Hold on tight

[jetwash]

Where do the Flex pilots stand on the union?

Wouldn't locking in your pay and benefits at current rates be a wise choice or will you be happy with what the new owners will offer?

Setting a price on a daily rate for pilot labor across all the providers will ensure some stability for all.

 

[ProFracPilot]

First Officer at flex make more than a 15 year Captain on the Gulfstream. Somebody is gonna benefit or someone is going to get screwed.

Those are old pay scales. I think you have to use a formula in the CBA that is based on MTOW to determine pay for anything larger than the Legacy.

 

[Club ORD FO]

Flex pilots have been assured that our pay will remain the same

 

[DirtyBeech]

Flex isn't going to unionize. They just won't.

Told compensation will be the same or similar.

Flex schedulers and dispatchers won't be heading to Cleveland. Y'all don't appreciate just how short we're running in that department.

 

[BlueNose]

Flex pilots have been assured that our pay will remain the same

That's good news, best of luck to you all.

 

[doh]

Are they at least good changes?

Nothing good here whatsoever!?????

 

[flex*wife]

Flex pilots have been assured that our pay will remain the same

Yes but it looks the vacation/PTO benefits might... Kiss your senior 4 weeks good bye if you read between the lines on the Q & A. I think that part is going to suck majorly for Flex because they are wording it so elusively right now...

Healthcare was going to change anyway due to Obamacare - so maybe a wash - hopefully? That makes me the most nervous - will Directional go the way of so many other companies and cover only children and non working spouses?

I would also anticipate some changes to operational schedules, bid periods etc... especially the 14.5 day guarantee, perhaps a new 7 and 7, and some more clarification on start/end, change band rules... Hopefully those will be positive but that's one way of tweaking the salary without breaking the promises that it says the same.

Really smart opportunity to find a home for Flex's older fleet without taking a hit... I like that part a lot - makes Flex's bottom line suddenly much more attractive. If Flex continues to have good numbers, it will help the new parent to justify the current benefits over FO pilots. And I like Deana - a lot - she is a shark. Her staying on assures some continued success with the bottom line which can only benefit Flex pilots, or at least I have good reason to hope!

Does anyone know the vacation/PTO/holiday schedule of Directional as well as the healthcare situation?

I'll admit the sky didn't fall the last time the union drive fizzled but I sure wish there were a piece of paper I could look at that gave families some assurances and peace of mind.

 

[ProFracPilot]

I'll admit the sky didn't fall the last time the union drive fizzled but I sure wish there were a piece of paper I could look at that gave families some assurances and piece of mind.

That opportunity doesn't have to be lost long term. Just sayin'.

 

[Rupert.]

I don't see anything about Jet Solutions, LLC in this deal. Flex doesn't have a 135 certificate (can't since it was foreign-owned). So all the Flex pilots have an agency agreement with Jet Solutions, who holds a 135 cert and is the operator of record for any 135 flights. No need to keep up this charade, and no need to get Flex a 135 certificate, thanks once again to 1108's magnificent scope clause. Here's one more guess how this plays out.
Every Flex pilot can now sign an agency agreement with Flight Options, who can be the operator of record for 135 flights. So Options maintenance program (and mx centers) covers the Flex fleet, the DO and Options training dept take care of training, OCC schedules and dispatches all flights. Kenn makes money by cutting overhead significantly since he's now paying himself for these outsourced services. Flexjet becomes the grandaddy of all brand partners.
You might think the pilot contract would have something to say about that, but that pesky scope clause doesn't quite get it done. Every brand partner flight does indeed count the same as a charter sell-off, but, oops, the scope clause contains absolutely no limits or penalties for sell-off, so there's no limit to how many flights can be outsourced, all without bringing another Options pilot back on the property.
Matt and his buddies were so pleased with themselves when Kenn personally flew in and sat down with them to negotiate the scope clause. They rubbed shoulders with the Bid Dawg, and were smiling so hard that they failed to notice their bleeding rectums when they walked out of the session.

Your my hero!

 

[jetwash]

You might want to look at the benefits and providers that Flight Options uses for indications of future changes. Last time we updated our benefits it was done on a site that was for Nextant employees and Flight options employees even though we are different companies but in the same family. I am sure Constant also was using the same providers and had similar health and other benefits.

Time will tell how this will all turn out but you Flex people might want to read Kenn Ricci's book on managing aviation companies to get an idea of his logic. It's called " management by trust" I am sure you will all be issued a copy in the coming weeks.
Book reports will be due a week later.