USA Jet isn't usual so quiet

[Tail Rotorhead]

Everyone afraid to post? Worried you might be next in the witch hunt? I'm surprised the board is so quiet after yesterdays firings.

 

[landlover]

i read your post in the lost cause thread, were these falcon guys/dc-9 guys or both? maybe everyone is busy looking for a new job. best of luck gentlemen. out of curiosity i was wondering if you could expand on the reason for firing.

 

[pilotyip]

No comment.

 

[iaflyer]

i read your post in the lost cause thread, were these falcon guys/dc-9 guys or both? maybe everyone is busy looking for a new job. best of luck gentlemen. out of curiosity i was wondering if you could expand on the reason for firing.

It was some DC-9 Captains and some Falcon Captains - it was not done in senority order. As I understand, those pilots who were let go were "for cause". Also, there might be more coming - it's unclear how many are being let go.

Also, from what I heard JUS is parking Falcons and DC-9s this week. Don't know the exact numbers today, but from what I heard it was about 1/3 or more of the planes that are flying now (they already have a lot not flying).

They are cutting more than pilots - I heard a lot of mechanics are being cut too.

 

[Everett Howe]

It was some DC-9 Captains and some Falcon Captains - it was not done in senority order. As I understand, those pilots who were let go were "for cause". Also, there might be more coming - it's unclear how many are being let go.

Also, from what I heard JUS is parking Falcons and DC-9s this week. Don't know the exact numbers today, but from what I heard it was about 1/3 or more of the planes that are flying now (they already have a lot not flying).

They are cutting more than pilots - I heard a lot of mechanics are being cut too.

What do you mean by "parking" planes? They always just sit around when there are no trips to fly. Do you mean they are deferring mx, like last year?

Anyways, the 100% paycut for eight very senior pilots should help payroll quite a bit...

 

[Wiggums]

All Ameristar did was change the schedule, they even fixed the issues with it when people spoke up. They didn't fire anyone or reduce pay.

 

[Tail Rotorhead]

Some of the most senior and hard working people at the company (not all of them were, but a few) were let go, for supposed cause. Although, no one was told what they were doing was wrong, there was no policy on the matter, no one was given a warning or counseled about it. It was not a matter of safety or insubordination. They were earning credit card points when using the company cards. Hardly seems like life or death. It was brought up a few weeks ago at a pilot meeting, records were checked and so far 8 people, minus the ring leader who told everyone how to do this supposed terrible thing, were let go. People who had worked at the company 12 or 14 years were let go. Maybe they were singled out because they had the biggest salaries?? As I said, the one glaring omission was left of the list of pink slips, nepotisism is alive and well at USA Jet. There is talk of layoffs, paycuts and letting mechanics go in favor of contract mechanics so they can get around paying a decent wage or providing salary and benefits. Keeping in mind that since they started passenger charters the role of mechanic has meant spending weeks on the road just as the pilots do. What a way to thank the guys who have worked hard to keep the passenger ops running smoothly.

 

[Wiggums]

I don't understand how earning points was wrong? Did it cost the company somehow? I've earned points every company card I've ever had.

 

[Everett Howe]

I don't understand how earning points was wrong? Did it cost the company somehow? I've earned points every company card I've ever had.

If you pay for fuel with it even though there is contract fuel available there might be a problem. Can you imagine how many points you earn for one fill up on the -9?

 

[Tail Rotorhead]

There is no evidence that anyone other than ONE person intentionally bought fuel outside of contract in order to accumulate points. That person was not fired, the only one who admitted to it and told others that he intentionally bought fuel outside of contract was not punished in any way. Any guesses why? There is nothing to prove these guys intentionally bought fuel outside of contract just to accumulate points, it is actually a pretty common occurence that for whatever reason the contract account info is unable to be verified and fuel is bought on credit. The deal was that the company would then contact the FBO and be credited the difference for contract fuel once the info could be verified. No one was told this was wrong or a problem, no one was counseled, one week it was brought up as an issue, the next week heads are rolling.

 

[brnstrmr]

I was at YIP day before yesterday, it looked like the whole fleet was parked on the east ramp. I've never seen that many JUS planes parked like that before. What's up with that?

 

[Everett Howe]

There is no evidence that anyone other than ONE person intentionally bought fuel outside of contract in order to accumulate points.

If that is actually true this would be a huge injustice. Wow.

 

[The Dodo]

If you don't like what they are doing get another JOB!! HEY go

 

[Everett Howe]

If you don't like what they are doing get another JOB!! HEY go

I'm sure a lot of JUS guys are doing that right now. 5 or so have already left.

 

[The Dodo]

It sounds like what they are doing there is like anyother company in corporate america today. Finding people to do the same job more productivly at lower wages.

 

[iaflyer]

Well - I understand what Tailroter head is saying - but it wasn't just once and it wasn't just contract fuel "misunderstandings" or points. I have heard of unauthorized rental cars, food, use of other hotels other than where the reservations were made. The dollar amounts I have heard are staggering.

As I understand, cuts in all departments were needed. The head honchos in flight ops realized that by cutting the unauthorized charges that a few pilots were making (by that were not following company policies with regard to the use of company credit cards) , many other pilots who had not violated company policy would be retained.

Like Everett Howe said, you can earn a lot of points filling up a DC-9 by charging the retail price of gas as opposed to contract fuel. It is possible that a Captain on a -9 could cost the company $6,000 additional by not taking contract fuel, at ONE fuel stop. Multiple this by number of fuel stops a trip and number of trips a month by a number of months - it can get to be a big number. In fact, that number can be the cost of a Falcon or DC-9 First officer.

 

[Everett Howe]

Well - I understand what Tailroter head is saying - but it wasn't just once and it wasn't just contract fuel "misunderstandings" or points. I have heard of unauthorized rental cars, food, use of other hotels other than where the reservations were made. The dollar amounts I have heard are staggering.

That might be true, I don't have the full picture. But if it's true that Yip Jr. was spared and everybody else was fired without a warning thats a huge injustice and quite harsh.

But I guess if you mess with B.H.'s money you're f.u.cked.

Oh, and by the way, the person paying/auditing the amex bills should be fired too.

Howie

 

[VABB]

So can someone still get a job with no college and a $100,000.00/yr salary in his twenties in this profession? YIP??

 

[TheGuat]

What's the QOL after the firings?

 

[Lear Wanna Be]

This goes back a few year ago, but I was picking up freight at GSP and there was also a JUS Falcon waiting for freight. I was talking to the crew and one of the things that I remember them saying is that whoever is in charge of hiring liked to hire guys with some sort of skeleton in their closet. That does not mean that that is the only kind of pilot that was hired, just they liked them because they knew they would be sticking around. Anyway, they were apparently called "lifers" as that would more than likely be their only ever 121 job. For the most part these were guys that maybe got a DUI or something along those lines. So what I have to wonder is if any of these 8 guys who were fired are any of the so called "lifers" that now have a huge up hill battle to find another job. I also wonder if there will be any wrongful termination lawsuits over this. It sure will be interesting to hear how this all plays out.