h.simpson]

this really, really sucks. i would just like a seniority number...or at least an assurance that the pool won't get flushed and we all have to re-apply. is there a way to speed up the retirements?

h.

 

[fox3]

Retiring? No Way

The over 60 guys don't retire they just move to the back of the DC-10 or the 727. It's frustrating as well for us junior guys who are moving backwards in seniority. It's very confusing for me, because the general consensus seems to be that "no way am I working past 60" yet I'll bet that at least the top 80 guys in the back of the -10 are over the age of 60, and there will be 20 more by the end of the summer. Then they gloat about how they're going to take "your" line, these are more than likely the same guys that sell back vacation, fly draft and volunteer and keep you guys in the pool. The union could stop this crap by making these guys go to the bottom of the list for the seat that they are moving to. After all, most are DISPLACED CAPTAINS and need to move on.

There, I vented and feel better for the time being, but this retirement issue (or lack of) chaps my A$$.

 

[FearlessFreep]

From Purple Tail:

"Also stated in the email was that we did NOT get any extra postal lift, it was awarded to 34 different airlines"

This sounds like a good thing! Hopefully some other flying jobs will become available.

Seeing how I lost a job when Fedex backdoored the bulk of the postal contract from a bunch of smaller carriers, your not going to see me cry any salty tears on this one. Sorry.

Take Care & Good Luck To Us All!

 

[XUSAir]

Rumor Control

Here is a new tidbid I heard the other day. This is from a union rep. The company wants to run three classes at the end of the year for the professional instructors. There are 15 ending their commitment. The first class of 7, then 5, then 3. The big question..
will they be adding any poolies to the class ?(if it even happens) He did not know. I hope this is true and they add some to the list...............

 

[fr8doggie]

Get a Grip!

FOX3:

You don't seem very happy here at FDX. I hear they've got really quick upgrades at JetBlue. Perhaps you should apply.

I sat in the 727 S/O seat for over 5 years when I was hired here. Sometimes you up move quickly, sometimes you stagnate, sometimes you move backward, sometimes you're on the street.

I moved up 56 numbers in the last twelve months. So 56 pilots retired, medicaled out, died, got fired. In fact, since you seem to act pretty junior (read: clueless) you probably moved up even more since a few guys junior to me are no longer here.

A lot of the guys who are hitting 60 have not been here the required 25 years to qualify for the full 'A' plan benifit. I'm glad that we still have 3 crew planes so they can stay on.

I'm sure that you attend every LEC meeting and regularly write to your reps so they know your views. Don't forget to fill out your contract survey.

Vacation buyback, draft, volunteer... they are all allowed under the current contract. Guys are trying to max out their 'high five'.

The MD-11 schoolhouse is maxed out. People who were hired in 2001 can hold MD-11 F/O. The future for pilots here at FDX is very bright.

Have a nice day!

 

[PurpleTail]

Sorry Fearless Freep to get your hopes up but no "new" flying jobs will open up for you. The 34 different airlines that were awarded the extra postal lift were all pax airlines, not any second tier cargo haulers.

Fr8doggie is correct, there are a lot of over 60 guys going to the back seat but not everyone hired here at FDX is under 35 either. I had several guys in my new hire class in mid '01 that were mid to upper 40's. More power to them, most guys retiring got their 401k wiped out or severly hit in the last couple of years. And yes, my senority number jumped 60 numbers this last year. Domestic loads are down, some 727's going to graveyard and they are just not replacing the crews.

Don't worry the future is bright. I've been at FDX two years, just turn 33 and I am starting MD-11 class next Tues and going to be based in LA...Sweeeet!

 

[JerkyHerky]

Concerning FDX retirements - if the '04 contract negotiations start getting ugly, you'll see a whole bunch of guys retire that have been fence sitters or have only a couple of years left till 60.

 

[AlbieF15]

Fr8doggie,

Your points to Fox3 were valid, but your lack of tact and hostility is exactly why you had about 30% of your second officers pony up the $$ to support the captains earlier this year.

VLT, Drft, working over 60...all have some very serious advantages. Keeping our company efficient and lean also (hopefully) keeps ALL of us on the payroll instead of on the street. There is also something nice about having no "max" hours can can work--so if you need some extra money here and there to fix a house project or send a kid off to school there aren't any artificial rules that say you cannot. It has an "American work ethic" feel to it that makes a lot of sense at times. It also gives the crew force some leverage should we collectively decide to NOT pick up any trips should the need arise.

However, a little more "hey, look at it this way...you'll be a captain too one day" and a lot less "hey new guy...you should be greatful to have my crumbs" goes a long way. We all joined FDX knowing we'd hopefully have a great career and a reasonalbe advancement. In the long term, I'm sure we all will....but some it IS disheartening at times when a guy hired 3-6 months in front of you gets his widebody FO slot after 1 year with the company, and it looks like with current hiring/attrition you might not get the chance for 3-5 years. Now...we aren't kids here...we know timing is king in the airline game and that's the way things work sometimes. But the condescending tone doesn't do much to built "unity" as we all try to work together towards 2004.

Three facts about Fox3 you need to know. First...I KNOW for a fact he was one of the 30% who opened the checkbook to help out the previously mentioned captains. Second...he had a JetBlue offer but declined it. Finally...he spent over 20 years in a wide range of jets serving his country, and didn't get on the property until his 40s. He knew the rules, and made his own choices, but unlike some of the boy wonder 25 year old guys who've been acruing seniority all these years, he was off serving his country keeping us safe so we could HAVE an airline industry while others were "paying their dues" as S/Os and F/Os. I don't expect anyone to do any special favors for those guys or inflate their seniority number, but just a tad bit of respect and keeping the tone toward intelligent discussions vice the hostility will go a long way towards making us a more unified crew force.

 

[fr8doggie]

Re: Retiring? No Way

ALBIE15:

Here's what FOX3 wrote:

the general consensus seems to be that "no way am I working past 60" yet I'll bet that at least the top 80 guys in the back of the -10 are over the age of 60, and there will be 20 more by the end of the summer. Then they gloat about how they're going to take "your" line, these are more than likely the same guys that sell back vacation, fly draft and volunteer and keep you guys in the pool. The union could stop this crap by making these guys go to the bottom of the list for the seat that they are moving to. After all, most are DISPLACED CAPTAINS and need to move on.

So who started the vitriol? I very seriously doubt age 60+ guys are gloating that they took FOX3's line.

I guess the fighter jocks can whine all they want to but when I get sick of hearing it I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut. Forget it. This is an anonymous BB where people hide behind handles. What I posted was extremely mild compared to some of the things I've read here.

You guys have very thin skins.

 

[Cardinal]

Re: Uh Oh...

The 757 look like the winning replacement but money is tight so who really knows when all that will happen.

LOL. "Money is tight" - This from a company that made $710 Million in '02 after one time charges , saw a 15% gross operating margin, and who's stock price is 25% higher than it ever was prior to September 11th. I realize that fiscal discipline contributed to those results, but honestly. The purple kool aid get's a little thick sometimes. There's a lot of handlers convinced that the company barely has it's head above water. There is zero threat of unionization among the hourly types, if it makes anybody feel better. But during the '04 negotiations there will be zero sympathy towards the pilots, for the same reasons.

 

[General Lee]

I read in Flight INTL that Fedex was starting to look for replacements for the 120 727s---and that used 737-300s and 757s may do the trick. But, the article also stated that the recent buy of ATR-42's may fill in for unprofitable 727 routes, and they may even look at ATR-72's with even more room for cargo. Those larger ATRs might easily fill in for close regional flights around MEM or OAK, or DFW etc. Man, even Fedex might have scope problems----what is this world coming to? Atleast it seems that Fedex may expand INTL routes, which might make up the difference. But, the Fedex guys will hear the same thing we hear at the Majors---"It's cheaper to find crews to fly ATR-72's than the 3 man crews for the 727....."

Bye Bye--General Lee