Latest at Flexjet?

[rajflyboy]

Challenger 300's are great birds! You'd think they could sell that sucker.

Good thing is >> I really think that NJ will buy the 300 eventually!

 

[Ref]

There was a rumor that there were 12 flex pilots starting SWA classes in January.... true , not true or hearsay maybe .... I can only hope its true for both them and the rest of us wannabes who want back in to Flex.

I have heard of a couple of guys that were in the pool over there, but I haven't heard any rumors of that many guys leaving. Then again I am usually the last to hear rumors. It would be nice to get some movement that isn't more cuts from the bottom.

 

[EatSleepFly]

Would anyone care to share (here or PM) how many are on the latest seniority list?

 

[ArtVandalay]

The problem with Flexjet is no one can ever give a straight answer about anything. The veiled answer these days is , "well, we just don't know because of the economy." Anything could happen next year, blah blah blah. Fred Reid has done nothing but shrink this company since he walked in the door; however, when he does an interview all you hear is how the future is promising, we are doing well financially, the 85 is going to save us, we are doing better in alot of areas than other fracs. The bottom line is, he says one thing and the facts are another. We are virtually the same size company that we were 8 years ago.

I keep hearing that rumor about more layoffs next year as well, even though I don't see it happening. I don't see downgrades either because if anyone has looked at the ratio of captains to first officers, well, that isn't possible unless they layoff ALOT of f/o's. How the hell can we be talking about layoffs when all the numbers we receive on a weekly basis say nothing but positive news?? I think the layoff talk has been put out there by mgmt because they want to keep us a little scared so we will continue our subservient course of work that we have been on for 2 years now. No one has complained about ANYTHING other than generic items that have no bearing on anything other than minor inconveniences on a daily basis.

Fred is using the economy as a crutch and an excuse. Any aggressive CEO would have used the last 2 years to create and be innovative with the fleets and what we have is 85 people on the street, positive numbers, bonuses, increased work loads, less flying, more office parties, a social committee, and a partridge in a pear tree.. Nice work Fred.

 

[Ref]

Why are they saying we are going to have more layoffs? Are we currently overstaffed or are they anticipating a lot of owners jumping ship? I honestly havent heard the layoff rumor neither has anyone I have flown with. It sure would be nice to hear some good news for a change.

 

[rajflyboy]

The problem with Flexjet is no one can ever give a straight answer about anything. The veiled answer these days is , "well, we just don't know because of the economy." Anything could happen next year, blah blah blah. Fred Reid has done nothing but shrink this company since he walked in the door; however, when he does an interview all you hear is how the future is promising, we are doing well financially, the 85 is going to save us, we are doing better in alot of areas than other fracs. The bottom line is, he says one thing and the facts are another. We are virtually the same size company that we were 8 years ago.

I keep hearing that rumor about more layoffs next year as well, even though I don't see it happening. I don't see downgrades either because if anyone has looked at the ratio of captains to first officers, well, that isn't possible unless they layoff ALOT of f/o's. How the hell can we be talking about layoffs when all the numbers we receive on a weekly basis say nothing but positive news?? I think the layoff talk has been put out there by mgmt because they want to keep us a little scared so we will continue our subservient course of work that we have been on for 2 years now. No one has complained about ANYTHING other than generic items that have no bearing on anything other than minor inconveniences on a daily basis.

Fred is using the economy as a crutch and an excuse. Any aggressive CEO would have used the last 2 years to create and be innovative with the fleets and what we have is 85 people on the street, positive numbers, bonuses, increased work loads, less flying, more office parties, a social committee, and a partridge in a pear tree.. Nice work Fred.

I think this is very true of many companies right now. Unfortunately. You have to wonder what they are teaching kids in business management classes now a days.

 

[DUATS]

Why are they saying we are going to have more layoffs? Are we currently overstaffed or are they anticipating a lot of owners jumping ship? I honestly havent heard the layoff rumor neither has anyone I have flown with. It sure would be nice to hear some good news for a change.

Well, I heard from a Lear 60 crew last week that the company is closer to recall than anything because of significant attrition.

 

[FastJP4]

Well, I heard from a Lear 60 crew last week that the company is closer to recall than anything because of significant attrition.

What's the souce of the attrition? Did they stop serving kool-aide?

 

[Club ORD FO]

Attrition is not that high currently. Maybe one a month at most? I think the speculation is that is delta and southwest start hiring a lot that some people may jump ship

As far as recalls go, we have no new airplanes showing up next year so that means no recalls. and if the fleet shrinks, that means more layoffs probably.

 

[DirtyBeech]

The possible layoffs would be due to the fact that we have a lot of contracts up for renewal, and the renewal rate isn't much better than 50/50. We're shooting for higher than that, but many of those up for renewal will probably look to downgrade their contracts to cards in the course of the next year.

 

[Nolife]

I don't know why FR bangs on his chest and talks about growth. A fractional airplane companyl isn't an endless growth model. There are a finite amount of people that can afford this very expensive form of transportation and unless planes get significantly cheaper or more people become millionaires the market will reach a certain point and that's it; especially these days when people want cash for planes.

I hope there's still some growth out there but as someone stated earlier Flx is the same size it was 8 years ago. I now believe recalls will come as the result of attrition, which will be painfully slow.

 

[flex*wife]

Why are they saying we are going to have more layoffs? Are we currently overstaffed or are they anticipating a lot of owners jumping ship? I honestly havent heard the layoff rumor neither has anyone I have flown with. It sure would be nice to hear some good news for a change.

This is what TC was saying at my hubs training event - relatively recently. He said layoffs or downgrades to more CaFos across fleets were a definite possibility come spring. Also heard from another source that they heard only the top 40% of a given fleets seniority would be CA with all the rest being CaFos but i think thats too ridiculous to have merit. Personally I agree with ArtVandalay that it is more trying to scare y'all into submission than reality based but still nerve racking enough. And I also agree with the other posters that FRs chest thumping is a bit much especially when he more or less has been bragging about the fact that these bonuses and profits have come on the backs of 85 fellow pilots and a few dozen hard working office staff. And with KS gone from the Waterview y'all have no one looking out for you now...

 

[JokerFuel]

The Big question is, How do You stand? Where Do you stand? Are you willing to be bought off by a pay raise, or do you think that maybe this time enough is enough? 51% is all it will take. Don't kid yourself here, there is a plan. There is always a plan. Question is.......are you a part of the plan? Confusion, and Fear are terms of leadership that speak to the weak of constitution. Where do we go from here ladies and gentlemen?

 

[Dooker]

Is there a card drive I didn't know about?

 

[exagony]

Card drive ongoing? - if so where does one sign up? Enough is enough...

 

[EatSleepFly]

And with KS gone from the Waterview y'all have no one looking out for you now...

Where'd he go?

 

[DirtyBeech]

The Big question is, How do You stand? Where Do you stand? Are you willing to be bought off by a pay raise, or do you think that maybe this time enough is enough?

Unfortunately that question was definitively answered with our last pay raise, and the turn in the economy has us in a position of weakness rather than strength.

KS returned to the line.

 

[J3guy]

Another huge weekend coming up! I don't know the numbers for last year, but i would think this would be more hours than then.

 

[warlord19]

Starting from my favorite poster Mr. Flex-Wife forward, what are you people smokin? Do ya'll just get in a little virtual circle and start pumpin each other up and then scream "Unionize or Die" in unison. Jeeeeeeez.

 

[fugazi]

I guess we are getting our ass' kicked; considering Citation Air with their awesome uniforms are calling people back. WTF is going on with our sales people??