USAir Furlough Recall: My Decision

[TWA Dude]

Thats why merging using career expectations is screwed up. In this industry no one can accurately predict where they will be in 3 years, let alone 20 years.

It's not really a far-reaching prediction but a simple look on a specific day as to what fleet plans are. Nicolau didn't try to guess the state of the industry, just what kind of progress each side's pilots could expect. He actually rejected both side's ideas about what the future held.

Date of hire is the only way to go!

Even though it may create a huge windfall for one group? Step outside the situation for a second and think about what sounds more fair: a process whereby both sides negotiate as equals and barring an agreement a neutral tries to be fair to both sides --or-- a one-size-fits-all integration method that fails to account for the vagaries of each individual merger?

The only people chanting "DOH" are the ones who stand to benefit the most from it. Shocking.

 

[MK82Man]

Swaaze -- please don't tell me the old US Air really took your wings away when they furloughed you? Callous indeed. What purpose did that serve? Were you a US Air pilot or not? Who gives a rat's arse if you are going out on furlough? What did they hope to gain by taking your wings? Save $5 on metal to give to someone else? That place was/is a hole and that kind of East attitude reflects why we are having so much trouble in the merger. I'm sorry they took your wings and I'm sorry you guys got the final letter. I'm sure they sent the letter for legal reasons but I hope they wished your luck in future endeavors and thanked your for your service to our airline for the years you worked for us.

 

[On Your Six]

Yeah, I liked that touch too. I wasn't home and got the slip for a certified from USAirways. Began wondering: are they offering me one last shot to try and get as many folks back as possible? Half-joked to the wife that maybe they were sending me the wings they took back when I was furloughed (kinda wish they had). But no, just another waste of money by good 'ol USAir, as if I didn't know that I'd resigned already. <Sigh>

Well, that should at least validate the decision you made. USAirways (at least the East) continues to show its classy side. You should feel good about moving on from that craphole/merger mess...

 

[FurloughedAgain]

I remember going to the PIT chief pilot's office on my last day to turn in my manuals, ID, and parking permit. The chief pilots were not accepting "visits" from those who were to be furloughed and the manuals were being piled unceremoniously on the conference table in the office.

The pile was enormous...literally hundreds of manuals.

I escaped with my wings somehow. They sit in a box in my closet with the remainder of my US Airways memorabilia. I keep saying one day i'll create a shadowbox or some similar display, but I never have.

Heck, I keep saying i'll frame my "congratulations! You're hired" letter, but I haven't done that either.

Still, would be nice to have some formal remembrance of that period of my life, even if it only was a hair more than three years.

 

[sayagain?]

I remebr that day also. I turned all my things in and asked if the base CP needed to or wanted to talk with me. Was told no. I could see him in his office reading a newspaper. Lost what little respect I had for AAA that day.

 

[stb]

....Heck, I keep saying i'll frame my "congratulations! You're hired" letter, but I haven't done that either.

I put the hired letter in a scrapbook and I plan to put my last call to USAirways in also.

I actually laughed when on the line, a captain told me to keep your logbook updated here at USAir.
It was 9+ years of no hiring, 120 new hirers a month, 450+ new airplanes on order, massive retirements in 10 years, you'll be a captain in 5 years... blah,blah blah.

When Piedmont and USAir merged, there was a "5 in 5" which almost put USAir out of business. How many times did the new hirers hear that in ground school?That merger was childsplay compared to the AW and USAirways.

For those America West pilots, the bu11 chit will not stop if or when the list is merged.

 

[FLYLOW22]

BTW. It's also listed on the APL as resigned. That's what you did. Right?

I think what FA is saying here is that Ed Bular forgot to include in the final letter something no so antiseptic as "your name has been removed from the list" as a final goodbye.

US wasn't nearly as direct with the language when we were all furloughed. I believe I remember the wordage was something like "The effects of 9/11 on our business have forever impacted US Airways. Your job has been impacted".

I remember thinking, "What the hell does impacted mean??". 1,800 of us found out soon enough.

The point... It's not WHAT you say but HOW you say it. This is one of the finer points that US Airways has never been able to comprehend much less demonstrate.

A simple, "Thank you for your time here. Sorry we suck so badly" would dhave been fine. The point would have been driven home but in a more positive way.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Half-joked to the wife that maybe they were sending me the wings they took back when I was furloughed (kinda wish they had). <Sigh>

Haha. I earned those wings. They stayed right here. I sent my FOM back though. Never earned the FOM... I don't think I deserved the FOM either!!

 

[FLYLOW22]

I'm sure they sent the letter for legal reasons but I hope they wished your luck in future endeavors and thanked your for your service to our airline for the years you worked for us.

Ed did wish all the best and "lot's of love" but absolutely no thanks was extended.

Whatever... doesn't really matter anymore. It just would have shown the same amount of class in saying goodbye as Inez extended to us when US said hello.

 

[Swaayze]

Dead serious. They wanted the wings and hat brass turned in, so I did. I don't really care, but it was kinda ridiculous. I assumed it had something to do with their security concerns at the time, it was still Oct '01 after all.

 

[Guppiedriver]

Swaaze -- please don't tell me the old US Air really took your wings away when they furloughed you? Callous indeed. What purpose did that serve? Were you a US Air pilot or not? Who gives a rat's arse if you are going out on furlough? What did they hope to gain by taking your wings? Save $5 on metal to give to someone else? That place was/is a hole and that kind of East attitude reflects why we are having so much trouble in the merger. I'm sorry they took your wings and I'm sorry you guys got the final letter. I'm sure they sent the letter for legal reasons but I hope they wished your luck in future endeavors and thanked your for your service to our airline for the years you worked for us.

Hey Norm,

When I was furloughed from AWA they took my wings, headset, epaulets, and hat pin.

 

[Hpilot]

Thats why merging using career expectations is screwed up. In this industry no one can accurately predict where they will be in 3 years, let alone 20 years.

Date of hire is the only way to go!

Career expectations works just fine when you use it from the merger date, not 7 years prior. "Gee when I was 7 years old I thought I'd be rich/famous and that's my career expectation, if you don't give it to me I'm going to throw a fit." Sorry doesn't work that way.

 

[sean67]

It's not really a far-reaching prediction but a simple look on a specific day as to what fleet plans are. Nicolau didn't try to guess the state of the industry, just what kind of progress each side's pilots could expect. He actually rejected both side's ideas about what the future held.Even though it may create a huge windfall for one group? Step outside the situation for a second and think about what sounds more fair: a process whereby both sides negotiate as equals and barring an agreement a neutral tries to be fair to both sides --or-- a one-size-fits-all integration method that fails to account for the vagaries of each individual merger?

The only people chanting "DOH" are the ones who stand to benefit the most from it. Shocking.

I think relative seniority is the way to go...not expectations or date of hire

 

[TWA Dude]

I think relative seniority is the way to go...not expectations or date of hire

I would agree 100% except it still doesn't account for the vagaries of each merger. There's no one-size-fits-all integration method that's fair.

 

[Iflewjetz]

When I had to turn in my stuff to Charlotte, I sat down with Bill Bewely for about a half hour and talked. I turned my books in and parking pass and asked him about the hat pin and wings and he said no, you keep them, you have been screwed enough. I asked if he and Skip could write a letter of rec. and they both did without hesitation. They were a good bunch of guys. I talked to Bill when I had to make my final decision a few weeks ago and he said make your decision and dont look back. It is not the same airline. I did and am happy. I did think it sucked to get the letter the other day saying you no longer belong here. Called the non rev line it says log in is suspended. I toast the guys and gals I knew and wish you the best of luck. Here, here. Clink, Clink.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Sounds like CLT was the place to be. At the time I thought it was filled with backwards southerners...

Then I moved to Arkansas. Now I think people from CLT are Rhodes Scholars.

(Just joking Barry!)

 

[Contract]

Well if you think studying dead carcasess on the side of the road is impressive, you should move to Texas. hahahhaha

 

[sayagain?]

When I had to turn in my stuff to Charlotte, I sat down with Bill Bewely for about a half hour and talked. I turned my books in and parking pass and asked him about the hat pin and wings and he said no, you keep them, you have been screwed enough. I asked if he and Skip could write a letter of rec. and they both did without hesitation. They were a good bunch of guys. I talked to Bill when I had to make my final decision a few weeks ago and he said make your decision and dont look back. It is not the same airline. I did and am happy. I did think it sucked to get the letter the other day saying you no longer belong here. Called the non rev line it says log in is suspended. I toast the guys and gals I knew and wish you the best of luck. Here, here. Clink, Clink.

Totally opposite experience from what I got in BWI. Oh well, it's over.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Yup. Would be easier to move on if I didn't see all of these threads about people applying, interviewing, etc.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Yup. Would be easier to move on if I didn't see all of these threads about people applying, interviewing, etc.

Dude, people love a good train wreck. Thing is, applicants are probably moving on from a car crash.

Train wrecks are even more popular for rubber neckers.