Some UAL/CAL News (For Those Interested)

[Paul R. Smith]

I usually check out an FI thread by reading the OP, then skip to the last page and see how everything turned out. It's funny how off-topic we can get and how quickly as well.

I love lamp.

 

[Crucianpilot]

The stereotypes of both pilot groups is getting tired. We need to put our effort toward the items that matter for the betterment of the entire pilot group, not making one group massively benefit at the expense of another.

I agree. We need to work together not against each other. The enemy is management. They love to see this type of angst and hatred between the two groups as it helps them achieve their objectives. We need to focus on achieving an industry leading contract so we can become the type of company we deserve to be.

 

[Andy]

Are we all going to pretend you [L-UAL] were not the uber arrogant pilot group you once were?

Past tense. Continental pilots were arrogant during the days of Bob Six when Continental was THE airline to fly for. Continental fell quite a bit in the next couple of decades and I don't think that the pilots are arrogant anymore.
That said, United's pilots used to be arrogant. The last decade has placed most arrogance in check - save for a brit who cheers for Man U. There are probably a few more than that. But I'm sure if I dig through Continental's seniority list, I'll find the same.

Like it or not, Continental's pilot group has its own shortcomings; your comments about United pilots is akin to the pot calling the kettle black.


Now here's the bottom line. You, I and every Continental and United pilot will fly on a single seniority list one day in the not too distant future. Infighting over petty immaterial issues only hurts us as a group. It's especially troubling when someone makes an unprovable claim about the other group. Stop it.

 

[xjhawk]

Past tense. Continental pilots were arrogant during the days of Bob Six when Continental was THE airline to fly for. Continental fell quite a bit in the next couple of decades and I don't think that the pilots are arrogant anymore.
That said, United's pilots used to be arrogant. The last decade has placed most arrogance in check - save for a brit who cheers for Man U. There are probably a few more than that. But I'm sure if I dig through Continental's seniority list, I'll find the same.

Like it or not, Continental's pilot group has its own shortcomings; your comments about United pilots is akin to the pot calling the kettle black.


Now here's the bottom line. You, I and every Continental and United pilot will fly on a single seniority list one day in the not too distant future. Infighting over petty immaterial issues only hurts us as a group. It's especially troubling when someone makes an unprovable claim about the other group. Stop it.

More of this and this will be THE place to work. When are you guys hiring again?

 

[Andy]

More of this and this will be THE place to work. When are you guys hiring again?

I would anticipate interviews within the next couple of months. L-CAL has gone through the entire L-UAL seniority list.
There's some question as to whether or not L-UAL will be recalling. Unless they plan on parking a significant number of aircraft on the L-UAL side next year, they will need to start recalling very soon .. as in they're already behind the power curve.

My guess is that once the pilot contract is settled, they will be running both IAH and DEN training centers at full capacity and outsourcing some simulator time. We had the head of combined LCAL/LUAL training speak to our class a few months ago when I went through training and he discussed the fact that they were looking as far as Eastern Europe and Turkey for available simulator time.

 

[xjhawk]

wow, eastern Europe and Turkey? That is some serious planning.

 

[Andy]

wow, eastern Europe and Turkey? That is some serious planning.

The combined LUAL and LCAL will have more than 400 retirements/yr. They will need a massive training pipeline to accomodate that many retirements. It will likely take a couple of years just to expand training enough to have the correct sized training pipeline.

 

[CorpPilot]

Something I heard around sim building. United side 1300 fat on pilots based on CAL staffing theory. Hiring will depend on new contract staffing verbiage. And don't forget, CAL manpower planning took over, plan on short staffing for the next few years at least.

 

[100/hour/5y]

Andy: I promise jeff doesn't like me, or any CAL pilot really for that matter. We win arbitrations, avoid getting pinched by judges, don't vote 86%+ in favor of pay cuts, and we dont sacrafice scope for retirement...

NO...He loves the CAL pilots because they voted yes to a TA in bullet points with sections in the TA completely blank!

Wake up... I trust the UA guys more then the CAL guys with my future TA!

 

[Andy]

Something I heard around sim building. United side 1300 fat on pilots based on CAL staffing theory. Hiring will depend on new contract staffing verbiage. And don't forget, CAL manpower planning took over, plan on short staffing for the next few years at least.

1) The new FARs ensure that LCAL's current staffing model is dead.
LCAL's staffing model is to work their crewmembers to death. It makes for a great retirement plan because LCAL pilots don't need much retirement planning- the current work rules shave many years off of their lives.

2) Does anyone in their right mind think that LCAL work rules could pass the combined LUAL and LCAL membership??? NFW.
I expect slightly better than current LUAL work rules.


There are regional airlines with better work rules than the current ones at LCAL. We're the world's #1 airline; let's act like it and not accept work rules that push the FAR limits. ... I can't believe how LCAL has been getting away with rolling pilots by flying them for 6 days, parking them offshore for a hair more than 24 hrs, and then flying them for another 6 days. That's total BS.

And so much of LCAL's staffing issues are self-inflicted. A reserve pilot gets assigned a multiday trip, and then scheduling adds a reserve block on the front end that takes them to >14 hr duty day for day 1. If there are any delays on the first day, the reserve Whitlows out. Trying to protect the front end of a day's schedule while sacrificing the back end is stoopid, especially since reserves with trips rarely get reassigned to earlier trips. However, plenty end up hitting the 16 hr duty day limit.