Globemaster2827

The rumor that I'm hearing from a 767 Instructor is that he's seeing 737 loads out on the line. He is speculating that this is already happening to a certain degree. My bet is that they up hiring on the 767 and if they can't staff it with new hires then they'll upgrade 747 FOs and send new hires to the 747... We're already seeing an abnormal percentage of 767 Captains with respect to the overall number of 767 Pilots. I believe the percentage is low 60s according to JS's Giant Comms products. That'll increase attrition, BUT it'll take a few years to have that affect.

They've got a million outs and most of those outs don't involve paying us anytime soon.

suddenimpact

Actually, the facebook GC Comms page was created by the union as a propaganda interface outside of official union channels. Supposedly, leadership in their eyes keeping the union immune to the legalities of the propaganda they use it for though that didn't pan out when union legal got involved. Union legal has always denied it as representing 1224 or Atlas. Atlas Union leadership has been back peddling from calling it a official point of contact now that they figured out they are putting themselves at risk. It was OK when the membership was solely at risk, but when union leadership gets cornered things changed. While they had called it a point of contact to 1224 Atlas in the past, they are now distancing themselves from that exposure while trying to keep up the facade. The loose group of pilots running it all are on the communications committee and one ExCo. The same group that determines who is on the good list or the bad list (banned) to access it.

rmr1992

There is no doubt, IMO, that they are overstaffing with 767 CA. My opinion is that they are doing this so they can try to steal the next round of airplanes that the big customer wants to place. Pretty easy sell if you ask me... they would already have the CAs and only need to hire the FOs to backfill, vs another airline that would have to train 2 positions (the upgrade and the new hire). Moreover the 17% discount at which the 767 gets paid under the current garbage CBA makes it pretty cheap/easy for them to justify positioning themselves to potentially snap up the next round of aircraft after the last one is delivered/put into operation later this year.

rmr1992

Hmmm... interesting, but neither relevant nor compelling... still doesn't change that it's not an official union communication forum (for whatever reason, I just don't care) and it still doesn't change the fact that "the union" didn't "update" anything regarding the original topic.

Globemaster2827

Makes sense and they'd have the flexibility that they need with those Captains who can fly either seat. Flexibility can make up for some of any potential staffing issues. In fact if the "20" per 767 may work with 19 or even 18 with a lopsided number of Captains. Maybe they intentionally want the numbers there on the 767...

NightIP

Seriously, why all the anti-union rhetoric on this thread?

Some of you guys know which team you play for, right? This sort of nonsense is downright destructive to the pilot group as a whole. Don't be "that guy" who's dead weight to the negotiating effort, then has his hand out to collect the result of everyone else's hard work at the end.

plift

Or worse, *****es about how long the process is taking and/or the end result.

WacoQCF

747 upgrades are likely on hold because the company can see he preferential bids of the large number of 767 pilots expiring on seat locks. Opening 747 upgrades will decimate he staffing of he 767 (the plane they are having trouble staffing for he Amazon expansion).

The dam is cracking..

Atrasaty

When 74 CA awards resume, expect them to be for ANC only. My guess is many 76 Captains have 74 standing bids for lower 48 bases only. They did this to the first group of 76 FO's who were assured they could move to the 74 after 3 years. However to block them all vacancies suddenly were ANC only and the base grew from 100 to 300 FO's. Management will cheat you at every opportunity here.

rmr1992

Most recent 747 class had only 13 of 28 slots filled.

Most recent 767 class on 4th had only 2 of 8 slots filled.

Pretty difficulty to grow the company with numbers like that...

Oh yeah, we are supposed to get 3-4 more 747s this year, one of which looks like it hits the line in mid July... I wonder how these airplanes will be staffed when people don't want to either come here or stay?