What's happening at AVANTAIR?

[CaptainJaguar]

What is going on out there guys/gals? I have a couple of friends that work there. I was speaking with one of them recently and he told me that avantair is going through some serious issues. Apparently they haven't paid their cellphone bill and owe about $57,000. I was also informed that they have had about 12 airplanes down for a couple of weeks and havent worked on most of them b/c they can't pay for parts. They owe Pratt & Whitney a butt load of money, A good number FOs company credit cards are being declined. The "Big" investor left apparently. Company credit card bills havent been payed in MONTHS, and the Avanti 2s are apparently not coming due to the company not having any money.
I just want to say to all my friends there and to the pilot group, good luck, I hope things work out for you guys. I wish you guys/gals the best and I'm sorry to hear that another good pilot group is getting FUC*ED because of pathetic management! and bad decisions!
I just hope this place doesn't end up like that airline from St. Pete that one day just closed its doors and left all its employees out on the street while the CEO left with "POCKET MONEY"....

 

[RoughAir]

I hope this thread works!

I just want the facts "ma'am".

 

[Just Peachy]

Money probs....

Sounds like the troops better look at the line they are signing at the hotels that sez: I guarentee payment of this bill no matter what credit card is being used. No company expense money, no trip............:bomb:

 

[glasspilot]

I would question why any current employee at Avantair would get on a public board such as this and trash the company. Just doesn't seem very smart to do anything that could diminish the chances of your own success.

With that said, I have heard the rumors out there. I don't have any personal experience with what you mentioned. My credit card is paid up to date. I don't have any forfeited AmEx points. (You forfeit points when the bill is paid late.) There has been no problem getting gas, hotels, lav service, rental cars, rental car gas, commissary supplies or anything else associated with running an airline.

I have spoke with management types and they inform me that the company is aligning itself for big plans, more planes, more plane types and the like. To that end they are trying to get a handle on expenses and prepare the company for the next phase of growth.

I truly hope Avantair has the legs to go the distance. I'm getting real tired of slinging gear for a living and even more tired of going to interviews.

I also truly hope those that like to smash and bash on these boards whenever Avantair comes up will try to use some restraint and apply the golden rule to their posts. A little empathy goes a long way.

Fly safe ya'll

 

[Diesel]

Every company I've been at has bigger and better plans coming just around the corner. I wouldn't hang your hat from what managment says. If its on the property, you have the keys, and you're getting paid to fly it then believe it.

Other than that anything bigger, faster, or more is just talk. It doesn't matter what company you're at. I hope avantair gets their stuff together, the last thing we need is more pilots on the street.

Sadly though where there is smoke there is fire.

 

[hammer2]

Every company I've been at has bigger and better plans coming just around the corner. I wouldn't hang your hat from what managment says. If its on the property, you have the keys, and you're getting paid to fly it then believe it.

Other than that anything bigger, faster, or more is just talk. It doesn't matter what company you're at. I hope avantair gets their stuff together, the last thing we need is more pilots on the street.

Sadly though where there is smoke there is fire.

Ditto. Problem is when you hear the bad rumors they are usually true.

 

[brewerdog]

no - the problem is the people that are happy don't usually sound off but the unhappy ones want to tell the world how bad it is and cry and compain and heap up the bad rumors and ...

my card has been paid, never refused

every company has problems if you look hard enough

 

[hyper]

The root of any and all the rumors at avantair is: management does not, and never has, kept the line in the loop. What happened to the advisory committee that was added to keep the pilots up to date as a result of the union scare? When folks are in the dark, that's when they start to grope. Rumors abound.

Is it true that management is filling with ex-FLOPs folks?

I've actually "heard" 2 possibilities by months end. 1 is very bad and the other will be over the top good. I'm hoping for option #2, but as Diesel said, when it's here it's here.

 

[Noodles]

I was talking to a supervisor the other day, and found out all kinds of interesting things. There are no spare parts, because they supplier has cut off Avantair for not paying the bill. I was also told that there are 6-8 Avanti II's that Piaggion really wants to deliver to Avantair, but there is no money to pay for them. My flying partner the other day could not use his AMEX, it was declined for not having the bill paid. I too have heard the cell phone bill is large and unpaid, hence the reason for the "crackdown" on overages. Did anybody know we only got 500 minutes before that email came out?

As for the pilot advisory thing, is anyone really surprised its dead? I mean, it was an easy way for the company to do something without really having to do something. They could pay lipservice to the fact that somethings going to happen, and people were not inclined to vote in a union. Although, I have heard rumors of another union push....

 

[whiskytangofoxt]

My pay is on time, and there is a Avanti II on the property, 135 conformity is Monday
As for the cell phone, When I got mine the contract I got said 450 minutes, and I am sure everybody else got the agreement.