Flight opts meeting highlights

[jetwash]

Here is a run down of the Big Announcement at flight opts.


It was basicly nothing new or earth shattering.

Some points:

Lost money in 2004 (big news)

Card program is selling very good but frac sales are more important

Fleet is being reduced to only 4 types
Beechjet, hawker, Citation X and Legacy

No merger or new investors

Signature is trying to squeeze more money out of us

For pilots some possible changes in the coming months but nothing for sure so they say.

1 tier 3 airports are costing us money so they "might go"
2 possible 7 and 7, 4 and 3, and reserve
3 no layoffs
4 replacing 30 old aircraft this year
5 reducing 4.3 pilots per a/c to 4.1 maybe? ( say bye to vacation requests)
6 probably some new hires
7 changes to crew meals ( most likely we will all be going on a diet)
8 no reduction in pay ( aka... no pay increase )
9 changes to the rest policy again since the last policy tied OCC hands too much
10. trying to improve moral ( can't drop anymore than it is now)
11. 9 percent turnover rate for pilots


I might have missed somethings but I am sure others will be glad to post additional info.
So there you go all that hype for nothing that you already didn't know.

 

[Dep676]

Tell me how tier 3 airports are costing more money? They usually connect to a tier 1 airport. 8 out of 10 times it costs more to go to or out of tier 1 airport than a tier 3.

 

[slowtation capt]

They are costing the company money in productivity.

Tier 1/2 person can get to airplane sooner and fly trips sooner

Tier 3 takes more connections, longer to airplane, less availability on trips

 

[Dep676]

Ok well tell me why times I have been able to go direct out of my tier 2 airport to my airplane. Then they take me out of my tier 3 airport and get me there later. It is called a "cheaper ticket". So don't give me this productivity answer. It is all about taking things away from the crews. So that getting us there sooner does not hold water with me at all.

 

[learflyer]

Why is it always, "possible", "might", "maybe", "nothing for sure", "probably", with these people? Just do something!

 

[Dep676]

Because they don't have the balls and tell you in person. They rather send you an e-mail. Oh BTW we are taking this from you starting tomorrow or whenever they fell like it. That way they don't have to look you in the eyes and be a man about it.

 

[luvu]

A theory

Why is it always, "possible", "might", "maybe", "nothing for sure", "probably", with these people? Just do something!

I think the interim CEO Scheringa was intending to do something but maybe got his chain yanked by Mother for stirring up the pilots in the process. That wouldn't be a very nice legacy to leave to whomever Raytheon ultimately selects as the next permanent CEO.

Looks like the pilots have a very brief window to get themselves organized and protected against an uncertain future. Consider the next few weeks a gift that you can either put to good use or not.

Get active. see the ASAP board. Make the necessary phone calls.

 

[Frac Daddy]

They are costing the company money in productivity.

Tier 1/2 person can get to airplane sooner and fly trips sooner

Tier 3 takes more connections, longer to airplane, less availability on trips

Nice thoery, but it doesn't work that way. Seems even if you commute out of a hub airport they'll make you make a connection anyway if it will save $5 on the ticket. Even if it KILLS more duty time!!

 

[FracCapt]

9 changes to the rest policy again since the last policy tied OCC hands too much

Supposedly this is going to go out in an email sometime today. I'd assume they'll wait until after the last meeting today so as not to paint a big bullseye on their chest then step in front of the crowd.

He also said it's going to be "temporary, for about a month" while they determine what the official new policy will be. This, to me, means that it won't meet 135 guidelines(hence the month - 135 starts on, what, Feb 17?). He did say they will take that time to determine what is "safe, efficient, and in line with FAA regulations".

This could get interesting....

 

[Dep676]

My guess is the circadian low start time. Starting then limits us to a 12 hour day. That boys and girls will be going by the way side. We all need to contact ASAP now and get the ball rolling. The sooner we get it going the less they can change. It's only going to get worse from here.