Velcro,
I'll try, but keep in mind I am not trying to be the expert on this subject. All of the information I share here was given to me by my fellow pilots on the line. My personnal opinions have been formed by what I have seen, heard, and learned during the past year at PSA. I think its important for you to also understand that I am not in favor of shrinking Mainline flying, nor do I want to stay at a commuter for the rest of my carreer. I'm just building my time.
I'll start by giving you the way that some, not all, of the WO pilots view the US Airways Group.
The US Airways Group is made up of four airlines:
US Airways Mainline
Piedmont
Allegany
PSA
and now they add a fifth Potomac again.
Then we have the contract airlines:
TSA
Mesa
CC Air (which is part of Mesa)
Chataqua (sp)
Shuttle America
Collgan
(I think I got them all)Thats alot of express flying at the expense of the WO express airlines.
Basic math, Group is losing money hand over fist. The mainline operation had to make cuts. Even PSA furloughed for a few months. Now I absolutely feel for the Mainline pilots who are and will be furloughed, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to give up my seat so that he/she can have a job. Had there been a flow through set up when they had the chance I would have no choice but to step down so that they could work. But thats not the way things are. These pilots took a chance on the #6 airline and it did'nt work. Hopefully they will be back at work soon so that everyone can move on to big iron. But with this company it does not look like that will happen. If the Mainline MEC really cared about these folks who got furloughed they would have takin consesions like Airtran and some others did. So much for brotherhood. I honestly don't care if the Group wants to send the furloughees to Potomac to fly, god knows there won't be any recalls for a long time. But Potomac should be made up of entirely all furloughed Mainline Pilots, no outsiders. The Jets should be divided up between PDT, ALG, PSA, and POT. For the past year all I heard was that the WO airlines would not get jets due to the fact that Group could not afford them. Now it would seem that a WO airline(POT) would in fact be getting jets. If that is so then they need to be divided among us all. The use of contract airlines needs to be reduced. And normall pay rates should apply across the board. I can't see POT being of any use if the Group has to pay Capt rates to both the Capt. and FO on an RJ. It does'nt make sence.
I hold no animositey toward the contract airlines other than the fact that by using them destroys the ability for PDT, ALG, and PSA to grow and fly jets. The idea is to keep all US Airways Group flying within the US Airways GROUP.
{Quote}It's all US Airways flying and should be flown by US Airways pilots (if they want it.)
In the grand scheme of things, us regional guys are just "hired help" doing the flying that the mainline guys don't want to do. If you don't like it, apply to the low-cost majors/nationals (Jetblue, SWA, Air Tran.) Just quit whining about how US Airways pilots are taking away YOUR USAirways flying. (Just listen to how ridiculous that sounds!) {Quote}
You honestly don't think that the Pilots make the decsions on what routes they fly, do you? If this is true then how can I tell the company that I'm tired of flying to Nashville. Mainline flying is based on how profitable a paticular route is. WO pilots know what their job is. We want to succesfully feed the Mainline aircraft so that the group will make money, increase Mainline aircraft, destinations, and freqency so that we all can move up.
You see sirs most of us are not pissed about what routes we fly. We're pissed becuase we have to sit back and watch the contract airlines fly jets into the same airports we serve. This airline did not have the foresight to see how vaulable the RJ was going to be, and now the Group is playing catch up. Too little too late.
Becket,
All I can say is, I think you need some anger management. Good luck to you sir.
