ASA United Flying Article

Trip7

Trip7

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http://www.ajc.com/business/asa-takes-flight-with-289306.html

ASA takes flight with new partner


Atlantic Southeast Airlines isn't just a Delta Connection carrier anymore.
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Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com Brad Holt, president of Atlantic Southeast Airlines, said "Our intention is to continue to grow this airline and also to invest in other companies that have growth opportunities."

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Starting Feb. 11, Atlanta-based ASA will also fly as a United Express carrier on flights out of Chicago-based United Airlines' hubs at Washington Dulles and Chicago O'Hare airports.
It's the first time regional carrier ASA has flown for any partner other than Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines. ASA president Brad Holt sees it as a way for ASA to branch out in the unpredictable airline industry, beyond its roots as a Delta partner and one-time subsidiary.

"This is a new experience for ASA," Holt said. "This was a good opportunity to diversify a bit."
To start, ASA will fly eight 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jets for United Express and will eventually add six more to the operation. ASA has a total fleet of about 160 aircraft.

Delta sold ASA to another regional carrier, Utah-based SkyWest, in 2005. SkyWest already flies for United Express. The five-year deal for ASA flying was part of an agreement for SkyWest to loan $80 million to United.
Delta is "fine with the whole thing," Holt said. "We've not kept any secrets from them." Delta declined to comment.

ASA will also open a new crew base in Washington for roughly 120 crew members, along with maintenance staff for the United Express operation.
Holt hopes the geographic diversification will also lessen the blow of Atlanta storms on ASA's on-time performance.

Because of ASA's concentration of flights in Atlanta at Delta's hub, "When the weather is bad, it impacts ASA more than anyone else," Holt said. Especially during thunderstorm season, ASA has had some of the lowest on-time performance ratings among airlines.

The 14 CRJ-200s ASA will fly for United are among 20 ASA jets Delta is pulling from its service this year as it moves to larger regional jets operated by ASA.
When Delta makes a decision to reduce flying, "it really hits company-wide," Holt said.
It's unclear what ASA will do with the remaining 6 aircraft being pulled out of service later this year.

"We have several irons in the fire," Holt said. "Our intention is to continue to grow this airline and also to invest in other companies that have growth opportunities."
Holt said he has had talks with numerous other airlines, including talks with a Vietnamese startup, Mekong Air, about supplying technical expertise.
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Cat's out the bag:)
 
Straight from CT:
  • SKYW board votes on the concept in February
  • proposed startup in October
  • 12-18 mo. commitments to utilize tax breaks
  • no set routing yet, but ops out of Hanoi to central and south regions proposed. Saigon will follow
  • no set payscale, but no one will get rich over there
  • 4 900s to start, and 20 crews + some management. not sure whether ASA or Mekong Air will purchase them, but they won't come from current fleet
  • no flight attendant offers (locals only)
  • offers to employed ASA (first?), and SkyWest, then furloughs
  • no displacements
  • transfers would be employees of Mekong Air, not ASA. ASA is only providing the personnel and know-how to jump start their ops
  • Mekong Air is owned by a Vietnamese conglomerate which has never operated an airline. This is a start-up.
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Trip7 said:
# no set payscale, but no one will get rich over there
# offers to employed ASA (first?), and SkyWest, then furloughs
# transfers would be employees of Mekong Air, not ASA. ASA is only providing the personnel and know-how to jump start their ops
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I don't know. The last two sound kinda contradictory to me. Are you still gonna be employed by ASA/Skywest if you go, or is it a "transfer" to another company? If you're still employed by ASA or Skywest, how can it NOT have a set payscale? Both already operate 900s and have a pay scale. Either you use THAT scale, or you're not employed by either airline anymore. Sounds to me like a shady way to start it up with your own people. They won't be displacing people because they can't displace you from one company to another......

If I were an ASA/Skywest guy, I wouldn't be getting overly excited about this. Sounds like it's only growth for management and the shareholders. The furloughed guys might at least have a job to go, too, but that's about the only positive I can see about this.
 
The five-year deal for ASA flying was part of an agreement for SkyWest to loan $80 million to United. Delta is "fine with the whole thing," Holt said. "We've not kept any secrets from them." Delta declined to comment.
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It should read more like... "SkyWest bribed UAL to obtain more flying".


As far as the Vietnam flying, I believe they will have to hire pilots from the outside, I don't think they will come from ASA/SkyWest.
 
If they take US-based pilots, I'd seriously be surprised.

Ho Chi Minh City to Long-Wong is a "little" more complex than ATL to BTR.
 
You know, I actually went and looked... there is no Long-Wong in Vietnam. There is a Long-Wong Sports Bar in Detroit though.

What a shame.

Now, if you'd say Long-Wang I wouldn't have even bothered to look.
 
If they actually used US-based pilots, could you imagine the whining when they realize how laughable the US dollar is? :)

"I was supposed to be living druglord-style in HCMC! Even the street hookers want pre-payment!"
 
Funny how something posted on a private board for furloughed ASA pilots about the VIetnam flying is being posted here. Guess that's the end of that.
 
surreal1221 said:
Funny how something posted on a private board for furloughed ASA pilots about the VIetnam flying is being posted here. Guess that's the end of that.
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What's so private about any of the before mentioned? Would it not eventually get leaked out anyways?
 
kellwolf said:
I don't know. The last two sound kinda contradictory to me. Are you still gonna be employed by ASA/Skywest if you go, or is it a "transfer" to another company? If you're still employed by ASA or Skywest, how can it NOT have a set payscale? Both already operate 900s and have a pay scale. Either you use THAT scale, or you're not employed by either airline anymore. Sounds to me like a shady way to start it up with your own people. They won't be displacing people because they can't displace you from one company to another......

If I were an ASA/Skywest guy, I wouldn't be getting overly excited about this. Sounds like it's only growth for management and the shareholders. The furloughed guys might at least ohave a job to go, too, but that's about the only positive I can see about this.
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Skywest Inc pilots heading to Vietnam will be given leave at ASA/SKW and be employed by Mekong Air at whatever payrate Mekong Air sets.
 
Trip7 said:
Skywest Inc pilots heading to Vietnam will be given leave at ASA/SKW and be employed by Mekong Air at whatever payrate Mekong Air sets.
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So, what about guys that want to take leave to fly for another carrier? I smell grievance. I don't think management should be giving pilots leave to go work for another subsidiary unless they're willing to give ALL pilots leave to work for any carrier. I.E., Delta starts hiring, rather than resigning at ASA, you simply "go on leave" to work for Delta.

If they want to do another start up, do it right. Have it under the current contract(s) with seniority list pilots. The only other option if they start up another company is it's TOTALLY separate from ASA/Skywest.

What if Skywest starts furloughing? Can the furloughees "take leave" to go fly at ASA, or vice versa. Shouldn't they allow the current furloughees at ASA to "take leave" and go fly at Skywest once they start hiring again?
 
I just find it funny many called it growth... :) Weird how I dont see this as being growth for a pilot group....
 
BobDDuck said:
You know, I actually went and looked... there is no Long-Wong in Vietnam. There is a Long-Wong Sports Bar in Detroit though.

What a shame.
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Yes there is. It's down in IV Corps in Nodong province, near the village of Poontang.
 
kellwolf said:
So, what about guys that want to take leave to fly for another carrier? I smell grievance. I don't think management should be giving pilots leave to go work for another subsidiary unless they're willing to give ALL pilots leave to work for any carrier. I.E., Delta starts hiring, rather than resigning at ASA, you simply "go on leave" to work for Delta.

If they want to do another start up, do it right. Have it under the current contract(s) with seniority list pilots. The only other option if they start up another company is it's TOTALLY separate from ASA/Skywest.

What if Skywest starts furloughing? Can the furloughees "take leave" to go fly at ASA, or vice versa. Shouldn't they allow the current furloughees at ASA to "take leave" and go fly at Skywest once they start hiring again?
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I see what you're saying. Lots of good questions that will hopefully get answered as negotiations progress.
 
surreal1221 said:
Funny how something posted on a private board for furloughed ASA pilots about the VIetnam flying is being posted here. Guess that's the end of that.
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My thoughts too. However, I've yet seen CT's initials attached to the list provided above, and I haven't seen anything from the company. And some of the points seem to contradict themselves. However BH stating that is definetly some confirmation to the rumor though, but "technical exertise" can be very broad.
 
Just a couple more issues you'll have to look into on this. If they go forward with the "leave" plan, which to me has a LOT of loopholes that ASA's MEC need to get plugged to avoid scope erosion down the road, what are the terms of the leave? Are you still accruing seniority? Longevity? Health insurance? Travel benefits? How does that compared to leaves of absence as already set forth in the CBA?
 
kellwolf said:
Just a couple more issues you'll have to look into on this. If they go forward with the "leave" plan, which to me has a LOT of loopholes that ASA's MEC need to get plugged to avoid scope erosion down the road, what are the terms of the leave? Are you still accruing seniority? Longevity? Health insurance? Travel benefits? How does that compared to leaves of absence as already set forth in the CBA?
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As far as I've heard you keep your ASA seniority number(Has to be a given) but since you will be an employee of Mekong Air you will lose Delta/United benefits. Hope they include several roundtrip tickets home as part of the package for going over there. As far a scope erosion on don't see it because Mekong Air is not a subsidiary of SKW inc. SKW is merely an investor/consultant helping to jump-start a conglomerate that has never operated an airline do it well.
 
Like I mentioned already, I heard they will have to hire pilots from the outside. I got this info from a friend who is friends with the person who is directly related to the guy in the picture of the news article. Take it fwiw....
 
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