Just got furloughed from dayjet!

[Publishers]

First of all, not many people had much seniority in the first place. Second, they did not explain the why and wherefore so we are being critical without knowing the reasons. Third, this company was and is revolutionary in its approach to a number of aspects of the business. I do not know why this post is even on the fractional board because they certainly are not a fractional operation in any sense. This is not an airline and like NJW's NJ, they have created a business model that is new in all aspects. Did they keep only captains, ones at certain bases, whatever. Does it really matter if you are one let go how they did it. As their press release said, it is impossible for companies like this to raise money right now. This is what happened to Adam Aircraft, to Javalin, and to many others.

 

[skyrider1016]

Im not saying that its wrong to lay off we all know the current economic climate is not healthy for aviation in general, however the fair way to have done it would have been to go by seniority or date of hire however you wanna call it. Unfortunately the ones making the decisions were not even pilots, the director of training and several other management pilots had nothing to do with the decisions on who to let go, its not fair for guys who got hired a month ago to still have a job as opposed to those who had been there since last spring and summer. They can have all the ideas they want but they are running an air carrier and sooner or later they are gonna have to start acting like one, if they survive that is.

 

[Diesel]

First of all, not many people had much seniority in the first place. Second, they did not explain the why and wherefore so we are being critical without knowing the reasons. Third, this company was and is revolutionary in its approach to a number of aspects of the business. I do not know why this post is even on the fractional board because they certainly are not a fractional operation in any sense. This is not an airline and like NJW's NJ, they have created a business model that is new in all aspects. Did they keep only captains, ones at certain bases, whatever. Does it really matter if you are one let go how they did it. As their press release said, it is impossible for companies like this to raise money right now. This is what happened to Adam Aircraft, to Javalin, and to many others.

Oh publishers how very wrong and stuipd you are. Well thats what you get for not working in this industry just posting about it and wishing, and hoping one day that airliner will have an incapacitated crew and you can rush up to the cockpit.

First of all, not many people had much seniority in the first place.

Seniority is seniority, whether it be one minute or 1 year.

Second, they did not explain the why and wherefore so we are being critical without knowing the reasons.

Its obvious why, it's a tried and trued method that has been practiced time and time again. Some like to call it house cleaning

Third, this company was and is revolutionary in its approach to a number of aspects of the business.

Not really, they took a lot of money, blew through it, squandered a bunch, screwed a lot of people, and in the end will make out like millionaires. That too is a system already in place. Please read chapter 5 of How to screw your employees in aviation.

 

[Correcting]

The layoffs came about because DayJet was unable to secure $40 million in financing needed to continue their expansion. They had been hiring based on the assumption that they would get that capital infusion. That's why there were want ads out as little as a few days ago.

As expected, DayJet executives are talking around the issue as best they can. They can downplay the issue all they want, but if DayJet couldn't convince investors to plow another $40 million into the operation, then I wonder what those investors know that we don't?

http://www.businessweek.com/lifesty...?chan=top+news_top+news+index_news+++analysis

 

[Fozzy]

Not really, they took a lot of money, blew through it, squandered a bunch, screwed a lot of people, and in the end will make out like millionaires. That too is a system already in place. Please read chapter 5 of How to screw your employees in aviation.

Ya I was thinking the same thing. The aviation play book is getting a little predictable.

 

[johnsonrod]

For the laid off Dayjeters I hear the Linear Air out of Bedford, MA and HEF (Manassas, VA) is hiring pilots for its Eclipse jets. I am betting they pay better than $50K per year.

Check it out:

http://www.linearair.com/

 

[Guitar Guy]

Not really, they took a lot of money, blew through it, squandered a bunch, screwed a lot of people, and in the end will make out like millionaires. That too is a system already in place. Please read chapter 5 of How to screw your employees in aviation.

So that's where Skybus got their business plan.

 

[Publishers]

"They can have all the ideas they want but they are running an air carrier and sooner or later they are gonna have to start acting like one, if they survive that is."
I think we can safely assume that they do not want to act like an air carrier seeing there is not exactly a fortune of profit coming from that business.
Secondly, the capital markets have gone south for a number of reasons. Eclipse had to get Russian funding and appeal to their owners to go on. Adams was bought by foreign interests. The money lost through sub prime lending and the Fed devaluation is killing these markets. It has little to do with whether Dayjet is viable business model or not. Dayjet already carries a substantive debt load including the $120 m in aircraft debt and another $70 or so in start up financing.
Naturally I am sure that this whole thing was just meant to screw employees. After all that is the purpose of all aviation companies.
Diesel, if I did not have to run up there in the last 38 years, I probably won't now unless it is to ask where the corkscrew is.

 

[hammer2]

Go to Netjets

 

[johnsonrod]

Dayjet wants to sell or lease out 16 of 28 Eclipses...

From AIN Online:

Ed Iacobucci, DayJet
On Tuesday, Boca Raton, Fla.-based DayJet made the difficult decision to put its growth plans on hold after not being able to obtain another $50 million in funding to move to the next stage. As a result, the per-seat, on-demand air-taxi operator laid off 100 of its roughly 260 employees and now plans to sell or lease out 16 of its 28 Eclipse 500s.

 

[Hawker dude]

UNION


NJASAP NJASAP NJASAP


Fat and stupid is no way to go through life son.

 

[netjetwife]

First of all, not many people had much seniority in the first place. First come-first served is a fundamental rule of fairness whether it's a ticket or a job. So when you have to buy something you don't bother holding your place in line, huh? After all the people behind you arrived about the same time, right? Second, they did not explain the why and wherefore so we are being critical without knowing the reasons. Not explaining is, in and of itself, a problem. The employees deserved better treatment. ... I do not know why this post is even on the fractional board because they certainly are not a fractional operation in any sense. Here we go again...sigh. Your business blinders prevent you from seeing the human element of the situation. There's a good chance that some of the pilots will apply to fractional companies--reason enough. Perhaps the furloughed pilots are looking for moral support? I like to think the fractional forum is seen as a friendly, supportive place to all pilots. This is not an airline and like NJW's NJ, mine? That's not fair to all the hardworking NJ pilots posting here. they have created a business model that is new in all aspects. That doesn't excuse them from doing the right thing by their employees. Did they keep only captains, ones at certain bases, whatever. The methodology should have been explained; at the very least to those involved, if not publicly. Does it really matter if you are one let go how they did it. Yes, it does. It's bad enough without wondering if you were a victim of the good old boy network. As their press release said, it is impossible for companies like this to raise money right now. This is what happened to Adam Aircraft, to Javalin, and to many others.

Mistreating employees is a practice seen far too often in aviation when managers fail to do their job with the same high degree of accountability they demand from the pilots on every flight. Considering that double standard, every word of censure from the pilots is understandable.

 

[Publishers]

Do you know anyone in this situation that has been mistreated. One of my good friends at Dayjet who was not a pilot was one of the people laid off. He does not feel mistreated. They are a startup company trying to accomplish something. They hit a roadblock along the way. Ed has millions of his own money in this company and has worked tirelessly to make it work. While you may feel that seniority is some type of blessed procedure, it only exists in union operations. The explanation is pretty clear: we did not get the funding necessary to continue expansion.
What gets me is you think I cannot see the human side of the equation. I was once forced to shut down a companies entire state operation. It was especially painful as it was the state where the company had been founded and had many 3nd and 3rd generation employees. It was traumatic but necessary for the long term health of the company. We worked through it the best we could, referred people to other companies in the same business, and gave them severance based on years. It was so painful, I left the company that had been my career and started on a new path.
My point here is we do not really know what criteria they used in determining anything except a poster said he thinks they ignored seniority. That simply is not enough information. We do not even know how many were pilots.

 

[imacdog]

Blah Blah Blah

Defending what's going on is pretty dumb. Layoffs out of seniority are simply wrong.

 

[gunfyter]

I don't know. at-will is at-will. Even at a union shop you can be canned for any reason on probation.

 

[netjetwife]

Do you know anyone in this situation that has been mistreated. Obviously Skyrider feels mistreated. Based on the reactions from pilots on the thread it's a good bet that other DayJet pilots share the opinion they were treated badly. One of my good friends at Dayjet who was not a pilot was one of the people laid off. He does not feel mistreated. I've noticed that you usually view things from a management perspective. They are a startup company trying to accomplish something. They hit a roadblock along the way. Ed has millions of his own money in this company and has worked tirelessly to make it work. The pilots invested skill and time; I'm sure they worked hard for success, too. While you may feel that seniority is some type of blessed procedure, Actually, our society runs on a system of fairness that we're all familiar with. We line up. The first one there gets served first. It's not a blessing... it's a basic concept to ensure fair treatment. it only exists in union operations. Unions guarantee the rules are followed, but other companies use them voluntarily when they care about treating workers right. The explanation is pretty clear: we did not get the funding necessary to continue expansion. What gets me is you think I cannot see the human side of the equation. Your reputation precedes you and your current posting maintains it. I was once forced to shut down a companies entire state operation. It was especially painful as it was the state where the company had been founded and had many 3nd and 3rd generation employees. It was traumatic but necessary for the long term health of the company. That does sound awful. I respectfully suggest that you bring that past empathy to your current viewpoints regarding pilots who post here. We worked through it the best we could, referred people to other companies in the same business, and gave them severance based on years. In other words management used a seniority system. Was it a union company? Or one that just cared about treating the workers fairly? It was so painful, I left the company that had been my career and started on a new path. I'm sorry things didn't work out better for you. My point here is we do not really know what criteria they used in determining anything except a poster said he thinks they ignored seniority. That simply is not enough information. We do not even know how many were pilots.

My point is the lack of information is evidence of treating employees wrong. Had they cared about fairness the workforce would have received oral and/or written communications explaining the necessity for the furloughs and the method used to ensure they were done fairly.

I (and most who post here) instinctively look at situations from the perspective of the pilots. You typically see things from a management viewpoint. (Is that because you work in management?) Thus, it's not surprising that we frequently have differing opinions. NJW

 

[C425Driver]

Now she's an expert on DayJets. You guys can have her!

 

[netjetwife]

Any reason? Or failure to meet probationary standards? The latter is the phrase I've heard my husband use.

Like Imacdog, I expect workers to be treated fairly. First come, first served is such a wide-spread practice in our society that we look for it to be used in situations where we expect people to receive even-handed treatment.

 

[netjetwife]

Now she's an expert on DayJets. You guys can have her!

Expert on DayJets... Not at all. I'm merely sympathizing with Skyrider for the way the situation was handled and sharing the opinion of the rest of the pilots posting on the thread who think things sound unfair. Interesting that you singled me out...:erm: I was warned by a NJ pilot that I'll probably run into gender bias here. Fortunately, it is the exception and not the rule.

 

[CitationUltra]

The layoffs came about because DayJet was unable to secure $40 million in financing needed to continue their expansion. They had been hiring based on the assumption that they would get that capital infusion. That's why there were want ads out as little as a few days ago.

As expected, DayJet executives are talking around the issue as best they can. They can downplay the issue all they want, but if DayJet couldn't convince investors to plow another $40 million into the operation, then I wonder what those investors know that we don't?

http://www.businessweek.com/lifesty...?chan=top+news_top+news+index_news+++analysis

What they know is that with petroleum costs skyrocketing, aviation is a poor investment.