Colgan showing the Q400

I can see the memos now....

"The Pinnacle pilots lost more flying from United to Colgan b/c they wouldn't sign the contract offered them."
 
The 9E pilots win scope and win the right to fly the Q400. COA won't put up with that. PNCL wont have a choice but to give into the PNCL pilots contract demands, just to keep the Q400 program airborne. GREAT leverage for the PNCL pilots, should this happen. Just opinion, though.

Here's what will happen:

Pinnacle pilots will get blackmailed into signing a contract with a substandard compensation package in exchange for getting scope on the Q400's and the rest of the colgan operation. The same thing happened to Mesa pilots with freedom and at RAH when they were on their certificate buying spree.

With colgan looming over their head, pinnacle pilots would probably have to strike to pull off a contract that matches xjt or asa, and a successful strike seems remote in this day and age. I sure do hope I'm wrong though. A shame, just a few no voters at colgan may end up costing thousands, if not tens of thousands of regional pilots, tens of thousands of dollars each over the next few years.
 
The company might not have an option. An arbitrator is going to decide about the scope. I think it will be favorable to ALPA.
 
Just got this email and it makes me want to puke:


[size=+1]TO: Colgan Pilots

FROM: Buddy Casey

DATE: February 11, 2008



On February 5, 2008, the Newark Star-Ledger ran an article on our inaugural Q400 service for Continental. Regrettably, the headline and several paragraphs focused on a few ALPA Picketers. Apparently, they (ALPA) felt it was necessary to rain on our parade.

Shortly after the purchase of Colgan Air by Pinnacle Airlines Corp., we announced an agreement with Continental to fly 15 Q400 aircraft out of EWR. Through the untiring efforts of many Colgan Air Family members we delivered on this commitment.

The entire NAPD event was carried out by Colgan Air employees. It was our sweat and our labor that got it done. Now we get to enjoy (fly) the fruits of our hard work.

ALPA said they came out to ‘support their colleagues’. As you may recall, ALPA conducted a campaign last summer to organize the Colgan pilots. The majority of you chose to deny representation. ALPA, in trying to organize you, all along was trying to put your interests behind the Pinnacle pilots. This is obvious from the picketing and other actions, such as ALPA's attempt in Pinnacle bargaining to limit Colgan pilots to 34 seat flying!

The labor differences between ALPA and Pinnacle Air, Inc. pilots at Pinnacle Air, Inc. does not and should not affect us. As part of the Pinnacle Corp. family, naturally we want them to resolve this issue and prosper in the future. In this, we wish both parties good luck in their negotiations.

You need to remember airline pilot contracts, conducted under RLA, typically take a long time to reach an agreement.

Thank you for the great job you do everyday. [/size]





This guy is a real piece of work. I'm truly disgusted by this nasty spin.
 
Wow. Read b/w the lines, and management is already trying to start the "us vs them" fight. Never once does he mention where the $$$ for those shiny Q400s came from.....
 
Wow. Read b/w the lines, and management is already trying to start the "us vs them" fight. Never once does he mention where the $$$ for those shiny Q400s came from.....

I just want to get this straight: Is it Pinnacle or Continental who is paying for the Q400's. Reason I ask is I've heard and read conflicting stories.
 
I thought it was Pinnacle.... Kellwolf?

Pinnacle bought the Qs. The reason you hear conflicting info is b/c Pinnacle Corp likes to say that Colgan Air will be flying Q400s FOR Continental Airlines. That, of course, is true, but it implies that CAL bought the planes and Colgan will be operating. That is false. You only have so far to go as the company financials to see that. Continental had about as much to do with buying those Q400s as Delta had to do with buying the CRJ-900s.....nothing other than the contract to fly them.
 
Pinnacle bought the Qs. The reason you hear conflicting info is b/c Pinnacle Corp likes to say that Colgan Air will be flying Q400s FOR Continental Airlines. That, of course, is true, but it implies that CAL bought the planes and Colgan will be operating. That is false. You only have so far to go as the company financials to see that. Continental had about as much to do with buying those Q400s as Delta had to do with buying the CRJ-900s.....nothing other than the contract to fly them.

kellwolf is right, PCL corp bought the airplanes. Both the 15 q400's and the 16 -900's were financed through a 3rd party company. PCL corp will pay off those loans through CPA's (capacity purchase agreements). The q400 and rj-200 contracts also include some form of reimbursement for the purchase of the aircraft which is undisclosed. INteresting to note in the financials, is that PCL corp is showing expenditures in 2008 for 79 new aircraft. that would excercise all the options on the q400 and the -900 and then some. hmmm...... lol
 
It's kind of like if Colgan had Horizon rates, the XJT guys would still be mad. And rightfully so, their pilots have built their lives around some of those bases.


Built their lives around a base?! Well thats just silly! Meanwhile, most of us have no life at a base so far away from home that its impossible to get enough days off to go home more than once a month! Whaaaah!!! Must be nice to have a life at your base... I suggest XJT guys start applying for the Q400 at Colgan! Not a bad place to work other than not having a base near home. Just my two sense! Nothing personal - all business. However, due to fuel costs, Turbo Props are going to be more desirable.
 
Work at Colgan?? I think I'd rather become a Federal Employee and screen bags as a TSA agent than "DO THE COLGAN......"

Or to make it even clearer I think the day you see me doin the Colgan is the day you see Velocepide in a Blue uniform!
 
Please tell me you're joking.


HA HA HA!!! It worked!!!! I got a reaction!!! :nana2: Ahhhhh! Relax! Dont get your undies in a bunch! For the most part - Those that work for Colgan are proud to do so and those that work for XJT are also proud to do so. They certainly are succeeding at making it "us against them" and I find that sad. Cant we all just get along?!:rolleyes: But really, those of us that fly for a regional airline - COME ON, its just that... a REGIONAL AIRLINE! What did we really expect?!?

This has been 'deep thoughts' by Loflyn! :bandit:
 
COME ON, its just that... a REGIONAL AIRLINE! What did we really expect?!?

This has been 'deep thoughts' by Loflyn! :bandit:

I think the "just a regional airline" mentaility is something the colgan pilots need to get out of their system. That's no justification for the way you guys get abused over there. The line between "just a regional" and something more along the lines of a national/major begins to blur when you operate 350 knot, 79 seat aircraft and are a subsidary of an airline with over 130 jets. The pilots have the power to step up and make it better.
 
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