Pinnacle pilots

[T-handle]

Is it true that newhire/upgrade classes in the Fall have been cancelled indefinitely and is this because NWA is cancelling CRJ orders? I'm not trying to flame anyone- this has been floating around the hubs and I'm just wondering.

This has led to other rumors surfacing claiming that Mesaba MGT is surprisigly going to start talking by the end of the year and wrap up our contract because NWA wants to get more CRJs on the airlink property.

This may also be tied to the CRJ picture that was prematurely posted at Bombardier site a few weeks ago as a marketing ploy. Now that Mesaba knows it will be getting CRJs, we need to stand our ground and get what we can for them.

 

[DTWFO]

The last I heard was that they had posponed new-hire classes until at least December and had also stopped upgrades until the same time. Mngmt has said this is due to a new staffing model put in place by Northwest. Apparently NWA thinks that our numbers are too good (too many crews) so they are willing to sacrafice on-time/completion for paying less people. The new number is rumored to be 3.8 crews per plane!!!! Everyone thinks that it is crazy (even Pinnacle mngmt) but they are going ahead with it and the affects are already being felt. So that is the long and the short about the classes/staffing.

 

[Redtailer]

Performance Numbers

Well I wish I can say that I am surprised, but..... I wasn't aware NWA could dictate to Pinnacle how to staff their airline. Yes they hold the leases on the planes (holding the anger in as more NWA pilots lose their jobs to cheap labor) but I thought they sold off the majority stake in the company. Is it a part of the lease agreement?

In any case they should have learned after the dismal DOT results for the past couple of months. Yes the on-time was good this past month, but it doesn't matter if you keep pi**ing off the pax. If the feeder doesn't work right NWA gets the blame, especially since they are no longer just feeding the hubs anymore.

July NWA complaints rank 4th
June NWA complaints rank 6th
Guess what the rest of the year will look like.

 

[cl-65link]

A new rumor is floating around I came across today. I hear upgrade and new-hire classes are to resume. I hear a bid for the next captain class will be posted on Aug 25th. We'll see. NW hasn't sold any stock in Pinnacle, yet. They call all the shots. I had heard that classes were postponed because NW had not yet finalized the fall/winter flying schedule for us.

 

[DTWFO]

"I hear upgrade and new-hire classes are to resume. I hear a bid for the next captain class will be posted on Aug 25th"

I take what I just posted back (only a couple hours old). I thought something might be announced at the pilot meeting in DTW today. I heard the same thing about new hires resuming and captain upgrades as well. Who the hell knows anymore, I think I'll just stop posting about this subject since it seems to change hourly now.

 

[cl-65link]

I'm not sure how the NW cancelling-order rumor got started, maybe because Bombardier stops the production line every August to re-tool the plant. Although they are running out of gates to park aircraft.