Indy- Massive Furloughs

[Noam]

And to think, just a few months ago some arrogrant Indy Air folks were telling the world how they were going to mop the floor with UAL, etc.

The worst thing is the likelyhood of a massive furlough and then the remaining pilots being forced to go back into a codeshare with UAL.

Good luck guys...at least you tried!

 

[tarp]

And to think, just a few months ago some arrogrant Indy Air folks were telling the world how they were going to mop the floor with UAL, etc.

The worst thing is the likelyhood of a massive furlough and then the remaining pilots being forced to go back into a codeshare with UAL.

Thanks for pointing that out!

Did it occur to you that with the Bain Group's helpful aid, that ACA would receive about 50 CRJ's worth of flying at highly reduced fee per departure rates?

So - our fate was the same whether we went Indy or not. It just took us four months longer to get there.

I for one am happy with the attempt even though I am now to be furloughed in the next 4-5 months. The 23% pay cut to continue UEX flying was completely unacceptable - my current wage is an unacceptable amount of money but I was hopeful for the future.

Being Indy meant that we were no longer doing "contract" flying for United. It was so liberating to not have to bow and curtsy to every United employee from the rampers to the gate to the pilots. To stifle the scream, order, complaint, request, remark or any other thought that crosses your mind when small-minded people act like complete and utter jackasses. We did everything in our power including many a bitten lip just to make our customer happy. I have no need to ever return to being a United water-boy. (And every single Air Whiskey, Skywest, Mesa, Chautauqua and Shuttle America crewmember knows what I am talking about - United folks have a unique way of making everyone who is NOT United feel very unwelcome.)

But just remember, had we stayed in the United contract carry group, our flying was already being pared down by Mesa and Chautauqua - we were going to share with Air Whiskey and Skywest. Instead of the pie being sliced 3 ways, it was going to be sliced 6 ways. And Bain will make sure that each of the six contractors will fight each other to the death in trying to either keep their piece of pie or get a bigger slice. Air Whiskey is the current contractor with their head on the chopping block - each will get their turn.

Nope, I will soon be out of 121 flying. I will miss flying a CRJ at FL310 in a beautiful layered sky. I will not miss one minute of schedulers, dispatchers, chief pilot memos, kissing a United ramper's butt to get a lousy bag of ice, not seeing a meal for 8 hours at a pinch, 22 minute turns, trying to hold rudder pressure while doubled over in pain because I didn't get a chance to go to the bathroom at the last turn, being locked behind security doors for a two hour leg.......the list is way too long.

 

[I.P. Freley]

(And every single Air Whiskey, Skywest, Mesa, Chautauqua and Shuttle America crewmember knows what I am talking about - United folks have a unique way of making everyone who is NOT United feel very unwelcome.)

You forget, we at Shuttle America formerly dealt with USAirways people in PIT. The United people I have run across are a breath of fresh air by comparison... I have had nothing but good times with the U people, though some of the outstations staffed by Express carrier personnel are another story.

The fact this this is an improvement should tell you something.

 

[surplus1]

The phrase "Give me liberty or give me death" comes to mind. The going is rough and it may get worse before it gets better; it may even fail alltogether. Nevertheless, you all have every reason to be proud of what you have done and what you are trying to do.

I wish you success and it's not over yet; you may still outlive the predator. The dinosaurs are an endangered species and the possibility of becoming extinct is just as likely for them if not more so. In the process of their demise they will, unfortunately, take many good species with them but you should have no regrets for trying to survive. Being in the service of a slaveowner is not a worthy ambition.

Good luck to all. Many clouds have silver linings. Don't give up.

 

[dogg]

Just curious- Is Indy furloughing because you are now going to be flying fewer, bigger airplanes( airbus) or is it from a route structure change- as in less total flying... If anyone knows Tim Griffin at Indy could you PM me thanks....

 

[Hovernut]

Holy crap! I thought you guys would pull through! It's hard to see a stand-up pilot group like yours get pared down like that. I hope we at CMR and ASA can bring on as many as we can. Times are weird when I see my former flight instructors get furloughed at ACA and my former students upgrading to CA at CHQ.

Best Wishes

 

[Heavy Set]

Tough times at Indy and I hope they ultimately pull through - with a lot fewer CRJs. Look, the CRJ didn't work for Midway on the East Coast and it certainly doesn't work well in a low-fare environment where you just can't cover the operating and financing costs with 50 relatively low-fare seats at max (not at $59 one-way fares). We all know the load factors have not been good (worse for a low-fare operator) because of the lack of brand-name recognition. Compound that with a surplus of low-fare seats on the East Coast (TED, AirTran, SWA, JetBlue, a desperate USAirways, etc.).

Let's hope that Indy can find a way to hold-on for the next few months as it adds some A319s. Good luck!

 

[~~~^~~~]

>
> My best wishes to the ACA & Indy Air pilots.
>

 

[IP076]

Quick Question...

Does this basically furlough all the FOs?

A friend of mine is about that date of hire, I think a little earlier, and he was just displaced from captain.

Pretty hard to swallow considering I think i've worked with in one way or the other a good 25% of the furlough list.

Good luck all!

 

[Heavy Set]

Does anyone know the plan on the A319s? How many are currently flying and how many are expected within the next 6 months or so?