winglet

mwa1,

Thanks. I couldn't resist. Any new information from your end is appreciated as well.

I am well aware a lot of people are watching MAG's bankruptcy process and are hoping for the end of MAG. I would like to attempt to persuade these people to look at MAG as a type of warning, a sort of a canary in a coal mine, and resist demonizing the employees.

The reality is that if MAG were gone tomorrow, there are plenty of others to instantly step into their place. In fact, one of the DAL/MAG law suits is over the fact that MAG was more expensive than Pinnacle. Would the blame be placed on the Pinnacle pilot group next? Where does it end? The cycle will repeat as long as mainline managements are successful in their ability to get scope relief and award outsource contracts to the lowest bidder. Too many pilot groups are being played by management's masterful distractions and their unhindered ability to whipsaw.

Pilots need to focus instead on the "disease" of scope degradation and outsource. This is the root of the problem. As long as managements have pilot groups fighting one another over contracts they will be the rule makers in this game. To make real change we have to take that ability away from them. It is obvious that the unions are not reacting to these attacks adequately. In their defense, they are held back from real change by the infighting and blame game that exists amongst us. For those feeling smug and superior with slightly better contracts, just be glad your pilot group has been spared being targeted as the lowest bidder thus far. With the demise of MAG these same pilot groups will be next on their radar (especially those with an abundance of 50 seat airframes on property).

MAG is primarily a co-creation of airline industry managements through their fee-per-departure code-share-agreements and not the actions of employees. Mainline creates the need and it is fullfilled. Through whipsaw and code-share juggling these managers can play us against each other to meet their goals. The two pronged attack at mainline pilot's scope and regional pilot's contracts have created this ability.

Despite a few numbskulls, which exist within every pilot group, there are a lot of very good people working at MAG. Many of them will agree with the idea of strengthening mainline scope and have also done everything they possibly can to try and stop the "race to the bottom". I hope that people realize that the MAG employees are also victims of these agreements along with the rest of the industry. I've been in this industry long enough to know that the majority of pilots are basically the same regardless of what airline they fly for. The main difference between pilot groups is their managements. MAG has one of the most aggressive anti-labor managements in the industry and that is reflected in the pilot group's inability to secure the best pay and work rules, despite some great improvements.

From revelations of the MAG/DAL fee per departure agreement and DAL's "most favored nation" clause I think the realization is sinking in that as long as these types of agreements exist, the MAG employees are not your enemy. Those of us that understand this fact will continue to do our part on our end to strengthen our contracts and support you in your efforts to strengthen yours.

As a fee-per-departure outsourced "regional" jet pilot I fully support the idea of all pilots being employees of the company whose logo is painted on their aircraft's tail. This is where the focus of union leadership should be. Stop all outsource and whipsaw. Collectively provide jobs to these pilots on the same seniority lists.

Good Luck...

winglet

sulkair

I bet Mesa will win, and Delta will have to allow them to keep flying out of CVG. Then Delta will renew Mesa's contract in 2012 and start allowing Mesa to switch out 50 seaters for bigger ones.

Do I get a pin if I'm correct?

ps I'm not being facetious, I really think this could happen.

minimwage4

The chances of that actually happening are zero. Mesa's Delta contract will be up in 2012 at the latest. If you think Delta will try to negotiate anything out of them you are sorely mistaken. Their USAirways contract will also be up in 2012 as well, although that is contingent on how low they're willing to go to get an extension. Either way Mesa is screwed, too bad for the pilots.

sulkair

Chances are never zero in this industry - you know that.

SpiraMirabilis

Anything could happen in 2 years in this industry.

CrippleHawk

I wonder what Continental CEO Jeff Smisek thinks of MESA? After all he is going to be the one running the show.

winglet

SpiraMirabilis,

I agree...In two years all the parameters will have changed and an entire new set of variables will be in place. Listening to people trying to predict the airline industry is similar to listening to those "expert" volcanologists predict the future behavior of Eyjafjallajokul !

Let's just hope that the future involves a much healthier industry with better management practices. Perhaps involving a focus on operational quality instead of the current addiction of relying on employee concessions to remain competitive.

winglet

DashDriverYV

For those who care, MAG management has asked the pilot group to take pay concessions so we can extend the US Air flying due in 2012. We said no. I hope the rest of the pilots will do the same.

BSOuthisplace

Do the pilots have any power over this since Mesa is in bankruptcy. If you guys do I'd say shut it down on your terms not theirs. Best of luck!

iPilot

Just because Mesa in bankruptcy doesn't necessarily give them carte blanche on their union contracts. I may be mistaken but all of the concessions given during the major's bankruptcies in 2005 (UA in particular) the unions agreed to the cutbacks before they went to the judge. In other words, they didn't get the huge cuts because of bankruptcy, but because the unions felt it was in their best interest. Considering that there was no telling what the bankruptcy judge would do I suppose I can't blame them.