Food For Thought

Hopeful

Veteran
Dec 21, 2002
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Strike Could Cancel Northwest Flights
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:57 a.m. ET

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Nearly 400 Northwest Airlines flights could be canceled during the first week of a mechanics' strike, about triple the number canceled during the same period last year but still only a fraction of the carrier's schedule.

In a hotline message Monday, Northwest said it expects to complete 96 percent of its flights during the first seven days of the strike. The possible cancellations are based on about 9,900 flights Northwest scheduled for this week. During the same week last year, the airline canceled 125 flights.

Northwest has refused to release statistics on delays or cancellations since the strike began Saturday morning.

An independent travel expert found widespread delays in the strike's first three days.

Joe Brancatelli, who publishes a business travel Web site, sampled 99 of Northwest's 1,381 Sunday flights and found that 53.5 percent of them left on time, according to Northwest's Web site, he said Monday. Using that method, he found that only 46.5 percent of the sampled Northwest flights were on time Saturday. The airline has about 1,470 weekday flights.

On Monday, 37.5 percent of the sampled flights were on time, Brancatelli said.

Company spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch derided Brancatelli's numbers, but refused to say how many flights had been delayed or canceled. During August 2004, 17.6 percent of Northwest flights were late and 1 percent were canceled, according to the Transportation Department.

''The survey was unscientific and completely random, and included markets that could have been affected by weather or air traffic which impact the operations of all airlines, not just Northwest,'' Ebenhoch said.

Eagan-based Northwest has also said that a slowdown by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association just before the strike began Friday caused a spike in the number of planes out of service or with minor mechanical write-ups.

''We have brought those numbers down substantially..., and continue to make progress in reducing both numbers,'' he said. ''Our operating performance since AMFA called their strike has been similar to other weekends and Mondays during the month of August.''

It didn't seem that way to Phil Carlson.

Carlson, of Lakeville, Minn., was supposed to be on a 9:30 a.m. flight Monday to Denver for a business trip. But that was canceled, so he was trying to figure out what he would do for five hours before his afternoon flight.

''I really thought they'd get them out on time,'' he said, ''so I didn't worry about it beforehand.''

About 4,400 Northwest unionized mechanics, cleaners and custodians walked off the job.

No new talks are scheduled between Northwest and the union, which is refusing to take pay cuts and layoffs that would have reduced their ranks by nearly half. The mechanics averaged about $70,000 a year in pay, and cleaners and custodians made around $40,000. The company wants to cut their wages by about 25 percent.

AMFA represents nearly 3,500 mechanics, about 790 cleaners and 75 custodians.

Northwest has said it needs $1.1 billion in labor savings. Only pilots have agreed to reductions, accepting a 15 percent pay cut worth $300 million when combined with cuts for salaried employees. It is negotiating with ground workers and flight attendants, and it has said it can reopen talks with pilots once it gets concessions from the other groups.

Besides Detroit and Minneapolis, Northwest has hubs in Memphis, Tenn., Tokyo and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees airlines maintenance and repair, has nearly doubled the number of inspectors watching Northwest from 46 to 80, agency spokesman Greg Martin said.

Martin said it may take the replacement mechanics longer to do the work during the transition period.

The union for the FAA inspectors said there were only 21 maintenance inspectors assigned to Northwest, including 10 who were pulled away from watching other airlines. The rest are inspectors who cover other things, such as dispatching or cabin safety, said Linda Goodrich, vice president of the Professional Airways Systems Specialists union.

Mechanical problems caused trouble on at least one flight on Saturday.

Flight 95 from Seattle to Maui, Hawaii, diverted to Honolulu after a gauge showed a loss of oil. The pilots had to throttle the engine back to idle -- meaning the two-engine 757 had to make the rest of the trip on power from just one engine.

Hal Myers, spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, said the incident would probably have gone ''relatively unnoticed if Northwest weren't under the scrutiny we're under right now.''

Ebenhoch said that while there was a minor loss of oil in one engine during the second half of the flight, the engine had enough oil that it could have continued to operate at regular power. ''However, reducing the engine to idle in a situation like this is an option available to our crews, and we entrust our crews to make those decisions,'' he said.

Also Monday, Standard & Poors warned that it might downgrade Northwest's debt because of the strike. Credit analyst Philip Baggaley said Northwest is being hurt more by high oil prices than by strike costs.

He said Northwest has a lot to do before the bankruptcy law changes in October. Those changes will be more restrictive for companies seeking Chapter 11 protection, providing struggling companies an incentive to file before the changes take effect.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If these scabs are ALL experienced with an average 14 years in the business, why is that the FAA doubled the number of inspections covering Northwest!

If all the commy AMFA members are on strike, there should be no need to increase FAA oversight!
 
Hopeful said:
Strike Could Cancel Northwest Flights
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:57 a.m. ET

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Nearly 400 Northwest Airlines flights could be canceled during the first week of a mechanics' strike, about triple the number canceled during the same period last year but still only a fraction of the carrier's schedule.

In a hotline message Monday, Northwest said it expects to complete 96 percent of its flights during the first seven days of the strike. The possible cancellations are based on about 9,900 flights Northwest scheduled for this week. During the same week last year, the airline canceled 125 flights.

Northwest has refused to release statistics on delays or cancellations since the strike began Saturday morning.

An independent travel expert found widespread delays in the strike's first three days.

Joe Brancatelli, who publishes a business travel Web site, sampled 99 of Northwest's 1,381 Sunday flights and found that 53.5 percent of them left on time, according to Northwest's Web site, he said Monday. Using that method, he found that only 46.5 percent of the sampled Northwest flights were on time Saturday. The airline has about 1,470 weekday flights.

On Monday, 37.5 percent of the sampled flights were on time, Brancatelli said.

Company spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch derided Brancatelli's numbers, but refused to say how many flights had been delayed or canceled. During August 2004, 17.6 percent of Northwest flights were late and 1 percent were canceled, according to the Transportation Department.

''The survey was unscientific and completely random, and included markets that could have been affected by weather or air traffic which impact the operations of all airlines, not just Northwest,'' Ebenhoch said.

Eagan-based Northwest has also said that a slowdown by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association just before the strike began Friday caused a spike in the number of planes out of service or with minor mechanical write-ups.

''We have brought those numbers down substantially..., and continue to make progress in reducing both numbers,'' he said. ''Our operating performance since AMFA called their strike has been similar to other weekends and Mondays during the month of August.''

It didn't seem that way to Phil Carlson.

Carlson, of Lakeville, Minn., was supposed to be on a 9:30 a.m. flight Monday to Denver for a business trip. But that was canceled, so he was trying to figure out what he would do for five hours before his afternoon flight.

''I really thought they'd get them out on time,'' he said, ''so I didn't worry about it beforehand.''

About 4,400 Northwest unionized mechanics, cleaners and custodians walked off the job.

No new talks are scheduled between Northwest and the union, which is refusing to take pay cuts and layoffs that would have reduced their ranks by nearly half. The mechanics averaged about $70,000 a year in pay, and cleaners and custodians made around $40,000. The company wants to cut their wages by about 25 percent.

AMFA represents nearly 3,500 mechanics, about 790 cleaners and 75 custodians.

Northwest has said it needs $1.1 billion in labor savings. Only pilots have agreed to reductions, accepting a 15 percent pay cut worth $300 million when combined with cuts for salaried employees. It is negotiating with ground workers and flight attendants, and it has said it can reopen talks with pilots once it gets concessions from the other groups.

Besides Detroit and Minneapolis, Northwest has hubs in Memphis, Tenn., Tokyo and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees airlines maintenance and repair, has nearly doubled the number of inspectors watching Northwest from 46 to 80, agency spokesman Greg Martin said.

Martin said it may take the replacement mechanics longer to do the work during the transition period.

The union for the FAA inspectors said there were only 21 maintenance inspectors assigned to Northwest, including 10 who were pulled away from watching other airlines. The rest are inspectors who cover other things, such as dispatching or cabin safety, said Linda Goodrich, vice president of the Professional Airways Systems Specialists union.

Mechanical problems caused trouble on at least one flight on Saturday.

Flight 95 from Seattle to Maui, Hawaii, diverted to Honolulu after a gauge showed a loss of oil. The pilots had to throttle the engine back to idle -- meaning the two-engine 757 had to make the rest of the trip on power from just one engine.

Hal Myers, spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association, said the incident would probably have gone ''relatively unnoticed if Northwest weren't under the scrutiny we're under right now.''

Ebenhoch said that while there was a minor loss of oil in one engine during the second half of the flight, the engine had enough oil that it could have continued to operate at regular power. ''However, reducing the engine to idle in a situation like this is an option available to our crews, and we entrust our crews to make those decisions,'' he said.

Also Monday, Standard & Poors warned that it might downgrade Northwest's debt because of the strike. Credit analyst Philip Baggaley said Northwest is being hurt more by high oil prices than by strike costs.

He said Northwest has a lot to do before the bankruptcy law changes in October. Those changes will be more restrictive for companies seeking Chapter 11 protection, providing struggling companies an incentive to file before the changes take effect.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If these scabs are ALL experienced with an average 14 years in the business, why is that the FAA doubled the number of inspections covering Northwest!

If all the commy AMFA members are on strike, there should be no need to increase FAA oversight!
[post="291226"][/post]​


Patience.

Most MELs run out of time in 10 days.

Right now they are only losing planes that are so badly broken that they can not defer them.
 
Do you really work in this industry? It is the FAA's P&P to increase oversight on an airline that has work unrest, simple as that. This also goes for airlines in BK to ensure that they are not cutting corners to save $ by compromising safety. You obviously are just a lurker to the board. Please refrain from outlandish comments of which you have no knowledge.
 
marco90821 said:
Do you really work in this industry? It is the FAA's P&P to increase oversight on an airline that has work unrest, simple as that. This also goes for airlines in BK to ensure that they are not cutting corners to save $ by compromising safety. You obviously are just a lurker to the board. Please refrain from outlandish comments of which you have no knowledge.
[post="291990"][/post]​

:down:

While I often disagree with Mr Owens' point of view, he is most certainly a licensed line mechanic with many years of experience working for a major airline. Same for Hopeful.
 
FWAAA said:
:down:

While I often disagree with Mr Owens' point of view, he is most certainly a licensed line mechanic with many years of experience working for a major airline. Same for Hopeful.
[post="292013"][/post]​
But they are biased on their desired outcome of this dispute. It is easier to accept the opinions of experts who have no interest on the outcome of this strike.

air_guy
 
air_guy said:
But they are biased on their desired outcome of this dispute. It is easier to accept the opinions of experts who have no interest on the outcome of this strike.

air_guy
[post="292020"][/post]​


We are not running far behind in normal operations. There is already evidence that the gap is closing.
 
keeptheodds said:
We are not running far behind in normal operations. There is already evidence that the gap is closing.
[post="292036"][/post]​

Yeah sure the gap is closing KTO just saw this at the startribune website.

Passengers have absorbed the impact of the labor dispute. Samuel Aloul decided he was fed up with the Northwest strike and demanded a refund Tuesday.

The 21-year-old from Essex, England, was delayed for nearly 22 hours.

He had been scheduled to fly to London at 6:55 p.m. Monday, but the plane encountered mechanical problems.

"I want to fly a different airline," he told a Northwest customer assistant Tuesday. "I don't trust the mechanics."

Your closing the gap alright, the gap on when the company realizes what complete idiots it has hired as scabs.
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
marco90821 said:
Do you really work in this industry? It is the FAA's P&P to increase oversight on an airline that has work unrest, simple as that. This also goes for airlines in BK to ensure that they are not cutting corners to save $ by compromising safety. You obviously are just a lurker to the board. Please refrain from outlandish comments of which you have no knowledge.
[post="291990"][/post]​


Outlandish?
Think before you reply. I have 3 decades in this industry as a mechanic!

True, the FAA steps up inspections during a strike!

But ask yourself, WHY DO THEY NEED TO INCREASE INSPECTIONS WHEN SCABS ARE ON THE JOB AND THE UNHAPPY STRIKERS ARE NOWHERE NEAR AN AIRCRAFT?

IT IS BECAUSE THE SCABS THEY HIRED ARE NOT UP TO SNUFF LIKE THE MECHANICS WHO LIVED AND BREATHED THOSE AIRCRAFT!
 
Hopeful said:
Outlandish?
Think before you reply. I have 3 decades in this industry as a mechanic!

True, the FAA steps up inspections during a strike!

But ask yourself, WHY DO THEY NEED TO INCREASE INSPECTIONS WHEN SCABS ARE ON THE JOB AND THE UNHAPPY STRIKERS ARE NOWHERE NEAR AN AIRCRAFT?

IT IS BECAUSE THE SCABS THEY HIRED ARE NOT UP TO SNUFF LIKE THE MECHANICS WHO LIVED AND BREATHED THOSE AIRCRAFT!
[post="292147"][/post]​


Give me a break. Have you ever watched airport? Have you ever flown as a passenger even? This goes on every day. You sure are grabbing at straws to justify your ignorance.
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
keeptheodds said:
Give me a break. Have you ever watched airport? Have you ever flown as a passenger even? This goes on every day. You sure are grabbing at straws to justify your ignorance.
[post="292162"][/post]​


EVERY DAY?????????????????

STRIKES EVERY DAY?

YOU ARE THE IGNNORANT ONE, SCABBO~
 
Hopeful said:
EVERY DAY?????????????????

STRIKES EVERY DAY?

YOU ARE THE IGNNORANT ONE, SCABBO~
[post="292173"][/post]​

Yes every day.
Not ones that mean anything. You guys don’t even know what you are striking for.
I got a job. I just might have yours. The checks I receive aren’t hot.
The company I work for isn’t asking for handouts
 
keeptheodds said:
We are not running far behind in normal operations. There is already evidence that the gap is closing.
[post="292036"][/post]​

KTO,

You are playing with yourself if you expect anyone to believe that bull :lol:

You are in a classic state of denial. As soon as NWA doesn't need you scabs anymore your asses will be history in a manner that will make your head spin :rolleyes:

BTW, Who is doing YOUR supposed work while you spew your crap all over around the clock??? Oh, I forgot. Supervisors will signoff the work of all you unlicensed hacks. What is the ratio???? One licensed mech for every 15 unlicensed and the FAA thinks that is a kosher set up :down: :down:

Why don't you go and throw yourself into an engine if you want to be a REAL hero.
 
Hopeful said:
But ask yourself, WHY DO THEY NEED TO INCREASE INSPECTIONS WHEN SCABS ARE ON THE JOB AND THE UNHAPPY STRIKERS ARE NOWHERE NEAR AN AIRCRAFT?
[post="292147"][/post]​

Why would the FAA need to perform inspections during non-strike operations?
 
TomM said:
Why would the FAA need to perform inspections during non-strike operations?
[post="293455"][/post]​

To insure all the interior placards are where they need to be :blink: !!! This is no lie!!!!

That's what you get from an agency who's mission statement includes PROMOTING AVIATION.

I once had the entire E&E bay rack assys of a 737-400 all around the nose of the aircraft on the hangar floor. Some new FAA Inspectors walked by and merely gave me a glance. So I called them over and asked if they were concerned about the racks being everywhere and what I was doing???? The reply I rcvd was, "Oh, you look like you know what you're doing." I was stunned.

That is an example of the oversight I experienced during my 20 year career.
 
E-TRONS said:
To insure all the interior placards are where they need to be :blink: !!! This is no lie!!!!

I can believe that. I once took a checkride with a DE and the plane had a missing placard stating the plane's Va. He lectured me through hell and back.
 

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