Another 15 Qs for Colgan

[v1valarob]

According to the article Colgan has firmed orders for 15 more Qs on top of the recent announcement of 15 in January, making it a total of 30 frames.

Lets get cracking on a contract!

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN0951515720090209

Colgan Air options 15 more Bombardier airliners


TORONTO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) said on Monday its aerospace division has finalized terms on U.S. regional airline Colgan Air Inc's option to buy another 15 of Bombardier's Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners, on top of the 15 firm orders announced in January.
On Jan. 15, Colgan Air ordered 15 of the fuel-efficient, low emission, 70- to 80-seat turboprops airliners for a total of about $432 million.
Colgan Air is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp (PNCL.O).
Montreal-based Bombardier is the world's third-largest maker of civil aircraft and biggest maker of rail equipment.
Its shares have been under pressure lately, dropping around 20 percent so far this year, as the corporate jet market deteriorates due to the weak economy.
Bombardier shares were up 11 Canadian cents, or 3.2 percent, at C$3.58 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday morning.
($1=$1.22 Canadian) (Reporting by John McCrank; editing by Peter Galloway)

 

[surreal1221]

Good news indeed.

 

[Baronman]

Ufff...I think it's time for me to exit the industry.

Congrats to CAL management for figuring out a way around scope. Well done.

 

[Baronman]

Actually......After reading it more closely, it says that they've finalized the deal on 15 more options, not that they've ordered 15 more.

I'll stick around until they exercise the next 15...;-) Then I'm really out!

 

[Toonces]

Good news indeed.

Growth of regionals at the expense of mainline jobs isn't good. Good news would be 15 more airframes for CAL.

 

[surreal1221]

Growth of regionals at the expense of mainline jobs isn't good. Good news would be 15 more airframes for CAL.

Yes, I agree. Except these Q's, unless COA's turboprop scope has changed, are not taking away any mainline jawbs. COA pilots signed the scope, not Colgan pilots. But, we wouldn't want to address that finer detail now would we?

Now what?

 

[Rocketman99]

But...but...I have to feed my family!

Keep in mind only those 15 Qs announced in January are earmarked for CAL. The additional 15 this article speaks of were first announced to the pilot group in October as independent of CAL. The company is shopping them around. Perhaps they're intended for that mythical UAL in DEN or LAX contract that they have been feeding rumors to us for about 2 years now...

 

[v1valarob]

Maybe with the recent bulletin on crewweb I should say

"That airline that flys 2 1/2 different turboprops out of the northeast and houston has announced this...."

 

[Rocketman99]

Maybe we can be Northernprops Continenical?

 

[Cav]

Yes, I agree. Except these Q's, unless COA's turboprop scope has changed, are not taking away any mainline jawbs. COA pilots signed the scope, not Colgan pilots. But, we wouldn't want to address that finer detail now would we?

Now what?

Uh, not so fast.

Completely disagree. The addition of Colgan Q's is certainly taking away mainline jobs from CAL. Those Q's are being placed on routes which were previously flown by XJT which is freeing up XJT ERJs to fly more mainline routes. That's why my pairings seem to include more and more flights from EWR to places like ORD and ATL. Those routes were flown by CAL 737's which are being parked. I'm obviously not pointing the finger solely at Colgan but also at XJT (my airline). Come up with whatever excuse you want but the argument that "CAL pilots signed their scope so it's their problem not mine" is incorrect. The CAL pilots have the best scope in the industry. I for one wish it was stronger and hope they retain the current wording at a minimum. Unfortunately it's not tight enough I guess but that's not their fault.

 

[skydog]

Whaddya bet that, if those 15 planes actually went to Continental, to be operated by Continental pilots, we'd hear just as much complaining about it? The only difference would be that it'd be the Continental pilots complainingg about having to fly 'em.

 

[Nick]

Whaddya bet that, if those 15 planes actually went to Continental, to be operated by Continental pilots, we'd hear just as much complaining about it? The only difference would be that it'd be the Continental pilots complainingg about having to fly 'em.

I really doubt you would hear much complaining.

First of all it would require all furloughees to be invited back to work.

Second of all, new-hires would come in and be flying a plane that created the need for their own employment.

 

[Toonces]

Yes, I agree. Except these Q's, unless COA's turboprop scope has changed, are not taking away any mainline jawbs. COA pilots signed the scope, not Colgan pilots. But, we wouldn't want to address that finer detail now would we?

Now what?

If your plane has a globe on the tail it belongs to CAL not Colgan or any other regional. The more regional planes we have buzzing around the less legacy jobs we have. "NOW WHAT?" Man that is really gay. Like Rip Taylor gay.

 

[USMC-SSGT]

Everyone likes to hate one of the few true "regional" airlines out there. Yes this new one seats 74 people (the 15 CAL ones wont because of the new included first class) but Colgan flies an entire turboprop fleet on entirely turboprop routes.

Most of our flying is EWR-ALB, BUF, SYR, MHT, PVD, PWM, ORF etc.

I would say if you averaged all of the Colgan flights our average stage length is 250 miles, we are not talking IAH-YYZ here (not a dig into express.)

The argument can always be made otherwise but we are flying the same routes that the "commuters" flew back in the day.

Hell what do I know. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow JC dreams will come true and regionals will not exist anymore and we will all be on mainline seniority lists flying 34 seat turboprops....it could happen.

 

[OldTownPilot]

I really doubt you would hear much complaining.

First of all it would require all furloughees to be invited back to work.

Second of all, new-hires would come in and be flying a plane that created the need for their own employment.

...And the pay would be the same as a 737-700 (as of right now)

 

[BobDDuck]

Everyone likes to hate one of the few true "regional" airlines out there. Yes this new one seats 74 people (the 15 CAL ones wont because of the new included first class) but Colgan flies an entire turboprop fleet on entirely turboprop routes.

Most of our flying is EWR-ALB, BUF, SYR, MHT, PVD, PWM, ORF etc.

Really? EWR to MYR and CMH isn't "regional flying.

And 74 people is hardly a "regional" airplane.

But we've been down this road before and it never ends well.

 

[kellwolf]

Whaddya bet that, if those 15 planes actually went to Continental, to be operated by Continental pilots, we'd hear just as much complaining about it? The only difference would be that it'd be the Continental pilots complainingg about having to fly 'em.

I doubt the CAL guys on the streets or the ones with the axe hanging over their heads would be complaining.

I'd much rather fly a Q400 on a mainline contract w/ mainline pay and work rules than a CRJ-900 on a regional contract with regional pay and work rules.

 

[jtrain609]

I doubt the CAL guys on the streets or the ones with the axe hanging over their heads would be complaining.

I'd much rather fly a Q400 on a mainline contract w/ mainline pay and work rules than a CRJ-900 on a regional contract with regional pay and work rules.

Ahhh.....have you ever read Continental's contract? You might be eating your words if you did.



But for real, you're generally correct. I think CAL ALPA will get their contract squared away soon here and I'm hoping it's a big improvement.

 

[kellwolf]

First year FO at CAL still makes more than a first year PCL FO on the -900. It's that 6 months without health insurance that would be a killer for me.

 

[OldTownPilot]

How about Major airline pay and regional airline work rules