Pressure on NWA pilots for 70 seaters

[xjhawk]

this may be a dumb question, but why does not NWA make a low cost carrier using their furloughed PIlots and 70-90 seaters, at compettive rates in pay etc? It would get the guys and gals off the street, make NWA more competetive, maybe fill in the FO positions with "FAmily" and a flow through? sounds simple? everyone would be happy......hahaha that could never happen

 

[Lear70]

this may be a dumb question, but why does not NWA make a low cost carrier using their furloughed PIlots and 70-90 seaters, at compettive rates in pay etc? It would get the guys and gals off the street, make NWA more competetive, maybe fill in the FO positions with "FAmily" and a flow through? sounds simple? everyone would be happy......hahaha that could never happen

Because it wouldn't be "Low Cost".

Labor makes up one of the three largest parts of the "cost" equation, and if Mainline pilots are flying it, so our mainline F/A's, mainline ground workers, mainline mechanics... It's in their contracts and I don't blame NWA one bit for wanting to keep that flying.

If mainline wants to run those aircraft, they can do it at existing contract rates and charge more for the tickets. Otherwise... p*ss off!

 

[Schwanker]

I don't believe NWA pilots should be negotiating FOR us, but I also don't believe NWA pilots should actively negotiate AGAINST us and for some 3rd, unknown, unnamed carrier and it ESPECIALLY surprises me that they would allow a way to get 70- and 90- seat RJ's in through a "back door" as that clause appears to allow them to...

The contract specifically defines an RJ as having 45 to 55 seats. This limits NWA from bringing in 70/90 seaters under this clause.

On a side note, I believe you will see 70 seaters as a new hire (or currently furloughed) position. These 70 seaters will have a limit determined by narrow body aircraft to prevent the ability to replace DC-9s with the 70 seater. The pay and benefits on the 70 seater likely won't be great - industry average. Many furloughees will pass up this option and wait for a "mainline" aircraft to become available instead of flying under the up and coming B-Scale. Of course, this is my prediction based on rumblings I'm hearing. A flow-through / flow-back would be nice for many, although egos will get in the way with seniority issues. Not betting on this. Expect a third NWA feeder - NWA70 - with mainline pilots on a industry standard "B-Scale."

Sorry for rambling on.

Schwanker

 

[8HRRULE]

I don't believe NWA pilots should be negotiating FOR us, but I also don't believe NWA pilots should actively negotiate AGAINST us and for some 3rd, unknown, unnamed carrier and it ESPECIALLY surprises me that they would allow a way to get 70- and 90- seat RJ's in through a "back door" as that clause appears to allow them to...

I heard the new 70 and 90 seaters will go to xj. What do you think the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT is all about.

 

[Flyer1015]

Training, what happened to you and your buddy who saw the E170, with the, "Operated by Pinnacle Airlines" sticker???



Do me a favor and go back to flying Gulfstream B1900s on FSIM-2004.

 

[QCappy]

I have read all the posts on the contract language and all the bantering back and forth. Interesting. But an honest question:

Is there anything that would now prevent NWA from contracting, say Horizon--who already has the exemption and is flying 74 seat Q400s codeshared with NWA--to fly Q400s out of their hubs, in NWA colors or in Horizon's?

 

[CWASaab]

...But an honest question:

Is there anything that would now prevent NWA from contracting, say Horizon--who already has the exemption and is flying 74 seat Q400s codeshared with NWA--to fly Q400s out of their hubs, in NWA colors or in Horizon's?

Yes. There is something that would prevent this. Mesaba's Airlink Agreement (I think signed in 1996/1997 and good for ten years- for the Saab Operation) provides Mesaba exclusive rights to turbo-prop feed in MSP and DTW. Back then Express (now pinnacle) flew saabs in MEM, so MEM was not a part of the deal. Based on summer 1997 being the beginning of Express' exit from MSP I would guess that july 2007 is when the deal expires, although I freely admit that I am not certain on the dates associated with the Agreement.

This is not to say that NWA couldn't come to Mesaba's spine-less puppet of a management team and demand (and get) an amendment to the Airlink Agreement removing the exclusivity. But as far as I know this has not happened.

And, I almost forgot:

Another limit (from the NWA Contract scope exemption that allowed the fokkers, crj700 and Q400) was/is the requirement that flights with the NW code operated by horizon(/alaska) originate or terminate in specific cities. Basically horizon/alaska hub cities are allowed, but MSP and DTW are not.

The one caveat with this is that I have no idea if the NWA "bridge agreement" changed this language in any way. My perspective is that the bridge agreement negotiated away the considerable influence the NWA pilots held in choosing who their management could partner with for code sharing and airlink services, and this language might have been changed.

 

[QCappy]

CWASaab,

Thanks for your insight.