January 5 Airline News

C

chipmunn

Guest
[DIV class=mainhead style=MARGIN-TOP: 9px][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][STRONG]Travel in 2003: Who can see what it's going to be? No one[/STRONG][/FONT][/DIV][BR]
[DIV class=mainhead style=MARGIN-TOP: 9px][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]ORLANDO (Orlando Sentinel) - All bets are off when it comes to predicting travel trends for 2003. Uncertainty clouds the future.[/FONT][/DIV][BR]
[DIV class=mainhead style=MARGIN-TOP: 9px][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/printedition/orl-travtrends010503jan05,0,76103.story?coll=orl-travel-headlines-print][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/printedition/orl-travtrends010503jan05,0,76103.story?coll=orl-travel-headlines-print[/FONT][/A][/DIV][BR]
[DIV class=mainhead style=MARGIN-TOP: 9px][STRONG][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Small communities face own crisis from airlines' woes[/FONT][/STRONG][/DIV][BR]
[DIV class=mainhead style=MARGIN-TOP: 9px][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]NEW YORK (New York Times) - There are a lot of different ways to measure air traffic. You can count the number of airline seats available at any given time, or the number of passengers getting on planes or the number of miles flown with a paying customer in a seat.[/FONT] [BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman][FONT size=3][STRONG]But no matter how you cut it, air travel is down significantly.[/STRONG] Passengers on domestic airlines flew 13.7 percent fewer miles last month than in November 2000, the closest year to make a reasonable comparison, given the catastrophe of the autumn of 2001. Overall, the airlines put 10.2 percent fewer seats in the skies last month compared with November 2000, according to the Air Transport Association, an industry trade group.[/FONT][/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/3566140.html][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/3566140.html[/FONT][/A][/DIV][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][STRONG]At United, a Seeker of Solutions[/STRONG][/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]NEW YORK (New York Times) - The job of chief corporate strategist is an ulcer-inducing occupation at most any airline these days. For Douglas A. Hacker, it may be even worse. He was hired to map out a future for United Airlines just two days after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection early last month.[/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Mr. Hacker, 47, is charged with charting United's course as it tries to emerge from bankruptcy. He will decide the routes, aircraft, customer services and other methods that United, the world's second-largest airline after American, will use in trying to regain financial health.[/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/business/yourmoney/05PROF.html?ex=1042434000&en=04cf4f730a1731ed&ei=5040&partner=MOREOVER][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/05/business/yourmoney/05PROF.html?ex=1042434000&en=04cf4f730a1731ed&ei=5040&partner=MOREOVER[/FONT][/A][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3] [/FONT][!--Middle ad type : skyscraper --][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman][FONT size=3][STRONG]United to cut 1,500 workers - Closing ticket offices to cost 188 more jobs[/STRONG] [/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal][SPAN style=mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt][FONT face=Times New Roman][FONT size=3]CHICAGO (Chicago Tribune) - Seeking to cut costs wherever it can, United Airlines on Friday said that it will lay off 13 percent of its white-collar workers and close all of its ticket offices[BR][BR]Meanwhile, unions representing the airline's pilots and flight attendants said their members have begun voting on agreements for hefty temporary pay cuts while their leaders continue negotiating permanent reductions.[o:p][/o:p][/FONT][/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][FONT face=Times New Roman][FONT size=3][SPAN style=mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt]Complete Story:[/SPAN][SPAN style=mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt][A target=_blank href=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0301040146jan04,1,427397.story?coll=chi%2Dbusiness%2Dhed][FONT color=#0000ff]http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0301040146jan04,1,427397.story?coll=chi%2Dbusiness%2Dhed[/FONT][/A][o:p][/o:p][/SPAN][/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal][STRONG][FONT face=Times New Roman][FONT size=3][SPAN class=h091][SPAN style=mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt]United could shift to smaller jets - [/SPAN][/SPAN][SPAN class=h101][SPAN style=mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt]Paper reports deals for Bombardier 50-seat airliners[o:p][/o:p][/SPAN][/SPAN][/FONT][/FONT][/STRONG][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal][FONT face=Times New Roman][FONT size=3][SPAN class=t0031][SPAN style=FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt]SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - United Airlines might shift to smaller jetliners as a scale-down strategy, the Rocky Mountain News reported Saturday.[/SPAN][/SPAN][SPAN style=mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt] [o:p][/o:p][/SPAN][/FONT][/FONT][BR]
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[P class=MsoNormal][SPAN style=mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story:[/FONT][/SPAN][A target=_blank href=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/yhoo/story.asp?source=blq/yhoo&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo&guid=%7BC0073E9A%2D41EB%2D475B%2D9844%2D6F13E7169803%7D][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.marketwatch.com/news/yhoo/story.asp?source=blq/yhoo&siteid=yhoo&dist=yhoo&guid=%7BC0073E9A%2D41EB%2D475B%2D9844%2D6F13E7169803%7D[/FONT][/A][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][STRONG]Pennsylvania county having trouble collecting Sept. 11 reimbursements from United Airlines[/STRONG][/FONT][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]SOMERSET (AP) - Officials in the Pennsylvania county where a hijacked airliner crashed Sept. 11, 2001, are having trouble collecting reimbursements from bankrupt United Airlines. [/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Somerset County commissioners said repeated requests to the airline for repayment of $64,000 in crash-related costs have gone unanswered.[/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.nj.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0416_BC_Flight93&&news&newsflash-national][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.nj.com/newsflash/national/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0416_BC_Flight93&&news&newsflash-national[/FONT][/A][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3] [/FONT][BR][BR][FONT color=#000000][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][SPAN class=articleHeadline][STRONG]Southwest helped shape airlines[/STRONG][/SPAN][/FONT][/FONT][BR][BR][FONT color=#000000][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][SPAN class=articleHeadline]NEW YROK (New York Times) - Naming companies that have damaged the economy recently requires little thought. But a version of the opposite question is not so easy to answer: What one company has done the most to improve Americans' lives over the past 20 years?[/SPAN][/FONT][/FONT][BR][BR][FONT color=#000000][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20950%257E1089518,00.html][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200%257E20950%257E1089518,00.html[/FONT][/A][BR][/FONT][BR][BR][SPAN style=FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt][STRONG]US Airways faces 2 critical dates next week[o:p][/o:p][/STRONG][/SPAN][BR][BR][SPAN style=FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'][FONT size=3]PITTSBURGH (Tribune Review) - Bankrupt US Airways faces two key dates next week. [o:p][/o:p][/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/business/s_111084.html][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/business/s_111084.html[/FONT][/A][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][STRONG][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]US Airways still key player[/FONT][BR][/STRONG]
[P class=MsoNormal][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]PITTSBURGH (Tribune Review) - Despite downsizing, US Airways continues to play a large role in the Pittsburgh region's economy. [/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Just ask the folks at the Ground Round restaurant in Moon Township, neighboring Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township. The restaurant even used to hold discount days for the airline's employees, who still represent at least one in 10 diners there. [/FONT][BR][BR][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Complete Story: [/FONT][A target=_blank href=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/news/s_111157.html][FONT face=Times New Roman color=#0000ff size=3]http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/news/s_111157.html[/FONT][/A][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][STRONG][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]US Airways Tidbits[/FONT][/STRONG][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][STRONG][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]US Airways Senior VP of Corporate Affairs Chris Chiames responds to CWA again[/FONT][/STRONG][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][SPAN class=BodyFont][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]Diogenes raises a concern that we are holding something back that I want to address.[BR][BR]Under the CWA and Fleet Service agreements, there are no specific plans to furlough additional people as a result of the changes in their respective agreements. In fact, in the Fleet service agreement, the outsourcing of mail/cargo will be by attrition only, not through the furloughing of additional people. That is why there are no comparable numbers for CWA or IAM fleet -- because we don't anticipate furloughs as a result of our new deals.[BR][BR]Let's not kid ourselves though. Some smaller cities that have traditionally been mainline stations could still be converted to Express, based on market conditions. Our slowness in addressing our high cost structure in these kind of markets opened up opportunities for low-cost carriers and regional airlines to come in and clean our clocks.[BR][BR]Should a station be coverted, agents with seniority rights can move to another station or stay on at Express rates. Is that a perfect solution? No. But we are operating in a tough competitive business and there isn't much room for error, so we are responding by implementing a business plan that will allow us to survive and succeed.[BR][BR]So as it relates to a specific number, target or plan to furlough additional CWA members, there is none.[BR][BR]Chris Chiames[/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][SPAN class=BodyFont][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][STRONG]ALPA MEC CODE-A-PHONE UPDATE - January 5, 2003[/STRONG][/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][SPAN class=BodyFont][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3]This is Roy Freundlich with a US Airways MEC update for Sunday, January 5, with one new item.[BR][BR]The Company has begun installing motion detection hardware on aircraft to trigger ACARS out and in times. This new method for generating block and pay times will cause inaccurate time calculations during arrival towing and cargo access after towing. ALPA is currently discussing the issue with management and has registered strong opposition to this change since it will both negatively affect ACARS generated pay calculations, costing pilots pay time while performing crew duties, and will also affect ACARS generated FAR duty and flight time calculations, raising FAR compliance issues for pilots. [BR][BR]ALPA is preparing to file a grievance on this issue in the event management does not respect pilot pay and legality concerns. Considering the amount of concessions pilots have already given to the Company, a modification to ACARS that unfairly reduces pilot pay hours below hours actually worked cannot be tolerated. Your MEC representatives ask that you please document any inaccuracies resulting from ACARS calculated block times and forward them to the MEC Grievance committee at the MEC office at your earliest opportunity. Aircraft tail numbers with the new motion detection ACARS will be announced once they become available.[/FONT][/SPAN][BR]
[P class=MsoNormal][SPAN class=BodyFont][/SPAN][SPAN class=BodyFont][FONT face=Times New Roman size=3][STRONG]The Ohio States Buckeyes rise to win one of the greatest games in the history of college football and the Cleveland Browns once again experience a heartbreaking playoff loss...Red Right 88, The Drive, The Fumble, & The Comeback...uugh[/STRONG][/FONT][/SPAN][/P]
 
Pilots are required to complete the Before Start Checklist and be in position for flight departure 10 minutes before scheduled departure. This checlist has an itme that states Parking Brake - Off. It's company and industry procedure to release the Parking Brake on this checklist if there is a push back.[BR] [BR]This is the same time the APU should be started and then the agent is supposed to provide the final information to the Captain and close the forward entry door 5 minutes prior to flight departure.[BR][BR]Chip
 
--quote from ChipMunn post...
The Company has begun installing motion detection hardware on aircraft to trigger ACARS out and in times. This new method for generating block and pay times will cause inaccurate time calculations during arrival towing and cargo access after towing. ALPA is currently discussing the issue with management and has registered strong opposition to this change since it will both negatively affect ACARS generated pay calculations, costing pilots pay time while performing crew duties, and will also affect ACARS generated FAR duty and flight time calculations, raising FAR compliance issues for pilots.

ALPA is preparing to file a grievance on this issue in the event management does not respect pilot pay and legality concerns. Considering the amount of concessions pilots have already given to the Company, a modification to ACARS that unfairly reduces pilot pay hours below hours actually worked cannot be tolerated. Your MEC representatives ask that you please document any inaccuracies resulting from ACARS calculated block times and forward them to the MEC Grievance committee at the MEC office at your earliest opportunity. Aircraft tail numbers with the new motion detection ACARS will be announced once they become available.

................
Chipster,

Does this finally answer the question that I have asked numerous times...."Why do I get the request over and over from crews asking if they can release the brakes on a/c 8-10 minutes before scheduled flt departure time? Could someone have answered me incorrectly when the response I got was..."It doesn't effect our pay!"
 
I'm still not convinced, Chipper. Why do I get asked 10 minutes before scheduled departure, "Is it ok to release the brakes?" When I ask, "Are you ready for push-back?" The reply often is, "Well, no...but can I release the brakes?"
.
Maybe I am wrong. (I have been before). I can't help but think that someone's pay must begin when the brakes are release, otherwise they wouldn't be in such a hurry to do it. Why would they want to release the brakes and then sit there several more minutes if pay is NOT involved?
 
You can ask the question 100 times and the answer will be the same. Chip is 100% correct. And even if the brakes are released 10 minutes before pushback with doors open the ACARS logic is such that it will not record an out time.

The reason pilots want to release the brake even though they're not ready for pushback is that, as Chip correctly points out, it's our procedure. We don't want to forget and have you try to push us back some icy night with the parking brake still set. It's a safety issue.
 
The way ACARS works before the change is brakes off and all doors closed including cargo doors, that is when ACARS sends the out time and the pilots start getting paid flight pay.
 
RedOne,

Pilot pay starts (ACARS clock starts) when brakes are released AND all doors are closed. If the aircraft doors are closed, this will start their pay clock.
 
ACARS hurts. Gate agent asks to relaese brakes for on-time departure. Many times we later learn ramp has another 20 minutes of loading or the fueler is still hooked up. ACARS serves a purpose but it also tells a false operational story to the number crunchers. To them the flight looks out on-time and staffing resourses on the ground gets thinner. Release brakes when you are "really" ready for pushback.