What Would You Do ?

[flyin2low]

You should get into the Jets for Jobs program. Mesa would hire all of you at $13.50/flt hr for the rest of your miserable furlough.

Pretty much you're just better off sitting on your butt.

 

[Light Years]

Jets4Jobs doesnt apply to F/As but some Express carriers have hired "mainliners".

I have a friend (furloughed) who works for Shuttle America, and yes you are better off sitting at home as unemployment is the same if not more than an Express F/A wage.

 

[Colby]

Bob, Let me try to add a little insight here. I (After starting Unemployment in MAY) Just about a week ago Filed my extention....I basically can keep collecting UC until next May if I choose to. Like I said earlier...This whole thing came to my attention when I was returning from an Interview for another Airline.

Hope that helps.

 

[Colby]

Flyin2Low.... Actually I think a lot of us are waiting around for Mid Atlantic..Rather than wasting our time with MESA.... I actually Applied w/ Mesa and never got called back.... There have been about 5 Mesa F/A's that have told me that I probably didn't get called because I was at Main Line...Therefore, I know if Im getting Screwed the way their F/As do !!!!!



Mid Atlantic Pay- Equal to AA EAGLE F/A with same seniority....Lets just say..NOT 13.50 per Flight Hour !!!!!

 

[Light Years]

Um, ok Bob, I'm not exactly sure what youre confused about, but here goes.

US Airways has (as of yet) done nothing for its furloughed F/As as far as jobs. If we choose to keep our recall rights with U (our choice) we can not go to another carrier. We can work for certain Express carriers (and stay on recall) if they hire us. You do not take any seniority or anything with you. Most dont even call back people when they see they are from mainline, and alot (not all) arent treated very nicely when they get there.

Once you take a job your unemployment is gone. Its your choice to take a low paying job. Express carriers pay roughly the same or below a furloughed U F/As monthly unemployment (this depends on how much the company used them in the months previous to getting the ax). So why do that when you can claim unemployment up to a year?

Express flight attendants work to the FAA maximum, have little time off, and work in the extreme hot and extreme cold on those planes-I used to do it- seven legs a day on a turboprop follwed by 8 hour rest six days a week is enough for anyone- and then for pay equiavalent to working in a grocery store (which, if you did, you could still have an outside life.) Ever noticed, most mainline FA start thier career and stay with it for the rest of thier lives (the number one US Airways flight attendant has a hire date in the 1950's) while Express carriers have huge turnover... sometimes up to an average of three months!!! My friend that went the Express route is miserable and wishes they had just gone back to school or done something else until Airways call back. Nothing they can do now but wait for MidAtlantic...

US Airways, more so than any other airline, has taken decent jobs and brought them to chilling lows. Its mainline flight attendant group has been chopped in half and had major work rule and pay changes forced (yes, forced) upon them. It contracts with over ten regional airlines to replace flying in a game of limbo- who can go the lowest, who can be the cheapest. Any one can get a job as a F/A (ironically, youre a better candidate if you have no experience) and this shows at Express outfits.

Bob, I'm sure your going to come back and talk about how we should be a hero and become self-dependent, not take unemployment, or work at Wendy's or whatever. Its hard to explain alot of things to people outside of the industry, no matter how much you fly...


Colby, I'm waiting for MidAtlantic too... the wages wont be much better than Express but our group of seniority will make it awesome. I look forward to working with you on the Embraer. Would you like A or B?

 

[Light Years]

Thanks Bob... personally I am working at the moment rather than collecting, but waiting for MDA.

I think we are all looking for other options, but this is pretty much our only chance to work for a major airline and it would be silly to give up the recall rights. Its not like American, United, or Continental will be hiring any time soon- if US was the only one in trouble there probably wouldnt be anyone to call back. The only airlines hiring are LCCs, charters, and commuters which either arent long term prospects or not some folks cup of tea.

As for non-airline opportunities... flying really does get in your blood and its hard to go back to the ground!

 

[Twicebaked]

I happend to see this often when flying Express. As a customer it doesn't bother me. Often it is cold next to that door, especially in winter, and they wear a scarf around their necks or even a coat.

It's no big deal.

I think the FAA would beg to differ with you on that.

You should care!!! Your safety could be jeopordized.

Jumpseats are there for a reason.

Management should realize that the type of people you get a poverty wages gets you these types of employees. (NOT ALL EXPRESS EMPLOYEES)

I guess that is what we have to look forward to with MidAtlantic Airways.
Of course with John Flasco there I don't see this type of F/A lasting or even getting near the job in the first place.

 

[broadfoot]

First and foremost, Happy Holidays to all.

I too am a furloughed U F/A bitten by the airline bug, who is awating recall for MidAtlantic. After furlough, I immediately applied to several different airlines. (Charter, LCC, and Express) I was contacted for interviews by many (nope, Mesa was not one of them.) and spoke with all that contacted me. ALL of the Charter and LCC insisted that I would have to resign from U if I accepted a position with their company. Some of the Express carriers, but not all, mentioned the same thing. Like many, I am hesitant to surrender what little seniority I've earned, just to start from scratch at another company.

I guess the point is this, is it realistic to believe that MidAtlantic will reach our seniority, in a reasonable amount of time, with the company "looking into the need to furlough additional employees"?
Second, with roughly 2500 senior F/A's still out on voluntary furloughs, once recalled by MidAtlantic, what is the possibility that employment will not be long term?

As always, any insight will be appreciated.
Thank You.

 

[Colby]

Broadfoot...Here is my Little bit of Insight. I have spoken with alot of Furloughed Flight Attendants that have already moved on and got other jobs and Want to wait for Mainline to call them back and Pass MidAtlantic. I understand what you are saying about the Voluntary Furloughs...But most of them don't want to Work a Reginal Jet either. So, I am just gonna hold on and hope my Seniority puts me in a Decent Place with Mid Atlantic.

I have a 2nd interview coming up with Express Jet the end of Jan. If they aske me to Resign from U I will only agree to Possibly Resigning AFTER I get off Probation(Which is 8 Months) because I don't want to risk losing it ALL!!! Plus, I am just so Bored right now that I am having fun flying around interviewing with other Airlines... Hey, Im just hoping I get a Letter from MDA before I "Sign on the Dotted Line".....

Light Years.... I'll be fare....We'll take turns flying A and B.... 😉

 

[ua767fo]

Okay....This is my end result.... I am NOT Going to Write up this obviously Careless F/A for this one.

Colby,
As wise and prudent choice! However, you might consider speaking with the associations professional standards committee about this incident. Labor should never rat on labor. That is as bad as scabbing. But if you feel that this is a safety issue, furloughed or not, as a professional yourself, this deserves attention through the above channel.

Good luck, and best wishes,

DENVER,CO

 

[AKA_trvlr64]

I happend to see this often when flying Express. As a customer it doesn't bother me. Often it is cold next to that door, especially in winter, and they wear a scarf around their necks or even a coat.

It's no big deal.

I think the FAA would beg to differ with you on that.

You should care!!! Your safety could be jeopordized.

Jumpseats are there for a reason.

Management should realize that the type of people you get a poverty wages gets you these types of employees. (NOT ALL EXPRESS EMPLOYEES)

I guess that is what we have to look forward to with MidAtlantic Airways.
Of course with John Flasco there I don't see this type of F/A lasting or even getting near the job in the first place.

Twice......

I don't care about a lot anymore!! :blink: