US Airways regional jet unit closes for good

[FCYTravis]

I don't think there's any pax who don't think that MDA and its employees got a complete screw-job.

It is my fervent hope that down the road (ASAP!) US management will exercise whatever options they have to bring the E170s and slots back in house. The more Republic manages to #### the transition up, the more palatable that option looks.

 

[FlyOnWall]

Has anyone ever found out for sure if they can get them back and when? BoeingBoy would probably know. If so two years from the start of Republics operation? I think they started in September.

How about a petition from fare paying customers to buy back the 170s and put the employees who deserve them back on them.

Even if not, let them keep the darn planes but just get the hell out of our system. We have a new airline with no place for contract airlines flying our mainline aircraft. There's also no place for the trouble and heartache they are causing our employees and customers. Get rid if them! We have our own Embraers coming that will be staffed with mainline employees who care about the airline and it's customers, hopefully including the MDA employees if we haven't lost them forever.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

Has this already been discussed?

Flyonwall: newish poster, whose recent posting speak for themselves


Flyonthewall: mostly former poster (whose postings I cant find) that could generally be described as pro-old U management.

 

[FlyOnWall]

Yes it has been discussed. I've been on here for two years but didn't post much til recently. Around the same time I started there was a poster called FlyonTHEwall that posted alot and was suspected to be Dave Seiegel. No relation, believe me.... Although I used to get some interesting PMs. I tried to change my name but the mods said no, becausre there are many other names that are similar too, an example being pitguy and pitguy74.

Speaking of former posters, where did Lightyears and KTflyhome go?

 

[trvlr64]

How about a petition from fare paying customers to buy back the 170s and put the employees who deserve them back on them.

As a paying customer of US and as someone who has friends that used to work at MDA, I'll sign that petition!!

 

[MarkMyWords]

How about a petition from fare paying customers to buy back the 170s and put the employees who deserve them back on them.

pah-lease.....like that will effect change. "Um, Mr Parker.....I have 1000 signatures from paying customers to bring back the EMB170." Parker replies, "Well dang....we will get right on that and bring those suckers back tomorrow."

 

[BoeingBoy]

Has anyone ever found out for sure if they can get them back and when? BoeingBoy would probably know. If so two years from the start of Republics operation? I think they started in September.

Under the agreement, the planes are gone. There is no provision for a repurchase of them by US - that only applies to the slots @ DCA & LGA, which can be repurchased by US after 2 years(undoubdedly at a nice profit to Wexford/Republic, in addition to the payments they get from US for leasing those slots back).

Of course, nothing is to prevent US from reaching a new agreement with Wexford/Republic that would result in reacquiring those 170's - other than the reluctance of Wexford/Republic to engage in such an agreement. Personally, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for such an agreement.

Interestingly, there is one part of the Wexford/Republic agreement that raises questions about Parker's desire to undo the whole agreement (and no, I can't read his mind). The slot sale was totally within the discretion of US - Wexford/Republic had no say one way or the other, as opposed to the aircraft transaction which was at their sole discretion. If US had chosen not to sale the slots (which they could have done after Parker was in the picture), would Wexford/Republic have gone thru with the aircraft transaction? Who knows, but it's at least a possibility that the whole deal could have fallen through.

All we know at this point is that US (and Parker) did go through with the slot sale and Wexford acquired the planes.

Jim

 

[USA320Pilot]

HogDriver:

I agree with much of what you said.

My biggest heartburn is with the Republic pilots and the IBT who would not agree to the terms of LOA 91 and the MDA pilot fragmentation/scope rights. If the IBT had agreed to take all of the MDA pilots and the MDA pilot contract, as specified in LOA 91, their management would have had a “turn keyâ€￾ operation. Moreover, there would not have been the problems we are witnessing today and the in-fighting.

I believe the biggest ALPA mistake was not filing for an expedited grievance because it delayed the process.

Rico’s comments above are valid. The EMB-190 is a better platform, the former MDA pilots will fly a bigger jet with higher pay; as well as the other benefits of being on the mainline – without debate.

I’m glad to see that we are recalling pilots and I believe we will see an average about 20 pilots per month return to the mainline for the foreseeable future.

Best regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[BoeingBoy]

The U MEC missed several opportunities to do the right thing in respect to the folks flying the Emb-170, with one of the last being LOA 91 which said:

If some or all MDA aircraft are sold to affiliate:
• 50% J4J in seniority order to incumbents (50% could lose jobs)
• 50% J4J on future vacancies and 100% on backfill
• Request 100% J4J, filled first by incumbents
• Require Preferential consideration for employment for incumbents

That language pretty much guaranteed that what did happen would happen - all the airplanes went to Republic and only 50% of the jobs went with them.

Pointing the finger of blame at the IBT or the Emb-170 pilots - neither of whom had anything to do with the passage of LOA 91 - is misleading at best. Those who supported passage of LOA 91 with that language need only look in the mirror to see who is to blame for the injustice done to the Emb-170 pilots.

Jim

 

[ClueByFour]

I believe the biggest ALPA mistake was not filing for an expedited grievance because it delayed the process.

How about allowing MDA to happen in the first place? At the end of the day, the mistake started with AAA ALPA's late 1990s scope on RJs, continued into J4J, and the final masterpiece--permitting MDA to be scoped off of mainline in the first place.

Every pilot recalled has Doug Parker and HP to thank. Every single one. US-East's old management and the AAA ALPA group have done them not a single favor. Ever.

In a strange way what’s interesting is that United indirectly helped save US Airways because if it had not forced Air Wisconsin to find another partner, which created the $125 million equity/DIP investment, the new US Airways may not be flying today.

I'm assuming that your inference here is that UA dumping AWAC resulted in AWAC giving $125 million to US. Of course, what's not mentioned here is that US will be paying AWAC cost+guarenteed profit on a per departure basis for 10 years.

Those who supported passage of LOA 91 with that language need only look in the mirror to see who is to blame for the injustice done to the Emb-170 pilots.

While I agree with you on that score, the odds of that happening are roughly nil. The folks who allowed it to pass with that language will do anything to look in the mirror and still see a set of mainline pilot wings.

 

[Travels2mch]

As a paying customer of US and as someone who has friends that used to work at MDA, I'll sign that petition!!

Where do we sign??

 

[flyguy121]

Speaking of former posters, where did Lightyears and KTflyhome go?

Funny you mention this, having been around these boards for several years now, I sometimes wonder myself where all the Oldies but Goodies have gone...

KTflyhome left the company a couple years back, and according to her profile hasn't been back on the Board for nearly a year...

Always my favorite "Poster"...I really miss Light Years witty and insightful posts the most. He/she always came across as well-informed and humorous at the same time. I recently PM'd him/her to ask why he/she no longer posts, but did not receive a response. It appears that he/she still checks in from time to time though...maybe Light Years will treat us to a re-appearance sometime soon and let us now how he/she has been. We miss you!

 

[vc10]

In bankruptcy, a company can change all of those things if they are pre-bankruptcy agreements. Any agreement made after the filing cannot be so easily undone. The Republic agreement was made after the second filing.

If there was a third filing, it too could be undone. So, if you want to dump Republic before that contract is up, all you have to do is get US Airways to file a third time.

Its amazing in BK, Airways can change aircraft leases, break contracts at will, increase management bonuses, and generally destroy tens of thousands of employees lives with layoffs and elimination. But stand back, a deal with Wexford in which $$$ has not even changed hands is untouchable. How high can I raise the BS flag on this one?

 

[Kev3188]

Funny you mention this, having been around these boards for several years now, I sometimes wonder myself where all the Oldies but Goodies have gone...

Where are Colby and AOG'n it?

 

[700UW]

AOG N IT was getting pressure from his bosses at work, so he does not post anymore, he is a great guy.