Regarding AA recalls,....

[aa73]

Just talked to an MD80 check airman this morning... he told me that five more MD80 check airmen have been let go. They are down to 26 MD80 check airmen from 85 originally! So woth that scenario, I would guess that they are not planning on recalling, since they would be hiring more check airmen instead of letting them go. JMHO... I hope I'm wrong!

73

 

[TXDA2000]

Does parking MD-80's figure into that?

 

[aa73]

Well, they keep parking aircraft because of the pilot and F/A shortage... otherwise they'd be cancelling flights left and right. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if they start parking aircraft every quarter - we're retiring tons of guys in the short term.

I really think they're not going to recall until we hash out a contract.... i.e., they will use the furloughees as hostages.

 

[Dangerkitty]

I really think they're not going to recall until we hash out a contract.... i.e., they will use the furloughees as hostages.

They can use me as a hostage all they want. I aint never coming back to that nightmare.

 

[satpak77]

They can use me as a hostage all they want. I aint never coming back to that nightmare.

Danger you flying corporate now? Or left flying for someone else altogether?

 

[80drvr]

Just talked to an MD80 check airman this morning... he told me that five more MD80 check airmen have been let go. They are down to 26 MD80 check airmen from 85 originally! So woth that scenario, I would guess that they are not planning on recalling, since they would be hiring more check airmen instead of letting them go. JMHO... I hope I'm wrong!

73

I was told that the check airmen were returning to the line becasue they were short line pilots now and this was nothing more than a stop gap maneuver. The more early retirements occur, the worse it gets for the company to staff the current schedule. Eventually, there's some point where they need to stop parking airplanes because it will do significant damage to the route network, which is really the company's competitive advantage and revenue premium driver.

If I were the company, I'd want to bite the bullet on the training overhead (sending check airmen and line pilots back to the schoolhouse) in the 4th and 1st quarters rather than the hugely profitable 2nd and 3rd quarters.

But, in this sick and twisted industry, it wouldn't surpise me to see a few billion left on the table so they can leverage a few more million out of the pilots and other labor.

 

[AA717driver]

Hey, look on the bright side--fewer check airmen means fewer training events. No new furloughs! TC

P.S.--Glad I've got 4 more years of MRE's in the basement and lots of firewood stacked up outside to weather the furlough...

P.P.S.--Stapak: Kitty is fortunate to be in a position to not need to come back.

 

[pkober]

Are pilots still picking up open time for extra pay while fellow pilots are on furlough?

 

[80drvr]

Are pilots still picking up open time for extra pay while fellow pilots are on furlough?

Unfortunately, yes.

 

[pkober]

Psuedo scab behavior. So much for some pilots caring about furloughees. Unfortunately every airline has pilots who behave this way.

 

[furloughfodder]

Are pilots still picking up open time for extra pay while fellow pilots are on furlough?

The senior captains at AA don't even know there are pilots on fulough...and if they do know, they could care less....

 

[pkober]

Sad, but true.

"He's just paying his dues being furloughed" or "A real airline pilot has been furloughed at least once" (usually spoken by a captain who hasen't been furloughed).

 

[I Hate Freight]

You mean they "could not" care less.

 

[stlflyguy]

Well, they keep parking aircraft because of the pilot and F/A shortage... otherwise they'd be cancelling flights left and right. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if they start parking aircraft every quarter - we're retiring tons of guys in the short term.

I really think they're not going to recall until we hash out a contract.... i.e., they will use the furloughees as hostages.

Or perhaps they're waiting to gauge the future by how pale ALPA turns during depositions in October....

stlflyguy