The Perfect Storm
#41
Crazy ass theory. There is a huge pilot shortage, Delta purchases... Air Willie or Skywest. Takes all pilots from that airline and staples them on the bottom of their seniority list. Nullifies contract with mainline, ie Usairways or United. Thus causing financial harm to competition. Has an immediate pool of "qualified" pilots to replenish retiring pilots. Not good for whollyowned pilots but will enhance financial stability of Delta.
In the end, there will never be a shortage of pilots applying for the Majors. The great sucking sound will be a the regionals as they leave their low paying, 8 leg/13 hour work day jobs for a more lucrative career. Not much will change at the majors, but the regionals will have to adapt with better pay and enticements to keep their planes flying. This is bad for the majors since it keeps more people interested in staying at the regionals, but good for the majors because it will increase the regional flying costs and leveling the playing field between mainline and feeder.
#42
11 soon to be 10 days off
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IF there were a severe pilot shortage "Pilot groups" such as those at regionals become a high value marketable product. Their companies and contractors will be very defensive. To nulify is to render or declare legally void or inoperative. The lawyers would have a ball and use up all those fund that could be defered into regional pilot pay.
A better idea (perhaps less legally complicated) would be to staple a wholy owned like Mesaba, implement regional aircraft pay rates similar to Jet Blue (helps retention), build a three year fence to preclude downward bidding (ie. DC9 FO to CRJ Capt) and allow senior regional pilot advancement to the major as attrition (retirements, etc.) causes losses at the top.
Is that a pipe dream of what.
A better idea (perhaps less legally complicated) would be to staple a wholy owned like Mesaba, implement regional aircraft pay rates similar to Jet Blue (helps retention), build a three year fence to preclude downward bidding (ie. DC9 FO to CRJ Capt) and allow senior regional pilot advancement to the major as attrition (retirements, etc.) causes losses at the top.
Is that a pipe dream of what.
Pipe dream but I would love to see it
#43
Crazy ass theory. There is a huge pilot shortage, Delta purchases... Air Willie or Skywest. Takes all pilots from that airline and staples them on the bottom of their seniority list. Nullifies contract with mainline, ie Usairways or United. Thus causing financial harm to competition. Has an immediate pool of "qualified" pilots to replenish retiring pilots. Not good for whollyowned pilots but will enhance financial stability of Delta.
Just a thought, don't think it would happen. But what if?
Just a thought, don't think it would happen. But what if?
You have to pay attention to what RA and top DAL executives have been saying for the last 2 years. RA has said repeatedly that had he been in charge of DAL he would not have signed such a long DCI contract with SkyWest when DAL sold ASA to SkyWest. RA also said he plans to keep most of the regional flying INHOUSE, which means Mesaba, Compass and Comair, although the future of Comair is not as clear. Plus the name of the game is to keep Regionals from growing too big for their britches. SkyWest is already too big for their own good and saddled with way too many CRJ200s that DAL does not want.
A more accurate assessment would be to predict that DAL legal team are looking for ways to terminate DCI contracts with CHQ, Shuttle America, SkyWest/ASA, Pinnacle and Mesa even as we speak. DAL is probably planning to reduce the DCI numbers down from 9 today to 4 or 5 at the max. Mesaba is going to be left with all jet fleet and even their CRJ200 will probably be going away, leaving Mesaba with all CRJ900s and possibly CRJ700s in the future. Stapling Mesaba to the DAL is a remote possibility but possible nonetheless, in view of the fact that DAL already has CRJ900 payrate and DAL can either straight staple or give longevity credit for pay and benefits to bring top 150 senior pilots on board with the idea.
#44
IF there were a severe pilot shortage "Pilot groups" such as those at regionals become a high value marketable product. Their companies and contractors will be very defensive. To nulify is to render or declare legally void or inoperative. The lawyers would have a ball and use up all those fund that could be defered into regional pilot pay.
A better idea (perhaps less legally complicated) would be to staple a wholy owned like Mesaba, implement regional aircraft pay rates similar to Jet Blue (helps retention), build a three year fence to preclude downward bidding (ie. DC9 FO to CRJ Capt) and allow senior regional pilot advancement to the major as attrition (retirements, etc.) causes losses at the top.
Is that a pipe dream of what.
A better idea (perhaps less legally complicated) would be to staple a wholy owned like Mesaba, implement regional aircraft pay rates similar to Jet Blue (helps retention), build a three year fence to preclude downward bidding (ie. DC9 FO to CRJ Capt) and allow senior regional pilot advancement to the major as attrition (retirements, etc.) causes losses at the top.
Is that a pipe dream of what.
Can it happen? I think it can, but the likelihood of it happening is remote. The numbers has to justify stapling all Mesaba pilots to the DAL list and how to deal with the top 150 or so senior pilots at Mesaba to agree to stapling would pose a serious challenge. I am not sure how many pilots within this top 150 are already over the age 60, but I think there are more than a few.
Last edited by Lighteningspeed; 03-28-2010 at 06:51 AM.
#45
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Can it happen? I think it can, but the likelihood of it happening is remote. The numbers has to justify stapling all Mesaba pilots to the DAL list and how to deal with the top 150 or so senior pilots at Mesaba to agree to stapling would pose a serious challenge. I am not sure how many pilots within this top 150 are already over the age 60, but I think there are more than a few.
#46
#47
Mainline flying is the main course of all the legacies. Regionals are the side dishes which allow them to maintain an edge on the competition.
While I think we'll a a spurt of new large aircraft purchases, I'm not sure most of the legacies are seeking a return to overcapacity and cutthroat, bankruptcy inducing brinkmanship ticket pricing.
While I think we'll a a spurt of new large aircraft purchases, I'm not sure most of the legacies are seeking a return to overcapacity and cutthroat, bankruptcy inducing brinkmanship ticket pricing.
#48
Why staple Mesaba? Is there any logic behind these pipe dreams or is it just wishful thinking?
How about this picture. USAirways or United fall into more financial trouble and in bankruptcy the pilots are forced to accept another consessionary contract where they give up scope on 100-120 seat aircraft. The regionals grow and mainline shrinks to trans-con 757s and wide body international only. The regional whipsaw continues, but the planes are just larger and regional pay will increase, but not monumentally. If you are lucky enough to get on with a major you will have it made, but it will take decades before they hire because they will be recalling furloughed pilots back after shrinking to half size.
This is awful grimm, but I think there is about as much chance of this happening as some of the other fairy tales.
How about this picture. USAirways or United fall into more financial trouble and in bankruptcy the pilots are forced to accept another consessionary contract where they give up scope on 100-120 seat aircraft. The regionals grow and mainline shrinks to trans-con 757s and wide body international only. The regional whipsaw continues, but the planes are just larger and regional pay will increase, but not monumentally. If you are lucky enough to get on with a major you will have it made, but it will take decades before they hire because they will be recalling furloughed pilots back after shrinking to half size.
This is awful grimm, but I think there is about as much chance of this happening as some of the other fairy tales.
#49
Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: Body at sea level; heart at 70,000+
Posts: 1,349
Why staple Mesaba? Is there any logic behind these pipe dreams or is it just wishful thinking?
Because Delta owns Mesaba. Could be Compass or both. Not wishfull thinking for me - I'm retired.
This is awful grimm, but I think there is about as much chance of this happening as some of the other fairy tales.
Because Delta owns Mesaba. Could be Compass or both. Not wishfull thinking for me - I'm retired.
This is awful grimm, but I think there is about as much chance of this happening as some of the other fairy tales.
#50
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2009
Posts: 187
The economic recovery seems to be rapidly gaining steam over the past month, uncertainity seems to be giving way to businesses preparing for an all out expansion. It will be interesting to see the strategy the airlines use, maintaining the status quo could leave them with their pants down for increasing consumer spending coupled with summer demand.
Last edited by slough; 03-29-2010 at 01:06 PM. Reason: spelling
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