USAirways East Vs West AKA "Why you should never write a judge"

Riiiiiightttttt........Airways had what.......20 or so 'wide bodies' at the time of the merger?

That's not to many...

20+ 767s and 10+ 330 and a bunch of orders for more buses. At the time I think they had about 10 Europe destinations as well as most of the Caribbean flying.
 
@Kingairer

I figure AW had 757's, Airbuses and 737s, USAir had a handful of 767's, 757's, 737's and Airbuses.

From a casual observation the only thing that USAirways had going is a small international operation to Europe and, at the time of the merger, it's roughly a merger of equals.

Just like our judge said, you merger the airlines you have, not the airline you were or THINK you are (rough paraphrase of course).

I'm glad he finds pride in his work, but being what the East group has been through after mergers, double-bankruptcies and all of the crap surrounding that, I'm curious why a person with his self-stated credentials and "Sully-like" qualities didn't jump ship to a larger, more stable carrier.
 
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Yeah (as a current RAH pilot) it was always my impression those guys got a sweetheart deal. Furlough from Airways? That's okay right into the left seat of a 70-75 seat jet and IIRC they still kept the same pay from Airways right?

I wouldn't say that that someone who got furloughed from their mainline airline, recalled to fly for a newly developed "regional" airline operating brand new E-170's (never mind this new "regional" was on the on same certificate as the mainline airline and even used the same callsign) and was subsequently furloughed again after said mainline needed some quick cash and decided to sell these E-170's to an actual regional airline named Republic, a sweetheart deal. Oh, and while these pilots were working at this "division of US Airways" (it even said this on the airplane), the airline they worked for merged with another airline, but because they didn't fly for US Airways (once again, never mind being on the same certificate and using the USAir callsign) they were put below pilots from America West who were on property for less than two weeks. Once again, far from a sweetheart deal.
 
... since we're dredging it up, does anybody have the Nicolau award and how it integrated the two lists? I'd be interested to see exactly what so many people are up in arms over.
Remember- this is what spawned Springer-esque chair throwing at USAPA meetings a few years back.


Don't get me wrong by this reply. The letter was out of line. One shouldn't try to get ahead by putting down another group, but I will respond with this:

It's not the relative seniority that is in question on the Nicolau award, it is that absolutely no consideration was given to the vastly different retirement rates between the two airlines. The lack of foresight by Nicolau in how the merged lists would subject an entire segment of the list to being F.O.s for the remainder of their career is what has caused a lot of this drama.

If you look at the UAL/CAL integration that mistake was partially rectified because the furloughed UAL pilots received partial credit for their years of service.
 
IIRC, he told me he was in the bottom 100 or so until their hiring burst from 99-01.

He didn't seem bothered coming to a company he didn't work for and hop into the left seat ahead of all the FOs on the list.


Interesting perspective. I respect you so please don't take this the wrong way. Those routes that were being flown by those jets were pretty much all USAir mainline routes at one time. The growth, even the existence of the J4J carriers, was due almost in total to the fact the mainline was giving the routes to the regionals. That flying, which was at mainline rates of pay with good benefits, then went to the regionals that pay their pilots roughly half the pay and significantly lower benefits.

How about we put the shoe on the other foot and see how it feels?


TP
 
@Kingairer

I figure AW had 757's, Airbuses and 737s, USAir had a handful of 767's, 757's, 737's and Airbuses.

From a casual observation the only thing that USAirways had going is a small international operation to Europe and, at the time of the merger, it's roughly a merger of equals.

Just like our judge said, you merger the airlines you have, not the airline you were or THINK you are (rough paraphrase of course).

I'm glad he finds pride in his work, but being what the East group has been through through mergers, double-bankruptcies and all of the crap surrounding that, I'm curious why a person with his self-stated credentials and "Sully-like" qualities didn't jump ship to a larger, more stable carrier.
Preaching to the choir.

I think not enough anger is pointed toward the negotiating committee who led them down the path of DOH or bust.
 
It isn't that he finds pride in his work; it is that he is so quick to disparage other's work and qualifications in order to glorify his own.

I was trying to be nice.

It's a vice!

(OOH, I rhymed!)
 
Preaching to the choir.

I think not enough anger is pointed toward the negotiating committee who led them down the path of DOH or bust.

Let's be honest here, though. That Merger Committee was not some rogue group doing their own thing. They were receiving clear direction from their MEC, which was receiving clear direction from their pilot group. They all thought they were entitled to screw over the AWA pilots. The pilots weren't lead astray. The pilots were the ones doing the leading astray.
 
Just last week my captain got mad at me for saying "cactus 1825 push off B16". I was told that the company ramp controller knew who we were and not to use that disgusting call sign anymore when not necessary and to just say the flight number.
 
Just last week my captain got mad at me for saying "cactus 1825 push off B16". I was told that the company ramp controller knew who we were and not to use that disgusting call sign anymore when not necessary and to just say the flight number.

Wow! I'm surprised the Aeromedical folks aren't busier than they are here.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Interesting perspective. I respect you so please don't take this the wrong way. Those routes that were being flown by those jets were pretty much all USAir mainline routes at one time. The growth, even the existence of the J4J carriers, was due almost in total to the fact the mainline was giving the routes to the regionals. That flying, which was at mainline rates of pay with good benefits, then went to the regionals that pay their pilots roughly half the pay and significantly lower benefits.

How about we put the shoe on the other foot and see how it feels?


TP

Trust me, I would have rather flown for mainline rates and days off. It wasn't an option.

Your guys kept reminding we weren't real pilots up until they needed jobs. We asked for a flow in 98, we were told we weren't wholly-owned and we flew props, thus deemed not worthy. All of a sudden your guys needed jobs, and it was cool to come to an airline you wouldn't piss on if it was on fire and you want captain seats. Luckily when the J4J captains showed up, many had attitude that we should thank them.

So they had no problem kicking us instead of offering help. I listened to exactly what you just said for years.

Oddly the US Air pilots were the worst of all the major pilots in their behavior to us. Quite an impression.
 
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Oddly the US Air pilots were the worst of all the major pilots in their behavior to us. Quite an impression.

Keep in mind, you were seeing mostly the "bitter PHL FO club" J4Js over at CHQ. Not exactly the best representation of the company.
 
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