Nw Airlink Bidding?

[fieldinsight]

Used the wishlist to prepare the bid huh? Always a good business move to use the "what if" method. You know the old saying, "wish in one hand..."

 

[Workin'Stiff]

But nothin' really surprises us these days as to what managment is willing to try and do.

 

[DoinTime]

Yeah yeah, I know... Just food for thought today... But frankly, it wouldn't suprise me if XJ management bid on that flying with the termsheet they threw at the pilots. According to Special Ed, the bid for that flying was based on the premise that mangement would get the pay reductions. So the ramper may be more "in the know" than most of us are willing to accept...

Pinnacle based their bid on a set of "assumptions" on our pilot contract. Our CEO came out and said today that if they are successful on an award from Northwest that they [Northwest] would not execute the award until those assumptions are solidified. I would expect the same line from Mesaba management. This is the best kind of whipsawing. They aren't fooling around with promises of airplanes. They are going to seal the ASA then throw it on Captain Wychor or Captain Gordon's desk and watch them commit political suicide. There is no right choice in a situation like this.

Thankfully, I didn't like this job to much.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

No joke...

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Good luck finding anyone of any quality to do this job for $13000/yr.
I'll go flip burgers or make tacos before staying here for that. Hell I made just under 20k as an instructor (with better medical bennies than XJ) granted I lost my hair and gained an ulcer from that job but what the hey.

 

[kmox29]

Good luck finding anyone of any quality to do this job for $13000/yr.

If only they cared about quality.

 

[Rossa]

Ever think how many rumors mngt can circulate by "hinting" at something, especially when it comes to the rampies.
Every outstation has been told something different by mngt. Pretty soon they will be told that the pilots are the ones who are jeopardizing their jobs!!
ALPA is doing a good job with these negotiations and while we will surely take a hit as a pilot group, we are the ones with the resources to stand up to mngt.
For mngt to bid based on their "best case scenario" would be beyond stupidity! Anyone in business knows that this is unlikely to happen. I bet Mesa was the lowest, followed closely by 9E and XJ (not necessarily in that order). They will keep us guessing for as long as they can!
Remember, we don't have to be as low as Mesa to get this work!

 

[BlackPilot628]

What about TransStates. I'm surprised they've not bidded on any other flying. Considering their US Airways flying is going away. I haven't heard anythig about the UAL flying they do. TSA will fly for cheap.

 

[Monster Buck]

AS usual all the past and future "get it done by this date or else" crap is just that crap. Announced today NWA approved by judge to have 6 mo. extension on plans, plus the rights to ask for another extension after that. Believe it or not here it is from the judge "..impressed with NWA's comprehensive plan so far... Here is your extension. NWA says it doesn't now plan to be done till late 06. It needs more time for NEWCO and Ducking the union employees. Also in another business conference Mineta was "thinking out loud" and that he sees Delta and NWA merging out of this whole mess. ...............Nice.............What a bunch of $hit.

 

[Winged Sig 599]

Speculation Vs. Fact

I've got a novel idea. Let's wait and see what F&#^$ing happens before getting all bent around the axel about what NW "may or may not do". Seriously, I'm getting tired of flying with people that turn this job into a month long gripe session, instead of having a good time. This game is not quite that hard to figure out, like everybody seems to think. That is exactly what this is, a game. That's why they call it negotiating. It is the same everywhere in this facet of the industry whether here Express Jet, ASA, SkyWest, etc. etc. etc. It's all the same. You think if you make a lateral move to one of the others you aren't going to have something to gripe about? Think again. Ok off my soapbox...... This about sums it up......

One fine hot Summer's afternoon there was a Cessna 150 flying in the pattern
at a quiet country airfield. The Instructor was getting quite bothered with
the student's
inability to maintain altitude in the thermals and was getting impatient at
sometimes having to take over the controls. Just then he saw a twin engine
Cessna 5,000ft above him and thought, "Another 1,000 hrs of this and I
qualify for that twin charter job! Aaahh.. to be a real pilot.going
somewhere!"



The Cessna 402 was already late and the boss told him this charter was for
one of the Company's premier clients. He'd already set MCT and the
cylinders didn't like it
in the heat of this Summer's day. He was at 6,000ft and the winds were now
a 20kt headwind. Today was the 6th day straight and he was pretty damn
tired of fighting these engines. Maybe if he got 10,000ft out of them the
wind might die off... geez those cylinder temps! He looked out momentarily
and saw a B737 leaving a contrail at 33,000ft in the serene blue sky. "Oh
man" he thought, "My interview is next month. I hope I just don't blow it!
Outta G/A, nice jet job, above the weather... no snotty passengers to wait
for.. aahhh."



The Boeing 737 bucked and weaved in the heavy CAT at FL330 and ATC advised
that lower levels were not available due traffic. The Captain, who was only
recently advised that his destination was below RVR minimums had slowed to
LRC to try and hold off a possible inflight diversion, and arrange an ETA
that would helpfully ensure the fog had
lifted to CATII minima. The Company negotiations broke down yesterday and
looked as if everyone was going to take a damn pay cut. The F/O's will be
particularly hard hit as their pay wasn't anything to speak of anyway.
Finally deciding on a speed compromise between LRC and turbulence
penetration, the Captain looked up and saw Concorde at Mach 2+. Tapping his
F/O's shoulder as the 737 took another bashing, he said "Now THAT'S what we
should be on... huge pay ... super fast... not too many routes...not too
many legs... above the CAT... yep! What a life...!"

FL590 was not what he wanted anyway and considered FL570. Already the TAT
was creeping up again and either they would
have to descend or slow down. That damn rear fuel transfer pump was
becoming unreliable and the F/E had said moments ago that the radiation
meter was not reading
numbers that he'd like to see. Concorde descended to FL570 but the
radiation was still quite high even though the Notam indicated hunky dory
below FL610. Fuel flow was
up and the transfer pump was intermittent. Evening turned into night as
they passed over the Atlantic. Looking up, the F/O could see a tiny white
dot moving against the backdrop
of a myriad of stars. "Hey Captain" he called as he pointed. "Must be the
Shuttle. "The Captain looked for a moment and agreed. Quietly he thought
how a Shuttle mission, while complicated, must be the-be-all-and-end-all in
aviation. Above the crap, no radiation problems, no damn fuel transfer
problems...aaah. Must be a great way to earn a buck."

Discovery was into its 27th orbit and perigee was 200ft out from nominated
rendezvous altitude with the commsat. The robot arm was virtually U/S and a
walk may become necessary. The 200ft predicted error would necessitate a
corrective burn and Discovery needed that fuel if a walk was to be required.
Houston continually asked what the Commander wanted to do but the advice
they proffered wasn't much help. The Commander had already been 12 hours on
station sorting out the problem and just wanted 10 minutes to himself to
take a leak. Just then a mission specialist, who had tilted the telescope
down to the surface for a minute or two, called the Commander to the scope.
"Have a look at this Sir, isn't this the kinda flying you said you wanted to
do after you finish up with NASA?" The Commander peered through the
telescope and cried Ooooohhhhh yeah! Now THAT'S flying! Man, that's what
its all about! Geez I'd give my left nut just to be doing THAT down there!"

What the Discovery Commander was looking at was a Cessna 150 in the pattern
at a quiet country airfield on a nice bright sunny afternoon.

Boy, I'll tell you...pilots are never happy unless they are drinking beer
and looking for a better job!
http://javascript<b></b>:MP('/cgi-bin/compose?type=r')

 

[fieldinsight]

Announced today NWA approved by judge to have 6 mo. extension on plans, plus the rights to ask for another extension after that.

The creditors committee needs to go public with their objection to this. If ALPA is sitting on the committee at NWA, they need to buck up and rally the troops. NWA wanted a fast trip through when they filed, now the creditors need to make it happen.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Winged Sig - It's funny how true that story really is... I guess that keeps the job interesting, always kind of dreaming about that next best job.