WSJ Article on Furloughed Pilot

[tonyw]

This is the story of the last guy who was hired by Delta pre-September 11, which means he was the first guy furloughed. You have to pay to read it, so I will post some snippets instead of violating copyright law and chewing up Doug's bandwidth in the process.

Delta Furlough Limits Career of Young Pilot

Pilot Troy Kane is a long way from the dream job he thought he would be enjoying by now. Last weekend, he flew 19-seat turboprop planes from Milwaukee to the Wisconsin cities of La Crosse and Green Bay, both hourlong trips, for Skyway Airlines. The planes have no lavatory, no autopilot and no flight attendants, meaning Mr. Kane has to do the fasten-your-seatbelt demonstration before taking his seat in the cockpit.

The job pays just $16,000 a year, but the 33-year-old pilot is happy to have it. Skyway, a unit of Midwest Air Group Inc., was the only airline to even offer Mr. Kane an interview after he was furloughed from Delta Air Linesshortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Mr. Kane had just taken his "check ride," a training flight that was supposed to be the last step before getting to pilot big Delta jets, with a starting salary of $50,000. He would be making $119,000 this year under Delta's current pay scale.

"I never actually got to wear the uniform," he says. "I went from the top of cloud nine to the pits of despair."

Thousands of pilots' careers have had rough landings because of the financial crisis gripping U.S. airlines. The carriers have piled up losses of about $23 billion in the past three years. Sky-high fuel costs and sinking fares are expected to lead to $6 billion in additional losses this year, according to the Air Transport Association of America, the industry's trade group. As a result, life in the cockpit isn't nearly as highflying as it used to be.

About 8,700 of the pilots at major U.S. passenger and freight carriers, or nearly 15% of the total, are on furlough, says AIR Inc., an Atlanta career-consulting firm for pilots. Many of the pilot jobs that are being created are at second-tier airlines that seem a world away from the glamorous action portrayed in Hollywood films like Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can." And as the largest airlines move to reduce pilot pay, the two types of carriers are getting closer to each other.

Other airline-industry workers are dealing with similar sacrifices. "I wouldn't say there's anything glamorous these days" about flying, says Brandy Humphrey, a Delta flight attendant whose pay is being cut 10% as part of the Atlanta carrier's financial-rescue plan.

This week, as Delta pilots vote on a proposed five-year contract that would slash their pay by 32.5% while increasing the number of hours they fly, they also are deciding the fate of Mr. Kane and other furloughed pilots forced to downsize their careers. Mr. Kane holds the particularly unfortunate distinction of being the last pilot hired at Delta and first to be furloughed, putting him last on the list to come back as other pilots leave or the airline expands.

Delta, the third-largest U.S. airline, has had losses of more than $6 billion since 2001, and is scrambling to lower its costs and line up new financing that it insists are needed for it to survive. The union contract, including $1 billion in pay and benefits cuts for about 7,000 Delta pilots, is expected to be approved in voting that ends Nov. 11, even though Delta pilots know it could give management at other airlines leverage in scaling back pay and benefits for their pilots.

John Malone, chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association's leadership council at Delta, acknowledged in a letter to pilots that they will be angry and disappointed when they realize what they've lost. But hammering out a contract with Delta should it end up in bankruptcy would be worse, he added.

The proposed contract calls for freezing the current pilot pension plan at Delta and switching future retirees to a "defined contribution" plan that offers reduced benefits, less vacation pay and higher health-care premiums. Delta also would be able to double the number of 70-seat regional jets flown by its affiliates and subsidiaries. In return, the pilots would get options for as many as 30 million shares, or a 15% stake in Delta, plus a piece of any future profits.

While the union lost its fight for a voting seat on Delta's board, management agreed to give the nonvoting pilot representative greater access to boardroom activities. And the carrier agreed not to support any effort by creditors to terminate the pension plan for five years if it files for bankruptcy, unless under extreme economic conditions.

But the new contract is likely to bring more bad news for pilots like Mr. Kane. Delta would be able to eliminate the existing pilot-recall schedule under which the airline is required to recall 30 to 50 pilots a month. Delta agreed only to bring back furloughed pilots by 2008. Mr. Kane was expecting to be back by roughly August 2006 under the current schedule. Furloughed pilots would get priority on jobs Delta outsources to its regional carriers, but "the longer I stay on the sidelines, the less attractive I would be to getting hired somewhere," he worries.

In the meantime, being stuck at No. 809 on the Delta furlough list limits Mr. Kane's chances of getting another job at an airline other than Delta. Many airlines won't hire furloughed pilots, since they could leave on short notice if the job they've been waiting for opens up. "I was very fortunate that at least Skyway would give me a chance," he says.

Before the Sept. 11 attacks, Mr. Kane and his wife were planning a new life. They hoped to buy a home in Peachtree City, Ga., a well-to-do city south of Atlanta that is known as Delta company housing because so many former and current Delta workers live there. Now, though, Mr. Kane is getting a divorce. "From all the job changes and moves, and my mood changes, we just grew apart," says Mr. Kane, who works part time as a mortgage salesman from his Milwaukee apartment.

Despite being so far away from his dream job, Mr. Kane says he can't imagine doing anything else for a living. "I love to fly more than anything," he says. He began flying in college, deciding to become an airline pilot after three years as an accountant, which left him miserable. The most he ever made was $41,000, in his last year at Delta. "Would I do it for a lot less?" asks Mr. Kane. "Obviously, because I am."


And of course, you're going to get some right wing nutjob who writes in to the WSJ and gets his letter published about how Kane should stop whining and be grateful to have a job.

To which I'd respond with Dick Cheney's line.

->edited by Kristie who thinks there are good points throughout the entire article!

[Doug Taylor]

I think Troy is either a July or August 2001 new hire.

We refer to furloughs at TK+???

So if you're one seniority number ahead of Troy, you'd be "TK+1".

I think my pal Joe whose back online as a CVG MD-88FO was "TK+500" or something like that.

[SteveC]

[ QUOTE ]
....The job pays just $16,000 a year, but the 33-year-old pilot is happy to have it.
<snip>

Despite being so far away from his dream job, Mr. Kane says he can't imagine doing anything else for a living. "I love to fly more than anything," he says...<snip>...."Would I do it for a lot less?" asks Mr. Kane. "Obviously, because I am."

[/ QUOTE ]

And every airline CEO in the country just stood up and cheered.

[Doug Taylor]

Exactly.

SteveC receives the prestigious "Love it when a user breaks the code" award.

[Kristie]

That was the only part of the article that I didn't like to hear....just one more pilot saying they'll eat out of cans for years just to be able to fly...in a sense, bringing down the $$ within the profession.

I wonder if anyone really comprehended the $16,000 a year part of it yet?!

The more I hear about this TA, the more I don't like it.. more +'s for Delta, few and far between +'s for pilots...

Tony, I think it'd be ok to put this article up in it's entirety because it has a lot of really important points to it.. do you agree doug?

[Tokyo007]

so are the new pay scales on this site?

airline pilot pay.com

or where can I see the new pay scales? *looking* I'd like to see the difference.

Matthew

[Kristie]

I'd say just take whatever that site has for delta and take out 32.5% of it...

[Tokyo007]

wow that much...

they better make money off of this with THAT much cost cutting.

[Cosmo1999]

[ QUOTE ]
The job pays just $16,000 a year, but the 33-year-old pilot is happy to have it.

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF OVER That quote makes every airline that is hiring pop major wood. What a fool he has his senority number he can at least do something that makes good money and then someday albeit who knows when take the recall

[JayAre]

$16,000 a year and happy?
I would personally have a hard time with this.

My wife would probaly leave me to

Thats why Im back in school working on this management degree.

[WillNotFly4Food]

I would't be happy with Ron Jeremy's job at 16k/year.






Wait, yes I would. I lied, I lie, I'm a liar!

[tonyw]

[ QUOTE ]
I would't be happy with Ron Jeremy's job at 16k/year.






Wait, yes I would. I lied, I lie, I'm a liar!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but would you be happy looking like he does? Trade offs, my friend, trade offs!

[Kristie]

OH, and a good one! BWWAHAHAHAHAHAHHA....

[Screaming_Emu]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I would't be happy with Ron Jeremy's job at 16k/year.






Wait, yes I would. I lied, I lie, I'm a liar!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but would you be happy looking like he does? Trade offs, my friend, trade offs!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm the only one smiling in microeconomics class right now, thanks a lot ;-)

[MQAAord]

All I have to say is my heart goes out to everyone on furlough. Every airline, every position.

It sucks.

And as for waiting for that recall letter, it's going to be a while for T.K.

[Doug Taylor]

I had a buddy return from furlough that worked as a Gulfstream-3 captain and he's actually going to have more pay and better working conditions after the TA at Delta.

[MQAAord]

I'm just praying every day that the pref bid system won't result in the re-furlough of anyone. Or get so far as to furlough guys who weren't furloughed in FMI or FMII. (Namely a certain 88 F/O in CVG.........)

Hopefully there'll be enough retirements to take care of the staffing issues.

[tonyw]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just praying every day that the pref bid system won't result in the re-furlough of anyone. Or get so far as to furlough guys who weren't furloughed in FMI or FMII. (Namely a certain 88 F/O in CVG.........)

Hopefully there'll be enough retirements to take care of the staffing issues.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm keeping the fingers and toes crossed for you guys.

I'd even cross my eyes but it's difficult enough for me to see as it is.

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The job pays just $16,000 a year, but the 33-year-old pilot is happy to have it.

[/ QUOTE ]

WTF OVER That quote makes every airline that is hiring pop major wood. What a fool he has his senority number he can at least do something that makes good money and then someday albeit who knows when take the recall

[/ QUOTE ]

It started with the "will fly for food" shirts.

[flyover]

[ QUOTE ]


And of course, you're going to get some right wing nutjob who writes in to the WSJ and gets his letter published about how Kane should stop whining and be grateful to have a job.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice. First of all the guy isn't whining to his credit. Second of all, as a left wing nut job what is your idea, Tony?

[WillNotFly4Food]

[ QUOTE ]
It started with the "will fly for food" shirts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh crap.

[MikeD]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It started with the "will fly for food" shirts.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh crap.

[/ QUOTE ]

We know where you are, mister.....

[Doug Taylor]

Get 'em!

Some words from Troy, roughly paraphrased, as I didn't have permission to specifically quote him.

But it wasn't meant a pity piece but something he did to show the general public about the other side of aviation -- in terms of furloughs, family problems, working for low payto get a chance versus what the public thinks about us all make $250,000/year with 20 days off.

Heck, if I made that kind of scratch, I'd have been sitting on an island retired because I'd have earned the capital to finance my evil 'scheming to take over the world' program I've been working on the past few years!

[tonyw]

Nutjob. As in wacko. You're not one of them.

Have you seen some of the letters in the WSJ editorial page, my friend? They make Ann Coulter seem reasonable.

[Doug Taylor]

Love the new name!