DE727UPS
Well-Known Member
UPS Announces Plans to Hire New Pilots
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Citing volume growth, UPS Airlines announced Oct. 12 it plans to hire
at least 100 new pilots.
For a message from Capt. Rick Barr, Flight District manager, click the
video link in the right column.
A Q&A section on the announcement follows:
Q. What are we announcing?
A. UPS Airlines is planning to hire at least 100 pilots through 2005.
This represents the first pilots UPS has hired in three years.
Q. When will we start hiring?
A. To allow for appropriate training, the process of hiring the
additional crewmembers will begin immediately. In general, it takes
approximately four to five months to properly train pilots to be
cockpit-ready, and we forecast a need for more crewmembers in the near
future.
Q. Why are we now deciding to hire pilots?
A. UPS continuously evaluates staffing levels to meet the needs of its
business. Hiring pilots is driven by several business factors including
attrition, aircraft acquisitions and anticipated international growth.
Q. Just last year UPS announced plans to furlough pilots. Now we want
to hire more?
A. Yes. Last years decision to consider pilot furloughs came at a
time when the stagnant U.S. economy had cut into the domestic air express
business for more than a year. While eventually deciding against furloughs,
UPS maintained prudent cost containment initiatives during this period and
now is well-positioned to take advantage of the economic recovery.
Q. Have current contract negotiations with the IPA influenced the plan
to hire pilots?
A. No. The plan to hire pilots is not related to negotiations. This
decision was made after months of careful analysis and is based on business
needs that make crew staffing adjustments necessary.
Q. How does the decision to hire pilots affect negotiations with the
IPA?
A. This decision is unrelated to our negotiations. For our employees,
however, we think the news will be enthusiastically received, particularly
given the current environment in the airline industry.
Q. The IPA has long argued that UPS has been understaffed when it
comes to pilots. Is UPS finally realizing what the IPA has said all along?
A. We believe our prior staffing levels have been appropriate. UPS
manages its business professionally, responsibly and safely. After thorough
analysis, we believe now is the time to begin hiring more pilots. We have
experienced recent growth trends, we are acquiring more aircraft, and we
have seen some attrition in our pilot ranks.
Q. Will UPS be hiring workers in other areas, too?
A. This announcement covers only pilots. We continuously examine our
staffing needs in light of the demands of our business and we adjust levels
accordingly. If our analysis projects a need for more employees in other
areas, we will address that in the future.
Q. Does this decision affect UPS fleet strategy?
A. Were constantly evaluating our route structure and fleet mix to
run the most efficient network possible. Hiring additional pilots now is
necessary to efficiently operate our ever-evolving aircraft fleet and route
structure.
Q. Is the Menlo acquisition partly responsible for this?
A. No. The acquisition of Menlo Worldwide Forwarding will be completed
during the fourth quarter of 2004. The integration planning is in its early
stages and many of the specific operational plans only now are being
examined. It is much too early to discuss any potential hiring needs related
to the acquisition.
Q. Is UPS hiring more pilots in anticipation of being granted
additional flights to China?
A. UPS constantly evaluates staffing levels to meet the needs of its
business. Although the United States and China have agreed to significantly
expand aviation rights, the U.S. Department of Transportation has not
permanently awarded those rights to UPS.
Q. Does this mean UPS will be increasing orders for existing aircraft,
or perhaps taking on the A380?
A. Our current aircraft orders remain unchanged.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citing volume growth, UPS Airlines announced Oct. 12 it plans to hire
at least 100 new pilots.
For a message from Capt. Rick Barr, Flight District manager, click the
video link in the right column.
A Q&A section on the announcement follows:
Q. What are we announcing?
A. UPS Airlines is planning to hire at least 100 pilots through 2005.
This represents the first pilots UPS has hired in three years.
Q. When will we start hiring?
A. To allow for appropriate training, the process of hiring the
additional crewmembers will begin immediately. In general, it takes
approximately four to five months to properly train pilots to be
cockpit-ready, and we forecast a need for more crewmembers in the near
future.
Q. Why are we now deciding to hire pilots?
A. UPS continuously evaluates staffing levels to meet the needs of its
business. Hiring pilots is driven by several business factors including
attrition, aircraft acquisitions and anticipated international growth.
Q. Just last year UPS announced plans to furlough pilots. Now we want
to hire more?
A. Yes. Last years decision to consider pilot furloughs came at a
time when the stagnant U.S. economy had cut into the domestic air express
business for more than a year. While eventually deciding against furloughs,
UPS maintained prudent cost containment initiatives during this period and
now is well-positioned to take advantage of the economic recovery.
Q. Have current contract negotiations with the IPA influenced the plan
to hire pilots?
A. No. The plan to hire pilots is not related to negotiations. This
decision was made after months of careful analysis and is based on business
needs that make crew staffing adjustments necessary.
Q. How does the decision to hire pilots affect negotiations with the
IPA?
A. This decision is unrelated to our negotiations. For our employees,
however, we think the news will be enthusiastically received, particularly
given the current environment in the airline industry.
Q. The IPA has long argued that UPS has been understaffed when it
comes to pilots. Is UPS finally realizing what the IPA has said all along?
A. We believe our prior staffing levels have been appropriate. UPS
manages its business professionally, responsibly and safely. After thorough
analysis, we believe now is the time to begin hiring more pilots. We have
experienced recent growth trends, we are acquiring more aircraft, and we
have seen some attrition in our pilot ranks.
Q. Will UPS be hiring workers in other areas, too?
A. This announcement covers only pilots. We continuously examine our
staffing needs in light of the demands of our business and we adjust levels
accordingly. If our analysis projects a need for more employees in other
areas, we will address that in the future.
Q. Does this decision affect UPS fleet strategy?
A. Were constantly evaluating our route structure and fleet mix to
run the most efficient network possible. Hiring additional pilots now is
necessary to efficiently operate our ever-evolving aircraft fleet and route
structure.
Q. Is the Menlo acquisition partly responsible for this?
A. No. The acquisition of Menlo Worldwide Forwarding will be completed
during the fourth quarter of 2004. The integration planning is in its early
stages and many of the specific operational plans only now are being
examined. It is much too early to discuss any potential hiring needs related
to the acquisition.
Q. Is UPS hiring more pilots in anticipation of being granted
additional flights to China?
A. UPS constantly evaluates staffing levels to meet the needs of its
business. Although the United States and China have agreed to significantly
expand aviation rights, the U.S. Department of Transportation has not
permanently awarded those rights to UPS.
Q. Does this mean UPS will be increasing orders for existing aircraft,
or perhaps taking on the A380?
A. Our current aircraft orders remain unchanged.
