Pilot wins lawsuit against Bombardier Flexjet

[Wankel7]

naaahhh!! I am just plain stupid!!

Wow, somebody on FI didn't take something personal!

We need more people like you on this board!

 

[PilotGuy]

He settled for the amount of damages... including legal fees.

Pilot wins lawsuit against Bombardier Flexjet
Firm used deceptive practices, jury finds

12:00 AM CST on Saturday, February 9, 2008
By ERIC TORBENSON / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected]
A Dallas jury has found Bombardier Flexjet's contract with a former pilot unenforceable, saying the Richardson-based private jet company used deceptive practices in promising pilots promotions and training.
Flexjet, which sells private jet service, sued Allen Miller of Plano in October 2005 for failing to repay a portion of his training costs after he flew for the company for 17 months starting in April 2000. The pilots' contract stated that pilots who left the company before working 24 months would repay a portion of their training costs, or $5,280 in Mr. Miller's case.
Mr. Miller, 52, countersued, arguing that Flexjet had falsely promised rapid promotions for new pilots and training that would help them get their official rating quickly on various types of corporate jets.
"These promises turned out to be lies," he said, especially the part about becoming a captain and earning more than $50,000 a year, well above the initial pay of $32,000 a year. "We were cheap labor to them."
In an interview, Mr. Miller said he thought it was particularly deceptive that the company emphasized to its customers that for safety reasons both captain and co-pilot would be fully rated on the planes flown. "I flew their planes for 17 months without my type rating," he said.
Calls for comment to Flexjet's spokeswoman and Jones & Davis attorney Chad Berry, who represented Flexjet in the case, weren't returned Friday.
The jury returned its verdict Monday, finding that the contract was invalid and that Flexjet had used deceptive trade practices, said Rob Wiley, attorney for Mr. Miller.
However, the jury awarded Mr. Miller no damages in his countersuit against Flexjet, and he probably will have to bear his own legal costs.
Mr. Miller estimated his legal expenses were about $70,000, but he believes he's among the very first pilots to successfully challenge Flexjet's pilot contract.
"It was a real education for me," he said.
Flexjet's Richardson operations employed 809 people last year, according to information from the company.
Mr. Miller now flies for Netjets Inc. of Woodbridge, N.J., which is owned by Berkshire-Hathway Inc.

He did not settle for a damn thing. He got nothing, and has to pay his own legal fees. It's in the article.

 

[doylehargraves]

This is only proof that flexjet has its head in the wrong oven. Instead of making life better for its current pilots, it spends $100,000 in attorney fees to get $5,000 from someone that no longer works here. Personally, I think the toilet needs to be flushed in HR; maybe corporate will think so as well. Wake up Flexjet and fight the battles for your OWN PEOPLE.

 

[NewmanF16]

I'm willing to bet Flex has a lawyer on staff, so this likely didn't cost them anything.

I don't know how losing $70k to save $5k can be categorized as a win. If you left Vegas that way you certainly would think you'd lost. Flex just did set a precedent--no one else will be stupid enough to take them to court to try to save $5k.

 

[CA1900]

I'm willing to bet Flex has a lawyer on staff, so this likely didn't cost them anything.

Except the money they were using to extort money out of the pilot, despite not living up to their end of the bargain.

I don't know how losing $70k to save $5k can be categorized as a win.

Because it's not just about money. It's about the ethics of taking advantage of pilots to pad the bottom line, and lying to them to do it.

Winning this lawsuit was a win for all of us.

 

[Ultra Grump]

Winning this lawsuit was a win for all of us.

As long as it's not your $70,000 right?

Don't try and tell me for one minute that he was doing this solely on principle and knew he wouldn't at least get his legal fees back. Why do you think he filed a countersuit?

"However, the jury awarded Mr. Miller no damages in his countersuit against Flexjet, and he probably will have to bear his own legal costs."

He simply thought he had enough of a case to get paid. He was wrong - $70,000 wrong.

 

[-FlyAuburn-]

Because it's not just about money. It's about the ethics of taking advantage of pilots to pad the bottom line, and lying to them to do it.

Winning this lawsuit was a win for all of us.

Amen to that.

 

[CA1900]

Don't try and tell me for one minute that he was doing this solely on principle and knew he wouldn't at least get his legal fees back. Why do you think he filed a countersuit?

I never said he was doing it solely on principle, and I'm disappointed that he didn't get his legal fees back.

I stand by my statement, however, that it's still a win for all of us in terms of setting precedent.

 

[doylehargraves]

Another suit has to be filed to get his money back. It will be filed soon I'm sure.

 

[Flybet3]

This is only proof that flexjet has its head in the wrong oven. Instead of making life better for its current pilots, it spends $100,000 in attorney fees to get $5,000 from someone that no longer works here. Personally, I think the toilet needs to be flushed in HR; maybe corporate will think so as well. Wake up Flexjet and fight the battles for your OWN PEOPLE.

Sooo we went from 70K to 100K? Wow, attorneys must be expensive.