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Great Lakes Station Closures

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ampropilot2b

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Posts
58
Heard that 'Lakes will be closing Huron, Brookings, Pueblo, and Rapid City in the near future. Mesa picked up Huron Brookings, a station Lakes has been trying to close since they were the only Minnieapolis destinations. Pueblo also went to Mesa in the EAS bid, but I don't know the story on Rapid. Seems like a lot of station closures combined with reduced frequency in some markets for the winter may cause a pilot surplus. Hope not! Any word on Arizona flying?
 
I heard another month or two till we hear from the arizona stuff. In my opinion we're shrinking ever since I've been here. We've lost vernal, moab, casper, wichita, brookings, huron, minneapolis, norfolk, cody, & rapid city all in the last year. We've picked up frequency in some markets and reduced in others. The company newsletter also says they are looking at markets that aren't working which means their maybe some more closures in the future. But who knows in this industry what's going to happen.Good luck
 
I spent three and a half years there and there was NEVER any good news for the pilot group...or the company for that matter. Here's a list of all the places that closed when I was there:

Traverse City, MI Waterloo, IA
Lansing, MI Dubuque, IA
Muskegon, MI Spencer, IA (who cares about that one though)
Manistee, MI Burlington, IA
Oshkosh, WI Ottumwa, IA
Rhinelander, WI Chicago
Iron Wood, MI
Iron Mountain, MI
Matoon, IL
Springfield, IL
WOW...too many to list...you can see my point though. Great Lakes will always be the best and worst flying job I ever had. I made a lot of great friends but the goal was always to get the heck out. Back in the early 90's Doug Voss said there was no market for a regional jet...WHOOPS! It seems that as the industry is changing, there's not a market for the 1900, which is too bad. It was a great plane to fly. To all the Lakers still stuck in that hole, good luck. I hope some good news will finally come your way!
 
Lakes has a lot of good people working there! A former student of mine used to work there, he has some pretty horrific stories to tell!! The management there Doug Voss is a greedy B@$tard!! Unfortunately he has no desire to run the airline for what it is, an AIRLINE!! He is using it as a feeder for all of his other adventures, example:



  • He (Voss) will only go after EAS flying, he refuses to compete against other carriers, (Casper, Cody, Rapid)
  • He (Voss) sells himself products, ie; fuel, paper products he even owns several 1900’s and leases them back to Lakes!!
  • He (Voss) only makes the minimum repairs to his airplanes to keep them flying!
  • He (Voss) offered his pilots a slap in the face raise, Capt’s a 50 cent raise and the FO’s 30 cent an hour!!! Is that CHEAP or what!!!


Doug Voss should sell the airline to Skywest or Horizon or anyone else who want’s to run an airline for what it is, a business!!
 
Amen, plus when we fly charters great lakes isn't even seeing the money made. The money goes to a separate company called Iowa Great Lakes Flyers. I heard another rumor that Skywest wants to buy us, but I remember hearing that rumor a long time ago.
 
I wonder where our friend Mooser is? He hasn't been posting six posts/day for awhile. Maybe he got a job at another airline and doesn't have to worry about 'Lakes all day now. Mooser, are you alright?!?
 
  • He (Voss) will only go after EAS flying, he refuses to compete against other carriers, (Casper, Cody, Rapid)
  • He (Voss) sells himself products, ie; fuel, paper products he even owns several 1900’s and leases them back to Lakes!!
  • He (Voss) only makes the minimum repairs to his airplanes to keep them flying!
  • He (Voss) offered his pilots a slap in the face raise, Capt’s a 50 cent raise and the FO’s 30 cent an hour!!! Is that CHEAP or what!!!
Click to expand...
I was actually hired there last year! but a better offer came up. I am so glad I didn't take it. I couldn't imagine working for an @$$ like that. If the Gov't announced tomorrow that all EAS funding was over, that place would fold the next day. I don't care what species of cockroach it is. It's too bad they are occupying all those gates at the end of A concourse, I'm sure Horizon would love to get their hands on those!! Seemed like a good group that I interviewed with,
 
Cornelius said:
Amen, plus when we fly charters great lakes isn't even seeing the money made. The money goes to a separate company called Iowa Great Lakes Flyers. I heard another rumor that Skywest wants to buy us, but I remember hearing that rumor a long time ago.
Click to expand...
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news fellas, but that rumor has NOT been going around SkyWest. The thinking here is quite the opposite direction -- latest I heard is we're planning to buy USAir if they go under and/or Q-400s to replace at least some of the Brasilias serving high & hot airports. I don't think SkyWest wants to touch new EAS with a 10' pole. I'm afraid if Doug and Chuck don't make some moves to modernize Lakes and get some up-to-date equipment, the day of the Cockroach may actually come to an end.
 
GJT rumor

Any truth to the rumor we'll be closing GJT at the same time as RAP?
GEEZ!
 
norskman2 said:
propjockey said:
latest I heard is we're planning to buy USAir if they go under QUOTE]

Good God, man! You'd be better off buying Lakes!
Click to expand...
Perhaps I should clarify. The rumor I heard was that SkyWest would buy the assets for pennies on the dollar -- not the company. And it's only a rumor, so take it with a very large grain of salt!
Click to expand...
 
It looks like the Teamsters are finally bringing in the big gun!!! Maybe the cheapskate will have to get off some money!!!

July 26, 2004

Letter from Teamsters President James Hoffa to Legislators







The letter below was sent to senators and representatives of Colorado and Wyoming on July 19, 2004. Subsequent letters will be sent to city councils in Essential Air Service locations served by Great Lakes.









Letter from President Hoffa



I am writing to request your assistance in resolving a labor dispute that could interrupt passenger service to your area. Great Lakes Airlines, Inc., is headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and provides passenger service throughout the Rocky Mountain area.



This company and the Teamsters Airline Division, who represents the Great Lakes pilots, have been in negotiations since October 2000. The pilots have worked for the past five years without a wage increase. Their wage scale is at the very bottom of the industry. It is so low, in fact, that it qualifies some Great Lakes First Officers for the food stamp program.



The National Mediation Board (NMB) directs the bargaining conducted under the Railway Labor Act (RLA). The company and Union have reached an impasse. Should this impasse result in self-help, air service to the communities served by the carrier could be interrupted. This is not an outcome desired by the Union.



We request that you urge the Great Lakes management, Doug Voss, President and Chairman, and Chuck Howell, Chief Executive Officer, to reach an equitable and fair settlement with its pilot group. In the coming weeks, if there is not an agreement, the Union will be publicizing the issues involved. This action alone will be of concern to many travelers, but this is the only step by which the Union can try to resolve the matter. Your expression of concern to senior management officials is in the best interests of the traveling public, the company shareholders, the communities, and the employees.





Sincerely,







James P. Hoffa

General President
Click to expand...
 
Isn't that Jimmy Hoffa's son?
 
ampropilot2b said:
I wonder where our friend Mooser is? He hasn't been posting six posts/day for awhile. Maybe he got a job at another airline and doesn't have to worry about 'Lakes all day now. Mooser, are you alright?!?
Click to expand...
Hey,

I have just been in a deep depresson about all this crap...I was told to check back in a week about Adot's decision on who will get the EAS contracts in AZ

Who knows;

Mooser
 

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