Are Pilots Being Furloughed?

[jsn25911]

Heard a rumor that pilots will be furloughed in the coming months. Has anyone got information and how this will affect the flight attendants?

I thought AA was going to increase 5 percent during 2005. I guess I was wrong!

 

[local 12 proud]

the rumor mill is one constant in this industry we can count on, but IMO something must change fairly quickly with AA. if we cant scrape a profit with 80% plus load factors during the peak summer travel season, we can only assume the fall and winter will see more cuts!

 

[luv2fly]

Unfortunately it appears to be true.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/040715/airlines_amrcorp_1.html

 

[G4G5]

Yes, I just read a couple of posts on the APA's web site from a few of the unlucky that received a call from their respective chief pilots.

Apparently 123 additional furloughs in Oct. and no recalls in 2005.

 

[jimntx]

It's sticking in the back of my mind that these furloughs were scheduled from the beginning of the RPA, but the APA negotiated to have some of them delayed until this Fall. Note that the article said that all furloughs in other groups were done in 2003. I don't think this is new.

 

[TWAnr]

It's sticking in the back of my mind that these furloughs were scheduled from the beginning of the RPA, but the APA negotiated to have some of them delayed until this Fall. Note that the article said that all furloughs in other groups were done in 2003. I don't think this is new.

Jim,

It was scheduled that way all along, due to the limited number of flight simulators that caused a backlog in training pilots, who were bumped off their seats, to their new equipment.

 

[Cleared Direct]

http://www.alliedpilots.org/Public/PublicR...ine/hotline.asp


This is Gregg Overman, APA Communications Director, with the APA Information Hotline for Thursday, July 15.

FURLOUGH ANNOUNCEMENT: APA was disappointed to learn that 123 more pilots will be furloughed by the airline effective October 1. Although the furlough is a delayed result of the master seniority shuffle last year and not entirely unexpected, it is always a painful matter when our pilots are laid off from their jobs.

Since 9/11 2,470 pilots have been furloughed, including 1,356 furloughs as a function of the restructuring agreement in the spring of 2003. The final furlough associated with the restructuring agreement was to have been 350 pilots. This furlough was delayed eight months as American considered summer flying increases, fall schedule changes, and whether pilots would be recalled within the next year.

The decision to furlough less than 350 was based on projected flying increases and the company’s current outlook for pilot requirements. APA is working with management to exercise contractual provisions that will help mitigate the numbers further. Although 123 pilots will be receiving furlough notices, 24 pilots are already on either military or personal leaves of absence. Their status will change from leave status to furloughed status resulting in the net effect of 99 additional currently active pilots leaving the payroll.

The “Furlough Stand in Stead†provision in the contract offers any pilot the opportunity to take a voluntary furlough in place of a pilot scheduled for involuntary furlough. Information about the Furlough Stand in Stead is available under Contract 2003 “letters†on the APA Web Site at the following address (click on this link or copy and paste it into your Web browser):

http://www.alliedpilots.org/Members/Contra...and_Instead.pdf

The Spring issue of Flightline magazine contains a great deal of information for furloughed pilots including furlough pay, vacation pay, recall, non-rev travel, Supplement W Flowback, medical, loans and insurance. It also contains a pull-out reference card of contact numbers and e-mail addresses. All pilots included in this furlough announcement will be eligible for Supplement W Flowback to American Eagle CJ Captain seats. You can access a pdf version of the Flightline issue on the APA Web Site at (click on this link or copy and paste it into your Web browser):

http://www.alliedpilots.org/Members/Nation.../flightline.asp

PENSION FUNDING: In other news, United Airlines elected to miss a $72.4 million payment to its pension funds due today. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, United management said that putting off the payment “enables United to best manage its resources and preserve its options going forward.†Many airline industry analysts have speculated that United may choose to default on pension obligations to make the airline more attractive to investors.

This development at United may lead some of you to wonder about funding levels of AMR’s Defined Benefit plans. APA’s Pension Committee notes that AMR has contributed all funding required through the April 2004 quarterly contribution to its Defined Benefit plans. Pension and Investments, an industry trade magazine, reported that AMR earned approximately 25 percent on its Defined Benefit investments, versus an assumed nine percent rate of return, which further improves funding levels of all AMR Defined Benefit plans.
That’s it for today. Thank you for calling.

 

[galleyguy4u2]

Oh, so the pilots are seasonal help like the f/a's.

I thought a UNions job was to save jobs.....via creative work rules. Oh, I forgot this is American Airlines with no vision.

 

[Imagolfer]

Oh, so the pilots are seasonal help like the f/a's.

I thought a UNions job was to save jobs.....via creative work rules. Oh, I forgot this is American Airlines with no vision.

Another one-sided union point of view. I am sorry that over 100 pilots are losing their jobs, I truly am. You have to understand that the airline business has suffered horrible losses over the past 3-4 years, and this is not JUST management's fault, it's the economy, unprecedented fuel cost's (heck, the price of crude oil is at $41 per gallon!). Sorry, can't blame managment, or American's
"lack of vision" here.

I actually think AA is an leader amongst the legacy carriers. AA is 18 months ahead of UA and DL and will take advantage of their current situation. AA had the vision in March of 2003 to slash it's costs and avoided bankruptcy. I am sorry that the employees had to pay some of the price for it, but look where UA and DL are today 😉

 

[Flyboy4u]

You have to understand that the airline business has suffered horrible losses over the past 3-4 years, and this is not JUST management's fault, it's the economy, unprecedented fuel cost's (heck, the price of crude oil is at $41 per gallon!). Sorry, can't blame managment, or American's
"lack of vision" here.

No one is doubting the airline industry has suffered but to what extent is it really suffering? There are airlines expanding and growing in this "so called" bad economy for airlines. Explain that? Then once you explain that you will see that it's not the employees fault for Managements incompetence. Sorry, you can blame the economy all you want, but the reality is Management is the one who led us down this path, and now they are "trying" to correct their mistakes by doing the same ole' corporate tactics...Layoff the employees and then the company will rebound. Guess what? It's not the ones who are being layed off who are the problems this company is facing. Why doesn't AA offer some sort of buyout package to the "top"paid employees like WN is doing? Maybe it's because that makes too much sense.

AA is 18 months ahead of UA and DL and will take advantage of their current situation. AA had the vision in March of 2003 to slash it's costs and avoided bankruptcy.

How do you figure AA is 18 months ahead of UA and DL? Last time I checked both carriers are still in business. You can speculate all you want, but reality is they are both still carrying paying passengers.

DL has not flied BK. Instead, they are following AA's footsteps by the "THREAT" of BK in order to get the pilots to agree to concessions. Hopefully, the employees at DL have seen what has happened to us at AA, and will be smarter then we were.

As far as UA is concerned, They may be in Cpt 11 but Aren't they still in business? Everyone says this company is going to fold, however I believe this company will continue to hang on. Not to mention, most of the employee groups are still working under better contracts then we are at AA.

Have you seen AA's latest stock price? Personally, I think AA would have been better off in BK. WHy? Because the books would have to be opened in front of a judge and maybe the cost share of job losses, concessions, and work rules would have been spreadout more evenly over all the workgroups. Also, maybe we still wouldn't be so top management heavy.

You can speculate all you want but reality is AA is in No better shape then it's rivals.

What Unity?

 

[mweiss]

Hopefully, the employees at DL have seen what has happened to us at AA, and will be smarter then we were.

And do what? "Hold the line?" Do you realize what a fallacy that concept is?