Furloughs

D

derriko

Well-Known Member
(I hope that title didnt scare anyone)

Im curious about past furloughs i.e. 9/11, 2008, the “dot com” bubble, etc.

I’m young-ish and couldn't even get a license back then so I have nothing to reference.

How long have people historically been furloughed for, what type of percentages of the work group did it effect, how long did it last....stuff like that.

I have no inside information, but lets be real. Even with a bailout, and billions of dollars, the major players in the industry are only promising no furloughs until September 1st. Every day it seems closer to when, not if.
 
It depends on the airline. I know American furloughed some people for a REALLY long time. They seemed very reluctant to start hiring again. I want to say I had a friend there who was on furlough for almost five years. My airline went out of business in late 2002 (in part but not entirely due to 9/11) but we never furloughed anyone.
 
Sept 11th varied by airline some airlines had people out 5 to 6 years. While some majors was hiring in 2005.

Banking crisis 2008/ 2009 dont remember the furloughs. But took about 2 years before majors started hiring again.
 
Squirrel said:
Banking crisis 2008/ 2009 dont remember the furloughs. But took about 2 years before majors started hiring again.
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Yeah I don't remember any furloughs from that one either. I think they did give some people incentives to retire early where I worked, but they weren't very good ones and I don't remember anyone taking them up on it.

At my current shop a lot of people have announced plans to retire already, soon after this crisis got bad. We'll see what ends up happening...depends how much money the airlines end up getting from the government, I think. Part of the agreement includes guaranteeing no furloughs through the end of August or September.
 
I’m general, I didnt feel “safe” from furlough until I had 10% of the seniority list below me. Safe meanima buying property and really making larger purchases (cars, private jet, yachts, supermodel girlfriends, etc). But that’s just to be ”safe” from the normal business cycle of boom and bust. This is an unprecedented event. Hopefully short lived in relative terms to the normal business cycle. But no one really knows how this is gonna work itself out.
I’m beefing up The rainy day fund up, it helps the bars are are all closed.... so my expenses are down.
 
manniax said:
It depends on the airline. I know American furloughed some people for a REALLY long time. They seemed very reluctant to start hiring again. I want to say I had a friend there who was on furlough for almost five years. My airline went out of business in late 2002 (in part but not entirely due to 9/11) but we never furloughed anyone.
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Thats kind of the main reason im asking. My Uncle is / was an FO with AA before 9/11 and was furloughed for almost 10 years.

I know thats extreme, but I am trying to get maybe a ballpark answer. Im kinda trying to decide between planning to do some lame job like work at a grocery store or in construction for a year or two vs. going back to school and spending a bunch of money on a degree.
 
derriko said:
kinda trying to decide between planning to do some lame job like work at a grocery store or in construction for a year or two vs. going back to school and spending a bunch of money on a degree.
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Along these lines, has anyone here joined the military or reserves then worked dispatch once recalled? It's an option I'm considering.
 
Green12324 said:
Along these lines, has anyone here joined the military or reserves then worked dispatch once recalled? It's an option I'm considering.
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The good news is the law protects reservists and national guard troops under USERRA. They MUST provide you with military leave to complete your drilling requirements with no loss in seniority. If you are called to active duty the law also provides a lot of protections to hold your place until you return.
 
A1TAPE said:
But some airlines *cough cough GoJet cough cough* willingly violate USERRA.
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I sincerely hope that if that’s the case the individual turns them in for it. If I knew the details I’d be tempted to myself. I find that to be utterly unacceptable. GoJet is non-union right? That’d be where a union section chair should step in a threaten wrathfully.
 
Has anyone been furloughed yet or know of any airlines that have? I'm sure I'm not alone in worrying that any day it could happen to me or others. Can't wait for life to go back to normal...
 
Shock-Diamonds said:
Has anyone been furloughed yet or know of any airlines that have? I'm sure I'm not alone in worrying that any day it could happen to me or others. Can't wait for life to go back to normal...
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Havent heard anything on the dx side. Commutair and Mesa have both furloughed pilots
 
Nothing but STRONG PLEAS from management for folks to take extended leave.

I don’t think they are having much luck as they’ve extended deadlines
 
No concrete outcomes for us yet however, I’ll be surprised (pleasantly) if I am not furloughed by the end of May. I do hope it doesn’t come to that but don’t see things improving for quite a while so I’m working on plans B-Z at the moment due to all the uncertainty.
 
Shock-Diamonds said:
Has anyone been furloughed yet or know of any airlines that have? I'm sure I'm not alone in worrying that any day it could happen to me or others. Can't wait for life to go back to normal...
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I think they're waiting to see what happens with a bailout before they officially adjust flight schedules. Then, I think they're waiting to furlough until they have flight schedules. They promised not to furlough anyone until September if they got the aid, so I imagine they would not want to furlough anyone earlier than they have to because they lose the advantage of offering that promise (plus nothing like furloughing people and then the next day finding out that you didn't really need to yet). In the meantime, it sucks because we don't know what our flight schedule is going to be from day to day.
 
flygirl142 said:
I think they're waiting to see what happens with a bailout before they officially adjust flight schedules. Then, I think they're waiting to furlough until they have flight schedules. They promised not to furlough anyone until September if they got the aid, so I imagine they would not want to furlough anyone earlier than they have to because they lose the advantage of offering that promise (plus nothing like furloughing people and then the next day finding out that you didn't really need to yet). In the meantime, it sucks because we don't know what our flight schedule is going to be from day to day.
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I don’t see how the bail out is going to help until there is an upswing. This feels like a band aid
 
DogwoodLynx said:
I don’t see how the bail out is going to help until there is an upswing. This feels like a band aid
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It is a bandaid. What the airlines were requesting was $29b in bailout money that would be earmarked for salaries. That is what would keep them from having to furlough until September. They requested another $29b in loans. Of course, Congress hasn't passed anything yet, so who knows what will actually happen.
 
I didn't see that this passed after I went to bed. Now, hopefully house will pass it through quickly.
finance.yahoo.com

U.S. Airline Bailout Offers Loans and Cash-for-Equity Aid

(Bloomberg) -- Struggling U.S. airlines will be eligible to receive federal loans and, if they are willing to give the government an option for an ownership stake, direct cash assistance under the coronavirus rescue deal reached by lawmakers and the White House.The legislation, which the Senate...
finance.yahoo.com finance.yahoo.com
 
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I think its just up to the Senate now as the House drafted and passed it, and Trump said he would pass it.

Fingers crossed. Even if I get furloughed after the summer, I would have more time to prepare for it, crank out some OT, and save vs. sometime in the near future.
 
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