PSA New Hire class. . .

[deadstick]

Cheap, Cheaper, Cheapest...

Furlough, LOA, Fire...

Two down one to go.

from another forum...

"(PSA) offering LOAs for full-months, partial months and personal unpaid days starting next month."

[myron96]

To: All Flight Deck Crew Members

Fr: Tim Keuscher, Vice President of Operations

Dt: May 12, 2008

Re: Training Update

As you are all painfully aware, fuel prices continue to rise; causing the airline industry to reduce capacity which in turn curtails hiring and expansion plans. This, coupled with the age 65 rule, has lowered the demand for pilots within the industry.

US Airways and PSA are not immune to these influences. In response to the industry trends US Airways has greatly reduced their hiring plans for the remainder of the year and PSA has canceled a number of planned upgrade and new hire classes.

As we slow the pace of training, we find that is it possible to offer personal leaves of absence starting in the month of June for both Captains and First Officers. These leaves will be for full months, partial months, and personal unpaid days (PUD); awarded based on daily staffing considerations.

Please contact your Chief Pilots with any questions you may have.

[surreal1221]

On a slightly related note:

Supply and demand finally starts to kick in. . .perhaps it's that time for the minimums to come back up to pre-hiring tsunami levels.

[TheOneMarine]

And it continues. I guess we'll see.

[myron96]

I just wonder if the piedmont guys got the same email? I for one am going to take advantage of the days off.. Hell,. Ill prob take the whole month off to look for another job......

[wheelsup]

AWAC is slightly short staffed, but I think they are doing it on purpose to run lean in anticipation of whats to come. They've pared back hiring and upgrades now for the last few months with nothing in the pipeline.

[EDUC8-or]

It's not good to hear them offering voluntary leaves, but this isn't the first time they've been offered at PSA. Right after I got hired they were offered for about 6 months. Quite a few people took them and enjoyed their time off.

As far as the doom and gloom goes, if you get all caught up in it this industry will eat you up. You can either worry about it night and day or just roll with the punches. When you wake up tomorrow you will either have a job or be on the street. I for one can't get all worked up about it because it can take over your life and make you miserable.

I have my theories, but they are just those. I know for a fact mainline isn't taking our people at the rate that was originally anticipated. There were 60+ pilots slated to go there and as of right now they've taken 3-4 with only 2-4 going next month. Also, fuel prices have skyrocketed and there is a good chance we will be reducing capacity. Add to that the potential for a merger and upper management probably wants things to look good on paper. We got really thin with staffing levels when the Airways-America West merger happened, and some of that is for self preservation. The better the books look the better chances are we could be around if a merger does happen.

I'll let Ethan speak about contract negotiations, but be prepared to hear all kinds of rumors in relation to that.

[FlyChicaga]

Interesting how different the reactions are to PSA offering COLA's as compared to when XJT offered them. It seems like when XJT offered them everyone here suddenly felt the company was going to furlough in large numbers and the company was going in the toilet. Yet here with PSA, it is merely a bump in the road.

I wonder why that is...

[Gofish]

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

- Reinhard Niebuhr

[joliet]

That's how we roll.

[TheOneMarine]

Originally Posted by joliet

That's how we roll.

Heh, what can we say, we're an Optimistic bunch

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by FlyChicaga

It seems like when XJT offered them everyone here suddenly felt the company was going to furlough in large numbers and the company was going in the toilet.

What exactly is 700 of 2800 pilots? I'd call that a "large" number. I think our thoughts were justified.

[Queboat]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

What exactly is 700 of 2800 pilots? I'd call that a "large" number. I think our thoughts were justified.

i'd say thats 25% or 1/4 or 0.25 of the pilots. thats a lot of pilots looking for a new job. no body wins.

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

What exactly is 700 of 2800 pilots? I'd call that a "large" number. I think our thoughts were justified.

I did not think it was officially 700? Anyways got to keep in mind at PSA if we let 60-100 go that'd be the same as Xjet letting 700 go.... But again why freak out when things are really out of our control. Until then I have a job to do I will show up and do it and what happens happens.

[jtrain609]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

What exactly is 700 of 2800 pilots? I'd call that a "large" number. I think our thoughts were justified.

Folks like you have been saying that ExpressJet has been doomed since the first 69 airplanes left.

Nobody's on the street yet and that was what? Over 2 years ago?

[wheelsup]

Well if 700 people are furloughed, how far will that go back? 1.5 - 2.0 years? ANYONE who went to XJT after the 69 aircraft announcement put themselves between a rock and a hard place.

[jtrain609]

BS.

Anybody that has gone to Eagle since AMR said they're going to spin them off has done the same.

Anybody that went to Air Wisky with only operating 50 seaters for ONE company has done the same.

Anybody that went to Mesa knowing they might liquidate soon has done the same thing.

I could probably give you an example for every regional out there, suffice it to say none of them are safe and there's no reason to pick one out and say, "THIS IS THE WORST IDEA EVAR!"

[Polar742]

Originally Posted by myron96

To: All Flight Deck Crew Members

Fr: Tim Keuscher, Vice President of Operations

Dt: May 12, 2008

Re: Training Update

As you are all painfully aware, fuel prices continue to rise; causing the airline industry to reduce capacity which in turn curtails hiring and expansion plans. This, coupled with the age 65 rule, has lowered the demand for pilots within the industry.

US Airways and PSA are not immune to these influences. In response to the industry trends US Airways has greatly reduced their hiring plans for the remainder of the year and PSA has canceled a number of planned upgrade and new hire classes.

As we slow the pace of training, we find that is it possible to offer personal leaves of absence starting in the month of June for both Captains and First Officers. These leaves will be for full months, partial months, and personal unpaid days (PUD); awarded based on daily staffing considerations.

Please contact your Chief Pilots with any questions you may have.

I can't believe they still let Keuscher near that place....

If you see him, ask about the time he had foil stuffed in all his wall outlets in his office.....

[BobDDuck]

LOAs are pretty normal around here. Does it mean the f word is coming next? Maybe. Probably not though. Keep in mind contract time is just around the corner and the amount of FUD is going to pick up.

On a side note, that's more communication from TK then I've seen in a long time.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by jtrain609

I could probably give you an example for every regional out there, suffice it to say none of them are safe and there's no reason to pick one out and say, "THIS IS THE WORST IDEA EVAR!"

I'll give you mesa but not the other two. I'm not talking about being "safe", I'm talking about knowingly going to a company that lost 1/4 of it's contract flying. It was a gamble, much more so than other companies out there.

[jtrain609]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

I'll give you mesa but not the other two. I'm not talking about being "safe", I'm talking about knowingly going to a company that lost 1/4 of it's contract flying. It was a gamble, much more so than other companies out there.

In YOUR opinion, it was a gamble. In a lot of other folks opinions it wasn't.

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

LOAs are pretty normal around here. Does it mean the f word is coming next? Maybe. Probably not though. Keep in mind contract time is just around the corner and the amount of FUD is going to pick up.

On a side note, that's more communication from TK then I've seen in a long time.

YUP Phone call total from classmates is now up to around 20! haha All asking me what's going on.... gimme a break people I'm new like you'll....

But talking with my CA he said the same. LOAs happen from time to time. Also said last time they went very senior. Most people who had a business on the side would take it to step away for a few, or those who are financially stable would as well. I just hope I can still find my way to Cancun when I need to and wont get my rsv days denied because of all this.

[TUCKnTRUCK]

Originally Posted by jtrain609

BS.

Anybody that has gone to Eagle since AMR said they're going to spin them off has done the same.

Anybody that went to Air Wisky with only operating 50 seaters for ONE company has done the same.

Anybody that went to Mesa knowing they might liquidate soon has done the same thing.

I could probably give you an example for every regional out there, suffice it to say none of them are safe and there's no reason to pick one out and say, "THIS IS THE WORST IDEA EVAR!"

I went to a regional flying TP's for 3 different majors, and is still expanding. Got the quick Upgrade, moving to a new airplane, and waiting untill all this fallout finishes.

If you are working at more of a traditional commuter/regional, then the next 4 years probably won't hurt you as much. QOL isn't as nice... but i've never had to worry about my job.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by TUCKnTRUCK

I went to a regional flying TP's for 3 different majors, and is still expanding. Got the quick Upgrade, moving to a new airplane, and waiting untill all this fallout finishes.

If you are working at more of a traditional commuter/regional, then the next 4 years probably won't hurt you as much. QOL isn't as nice... but i've never had to worry about my job.

Who are the more traditional commuters/regionals right now?

Those with a single contract with a single mainline partner?

With no branded operations.

[TUCKnTRUCK]

Meaning EAS carriers, where a contract is awarded, and there is single service to the airport.

Having some flying that is untouchable in the days of consolodation. Mainline isn't going to pharm out your EAS flying, as it was awarded to your company.

I realize the last post sounds like i'm instigating, but just meant not everybody is in the hot seat...

The current situation has been coming for a long time. I think deep down everybody knew that the current game was due for a shake up soon. Most just hoped to get past it as fast as they could before the regional scrabble board got shaken up. Unfortunately, lots will get stuck-

Hell, if you'r not tied down, go fly for ANA or something in japan.. more money to fly a Q400 there than anything the regionals here pay. Were i to get furloughed I would prob. call up some friends flyin a GIV in Taipei.