American Eagle Rejects Labor Contract, Hilarity Ensues

it is pretty funny, especially because its pretty close to the truth.
no idea what regional would bid for this at the moment. maybe if they want a lot of oversized paperweights.

Ben, I really preferred "...Hilary ensues." I think you should change that back.

Do you know what a pilot for a regional earns?
Starts at $21,000 - enjoy your safe flight - wondering where else they cut corners???

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-11/yes-theres-a-pilot-shortage-salaries-start-at-21-000

Ha! This is going to be an interesting little game. I hope it works out favorably for everyone. On the other hand, having spent a few years flying for a certain regional airline back in the day, I can't imagine why anyone would want to leave one regional to go join the bottom of the seniority list for another regional.

Eagle pilots will only leave Eagle and go to another carrier because the company is creating a situation where it is necessary. And that is what AAG is doing and have said they will do. Some will be lateral (First Officers going to another regional) and some will move up (experienced First Officers or Captains going to a JetBlue, or Spirit or a larger legacy carrier). But it is the company creating this situation, make no doubt about it.

Real people working real jobs get the shaft.

Hilarious!

I was a ramp rat for Atlantic Coast Airlines over a decade ago, although I left before the Independence Air experiment. Others might call it a "fiasco".

Back then, I learned exactly how nasty the regional airline business is. On paper, it looks ok, senior captains were making six figures, the airline had been around for decades, and never furloughed anybody. That's what we all told ourselves, anyway.

But the reality is that if you're not growing, the nature of the airline beast is that your labor costs increase every year in ways that are beyond your control. Under the types of agreements that are common these days, these costs are passed on to the major affiliate. They get tired of paying them, and think they can outsource the flying for cheaper.

And they do. Some other regional-airlline-dujuour will come along and say, "we can fly it cheaper." Yeah they can fly it cheaper, because when your previously cushy airline gig goes belly up because your carrier lost the contract, the next carrier is going to hire you at first year wages -- $22k/year. UNLESS, you are lucky enough to get hired on as a street captain.

That's when I learned the realities of pilot life, and I said f that. What for? I still work in aviation, but on the white collar side, I can get laid off and get a 25% pay increase (which I've done.) At my current employer, I work with people who have been at the company longer than I have been alive, and I'm not fresh out of school anymore.

BTW, back to Independence Air... flawed business model or not, I had respect for them trying to stick it to United. Truth is, even if they didn't try, they were still screwed, so why not give it a go?

In what universe does it makes sense for pilots to start at $21,000/year? A standard office job is 2080 hours per year (40 hrs/week) which means that you could sign-up for a basic clerical work at $10/hr and get paid the same 🙁

Lame!

May I share this on my twitter feed?