UAL-UAX Concerns

[1900laker]

Sorry,

But I have to echo what AWACoff said in previous posts.

I jumpseated for a year back and forth to Denver on United. Now I greatly appreciate getting that free ride and for the most part, the pilots I rode with were great. But on more than one occassion, I was spoken to about how the mainline jobs were suffering because of regional and commuter guys like great lakes pilots. Granted, GLA was much less of a target in these rants as AWAC, ACA, and Skywest, but nonetheless, we were still mentioned. I think it is sad when you are jumpseating, and introduce yourself to the crew, and they ask who you work for, to follow your response up with something like "sorry to hear that"
or "Great Mistakes, huh!". It is unprofessional and discourteous as hell.

While I worked at Great Lakes, I remember carrying vast amounts of jumpseaters from small cities where we were the only carrier serving that airport/area. And yes that included United Pilots as well. The point is that while I appreciated the lift when I was riding, it was a reciprocal agreement. And I never made poor comments to any of my jumpseaters.

If it had happened only once, I would not be posting this. It happened several times over the course of a year. But as I said before, the vast majority were friendly crews who I enjoyed jumpseating with. I just felt that AWACoff needed a little backing since I and others have seen this happen also.

 

[flyermon]

UAL guys will get what they want. RJ deferals at UAX and any job openings there too.

 

[Boz]

1900Laker,

Your post is an everyday story! Major's carry jumpseaters of all airlines in a reciprocal agreement. What I am trying to figure out is why you are posting this issue here other than your support for AWAC.

You stated:
I think it is sad when you are jumpseating, and introduce yourself to the crew, and they ask who you work for, to follow your response up with something like "sorry to hear that"
or "Great Mistakes, huh!". It is unprofessional and discourteous as hell.

Yes this is unprofessional, and I agree with you. But as a current jumpseater you should realize that the crew is required to ask who you work for and verify your identity. As far as the GLA comment that is quite rude. I can tell you I know and work with many wonderful pilots from GLA and others. The "GREAT MISTAKES" comment comes from many Lakers who have made it to the major and share there horror stories of working there. It is this preception that formulates this type of comment.

I realize that many commuters treat there employees with very little respect as they see them as a stepping stone to someplace better. But I can also share many stories of these pilots that appear to be no better then UAL crew in making inappropriate comments of there carrier. Obviously they have a terrible story to share and it comes up in the course of the flight. In fact, many times I will steer the conversation to another subject since they have such hatefull comments to share. As far as UAL guys I can tell you we have pilots that are no different than any other airline and make the mistakes of saying unprofessional comments.

Good for you that you do not folow this practice, but I still can't see what this has to do with the UAL - UAX post. I can tell you I have jumpseated on GLA and these comments are unfortunate, but they are a fact. It is going to happen. While riding on Eagle not to long ago, this came up while riding in an EMB RJ and the Captain was visibly upset at AA. So again, there is no perfect cockpit, and you will have to just tough it out during the course of your ride.

So maybe share a more positive experience/story with a crew like the one you encounterd at UAL that would make them realize that GLA wasn't all that bad. I am sure they are not all bad stories and you could educate an ignorant crew. But the fact is that GLA pilots have done this to themselves and this comment will cease if we hear that they are GLA the "greatest little airline" remember that one. I have said that to GLA pilots and they laugh at me. I do see there service and commitment to the the transportation industry as quite important. Plus, they are the only carrier that might serve grandma's farm or rural town.

All in all they are a great group of professionals and I look forward to flying with many more of them.

Boz

 

[Marko Ramius]

UAL guys will get what they want. RJ deferals at UAX and any job openings there too.

It's by no means guaranteed what will happen on either side of the coin in this situation. If RJ deferals occur, it's because United's management decide to completely ignore its pilot contract when reducing its fleet. Other carriers have reduced and furloughed, but they haven't violated their minimum fleet or ASM minimums, so while it's uncomfortable for all involved, it's still legal so far. UAL chose to ignore the contract, and it's looks like they will have pay some sort of consequence down the line. Those RJ's were agreed to based on a minimum mainline fleet, so it's only fair that some adjustments occur now that the fleet size has been changed. As far as hiring goes, I don't think any of the carriers are hiring right now, and even if they were I don't think they will be interviewing any of us UAL furloughees. I don't think we deserve to take any jobs away from current(including furloughed) UAX pilots, but I do feel that we should have the right to compete for for any future openings. If an agreement is reached that allows the UAX carriers the ability to continue to grow and allows UA to compete in the RJ game, I don't think UAL furloughees at the bottom of the list is too heavy a price to pay for that. Their training costs are already rolled into the cost-plus contracts, so those carriers are monetarily covered for any future recalls. They prosper, we prosper, there are worse things.

 

[1900laker]

Boz,

Fair enough. You're right that this has very little to do with the original post. But I felt AWACoff was taking some heat from some of the other posters, and I wanted to back up his side a little, from someone who came through the commuter route.

It is difficult to put into words on a board like this the way someone expresses an idea to you. I can assure you though that I know the difference between those giving you a friendly nudge with the elbow about where you work, and those that are condescending. I saw this seldom while jumping on United, but much more seldom over the past year while working at Champion and Jumping on Northwest, which has a similar relationship as many mainline and regional pairs do. But I digress.

This all off the topic of your post, so I will bow out of the conversation now.

 

[Beechnut]

All you guys talk'n with yo big fancy words. All's I's know's is I really like it that when I go to work in ORD, we've been cut off by Yo-nited on the taxi ways twice a day for the past for days. Say what you will about jumpseat proticol, Yo-nited guys on the tiller tend to be big brown arse holes, and THAT shows their true colors.

S.