Whats new with PanAm/BMA at SFB?

[rvsm410]

I have not heard anything since the November threads about PanAm and the pilots.....Any new news, Did the company turn in the Pan Am certificate? if so, does this mean they are flying the Boeings under the BMA certificate now.
I see on the BMA web site that they are hiring ground folks for a Sanford/Orlando Base. Are they moving the HQ from PSM to SFB? Are the folks at PSM being offered jobs down south?
What is the flavor in the communities mouth, with regards to working for BMA now? would this considered a bad career move to apply and possibly get a ground job there in SFB?

 

[dispatchguy]

From a friend of mine---

Just talked to Skip Monk @ PAA

No interline travel agreements yet, so no way to get to MCO (actually
SFB) to interview

They are relocating their DX from PSM to SFB, and I guess they're having
issues with getting their current cadre of DX to make the move southbound

Changing FP systems from Bornemann/SABRE to Jeppesen

Skip didnt know the approx pay scale...

 

[RoughAir]

1. The Pan Am certificate was turned in to the FAA on 1 Nov.

2. Boston Maine is "planning" to resume sch service on Feb 17. Hartford to FLL then on to Puerto Rico, or something like that. Go to their website.

3. The US Court of Appeals in BOS has not rendered their decision on the lawsuit of ALPA vs Boston Maine.

4. Only one or two planes flying (727s). Doing charters now.

5. The last two classes of pilots and FAs furloughed for almost 7 weeks now.

6. Yes, maint control is now in SFB. Dispatch soon, no PSM people are taking the move. Most of the maint/ramp/counter people furloughed. Many will not return. HQ will probably stay in PSM but most of the activity will be in SFB.

7. Starting pay for licensed dispatchers was 32K/yr. Not sure if that remains so.

8. They owe money to everyone. Go to the Sanford airport web site and read the last airport manangement meeting minutes. Ex Pan Am owes "thousands" of dollars, they (airport management) are pondering liens on BMA sim faciltiies and the junk 727s down there. They have been written about unfavorably in the PSM and sometimes in the ORL area as far as customer service and reliaibility. A travel agent manager friend of mine says she will never use them again in whatever name their using nor will any of her travel managers she knows in the industry.

Be careful.

 

[rvsm410]

1. The Pan Am certificate was turned in to the FAA on 1 Nov.

2. Boston Maine is "planning" to resume sch service on Feb 17. Hartford to FLL then on to Puerto Rico, or something like that. Go to their website.

3. The US Court of Appeals in BOS has not rendered their decision on the lawsuit of ALPA vs Boston Maine.

4. Only one or two planes flying (727s). Doing charters now.

5. The last two classes of pilots and FAs furloughed for almost 7 weeks now.

6. Yes, maint control is now in SFB. Dispatch soon, no PSM people are taking the move. Most of the maint/ramp/counter people furloughed. Many will not return. HQ will probably stay in PSM but most of the activity will be in SFB.

7. Starting pay for licensed dispatchers was 32K/yr. Not sure if that remains so.

8. They owe money to everyone. Go to the Sanford airport web site and read the last airport manangement meeting minutes. Ex Pan Am owes "thousands" of dollars, they (airport management) are pondering liens on BMA sim faciltiies and the junk 727s down there. They have been written about unfavorably in the PSM and sometimes in the ORL area as far as customer service and reliaibility. A travel agent manager friend of mine says she will never use them again in whatever name their using nor will any of her travel managers she knows in the industry.

Be careful.

Wow, this sounds almost hostile, and a bit uncomfortable for anyone to even consider, were the PSM folks even offered a move to SFB? It sounds like the finances are a bit on edge as well with all the money owed everywhere. Somthing there just does not feel right.

Are the 10 72's going to start flying soon or is this one of the points being faught in the law suit and must wait till the court renders a final judgement?

Basically I wonder how long a new person might stay employed if they hired on for the SFB Jobs? Also how welcomed these new people will be in PSM for their InDoc and other training requirements? If its hostile, or if the person would considered some sort of a scab, then it would probably be best to know this ahead of time so a wise choice could be made.
PM me or email [email protected] would be appreciated.

 

[RoughAir]

According to my sources, the PSM people are being offered the positions in SFB. Of course the move is on you. I don't think you would be consdiered a scab. If the positions are unfilled, they are simply being advertised because current employees will not move to them.

The Court of Appeals decision should clarify the Pan Am route/airplane situation. Boston Maine is flying two of the ex-United palnes they bought a couple of years ago.

Do a good internet search of the PSM newspapers and flightinfo.com posts on Pan Am/BMA. They is mucho news about them. For the past couple of years they have not been steady in their employment situation (but what airline is?) and you will always hear the statement that "Tim Mellon is loaded with money and backing this up", but in reality look what happened to Pan Am and their route structure. They have been all over the place with their routes and never did materialize into anything. There was news about them doing a big thing in the Domician Republic with 727s and J-31s but that hasn't happened either.

Correction: My post siad they owed thousands of dollars to the Sanford Airport. It should have said "hundreds of thousands". Look at the December minutes of the airport authority on Sanford's Aorports web site.

If you need a job to get experience, try them. But always keep looking for something else. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

 

[rvsm410]

PanAm follow-up

Thanks to several people here for the insight to the companies current status, the press releases, and the web search advice. After spending some time looking into the company, I discovered several newspapers around the country listing large debts still owed by the current owners of Boston Maine Airlines for the Pan Am Operation that is now closed, and the certificate returned to the FAA on 11-1-04.

Not to mention the ALPA lawsuit still in the appeals court, and the perceived mistreatment of the PAA pilots, I further investigated the so called new company.


What is more bothersome in light of their announcement to move MX, Ops and Res. to the Sanford Orlando airport (SFB), is the hiring they are starting to do. My research of the Last published minutes from the Sanford Airport Authority (12-7), read that The owners owe them "several Hundred of Thousands of dollars" and they are looking into protecting that debt by securing there full motion flight Sims (2) and the 727's currently on the property.



This does not sound like they have a very sound or appreciated business plan to me, and any new employment there would be as stable as the Florida sink holes.... Of course maybe they are turning this around, and have already paid back the debt? the records and press releases are about 3 weeks old.



I would welcome anyone with first hand knowledge to rebut the perceived state of this airline and its involvement at SFB.

 

[Publishers]

The question is whether or not the debt is guaranteed by the owners other than by Pan American. If the debt was not personally backed by the larger company or by PBA, it would not be the PBA problem.

In any case, to think that these operations are anything but on the edge ops would be foolish.