Misery loves Comany: PCL to park 15 CRJs

[PILOT2674]

This really sucks, 4 lessons away from checkride and IOE. i hope nothing happens at least until the checkride, that way i can say i got something for the hard work in the last 2 months

 

[dondk]

Sadly... you will be the first to know.. they will come into Flight Safety or knock on your hotel room door for the books back.

In the "unlikely" event that does occur, try to get them to commit/promise to getting called back when the training mill starts back up.

Back in '01 when the furloughed, some peep's were given another chance to return, many though were not. It all depends on who asked and how you were progressing in training.

Once you pass your checkride, they still have to give you 30 days notice, before the checkride you are not protected.

 

[dondk]

the answer about the 15 CRJ's

Item 8.01 Other Events
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. ("Pinnacle") has received a request from its airline partner, Northwest Airlines, Inc. ("Northwest"), to remove 15 CRJ aircraft from service, effective October 31, 2005. Pinnacle expects its block hours and cycles in the fourth quarter of 2005 to be reduced by approximately 11% and 10%, respectively, compared to its original expected schedule operating a full complement of 139 CRJ aircraft. Pinnacle is making arrangements to place these aircraft in long-term storage.
Under the Airline Services Agreement between Pinnacle and Northwest (the "ASA"), Pinnacle receives variable revenue based on the number of block hours and cycles it produces, fixed revenue based on the number of aircraft in its fleet, and revenue to reimburse Pinnacle for certain expenses arranged by Northwest, such as aircraft rent and fuel. Under the ASA, Pinnacle expects the schedule reduction to impact only the variable components of its revenue; accordingly, Pinnacle expects fourth quarter 2005 revenue to be reduced by approximately 7% from the Company's previous expectations. Pinnacle has informed Northwest that it expects to continue receiving fixed based components of its revenue calculated on the basis of its full 139 aircraft fleet, in accordance with the terms of the ASA. However, should Northwest try to dispute the terms of the ASA and claim that it owes an even lower amount of revenue from the schedule reduction, the impact to Pinnacle's fourth quarter revenue could be substantially greater.
Management has already begun steps to reduce Pinnacle's costs to compensate for the 15 aircraft schedule reduction. Pinnacle will have excess staffing levels in all areas of its operations after the 15 aircraft are removed from service. Management expects to reduce staffing levels through a combination of regular attrition and voluntary employee leaves. It is possible that the Company will be forced to resort to involuntary furloughs, should the number of employees electing voluntary leaves be insufficient. Pinnacle is also reviewing other components of its cost structure to reduce its costs further.
As a result of the 15 aircraft schedule reduction, Pinnacle expects fourth quarter earnings to decline between 10% and 15% as compared to its previous projections based on operating a full complement of 139 aircraft. The earnings impact could be materially greater based upon the final outcome of discussions with Northwest regarding Pinnacle's revenue to be earned under the ASA, and based upon the Company's ability to eliminate costs associated with the reduced operations.
On September 15, 2005, First Tennessee Bank advanced Pinnacle $17 million under the Company's revolving credit facility. Based on the informal discussions that Pinnacle has had with Northwest, Pinnacle expects to receive pro-rated payments on September 30, 2005 and October 17, 2005 from Northwest for regional airline services performed subsequent to September 14, 2005. If Northwest makes the pro-rated payments as expected, Pinnacle believes its liquidity is adequate.

 

[Detroitpilot22]

ill go ahead and let everyone know if voluntary leaves were not enough, because I will be one of the first to know

 

[Detroitpilot22]

im sure they wont have excess levels of staffing in management

 

[405]

First, it doesn't matter whether YOU or I believe we are understaffed (I agree with you), it matters what PT and the rest of the brain trust on Noncaring think, and they believe we are CURRENTLY OVERSTAFFED.

If they think you guys are overstaffed, they need to sit down in the SOC for a week and see what actually goes on. I assume they see everything on a report every day which doesn't show what all of us actually go through to make the whole thing function as an "airline".

Then again, that probably wouldn't solve anything. They could care less and that's evident with the way things are now with this company. Maybe some of our corporate managers need to chop their pay down a few notches and see what life's like on 20 or 30K a year instead of 100 to 200K. There's a way we could save a few jobs.

 

[Mtnjam]

Pinchanickel

That's right folks, straight from the Horses mouth!!! If they would keep all crew members we have now, we could do away with Junior Mans and have a few more happier campers walking around in ops vs. people who are furious from getting stepped on time and time again!! We would be staffed suitable vs. understaffed!!
The sad thing is that according to talk in Memphis 15 A/C is just the start my dear friends. After Oct. 31st, there will be more A/C that need "Long Term Storage." Mark these words.......... This is all in a plan to have long term growth at 9E, however things are gonna get worse before they get better. People speak of 70 and 90 seaters??? N.W.A. Mainline's union has already declined the offer to fly them. Mainline guys will not touch these Aircraft. So who will???? Whoever it is, it will stunt the growth of your career and dream of one day flying for a Mainline company.....

 

[Flyingdutchman]

wouldn't that suck to be a 22 y/old furlough...

 

[4BlueBars]

Good Avatar. For a second I thought it was a CRJ.

 

[Mtnjam]

Daddy's dollar

I don't feel sorry for anybody that is that age and get's furloughed. Anyone who got to an airline job at that age is obviously there on Daddy's dollar. I don't have any empathy for them whatsoever. Cause ya'll know they'll just be milking their trust fund or daddy's bank account while they're collecting unemployment!

 

[Flyingdutchman]

dude,

thats so stupid..

rich dady ?? try student loans and living in your car, and motel 8 while working as a cfi, and flying freight.. oh well. whatever dude

 

[Fly4hire]

What is worse than working you arse off for 20k in miserable work conditions and shatty managament...... Being furloughed from a 20k a year job. I am praying for all yall who could be affected by this.

How about being furloughed from a $120K/yr job after 8 yrs (and 20 + yrs flying)at your airline, with kids in college and retirement looming because your company is in Ch11 and is outsourcing your job to $20K/yr FO's with little TT or expereince? Glad all you RedTail 9E/XJ guys and gals stick together. I notice that doesn't extend to the Red Tail from whence your jobs sprang and the pilots at NWA that your parasitic career is feeding on.

You have no idea how sick I am of listening to you guys drool about getting that 70/90 seat jet at the cost of more of our pilots, and now whining when someone parks one of you jets. We have 500 on the street, soon to be joined by another 400, with another 1000 possibly after that.

I realize it's our respective companies, not the pilots, but some of you carry on like the relatives fighting over the estate of a not yet dead relative. Shameful.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

I'm feeling so much love in this room..

 

[dondk]

N.W.A. Mainline's union has already declined the offer to fly them. Mainline guys will not touch these Aircraft.

Not for what they are willing to pay, there is a difference between mainline rates and regional rates. Mainline guys are not willing to sell down to regional rates, can you blame them?

I have been hearing the70-90 seat rumors for almost 2 years now. If I was Nonconnah I would be spreading those as quick as I could. Otherwise the revolving door at the bottom will go into hyperdrive!

Who, if anyone would want to come work at 9E if we are:
1. parking aircraft
2. reducing flying and increasing reserve time
3. possibly downgrading or not upgrading for years
4. a contract that will be stalled due to NWA's BK
5. Less I forget, start new hires below the poverty level.

No hotel, no signing bonus, no $200 per week will make anyone want to come to 9E.

Even if we play the 70-90 seat game (and it will be a game), how many of those larger regionals jets will we need to improve QOL? 10? 20? I'd guess closer to 50. I am in the top 1/3 of the sen. list, 20 larger regioanls would not even get me to reserve in that fleet. In the regular fleet I may move to 14 days off... NO QOL in my opinion, just a few more days off and that is IF we would staff this airline correctly.

 

[Redmeat]

Maybe some of our corporate managers need to chop their pay down a few notches and see what life's like on 20 or 30K a year instead of 100 to 200K. There's a way we could save a few jobs.

They're response to your comment would be that you should of studied business and got an MBA instead of a pilots license.

 

[405]

They're response to your comment would be that you should of studied business and got an MBA instead of a pilots license.

Maybe so but I'd love to see them live for a month like most of their employees live.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

You have no idea how sick I am of listening to you guys drool about getting that 70/90 seat jet at the cost of more of our pilots, and now whining when someone parks one of you jets. We have 500 on the street, soon to be joined by another 400, with another 1000 possibly after that.

I realize it's our respective companies, not the pilots, but some of you carry on like the relatives fighting over the estate of a not yet dead relative. Shameful.

Dude, you're kidding me, right??? I would venture to say that a majority of the regional pilots don't want 70/90 flying. Why would we want to see that flying on our hands and see the (what used to be) "lucrative" mainline jobs disappear?!?!? We honestly feel for you guys and the sh!tty situation that managment has put you in. But dont go spewing about all of us "newbies" wanting to kill your jobs for the sake of our "shortsighted" employment goals...

 

[McNugget]

You have no idea how sick I am of listening to you guys drool about getting that 70/90 seat jet at the cost of more of our pilots, and now whining when someone parks one of you jets. We have 500 on the street, soon to be joined by another 400, with another 1000 possibly after that.

I must have missed the part on this thread where they were jumping for joy at getting 70/90 seat jets. Why are they not allowed to complain when 15 of their aircraft are getting parked?

I must have also missed the part where airline management got together with the pilot groups of PCL and XJ and asked them what type of equipment they would like to fly and how much of NWA's flying they think they might want.

 

[Butters]

How about being furloughed from a $120K/yr job after 8 yrs (and 20 + yrs flying)at your airline

I didn't realize anyone who had been at NWA for 8 years was on furlough. So what airline is it you speak of?

By the way, thanks for lumping us all together. There are several posts from 9E/XJ pilots wishing the best for NWA pilots. I have some good friends that are or will be on the street soon.

Direct your rant at the people who caused this and not those that are paying the price just like you.

 

[SRMairlines]

Funny thing... a similar situation happened at my last company in CH .11. Memos about parking aircraft and a reduction in flying managed to worry the pilots so much that there was a mass exodus. The airplanes obtained new leases and most returned to the fleet after a few months. The company had to begin hiring again just so they could operate.

If our situation is at all similar to previous airlines in CH 11 we have nothing to worry about. All this is about renogotiating leases. It has happened to every other CH 11 predecessor and is currently happening to us. 15 aircraft may just be the beginning and then those airplanes may never actually leave the fleet. One month is an eternity in this business and is even more so under CH 11. Any outcome is possible and only the Bankrupcy Judge can decide that outcome now.