Mda Up In Air As Us Airways Merges Units

[USA320Pilot]

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Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[E-TRONS]

Yet another fine display of blatent EXTORTION from Dave Lorenzo.....Agree or we liquidate. Absolutely criminal !!!

Are there any laws in this country to address this sort of corporate behavior?? :angry:

Could it be that all UAIR's losses are attributed to our money going to pay gov't officials to look the other way??

Holy crap Marie!!! Somebody DO SOMETHING already

 

[AOG-N-IT]

MAA is looking like a foot-dragging lab experiment at best.

Everything is an issue with this thing.

(1) Hinges on Acft Certification (delayed time and time again)

(2) Hinges on Crew payscales ( A management failure by trying to who-do people over 70 seat rates on 76 passenger Acft.

(3) Space needs coupled to debt decreases in PIT

(4) B- Credit rating being lowered to C or less may hamper financing of Acft?

(5) Wholly Owned mergers may have an impact ? (Something long over-due)


Where is any of this the fault of Labor? Everything has been placed on labors doorstep when it involves what's wrong with U....yet all of these problems have nothing to do with labor at all.

 

[cavalier]

MAA is looking like a foot-dragging lab experiment at best.

Everything is an issue with this thing.

(1) Hinges on Acft Certification (delayed time and time again)

(2) Hinges on Crew payscales ( A management failure by trying to who-do people over 70 seat rates on 76 passenger Acft.

(3) Space needs coupled to debt decreases in PIT

(4) B- Credit rating being lowered to C or less may hamper financing of Acft?

(5) Wholly Owned mergers may have an impact ? (Something long over-due)


Where is any of this the fault of Labor? Everything has been placed on labors doorstep when it involves what's wrong with U....yet all of these problems have nothing to do with labor at all.

To add the debacle: Some mechanic friends of mine are employed there and do nothing except busy work. Paint lines on the floors, sweep the floors, things like that. Wonder how long they will be employed doing this stuff. I love the vision this team has, extreme myopia.

 

[DHC8Driver]

The Post Gazette article states:

"US Airways might have a fight on its hands. Neither Piedmont nor Allegheny has agreed to fly the regional jets that are now part of US Airways' larger strategy at MidAtlantic, a commuter airline planned for Pittsburgh International Airport."

Not sure what this means since both PDT and ALG have agreed to concessions, RJ rates, J4J's and only Mainline furloughees will fly the EMB at Mid Atlantic. PDT and ALG are not an impedement to Mid Atlantic or any other plan at Airways.

 

[USAirBoyA330]

MDA is reserved for furloughed mainline Pilots/Flight Attendants/ Agents....ect. How does This merger between LAG and PI factor in?

 

[N628AU]

Seems to me this whole article is a grasp at straws. PDT and ALG have nothing to do with MDA.

The two issues are:

(1) Pilot pay. This is in arbitration as we speak?

(2) Aircraft certification. Out of anyone's hands except EMB and the FAA.

As for the PIT gates, don't they have a month to month on many more than 10 gates?

 

[Light Years]

Hasnt it been clearly stated that PDT will still operate the Dash 8 turboprops? What does this have to do with the EMB170s using US (or MI or whatever) employees?

And uh... didnt they decide on the PIT situation? Why are they crying about it now? Put MAA in PHL then, where theres a huge, underutilized Terminal that is most likely the best commuter terminal in the nation, complete with offices and crew rooms currently occupied by Allegheny, a huge Express hanger (formerly ALG's) with training facilities inside (both brand new), where we have to compete with WN now, and where most of the junior, furloughed folks were anyway.

Is AFA also fighting for better pay or work rules at MAA? I think the number one issue is the six month wait for medical benefits, and any contract they want us to sign (making us wait if mainline calls back, in effect punishing us for taking MAA). Those are downright meanness, nothing more.

 

[Bluestreaking]

Why is everyone calling it Mid Atlantic? I thought it was changed to the "Embraer Division."

 

[USAirBoyA330]

It's the "EMB Division" when management is dealing with the FAA. MidAtlantic when it comes to the employees. They like to have thier cake and eat it too.

 

[funguy2]

And uh... didnt they decide on the PIT situation? Why are they crying about it now? Put MAA in PHL then, where theres a huge, underutilized Terminal that is most likely the best commuter terminal in the nation, complete with offices and crew rooms currently occupied by Allegheny, a huge Express hanger (formerly ALG's) with training facilities inside (both brand new), where we have to compete with WN now, and where most of the junior, furloughed folks were anyway.

I would hardly call the PIT situation decided.

They committed to 10 gates on a long term lease, 40 gates on a month-to-month basis, and several other support facilities leases which can be terminated in a year.

That tells me that 80% of the gates can be turn back to ACAA next month, and other facilities returned in 2005. Hardly a ringing endorsement or commitment.

I have to imagine that there is a high probability that if UAIR closes the PIT hub, they will need no growth aircraft for a long while... All of the aircraft currently operating the PIT hub would need to be reassigned elsewhere, in addition to 170 new delivery RJ's? that seems like a lot of aircraft to find new homes for... especially if you believe, as I do, that there is no magical westward expansion on the basis of the industry already having excessive capcity in terms of seats and hubs. If you believe this, then all of PIT's aircraft would need to be redeployed via PHL and CLT hubs, plus point-to-point network development from DCA, LGA, and BOS. That is already a daunting task without the added pressure of hundreds of new RJs.

In my opinion, if UAIR wants to get out of PIT, MDA (or the EMB division, whichever suits you) will become the most persued plan that didn't happen. I think there is a 52% chance that PIT will not be a hub for UAIR in the future. I would think if the EMB aircraft is not certified within a certain period, UAIR can probably get out of it with no or little penalty... In fact UAIR may be owed a penalty from EMB. (I really have no idea as I have no knowledge of the UAIR/EMB delivery contract... just speculating.) I suspect they are hoping this happens.

My reasoning is this: MDA was supposed to be the tool that made PIT work. Then, months after BK, UAIR digs up some right to refuse the PIT lease when it appears that the plan to make PIT work via MDA no longer seems viable.

 

[HogDriver]

Sources inside MAA in pilot training classes are being told the operation is on track and will be flying in March. There are 89 pilots now on the seniority list. Pay, benefit, and contract questions are being arbitrated with ALPA and should be settled in the next couple of months. Two Simulators are up and running at a Canadian Co. in Montreal (CAE?), with a third being built. Offices, crew rooms and computers are already set in PIT, useing mostly shared areas with mainline. PIT is only crew base for now....possible future co-located bases are mentioned (PHL). There are still many questions, but initial city pairs are set, route quailfication and proving runs are planned for FEB., as is a delivery schedule of aircraft for this year.

MidAtlantic (MAA) is currently being formed under USAirways Mainline Certificate (Embrearer 170/175 Division), but is also designed for a future stand alone operation and airline. Speculation is that the division will be spun off as soon as FAA blesses....possibly using the left over Allegheny Certificate once it is merged with Piedmont (and then bought by Mesa???). Focus will probably be in Philly as a partial answer to SWAs arrival.

One thing everyone agrees on....the Jet is very nice.

 

[ACrazy8]

Does anyone have any cabin or flight deck pics of the 170 that WE own yet? Do we have any MAA a/c on the property yet??? :huh:

 

[Twicebaked]

Focus will probably be in Philly as a partial answer to SWAs arrival.

At this point that is way of base.. Phl is not the focus at all.

Also, as someone else stated, everything is on track (except the f/a's now).
Why do we continue to listed to the press?

 

[28yearsnojob]

Remember the m298 program 20 yrs ago MDA is the grandson forget it now
pliots should have agreed the fly at a resonable rate 7 yrs ago but no!!!!!!!
we want 100000 yr plus bennies thats why 1869 pilots are layed off
because of greed from both groups alpa and management