SkyWest To Furlough?

[realitycheck]

I just got the final lines for my domicile today... there are several lines with 18+ days off. Here's my take-

The airlines needed something to hang their hat on after the dismal summer of 2001, and they got it- September 11th. No, it wasn't idiotic management of an airline, it was terrorists that caused thousands of furloughs. Yeah right.

Now they need it again... at least for United and Delta. And I believe they've found it- the "war schedule." Certainly I understand that between SARS and the war, international travel is at an all-time low, especially for Pac-rim destinations (and consequently SkyWest passengers).

I think we'll come out of this war with the same schedule. This is analogous to the city that raises sales taxes by 1/2% to build a sports stadium or whatever, and when the impetus is gone the tax remains. When the war is gone, the schedules will remain reduced.

Subsequently, SkyWest is going to be forced to furlough, IMHO. SkyWest has never furloughed before you say... well, the Green Bay Packers never lost a home playoff game until last year. And now the proverbial monkey is off their back. First time for everything. Same with SkyWest... blame a furlough on United and Delta, who'll blame it on the war and September 11th... no, don't blame it on mismanagement. I don't hear Southwest singing the blues.

Moreover, I just received a letter from AMR corp (as a shareholder, yeah bad investment). They've identified $2 billion in cost savings per year. How do you "discover" $2 billion in cost savings? The US government discovers $2 billion in savings, not a freakin' airline. Of that $2 billion, let's say $1 billion is actually justified. That still leaves $1 billion in mismanagement... malpractice actually.

Anyway... in my opinion furloughs are coming to SkyWest. If they have a rabbit in the hat or an ace up their sleeve in terms of other code shares (e.g., Continental), I suggest they let people know. From their perspective, a furlough now conventiently and justifiably gets the monkey off their back in never having to furlough; and future pressure to not furlough in the future will be significantly less.

Just my $0.02

 

[socalpilot]

I doubt SkyWest will furlough. They have the ace up the sleeve but are just waiting for the opportunity to play it.

 

[CaptainBrazilia]

COME ON!!! Gimme a break...

TOTALLY unsubstantiated rumor!!

 

[realitycheck]

Captain Brazilia,

"TOTALLY unsubstantiated rumor!!" We'll see... if over the next 6 months nothing happens, I'll eat my words and be the first to admit I'm clueless. I hope I'm clueless... since it means I still have a job.

 

[Gobi Gred]

This has happened at SkyWest before(having too many pilots. )They stop training for awhile and next thing you know crew scheduling is calling you on every one of your days off because they are short of crews. It's either feast or famine at this place. I also think they will ask for pay cuts, etc. before they furlough. I'm not saying they won't ever furlough, anything is possible of course, but I don't see it happening in the short term. If you have lines with lots of time off, enjoy it because it never lasts.

 

[NEDude]

Deleted..........

Never Mind

 

[C-5 MEM]

Skywest may or may not be in the same boat as ACA. We are furloughing and with our Delta side it is helping out. Now with UAL not telling how they plan on dealing with bankruptcy it is causing headaches for everyone.

 

[hotwing]

+++++++++++

I hope that you are wrong and think that you may not have researched this topic out like a lot of people have. If you have concrete information please, of course, share it with us all. Starting rumors and causing people to form excess gastric juices (leads to ulcers) is not nice!


Have a great one and think positive and continue to play on the winning team!

 

[everyonedoa360]

IF they (we) were to furlough don't you think they would first STOP the RJs from coming??? THREE a month does not sound like they are about to furlough. Last summer EMB SCH in SLC had lines with 21 DAYS OFF, I don't remember getting a furlough notice! Did you get one?

Get a clue, there are about 235 RJ caps in SLC with 157 lines, there are about 225 RJ F/O's in SLC with 157 lines. I think (And most think) that Skywest is just trying to fix the current to many pilots position.

So classic, you get a better SCH and now your telling everyone we are about to furlough, but a bad SCH and I guess we need a union because times are good.

Unbelievable!

 

[hawkowl88]

Dingbat

16-18 days off use to be the norm! You must be relatively new. And in case you don't understand the game yet--more money + more time off= better quality of life.

Furloughs! Ha! I was in SLC the other day and the word from the hangar was they were going to finalize 737 pay rates by the end of May. How's that for a credible rumor and no you don't get to know who my source is.

 

[STEVE CANYON]

Somebody has been dipping in the Kool-Aid and it isn't Reality Check. When people get so comfortable to the point of sounding slightly arrogant, that is when reality gets you.

 

[realitycheck]

My original post was based on speculation- that basis was clearly communicated. I'm not spreading rumors, because I haven't heard any. And if you think my speculation is a rumor, that's your fault.

hawkowl88 writes- "16-18 days off use to be the norm! You must be relatively new. And in case you don't understand the game yet--more money + more time off= better quality of life."

Not too long ago, SkyWest had 18+ days off lines. But the BIG difference between now and then is that United and Delta aren't paying the big fees. They've received huge concessions from SkyWest, who is not about to dip into their $600M war chest just to save a few pilot jobs.

Poor pilot utilization + extreme cost constraints = possible furlough

I hope I'm wrong- really, I do! But as Steve Canyon said, being comfortable leads to arrogance.

Also, people think I'm attacking SkyWest, and its management. Not at all! The furlough would clearly be United and Delta's mismanagement, not SkyWest. Did SkyWest control the different equipment types at United? Did SkyWest control the pay scales? Of course not... but SkyWest will be fire hydrant in the dog-eat-dog world.

 

[upndsky]

I realize this is second-hand, but a former collegue who has just finished IOE emailed a current collegue and told him the company has asked pilots if they were willing to take a voluntary leave of absence without pay, which sounds like voluntary furlough to me. I have not seen the e-mail but I would vouch for the source. Anyone else heard this?

 

[realitycheck]

upndsky- you are correct, for April. Have not heard about May, but I think they were able to spread the schedule around enough.

 

[hotwing]

what gives?

I have heard so much lately from everyone. It is hard to know what to believe and what to discard.

First, let me say that I was told the SKYWEST was going to begin a new code share using the E120 very soon. I do not want to disclose the airline, as it may not be public info yet.

Second, I was told to expect a class this summer and now, I am reading about furloughs and voluntary leaves.

Can anyone help paint a clearer picture of what is actually going on?

Take care and hope to see you guys some time this year!

Looking forward to joining the SKYWEST team.

 

[everyonedoa360]

Sounds you guys are onto some good solid news, I two heard from a friend who knows someone in the Russian space station that saw a note from a former cosmonaut that knows a ramper in GEG that is dating a Horizon gate agent that Skywest is about to close down. I'll keep my ears open for more news.

 

[roadrunner]

I think your furlough rumor is pretty off base. If UAL were to go Chap 7, then yeah, SkyW would probably furlough. I didn't get any letters or e-mails offering voluntary LOA, although I may have missed it. Things are going as well as can be expected here, we're still getting 3 jets a month with BIG rumors of 700's coming for the UAL side. Those of you in the pool, just hang in there you'll be in class before you know it. The company will probably find themselves short crews again this summer and start running classes again to fill the void in the Brasilia.

 

[realitycheck]

Are you sure it was an Horizon gate agent? Seems fishy

BTW

1. The future codeshare is solid news. Not a rumor.
2. The April voluntary unpaid leaves is (was) solid news. Not a rumor.
3. The possibility of furloughs at SkyWest is one person's *speculation*, and

IT TOO IS NOT A RUMOR.

Maybe the ramper was dating an America West gate agent?

 

[Splert]

The voluntary leave deal was for E-120 FO who wanted to take a day off so that the company could get all the new FOs 100 hours.

Skyw was trying to save money by not displacing crewmember and putting a high-min pilot in the seat.

If the FO volunteered for displacement they were not paid. A few Fos did this.

We have a lot of reserves and with the war schedules they were not getting a lot of flying.

Splert

 

[NEDude]

If the new Skywest codeshare is not public information yet, it certainly isn't a very well kept secret. I live and fly on the east coast, for an east coast company, and our management has told us all about it.