Cicada

Why does Piedmont get shut down? Jets are routinely parked at Airlines. A330, F100, DC9 MD-80, 737-300/400 757/767 at USAir into AA. Did Spirit shut down as the MD-80 was parked? Did that mean the end? No. It's simply an aircraft replacement cycle. All AA has to do is launch Republic or Mesa, or grow via another merger or internal growth and problem solved for Piedmont as far as larger aircraft are concerned. The 145 is not cycle limited either way.

CADR

I honestly think PDT will have a major issue trying to find pilots when the eventual hiring boom happens. If a new hire if smart and does their research and talks to people in the industry than they will not choose PDT when their time comes to start at a regional. Plus, PDT will be bleeding pilots from their seniority list soon enough to the flow and every other place that will be hiring. The loss of pilots coupled with the inability to find new blood will be the nail in the coffin that forces PDT into radical changes. If they don’t adapt the airline will suffer since they can’t keep their performance numbers up with short staffing.

Bampilot

When the flow starts again, the seniority list will start moving faster than the other wholly owned, fast upgrade, and a flow in 5-6 years might be enough to attract a pilots. We get it, you hate working here.

Lahey

this is fun to think about, and I share your frustration with this place. but its not going to change. bigger fish to fry: have you updated your apps/gotten them reviewed/been networking? cause with some effort we’ll get the call before management does, even with all the heavy time mr JP has!

60av8tor

I agree. I'm definitely not a conspiracy theorist, but I find it odd that they cancelled the ATP/CTP and flushed previous applicants - WTH. Perhaps they have a really deep bench, but it's just not adding up to me. Even at 55 planes, flow starts, people leave, upgrades happen, etc. - and I suspect it's going to happen sooner than later (could be wrong). Just seems odd to me that we're just sitting back, status quo...

Duffman

There's a difference between a bad attitude and pointing out real issues. I don't think management is anticipating what the pilots are going to do. During COVID a lot of PDT pilots made plans to go somewhere else and they haven't told the company because giving them anything more than 2 weeks notice is stupid. The second the conveyor belt starts moving a bunch of PDT pilots will suddenly leave, at the same time that the other regionals will be hiring heavily. PDT doesn't offer anything that PSA and Envoy do not, and both of those companies have advantages that PDT can't compete with. Yes we have the fastest flow, but it's really only about 20% faster, and it's mostly because so many pilots leave outside of the flow.


And even if PDT hires a ton of people, they're still limited by the training dept, which is why it took a lot of us a year to get through training. Short staffing means 11 days off for everyone, jr mans, extensions, and constant games with scheduling, driving even more people to leave.

CADR

^ this 100%.

reandld

I think all the doomsayers are going to be PLEASANTLY SURPRISED at what Piedmont has in store for its flight department. You folks need to look long-term and see how Piedmont fits like a glove in Daddy AA's master plan. It doesn't take Albert Einstein to see that you guys are fine!

sanicom3205

I don’t have the time to check your math, but 20% faster is HUGE. Seniority is everything at AA - unlike Piedmont. It’s the difference of hundred of thousands of dollars a year and significantly kore time at home - multiplied by years.


I get it, things are sub standard at Piedmont. I’m not going to sit here and act like it’s the best place to work. At the end of the day, however, you should recognize that your number one goal should be to get to wherever you want to work as fast as you can. If AA is that place for you, 20% makes an enormous difference. Again, I’m not checking your math or anything, but by your own numbers it’s the place to be.

CADR

Cool. And that “master plan” would be?

Believe me, we all would love to know…. In fact, in our most recent town hall our director of flight literally said “we don’t know anything, waiting for our marching orders from AA”.