Mesaba Furlough

[RJLoser]

What? There are no job losses from the merger silly! Anderson and Steenland told congress that. This is from the economy

I'm very, very close to getting out of this mess.

No kidding. Is there any accountability anywhere?

Good luck guys.

 

[xjgearbtch]

Just goes to show you can never and should never expect to make a stable career working at Mesaba or any regional. It was fun for a bit. Back to the status quo of doom and gloom Mesaba. This place has a permanent Charlie Brown cloud over it

 

[Northern Lights]

Official notice out on MyMesaba about the reduction of 10 Saabs. I wonder if they will send back the ones that just came out of the shop with new Delta paint?

 

[CptMurf]

I suspect the lease company wanted more money than Delta wanted to pay. The lease companies had a rate thrust down their throat from the bankruptcy and now I suspect they think that Delta should be paying market rate for the aircraft again. NorDelt doesn't agree. Unfortunately, I suspect that the lease company can get more money leasing to someone else. Who knows someone will blink but I doubt it.

Leases are binding contracts. The SAAB leases were renegotiated to 5 years during the bankruptcy, which had all the leases expiring in 2012. DAL is most likely going to pay a penalty for early termination of the lease. And as far as the line that the company is spewing of the economy. The Saab has one of the lowest CASM's in the DCI fleet and EAS cities are guaranteed income. There's more to this story than is being announced.

 

[SEVEN]

Leases are binding contracts. The SAAB leases were renegotiated to 5 years during the bankruptcy, which had all the leases expiring in 2012. DAL is most likely going to pay a penalty for early termination of the lease. And as far as the line that the company is spewing of the economy. The Saab has one of the lowest CASM's in the DCI fleet and EAS cities are guaranteed income. There's more to this story than is being announced.

That's what I was thinking. I thought for sure it was 2012 on the leases. There is a bigger game plan going on. The leak by the press on the reduction of the saabs forced management to address it.

 

[FOrever85]

"After much discussion last week, Delta’s network planning department made the decision to reduce Mesaba Airlines’ Saab fleet by ten aircraft, beginning in the fall. As a result of this fleet change, Delta also announced the withdrawal of the Essential Air Service (EAS) bids from six airports, citing aircraft availability constraints and the continued weakened economy"

"The combination of Delta Connection and Northwest Airlink fleet has resulted in a surplus of smaller regional aircraft and Delta will continue to make capacity adjustments as necessary"


So we don't have enough planes because we have a surplus?
Wait hold on let us get rid of a couple of planes, there, now we don't have enough planes for the government to give us money.

Un-f*&king-believable

Here we go again!

 

[flap operator]

I interpreted the obviously scrambled together at the last minute announcement as... because we're parking 10 planes, we will have a/c availability constraints, therefore we are withdrawing the EAS bids. In other words, we can't do these new EAS routes, plus what DL has planned for the fleet with just 39 planes.

EAS routes are never guaranteed profits. The company bids to cover the costs and then a 5% profit margin. If our costs go up, the profits go away as the contract terms don't get changed just because we are more expensive. In the end though, it does seem silly to get rid of a very low CASM a/c.

I thought t-props were all the rage again?

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Well of course, That makes perfect sense to a bean counter and upper management.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

I interpreted the obviously scrambled together at the last minute announcement as... because we're parking 10 planes, we will have a/c availability constraints, therefore we are withdrawing the EAS bids. In other words, we can't do these new EAS routes, plus what DL has planned for the fleet with just 39 planes.

EAS routes are never guaranteed profits. The company bids to cover the costs and then a 5% profit margin. If our costs go up, the profits go away as the contract terms don't get changed just because we are more expensive. In the end though, it does seem silly to get rid of a very low CASM a/c.

I thought t-props were all the rage again?[/QUOTE]

Nope, the new rage is the B.S. going on with Midwest and Republic.

 

[Texx]

More 200's -- maybe. Delta has a bunch of Comair 200's sitting around gathering dust.

I wouldn't hold my breathe on this.. DAL is already doing 2 for 1 swaps to reduce the 200 fleet system wide.

 

[smartelephant]

Questin: Was Compass created to get around labor contracts with Mesaba, like Gojet with TSA?

 

[WMUSIGPI]

No they got around the Mesaba contracts just fine in the bankruptcy. Compass was another example of senior major pilots selling out the junior guys.

 

[i fly boxes]

Delta is awesome at terminating contracts early, but they have a track record of going back on their word so all is not lost yet, could be just a ploy of some sorts.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

And what exactly are they trying to get out of us by doing this?

 

[WIPilot]

I wouldn't hold my breathe on this.. DAL is already doing 2 for 1 swaps to reduce the 200 fleet system wide.

consider that this is pretty much a 2 for 1 swap.

10 saabs for our 5 newest (delta) CRJ-900's

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Those 5 ex freedom planes are junk. That's a horrible trade. I'd rather keep the Saabs and give back the 5 900s

 

[machaf]

Those 5 ex freedom planes are junk. That's a horrible trade. I'd rather keep the Saabs and give back the 5 900s

But its da 9 baby...DA 9 brah. I don't need Kamagra anymore

 

[Dutch]

For the guys who have done this dance with Mesaba before. Do they give the 60 days notice as per the WARN act or do they consider themselves exempt?

 

[WMUSIGPI]

During the bankruptcy those of us already on line got the official reduction award in November and were out the door in either Jan or Feb. Those that were still in class got a one way ticket home that day.

 

[i fly boxes]

And what exactly are they trying to get out of us by doing this?

You guys were bidding that EAS stuff, could this be a pull out to get cheaper rates? I don't know I am not that involved just throwing out all options. I think they should keep that saabs over the brazilias though.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

You guys were bidding that EAS stuff, could this be a pull out to get cheaper rates? I don't know I am not that involved just throwing out all options. I think they should keep that saabs over the brazilias though.

Not sure how they'd get cheaper rates.
As for keeping the Saab over Brazilia, my guess is look at who has what... Skywest, strong air services contract with a non-union employee group (and just look at the merger to see Delta's opinion of unions) Mesaba, wholly owned so no air services contract with pilot, FA, and mech unions.

I am not sure how Delta is getting out of the Saab leases since they were renegotiated with Saab during the bankruptcy to last til 2012 ( very conviently the same as the pilot contract, any guesses why that was done )

 

[Ridgeback]

I am not sure how Delta is getting out of the Saab leases since they were renegotiated with Saab during the bankruptcy to last til 2012 ( very conviently the same as the pilot contract, any guesses why that was done )

For everyone that does not understand the Saab leases here it goes.

Measaba never leased a number of aircraft (ie 49) Rather mesaba Leased a certain number of hours (example 49,000 hours) spread out until 2012. So mesaba has the option per the lease agreement to operate 49 saabs at 1000 hours each or operate 1 saab at 49,000 hours... Or any combiniation of.

So mesaba (Delta) can return another 10 saabs next week

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Well that explains part of why Saab was fighting so much more than most during the bankruptcy...

 

[whaleroast]

Mesaba has the best safety record in the industry and the greatest pilot group around. So it only makes sense for Delta to reduce it.

Go Penguins.

 

[Raskal]

Mesaba has the best safety record in the industry and the greatest pilot group around. So it only makes sense for Delta to reduce it.

Go Penguins.

See, I was pretty much with you until the "Penguins" thing...now you are a problem...

 

[lookin4better]

Time for some low timers to head back to CFI'n.... it cant hurt them to
" pay some more dues " anyway.

Life isnt all puppy dawgs and ice cream brahs!

Its da 9!!!

 

[152hvy]

I enjoyed watching those saabs in CWA, it's a beauty. Sorry about the news!

 

[GRAAB HIRBOUBI]

With this reduction of SAAB's do you think that there is some dastardly plan to get the fleet to less than 79 so we have to give money back to the company?

I mean we got snap backs with an increase in airframes, is there some contingent to reverse the snap backs if we get smaller?

Was getting really nervous with all this happiness around Mesaba the last couple of years so this trouble is actually somewhat comforting.

-Battered Pilot Syndrome Sufferer

 

[CptMurf]

Time for some low timers to head back to CFI'n.... it cant hurt them to
" pay some more dues " anyway.

Life isnt all puppy dawgs and ice cream brahs!

Its da 9!!!

A majority of those furloughed (if it comes to pass) will be individuals that had worked for other regionals and furloughed before. This is a bad situation, one XJ has seen to much of.

Too bad your not going to be one of them... brah!

 

[WIPilot]

With this reduction of SAAB's do you think that there is some dastardly plan to get the fleet to less than 79 so we have to give money back to the company?

I mean we got snap backs with an increase in airframes, is there some contingent to reverse the snap backs if we get smaller?

Was getting really nervous with all this happiness around Mesaba the last couple of years so this trouble is actually somewhat comforting.

-Battered Pilot Syndrome Sufferer

Readddd the contract