USAirways Info

[FLYLOW22]

You needed a warning about US Airways in 1999?

Be honest, you keep looking over here to reaffirm your decision to wave your recall. As long as east and west are fighting, your as giddy as a little school girl.

I have a similar situation, I'm married to this place. The difference is, I'm comfortable with it and I'm not second guessing myself.

I must admit... I knew almost NOTHING about US Air in 99. I was flying a BE1900 and getting abused (like I hear from so many hre on these boards about their current jobs) and I was happy to trade up to the Airbus.

I would have taken ANY advice on US but message boards were a bit primative. I think one of the best boards going was the aviation board on AOL. Flight Info, US Aviation etc were not around yet. I think these boards are a VERY useful tool.

The pay was ALOT better back then and we were our own company. Captain pay was $210/hr. for the A320 and F/O pay maxed at 65% of that. There was a HUGE number of pilots that were going to retire and I was the 2nd youngest pilot US hired in over 10 years. With 400 A320s/40 A330s on order and the attrition being what it was... those factors made my mind up to take the job.

The newness of it all wore off within a year. US got involved with the UAL/US deal and I never did get my 747-400 manuals. We stopped hiring and then I was furloughed. It was coming anyway.

The times are very different now but some things remain the same. I see the same bright eyed attitude from newhire wannabe's. Nothing wrong with that but inbetween the Kit Darby cheerleading sessions, shopping for the perfect blue suit and crossing al the T's on the old resume I think that an applicant would appreciate ALL views of this prospective carrier.

Looking forward...

MERGERS are coming. US has always seemed to be the guinea pig for anything possible negative to the profession: retirement, mergers, botched seniority integrations, etc. It's not over.

COMPETITIVE PRESSURE is increasing. US is no longer in a "command position" (due to labor cuts from bankrupcy era concessions and the whipsawing of 2 pilot groups). Most other carriers have made restructuring efforts to equal US's competitive potential.

FUEL... enough said.

I can tell you for a FACT that I am done with 121 so long as I have a choice in the matter. The model is broken and not getting any better. Pilots seem more hell bent on screwing each other over for individual personal gains rather than working as one group of professionals engaged in the perfromance of a craft (national seniority list) for money. ALPA is crumbling beneath it's feet and the cracks are not large fractures.

Seriously, no looking back... just looking... really. Besides... I NEED pilot sto work at 121 carriers. How else would I get to and from my airplane on my 1st/last day of work when my company buys me a ticket??

 

[fischman]

I must admit... I knew almost NOTHING about US Air in 99. I was flying a BE1900 and getting abused (like I hear from so many hre on these boards about their current jobs) and I was happy to trade up to the Airbus.

I would have taken ANY advice on US but message boards were a bit primative. I think one of the best boards going was the aviation board on AOL. Flight Info, US Aviation etc were not around yet. I think these boards are a VERY useful tool.

The pay was ALOT better back then and we were our own company. Captain pay was $210/hr. for the A320 and F/O pay maxed at 65% of that. There was a HUGE number of pilots that were going to retire and I was the 2nd youngest pilot US hired in over 10 years. With 400 A320s/40 A330s on order and the attrition being what it was... those factors made my mind up to take the job.

The newness of it all wore off within a year. US got involved with the UAL/US deal and I never did get my 747-400 manuals. We stopped hiring and then I was furloughed. It was coming anyway.

The times are very different now but some things remain the same. I see the same bright eyed attitude from newhire wannabe's. Nothing wrong with that but inbetween the Kit Darby cheerleading sessions, shopping for the perfect blue suit and crossing al the T's on the old resume I think that an applicant would appreciate ALL views of this prospective carrier.

Looking forward...

MERGERS are coming. US has always seemed to be the guinea pig for anything possible negative to the profession: retirement, mergers, botched seniority integrations, etc. It's not over.

COMPETITIVE PRESSURE is increasing. US is no longer in a "command position" (due to labor cuts from bankrupcy era concessions and the whipsawing of 2 pilot groups). Most other carriers have made restructuring efforts to equal US's competitive potential.

FUEL... enough said.

I can tell you for a FACT that I am done with 121 so long as I have a choice in the matter. The model is broken and not getting any better. Pilots seem more hell bent on screwing each other over for individual personal gains rather than working as one group of professionals engaged in the perfromance of a craft (national seniority list) for money. ALPA is crumbling beneath it's feet and the cracks are not large fractures.

Seriously, no looking back... just looking... really. Besides... I NEED pilot sto work at 121 carriers. How else would I get to and from my airplane on my 1st/last day of work when my company buys me a ticket??

REVEREND!!!

 

[WickedPissa]

What is the status of USAirways staffing and new hires.
Is the E-190 still junior?

I don't know the answer. Too bad all the whiners took over your post and didn't give any positive feedback, just the east- west crying for 5 pages.

By the way, I like the way some guys say "WE" saved USAir. YOU had nothing to do with the decision to combine airlines, your management did.

 

[PHXFLYR]

No they didn't . The Wall Street money mongers and Hedge Fund goons did. Parker is just their puppet,sort of like a Mafia front man on The Sopranos. Our little Frat Boy isn't smart enough to put something together like this on his own.


PHXFLYR

 

[WickedPissa]

No they didn't . The Wall Street money mongers and Hedge Fund goons did. Parker is just their puppet,sort of like a Mafia front man on The Sopranos. Our little Frat Boy isn't smart enough to put something like this together on his own.


PHXFLYR

I just meant the pilots didn't save USAir as some think they personally did. My main point was not many people are answering the original question. I'm done.

 

[PHXFLYR]

As a matter of factly, US Airways was the last mainline airline to relax the scope language and it was part of the early restructuring following 9/11. I was long gone.

You can't tell me that you wouldn't prefer those RJ flights to be flown by a 737 or an EMB190.

I have nothing against RJ pilots. I think the RJ is a tool that has successfully been used to divide pilots groups on a mainline-regional level (US vs. US Exp)and a regional-regional level (Mesa vs. all of em).

The thing I can't seem to understand is why we (as a "profession") continue to allow the abuse.

I won't ever look to ALPA for any positive guidance.

So you will look to Teamsters instead...????

PHXFLYR

 

[Guppiedriver]

Seriously, no looking back... just looking... really. Besides... I NEED pilot sto work at 121 carriers. How else would I get to and from my airplane on my 1st/last day of work when my company buys me a ticket??

You assume that all 121 pilots commute. The truth is the majority don't.

I only spent 45 minutes in the back of a 121 airliner this month. Can you say the same?

 

[Captzaahlie]

I just meant the pilots didn't save USAir as some think they personally did. My main point was not many people are answering the original question. I'm done.

AIR WISCONSIN SAVED USAIRWAYS!~ That's what all their pilots seem to think...... uke:

 

[Captzaahlie]

Cool. Hope you get the call.

Got the call in between flights this morning, pretty jazzed that there was not one of those long waits for it!
:beer:

 

[greyskyracer]

Got the call in between flights this morning, pretty jazzed that there was not one of those long waits for it!
:beer:

Congrats you deserve it! by the way can I get a letter of rec?

 

[Captzaahlie]

Congrats you deserve it! by the way can I get a letter of rec?

email me or send me a pm and we can work some thing out...... oh yea, bring your check book!

 

[greyskyracer]

email me or send me a pm and we can work some thing out...... oh yea, bring your check book!

No worries I just got a new check book from a dead guy on the subway. I am the locksmith by the way.

 

[Captzaahlie]

No worries I just got a new check book from a dead guy on the subway. I am the locksmith by the way.

I know your identity, in fact we all know exactly where you are since you had to start wearing that ankle bracelet tracking device on your overnights!
The subway thing will only add to your time........

 

[ponder]

Congratulations

Got the call in between flights this morning, pretty jazzed that there was not one of those long waits for it!
:beer:

They did well to hire you. You'll enjoy the differences
between Piedmont and Usairways.

 

[FLYLOW22]

So you will look to Teamsters instead...????

PHXFLYR

Simply... no.

Stay tuned in the next few months (if you want to) to see what happens to our representational body.

A "Union" is never the end all beat all silver bullet that will solve all problems. Pilots should never expect that it would be.

A management team and a labor force working together, however, is unstoppable against competition that does not share the same productivity advantage.

What NJA pilot have achieved is not the result of IBT "leadership", action or advice. Our foundation has been built on terrific INDEPENDENT leadership, a supportive pilot group and a management team willing to invest in the long term future rather than the next golden parachute.

I doubt Parker thinks past his next 3 year contract much less the next 5 or 15.

Doug and Co. are nothing more than employees themselves, you see. The are very highly paid for what they do though. Their modo is "I'll get mine before you get yours, if ever."

How can a positive, profitable, prosperous future happen at US Airways with that type of leadership? Oh no, US isn't the example... it is one of several airlines out there with this problem.

I just don't see why a pilot would want to subject themselves and their family to decades of trust fund baby, daddy diidn't love me business school drop out miss management from people who have less character than the pilot themself.

The results of throwing our Section 6 bargaining for Interest Based Bargaining (IBB) has produced an agreement that has proven far less taxing on us, the company and most importantly, our Owners.

It might be an example for Doug and Company but I doubt it. It's far too much easier to use "old school" techniques.