Continental to furlough [up to] 500 pilots

[meritflyer]

Hire date of 02/20/2007 to present.

CAL MEC Special Update July 2, 2008 - Furlough Letters

We have learned that the Company is sending out letters to the 500 most junior pilots regarding their possible furlough. We are of course disappointed in the number of possible furloughs. However, it is important to remember that, as the letters indicate, they do not mean that all the individuals who receive them will necessarily or likely be furloughed. The furlough mitigation measures reached in the recent LOA are designed to reduce the number of pilots who will be furloughed, but the letters are still required by federal and New Jersey law in the event that furloughs become necessary.

We know that this is a stressful time. Unfortunately, however, until we know the levels of pilot participation in the LOA’s voluntary programs -- the ERW, COLAs and LTVRFs -- we won’t know the number of pilots who will be furloughed. There is an August 8 deadline to participate in the voluntary programs and participation in the ERW can be revoked until August 15. It is thus likely that we won’t know until late August or potentially early September how successful the efforts were to mitigate pilot furloughs.

Please stay in contact with your union for more information as it becomes available.

It just keeps on coming!

[Bumblebee]

I must say that if it weren't for Jetcareers, I may be one of the casualties at Continental. Last November, when I was a FO (just about to upgrade) I spoke with a senior CA at Continental, and he advised me that if my goal was to get to a major, that now was the time, and that I could get hired with my current experience. Due in large part to the hangar talk here on this forum, and the fact that I am very happy in my current situation, I decided to at least wait until I had 1300 PIC Turbine. I am very grateful that I learned that here. The current state of our economy in the US is frightening. People are really hurting out there, and I hope that those pulling the strings get this worked out soon.

[ladder360]

Originally Posted by Bumblebee

I must say that if it weren't for Jetcareers, I may be one of the casualties at Continental. Last November, when I was a FO (just about to upgrade) I spoke with a senior CA at Continental, and he advised me that if my goal was to get to a major, that now was the time, and that I could get hired with my current experience. Due in large part to the hangar talk here on this forum, and the fact that I am very happy in my current situation, I decided to at least wait until I had 1300 PIC Turbine. I am very grateful that I learned that here. The current state of our economy in the US is frightening. People are really hurting out there, and I hope that those pulling the strings get this worked out soon.

Good decision Bee! I would think that would have been a hard one to make.

I hope that CAL can mitigate and avoid the furloughs. On the up side for CAL, that's still less than a lot of other airlines are bracing for.