NWA pilot comment on flowthru

[vc10]

There's a thread on the regional forum about NWA/Mesaba/Pinnacle announcement concerning 70-seat flowthrus. Any NWA pilot want to comment?

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=49390

 

[Napoleon TNT]

I don't believe that PNCL has anything to do with the MSA announcement.

 

[NuGuy]

The dealio will involve 70 seaters, flown left seat by NWA pilots/furloughees and right seat to XJ/9E. Once all NWA pilots have the opportunity to go back OR there are unfilled vacancies, right seaters can goto the left seat and eventually go onto the mainline, but stapled.

Don't like it? It's ok, the above is crap and I just made it up...

Nu

 

[Motown]

Is it crap?

The dealio will involve 70 seaters, flown left seat by NWA pilots/furloughees and right seat to XJ/9E. Once all NWA pilots have the opportunity to go back OR there are unfilled vacancies, right seaters can goto the left seat and eventually go onto the mainline, but stapled.

Don't like it? It's ok, the above is crap and I just made it up...

Nu

 

[Miss'nFly'n]

I'm not privy to the MSA MEC, but here's some background:

As part of the last contract negotiation, NWA and ALPA signed a side letter of agreement to commence negotiations re: NWA pilots flying 70 seat aircraft. These negotiations were to start Feb 2005. Those negotiations have started and, per the union, several meetings have taken place, but the talks are in the very early stages. This was as of a week ago, so unless things have moved really fast, there is no deal on the NWA MEC side.

It is widely assumed that any agreement would have to involve another operating certificate to keep non-pilot cost in line with other 70 seat operators. Does that mean a current airlink partner? Who knows? It's all speculation at this point.

So to answer the question: I doubt it's because a 70 seat deal is looming, although I wish it were, the furlough is getting old.

Here's some other thoughts: Does everyone smell "blood in the water" over USAir's cash burn? Did they bid on another mainline feed contract with the Big Sky operating certificate?