Pilot Shortage affecting the Majors

[Tweaker]

The new flight and duty rule will probably hurt regionals much more than they will the majors, because regional pilots generally fly more legs (which will reduce the duty day), even though regional pilots typically had longer duty days.

Also, early reports shorten the duty day as well, so once again regional airlines will be affected to a greater degree.

The regional model relies on pilots working long hours for crappy pay with fewer days off. This new rule has the potential to make some regionals unprofitable.

Anything that gives regional airline management hassles is fine with me. Nothing but a bunch of scum, in most cases.

24 carat gold post

 

[FLYLOW22]

Just talked to a regional pilot. A friend of his is a MlEC officer at a very large US carrier.

The MEC guy was talking to his airline's CEO. He asked what was the #1 problem that the CEO had to deal with at their airline. The CEO said the upcoming pilot shortage. The CEO did not see how they could realistically avoid parking mainline aircraft due to a shortage of pilots to fly those aircraft.

This has been the goal for decades.

1) Drive labor costs down through successive pattern bargaining. CHECK

2) Consolidate the industry through mergers and acquisitions. CHECK

3) Farm out International loads (Emirates jumbo order for one). Coming...

4) Replace traditional "mainline" domestic flying with lower cost labor units flying 100-120 seat frames (CRJ1000 ex.). Coming...


It may take another 20 years... but it's coming.

 

[FLYLOW22]

SWA widow was open for what, two days? They had over 5000 qualified applicants.

Only 5,000? That's way down.

 

[livin'thesim]

The real issue is that lots of people want to get into a purse-slapping contest over the definition of "shortage".

The supply of qualified pilots is decreasing, that is certain. The real question is whether pilot positions will remain static or decrease as well. Another huge oil spike could create a large pilot surplus.

 

[atpcliff]

Yes there is, it is called scope and it is imposed by unions to ensure that those to have continue to have by ensuring those who do not have continue to not have. If the unions had said to the management, sure bring on the little airplanes, pay them crap, but give them a seniority number we would not have this problem.

And at least one of the big 3 CEOs is also working on this...a "B" scale with no regional pilots...everyone at mainline.

 

[General Lee]

This has been the goal for decades.

1) Drive labor costs down through successive pattern bargaining. CHECK

2) Consolidate the industry through mergers and acquisitions. CHECK

3) Farm out International loads (Emirates jumbo order for one). Coming...

4) Replace traditional "mainline" domestic flying with lower cost labor units flying 100-120 seat frames (CRJ1000 ex.). Coming...


It may take another 20 years... but it's coming.

Wrong. The Big 3 US carriers are making huge profits, and pilot scope clauses limit INTL "Farm out" of flying. That could only be changed in BK, and thanks to Consolidatiion, the big 3 will only get stronger. The big Alliances will squash the need for Worldwide mergers. Sorry, but it's all thanks to pilot scope clauses getting stronger. DL's scope got stronger. UAL got rid of the Aer Lingus IAD-MAD flying. Even Joint Ventures have to have divided flying between carriers. Again, unlikely.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[waveflyer]

And about that time (2008)they kicked the can down the curb to Age 65.....

No more relief....

Like Ray Liotta said in Goodfellas...... So you had a fire? F U pay ME!! Business tough? F U Pay ME!

Bottom line.....time to get what we are owed.

You get what YOU are owed??

Why do you think you deserve anything for selling out half your domestic routes?

Some balls there

Time for those slugging it out in your whipsaw market to get what they're owed- you don't deserve sh/t

 

[General Lee]

You get what YOU are owed??

Why do you think you deserve anything for selling out half your domestic routes?

Some balls there

Ummmm, thanks to your 717s and parking 215 50 seaters, it's coming back..... And, even SWA pulls out of routes that a 737 can't do profitably. Some CRJs are needed to fly to places like Valdosta and Dothan. You know that!


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[waveflyer]

Ummmm, thanks to your 717s and parking 215 50 seaters, it's coming back..... And, even SWA pulls out of routes that a 737 can't do profitably. Some CRJs are needed to fly to places like Valdosta and Dothan. You know that!


Bye Bye---General Lee

Fly them yourself then. Don't disenfranchise and create a subclass of pilots whipsawed to fly big jets at sub market wages to stay in the career while siphoning off profits for yourself-
Again- you don't deserve any fupm- the regional pilots do

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

"Maybe we can exploit more Rich Kids like Wavey who will buy their training!"
-Herb Kelleher-