The vast majority of the flights recently canceled by Northwest Airlines were those utilizing its DC-9 and A319/A320 jets, primarily flying domestic routes. Few, if any, international flights were canceled. Also very few flights flown by Northwest's feeder airlines--Pinnacle, Mesaba and Compass--were canceled.
A bit strange, isn't it? Why were the flights utilizing the DC-9s and A319/A320s more likely to be canceled than others? What's really going on?
Well, for one the pilots who fly the DC-9s and A319/A320s are very upset that Northwest started a new Airlink affiliate, Compass Airlines. Compass will be flying a large regional jet, the Embraer 175, which seats 76 passengers. Mesaba, too, has begun flying a large regional jet recently, the Bombardier CRJ-900. Both of these regional jets are smaller than the DC-9 and A319/A320, but being newly designed and built, are very efficient in terms of fuel use and maintenance--as opposed to the A319/A320, and particularly, the DC-9.
But more importantly, from the A319/A320 and DC-9 pilots' perspective, these larger regional jets are seen as a threat to their jobs and careers at Northwest. You see, Northwest's DC-9's fleet is to phased out over the next five years, but, as of this writing, no new jets have been ordered specifically as replacements. The pilots are worried. What jets will they pilot as the Northwest's DC-9s leave the fleet? Some will move to the A319/A320s, certainly, and others to the 757s and A330s, and even the 747s, in time. But this may take a few years, as openings will only be created as other pilots retire or leave Northwest employment, for whatever reason. Couldn't these pilots fly the newly purchased regional jets? Yes, they could. But that's where it gets sticky. Flying regional jets is considered an entry-level pilot position in the airline industry, and Northwest's DC-9 and A319/A320 pilots are a step or two beyond that. They would be losing, too, their career-track position at Northwest, and probably be paid less.
Paid less? Why? Because pilots who fly jets that seat less than 100 passengers earn less compensation than those who do otherwise. It's all spelled out in the union contracts. Unless the contracts are renegotiated, there's little the pilots can do.
Because of these recent developments, the pilots who fly the DC-9s and A319/A320s are nervous and alarmed. And, in response, in non-admitted protest, what have they been doing? Simply flying up to and no more than their current union contract stipulates, that is 90 hours of flying time per month. (The time counted against this 90 hours only begins when an aircraft is pushed back from the gate, until it once again, flight time included, docks at another gate.) Some pilots may even be flying only 80 hours per month, which was the limit per the old contract, and then calling in sick when scheduled to fulfill their 90 hours. As evidence of this, Northwest management has stated there were spates of pilot absenteeism in the last weeks of June and July.
To some extent, the pilots concerns are understandable. Northwest Airlines, for many years, has been involved in a number of divisive labor issues involving not only pilots, but its mechanics and flight attendants. Obviously, it is in the best interest of the company to take meaningful steps to improve working conditions and to address labor issues forthrightly, and rather sooner than later. Northwest management is not clear of blame for the current situation by any reasonable measure. On exiting bankruptcy, they formulated and set an overly ambitious flight schedule, one that required all the pieces to fall perfectly into place, just as diagrammed. Yet, in the real world, seldom do the nicely planned plans work as well as they look on paper. Northwest also could have handled the labor issues better, particularly in regards to openly and clearly communicating to all employees why certain decisions were made, and how it may affect employment, compensation and benefits. Management fell short in doing this. As it currently stands, many of the company's employees, including its pilots, are questioning some management practices. The recent generous management, non-union bonuses are an example of concern. To be fair, management-employee tensions exist in several U.S. airlines--United and American, in particular. Let's also keep in mind that Northwest management has had a lot on its plate the past two years, namely keeping the airline solvent. It goes without saying, too, that Northwest is competing in a challenging climate, pushed not by discount airline companies, such as Southwest and Jet Blue, but by other worldly airlines, many of which offer steeply discounted international fares. If a large legacy carrier, such as Northwest or Delta, goes belly up, as they nearly did last year, who will likely fill the void? The discounters, of course. They're still growing, albeit more slowly than in the past. Will legacy pilots earn similar compensation at a discount airline company? Of course not! That's one reason why discounters are able to offer cheap fares; on average, they pay less.
Which brings us back to the pilots' absenteeism at Northwest of recent weeks. What were they thinking? By antagonizing Northwest management, they are only putting themselves and their union in a more awkward position. They may temporarily cause disruptions in service and schedule, but it will be short lived as management's response takes hold. Beginning in August, Northwest is implementing plans to cut its mainline schedule by 4%, most of which will be flights utilizing the DC-9s and A319/A320s. They also are recalling furloughed pilots and plan to hire new pilots as demand warrants. In the meantime, every two weeks Compass and Mesaba each take delivery of a new, regional jet. By the end of the year, these affiliates will be flying more than 20 new jets. The CRJ-900 and the Embraer 175 are not the small, tiny regional jets of old. They are very comfortable by many standards, offer first-class seating and, significantly, are new, shiny aircraft, a far cry from the aging DC-9s.
The first order of Northwest after leaving bankruptcy was returning to profitability. This they have hone. However, many of its pilots were anything but helpful in achieving this goal. There will be repercussions, certainly, some soon, some later. Perhaps, for now and in the foreseeable future, the need for pilots at Northwest and other airlines will outstrip availability. Northwest's absentee pilots may believe their actions will bear little consequence, or, at any rate, be protected by the union. To some extent, this is true. There are limits in how Northwest management can respond. Ultimately, however, the pilots who are shown to have abused their contract stipulations or to have misused sick time will be weeded out. Even as pay levels have decreased slightly in recent years, the job of being a pilot is still very attractive to many. In addition, in many countries--India, for one--there are thousands and thousands of individuals who would jump at the opportunity to become a pilot. All that is needed is a little promotion by flight schools and a visa.
Instead of the silly sickout by Northwest pilots, they should have worked with management to develop measures to alleviate grievances and to inquire how they could assist in advancing the company's aims, while, at the same time, furthering their own. Job security issues should be topic number one. The company's goal is, of course, first and foremost, profit. With profit, though, comes further opportunity for profit sharing through stock ownership plans, and perhaps, increased compensation and benefits. The recent actions by some of Northwest's pilots was a foolish miscalculation. They need to rethink their actions now, in terms of what they hope to gain, and how best to achieve their objectives. The strict adherence to contract stipulations, plus the possible misuse of sick leave, my very well backfire in ways harmful to both the absentee pilots and their families as well as the pilot's union. There are better ways to bring forth change.
In case you're wondering, I'm not an employee of Northwest or any of its entities, nor never have been. Furthermore, I have never been employed by an airlines or any company involved with aviation, nor with a transportation entity of any sort, for that matter. I do not work for the government or a governmental entity. I am a private U.S. citizen, self-employed. I am a Northwest frequent flyer, but have flown with other airlines in the past.
Please note: I posted a very similar comment on FlightStats.com yesterday. I then found this forum and thought is would be appropriate to post here too.
A bit strange, isn't it? Why were the flights utilizing the DC-9s and A319/A320s more likely to be canceled than others? What's really going on?
Well, for one the pilots who fly the DC-9s and A319/A320s are very upset that Northwest started a new Airlink affiliate, Compass Airlines. Compass will be flying a large regional jet, the Embraer 175, which seats 76 passengers. Mesaba, too, has begun flying a large regional jet recently, the Bombardier CRJ-900. Both of these regional jets are smaller than the DC-9 and A319/A320, but being newly designed and built, are very efficient in terms of fuel use and maintenance--as opposed to the A319/A320, and particularly, the DC-9.
But more importantly, from the A319/A320 and DC-9 pilots' perspective, these larger regional jets are seen as a threat to their jobs and careers at Northwest. You see, Northwest's DC-9's fleet is to phased out over the next five years, but, as of this writing, no new jets have been ordered specifically as replacements. The pilots are worried. What jets will they pilot as the Northwest's DC-9s leave the fleet? Some will move to the A319/A320s, certainly, and others to the 757s and A330s, and even the 747s, in time. But this may take a few years, as openings will only be created as other pilots retire or leave Northwest employment, for whatever reason. Couldn't these pilots fly the newly purchased regional jets? Yes, they could. But that's where it gets sticky. Flying regional jets is considered an entry-level pilot position in the airline industry, and Northwest's DC-9 and A319/A320 pilots are a step or two beyond that. They would be losing, too, their career-track position at Northwest, and probably be paid less.
Paid less? Why? Because pilots who fly jets that seat less than 100 passengers earn less compensation than those who do otherwise. It's all spelled out in the union contracts. Unless the contracts are renegotiated, there's little the pilots can do.
Because of these recent developments, the pilots who fly the DC-9s and A319/A320s are nervous and alarmed. And, in response, in non-admitted protest, what have they been doing? Simply flying up to and no more than their current union contract stipulates, that is 90 hours of flying time per month. (The time counted against this 90 hours only begins when an aircraft is pushed back from the gate, until it once again, flight time included, docks at another gate.) Some pilots may even be flying only 80 hours per month, which was the limit per the old contract, and then calling in sick when scheduled to fulfill their 90 hours. As evidence of this, Northwest management has stated there were spates of pilot absenteeism in the last weeks of June and July.
To some extent, the pilots concerns are understandable. Northwest Airlines, for many years, has been involved in a number of divisive labor issues involving not only pilots, but its mechanics and flight attendants. Obviously, it is in the best interest of the company to take meaningful steps to improve working conditions and to address labor issues forthrightly, and rather sooner than later. Northwest management is not clear of blame for the current situation by any reasonable measure. On exiting bankruptcy, they formulated and set an overly ambitious flight schedule, one that required all the pieces to fall perfectly into place, just as diagrammed. Yet, in the real world, seldom do the nicely planned plans work as well as they look on paper. Northwest also could have handled the labor issues better, particularly in regards to openly and clearly communicating to all employees why certain decisions were made, and how it may affect employment, compensation and benefits. Management fell short in doing this. As it currently stands, many of the company's employees, including its pilots, are questioning some management practices. The recent generous management, non-union bonuses are an example of concern. To be fair, management-employee tensions exist in several U.S. airlines--United and American, in particular. Let's also keep in mind that Northwest management has had a lot on its plate the past two years, namely keeping the airline solvent. It goes without saying, too, that Northwest is competing in a challenging climate, pushed not by discount airline companies, such as Southwest and Jet Blue, but by other worldly airlines, many of which offer steeply discounted international fares. If a large legacy carrier, such as Northwest or Delta, goes belly up, as they nearly did last year, who will likely fill the void? The discounters, of course. They're still growing, albeit more slowly than in the past. Will legacy pilots earn similar compensation at a discount airline company? Of course not! That's one reason why discounters are able to offer cheap fares; on average, they pay less.
Which brings us back to the pilots' absenteeism at Northwest of recent weeks. What were they thinking? By antagonizing Northwest management, they are only putting themselves and their union in a more awkward position. They may temporarily cause disruptions in service and schedule, but it will be short lived as management's response takes hold. Beginning in August, Northwest is implementing plans to cut its mainline schedule by 4%, most of which will be flights utilizing the DC-9s and A319/A320s. They also are recalling furloughed pilots and plan to hire new pilots as demand warrants. In the meantime, every two weeks Compass and Mesaba each take delivery of a new, regional jet. By the end of the year, these affiliates will be flying more than 20 new jets. The CRJ-900 and the Embraer 175 are not the small, tiny regional jets of old. They are very comfortable by many standards, offer first-class seating and, significantly, are new, shiny aircraft, a far cry from the aging DC-9s.
The first order of Northwest after leaving bankruptcy was returning to profitability. This they have hone. However, many of its pilots were anything but helpful in achieving this goal. There will be repercussions, certainly, some soon, some later. Perhaps, for now and in the foreseeable future, the need for pilots at Northwest and other airlines will outstrip availability. Northwest's absentee pilots may believe their actions will bear little consequence, or, at any rate, be protected by the union. To some extent, this is true. There are limits in how Northwest management can respond. Ultimately, however, the pilots who are shown to have abused their contract stipulations or to have misused sick time will be weeded out. Even as pay levels have decreased slightly in recent years, the job of being a pilot is still very attractive to many. In addition, in many countries--India, for one--there are thousands and thousands of individuals who would jump at the opportunity to become a pilot. All that is needed is a little promotion by flight schools and a visa.
Instead of the silly sickout by Northwest pilots, they should have worked with management to develop measures to alleviate grievances and to inquire how they could assist in advancing the company's aims, while, at the same time, furthering their own. Job security issues should be topic number one. The company's goal is, of course, first and foremost, profit. With profit, though, comes further opportunity for profit sharing through stock ownership plans, and perhaps, increased compensation and benefits. The recent actions by some of Northwest's pilots was a foolish miscalculation. They need to rethink their actions now, in terms of what they hope to gain, and how best to achieve their objectives. The strict adherence to contract stipulations, plus the possible misuse of sick leave, my very well backfire in ways harmful to both the absentee pilots and their families as well as the pilot's union. There are better ways to bring forth change.
In case you're wondering, I'm not an employee of Northwest or any of its entities, nor never have been. Furthermore, I have never been employed by an airlines or any company involved with aviation, nor with a transportation entity of any sort, for that matter. I do not work for the government or a governmental entity. I am a private U.S. citizen, self-employed. I am a Northwest frequent flyer, but have flown with other airlines in the past.
Please note: I posted a very similar comment on FlightStats.com yesterday. I then found this forum and thought is would be appropriate to post here too.
