New Airtran Jetconnect?WTF

[Ty Webb]

The really sad part is Skywest Pilots are excited because AirTran lacks scope and they are hoping to get bigger aircraft in the future to fly on behalf of AirTran.

Anyone who said that is clearly misinformed. Our current (2001) Contract restricts them to 70 seats or less, and only up to 15% of our ASM (about 100 flights/day) and there can be no AirTran pilots on furlough.

 

[Shakenbake]

The really sad part is Skywest Pilots are excited because AirTran lacks scope and they are hoping to get bigger aircraft in the future to fly on behalf of AirTran. I actually had a Skywest Pilot say that to me while jumpseating on them. I almost $hit myself when I heard the captain say this. I can't think of a more crystal clear way to highlight the importance of scope. The threat contract flying and regional carriers pose to mainline jobs has never been more evident.

I hope you're lying, however, even here at Skywest there are some idiots. Please don't judge our pilot group based on your interaction with that one individual. I've met a lot of great AirTran crews on overnights...and a few a$$holes. But I'm smart enough to assume that most of the folks at AirTran are great people. In talking to my fellow crewmembers, most of us feel like this deal with AirTran is a waste of time.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Yes, the DAL MEC's blowoff of the very concerned ASA pilot group in 1985. You're at DAL, aren't you Peanuckle?

Was I at DAL in 1985, you meant to say? Sorry. I sure didn't set that ship to sail....sure will try to fix the mess, though.

Were you at ASA in 1985?

 

[waka]

There is much bickering in this thread. Bottom line; Is the management at Air Tran breaking the scope provisions in the contract? If so, game on and I'll support the pilots. If this is within the scope provisions of your contract, then y'all made your own bed for voting in this POS contract. Learn from it and take that knowledge to the next time you negotiate. However, I'll sympathize from afar.

 

[maxblast72]

Anyone who said that is clearly misinformed. Our current (2001) Contract restricts them to 70 seats or less, and only up to 15% of our ASM (about 100 flights/day) and there can be no AirTran pilots on furlough.

Actually to get to 15% of our ASM it would be around 200-250 flights per day since the airplane has only 50 seats. With the announcement the other day of 3 roundtrips a day to 6 cities from MKE, Skywest's 36 flights a day will represent around 1% of our ASMs starting next year.

 

[Jack-O-Lantern]

Well so there you have it. The big announcement, more of our jobs being outsourced. Well thats just peachy. Didn't they try this once before? Anyone have any details on the contract etc. I don't know about anyone else but I'm ready to strike, I just don't see the cost benefit. If it is just to gain some market share until we can put our own aircraft on the routes so be it but this is not the big announcement I was hoping for.

DA

I can't believe this! How can you guys take this. You should all walk right NOW! This is preposterous.

 

[Floatplane]

I hope you're lying, however, even here at Skywest there are some idiots. Please don't judge our pilot group based on your interaction with that one individual. I've met a lot of great AirTran crews on overnights...and a few a$$holes. But I'm smart enough to assume that most of the folks at AirTran are great people. In talking to my fellow crewmembers, most of us feel like this deal with AirTran is a waste of time.

No lie! I have no dog in this fight nor do I know the details of the AirTran contract. However, it never amazes me when pilots in our profession are excited about taking jobs from someone else in order to further their own career.

I am a former regional pilot that benefited from the system that was in place at the time. Not being military I had no choice but to work my way up through the general aviation ranks to build my experience, time, and expertise. But I was always dismayed about just how that system was set up. Major airline pilots were too good or didn't want to bother with flying smaller aircraft as the entry level jobs to the commercial side of the airline business. Thus the commuter pilot was born. This may have been the most short sighted move pilots have ever done to the profession and management loved it. It allowed the bidding of this flying on behalf of the major airline at substandard rates.

Until pilots stop allowing the outsourcing of their jobs to the lowest bid this profession will continue to slide in the wrong direction. There are many examples in business that show just what happens when business continues to outsource jobs in the name of profitability.

Folks America is in trouble and this is just an example of reaping what we have sown. Until we all wake up and demand something different we are in for a turbulent ride.