US Pilots Labor Discussion 12/27- OBSERVE THE RULES OF THE BOARD!

[HPDriver]

If it was a crotch-chop slam dunk the 9th wouldn't have even heard it.

Bzzzt, wrong.

 

[Tiger 1050]

I gotta say the fact that so many on here put so much stock into WHO they worked for is funny. It's an insecurity issue I suppose. Fact is I had lots of airlines that I wanted to work for, none I didn't. The reason is I wanted to fly for a living. Sure some were more attractive than others but in the end, yeah, I wanted to work for AWA. Great group of guys. Growing. West coast based. In fact I lived in PHX at the time so there really wasn't a better fit! I'll admit it certainly wasn't the pinnacle of airlines but I didn't need it to somehow make up for any shortfalls in my societal status. The reality of history reminds us that while AWA may not have been the darling of our industry neither was US. Fact is working at both airlines is like taking a bite out of a crap sandwich. Bragging that your crap doesn't taste as bad is laughable. IT'S STILL A CRAP SANDWICH!

 

[Flippin43]

Flip that customer WRECKED your thread!

Well if you think that was a real customer, the Easter Bunny will be here soon enough for you.

Golly J.J. has become quite the writer.

Flip

 

[Flippin43]

Agreed! The westies cant handle the truth! They got recked!

Wow what a great post. Where is it?

Just write another JJ


Flip

 

[Hate2fly]

I gotta say the fact that so many on here put so much stock into WHO they worked for is funny. It's an insecurity issue I suppose. Fact is I had lots of airlines that I wanted to work for, none I didn't. The reason is I wanted to fly for a living. Sure some were more attractive than others but in the end, yeah, I wanted to work for AWA. Great group of guys. Growing. West coast based. In fact I lived in PHX at the time so there really wasn't a better fit! I'll admit it certainly wasn't the pinnacle of airlines but I didn't need it to somehow make up for any shortfalls in my societal status. The reality of history reminds us that while AWA may not have been the darling of our industry neither was US. Fact is working at both airlines is like taking a bite out of a crap sandwich. Bragging that your crap doesn't taste as bad is laughable. IT'S STILL A CRAP SANDWICH!

Tiger,

In the East we took a job that was at the top of the industry in pay and benefits. There was a big difference in taking a job with US Air verses AWA. The biggest item was the retirement and when most of us were looking for employment with a carrier........you wanted to work for US Air. When I would fly with guys who were turning 60 and they had their retirement numbers..........1 million was on the low side and 2 million plus was on the high side. What were the retirement numbers that AWA pilots would walk with at age 60? Big difference!

Hate

 

[Freebird]

Oh boy, a burned out 747 classic over the pacific. How long did that last? U at least has a massive transatlantic out of PHL. It works! HP was never a major. Never. Compare the lifetime earnings of an 82 HP employee across all job descriptions,to a U employee and to this day they still couldn't compare on benefits and W-2..

Really? Who cares, a SWA Newhire will have a better W-2 than ANY USAIRpilot....ever.

You just got lucky after 9-11. You could take a snapshot of any airline AFTER 9-11 and portray it as you do with U in a few years.

Lucky? Why, the ATSB? Hard to imagine that Parker could outsmart the Legacy carriers and jump on the govt backed loan program...and pay it back. You create your own luck.

Given time, we would have been right back.

Sure. The entire industry knew that USAirways was days from being done. Period.

Your airline, on the other hand was flying to Vegas and Sub Prime PHX. It would have been toast had you not hooked up with us and our system.

Your system was Pimped out by Parker acquiring the operation...

Thanks for reminding us of that ridiculous 747 debacle you operated. I almost forgot....

The new year is upon us. No snapbacks and a contract with NIC are just around the corner. BTW, the housing prices in PHX are picking up. Read the paper...

 

[Metroyet]

What were the retirement numbers that AWA pilots would walk with at age 60? Big difference!

Hate

Somehow I'm guessing you guys are now wishing you would have taken a defined contribution plan all those years. Because, you see, you are correct. There is a huge difference. One has cash IN HAND, the other is getting paid out by a government agency.

Do some math on a 30 year career, 10%DC at 7% return a year. Combine that with what was a 7 year upgrade...there's your multi millions that can't be stolen back from you. Who wants to bet their retirement on their airline these days?

 

[Black Swan]

The new year is upon us. No snapbacks and a contract with NIC are just around the corner. BTW, the housing prices in PHX are picking up. Read the paper...

OK, who gave you the bong on New Years..............

 

[VAflyGal]

I've already heard some pilots say they are going to use their "magic pens" and start parking planes all over the system if the snapbacks don't occur (and for other reasons).
I'm waiting for it...

 

[Tiger 1050]

Tiger,

In the East we took a job that was at the top of the industry in pay and benefits. There was a big difference in taking a job with US Air verses AWA. The biggest item was the retirement and when most of us were looking for employment with a carrier........you wanted to work for US Air. When I would fly with guys who were turning 60 and they had their retirement numbers..........1 million was on the low side and 2 million plus was on the high side. What were the retirement numbers that AWA pilots would walk with at age 60? Big difference!

Hate

I can respect that. I don't want necessarily continue this pissing match of who's is better etc. But it has to be stated that I did want work for AWA. Maybe not for the same reasons that you wanted to work for US but they were important enough to me personally. And frankly when it came time for me to start shopping around for a major they were well on their way towards the destruction of pensions and other benefits. So the playing field was pretty level and one was forced to use other metrics to measure up each airline. You could say that we unfortunately found ourselves in a tidal wave of change that would forever reshape your career and eliminate any opportunity for me to find the same. Disparaging remarks regarding AWA and who went to work there is myopic at best. In fact it shines more on the individual making the remark far more than the one they wish to trivialize. Further it still has to be recognized that while US may have been a top-notch outfit, it is today, and has been for more than a decade now, nothing more than that which you wish to discredit. Again, it's all a crap sandwich. Bragging that yours does not taste as bad completely misses the point...

Happy New Year Hate! Let the love in brotha....

 

[HPDriver]

OK, who gave you the bong on New Years..............

You know all about bongs, don't you. <_<

 

[Black Swan]

Somehow I'm guessing you guys are now wishing you would have taken a defined contribution plan all those years. Because, you see, you are correct. There is a huge difference. One has cash IN HAND, the other is getting paid out by a government agency.

Do some math on a 30 year career, 10%DC at 7% return a year. Combine that with what was a 7 year upgrade...there's your multi millions that can't be stolen back from you. Who wants to bet their retirement on their airline these days?

Yes, correct on that one. But our ALPA MEC didn't let us vote on the termination as the judge would not terminate it. The got rid of it, and that was the final straw with me on ALPA and our boys in control. ALPA was DOA from that point on with me.

 

[HPDriver]

I've already heard some pilots say they are going to use their "magic pens" and start parking planes all over the system if the snapbacks don't occur (and for other reasons).
I'm waiting for it...

They "already" haven't occurred. And the company will take their "magic pens" and park them on the "magic street" along with their "magic butts".

 

[HPearlyretiree]

I've already heard some pilots say they are going to use their "magic pens" and start parking planes all over the system if the snapbacks don't occur (and for other reasons).
I'm waiting for it...

Good, let them do it, makes it all the easier to fire them.

 

[Black Swan]

Good, let them do it, makes it all the easier to fire them.

Wow, these days, it takes a lot of cooperation to keep a 737 flying without an understanding pilot.........Try and fire a pilot for making a legitimate write up H-P. Doesn't work too good friend..........Maybe when you weren't the H-P early retiree you tried it. But now, well you are just the early H-P retiree...........