Ftrooppilot

Considering the latest news, I wonder if Mesaba is shifting their plans and will assign pilots to CRJ200s at the rate of 30 per month (if or as) they get the aircraft.

In December, Northwest reached a long-term services agreement for Memphis-based Pinnacle to operate 124 Canadair Regional Jets (CRJs), which seat 50 passengers. The agreement further stated that Pinnacle could fly 17 additional 50-seaters for Northwest, but the big airline would have the option of removing those airplanes if Pinnacle didn't negotiate a new agreement with its pilots union by March 31.

Northwest may have a perfect home for the removed aircraft. The airline is expected to close its purchase of Mesaba in the coming weeks, and the Minnesota-based regional carrier already has federal certification to fly the 50-seat jets now operated by Pinnacle. . . .

. . . Currently, there are 16 pilots on Mesaba's payroll tasked with flying one 50-seat CRJ for Northwest. [A second one is assigned to Compass] Two years ago, Mesaba geared up to operate 15 of the CRJs, but Northwest halted delivery of those planes after Northwest filed for bankruptcy. . . . .

Now, Mesaba is getting ready to take delivery of three dozen CRJs that seat 76 passengers. Mesaba will be Northwest's sole operator of the 76-seat aircraft. The cockpits for the 50-seat and 76-seat CRJs are similar, and the pilots who fly them get the same license from the Federal Aviation Administration. So it would not be difficult for Mesaba to shift pilots from one CRJ model to another. . . .

Guesses ?????

Airsupport

I would be very suprised if the rj's went to mesaba. All this talk about losing planes is more of the same retirique from management. I thought you mesaba guys would have learned that by now. Just 4 months ago you guys thought you were going out of business, then nwa suprises us all by buying you and then giving you the 900's. All this talk is just ploy... WHY THE HE LL WOULD NWA CARE ABOUT 9E PILOTS HAVING A CONTRACT!!! THEY DON'T!!!! NWA is going to pay pinnacle the same amount for flying the planes no matter what. Pinnacle is the one trying to squeeze every dime out of their fixed payments. The only reason they threw that clause in there is to scare us. Just like in NOVEMBER of last year NWA MANAGEMENT said they wouldn't talk to us about signing another ASA till WE had a pilot contract,,, well we all know what a lie that was!!! I think NWA and Pinnacle ran out of time and had to make the announcement. So our management had them throw this date in to scare us!!! think about it guys, in the contract it says pinnacle will get payed no matter what... If we keep the planes, nwa still pays us, if they take the planes, nwa will owe us around 40 million dollars... do you really think the stingiest basta rds on the planet are going to pay us for not doing the flying????? GIVE ME A BREAK!!!! I WILL NOT FALL INTO THIS TRAP!!!!

With the aircraft now reverting to Northwest, the size of Pinnacle's stipulated unsecured claim against Northwest will increase by $42.5 million, the regional carrier said in a statement.

IT IS STUPID TO THINK THAT NORTHWEST WOULD NOT ONLY TAKE THE PLANES BACK BUT PAY US 42.5 MILLION DOLLARS TO DO SO?????? if they do that, i would be really scared if i were at mesaba right now.

RJ85FO

That is the most creative way to spell "rhetoric" that I have ever seen

Airsupport

hehehe,,, its been a long day my friend,,, 4 day trip blocked at 29 hours......

Ftrooppilot

I don't think any Mesaba pilot wants to see Pinnacle go through the ups and downs they experienced last year. The article I posted is obviously "short" on facts. We all need to be better educated on the "stipulated unsecured claim against NWA" and its relationship to the fifteen CRJ200s plus (1 @ Mesaba and 1 @ Compass)

EDIT: Did some research. It seems like Pinnacle will submit a $42.5 million dollar claim for future "loss of income" associated with the seventeen aircraft all of which are not in their possession. It will be interesting to hear what the bankruptcy judges says.

Airsupport

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ftrooppilot

I don't think any Mesaba pilot wants to see Pinnacle go through the ups and downs they experienced last year. The article I posted is obviously "short" on facts. We all need to be better educated on the "stipulated unsecured claim against NWA" and its relationship to the fifteen CRJ200s plus (1 @ Mesaba and 1 @ Compass)

i know you guys don't,, we are virtually on the same team. i have walked your line before, just like some mesaba guys walked ours.... i just think it is messed up that our management along with nwa's management would go to these lengths to trick us into signing a contract. Luckily we have a good union, and a strong mec. Our management even wanted to circumvent (did i spell that right rj85 ) our mec and put it the contract out for vote with out it even being ta'd. Our mec put that down like it should have been.

Ftrooppilot

If you guys "WIN" it could be the beginning of a much needed "revolution" in pay and QOL for regional pilots.

Tinpusher007

Well, just got back from my interview in MSP yesterday, anyone interested, PM me for details.

FOSAC07

Now does that mean that Compass will operate only one CRJ-200 until the ERJs arrive or will they be getting more 200s? In the news they stated that Compass will begin operation with the CRJ-200...

Paok

Im headed to MSP on the 25th for an interview. Any advice?