September 2003 Schedule

[MarkMyWords]

I haven''t seen a whole lot posted on these boards regarding the upcoming September Schedule reductions that were announced recently. Everyone is so worried about total number of airplanes flying, that they totally overlooked the fact that the airline will be operating at what equates to a 5% schedule reduction. Is this really wise this far in advance? How can we predict the needs of our customers over 3 months out? While I do applaude the fact that they are doing the reductions prior to the Pilot Bid being published and awarded, isn''t 90+ days out a bit to far to accurately predict what the demand will be?

We are currently the only airline announcing cuts and reductions in the schedule for the fall. This 5% reduction will do nothing to improve our employee productivity rates or our aircraft utilization rates. Imagine doing the staffing models for PIT and CLT when 3 out of 7 days are cut short. How do you maintain employee productivity? Doesn''t this decrease your productivity and raise your costs?

Why is it that the marketing departments answer to lulls in bookings to cut, cut, cut? Why can''t we try a different approach to the E-saver program to fill seats on Tuesday and Wednesday nights? By reducing your operating day you make it harder for people in those cities to make day trips for business meetings because the last flight out of most major business centers will be at 3:00-4:00. And you will only have 1 flight from the west coast, other then the red-eye flight. Yes, I do understand that this is traditionally a slow period for all airlines, but isn''t there another way?

 

[PITbull]

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On 5/30/2003 113 AM MarkMyWords wrote:

I haven't seen a whole lot posted on these boards regarding the upcoming September Schedule reductions that were announced recently. Everyone is so worried about total number of airplanes flying, that they totally overlooked the fact that the airline will be operating at what equates to a 5% schedule reduction. Is this really wise this far in advance? How can we predict the needs of our customers over 3 months out? While I do applaude the fact that they are doing the reductions prior to the Pilot Bid being published and awarded, isn't 90+ days out a bit to far to accurately predict what the demand will be?

We are currently the only airline announcing cuts and reductions in the schedule for the fall. This 5% reduction will do nothing to improve our employee productivity rates or our aircraft utilization rates. Imagine doing the staffing models for PIT and CLT when 3 out of 7 days are cut short. How do you maintain employee productivity? Doesn't this decrease your productivity and raise your costs?

Why is it that the marketing departments answer to lulls in bookings to cut, cut, cut? Why can't we try a different approach to the E-saver program to fill seats on Tuesday and Wednesday nights? By reducing your operating day you make it harder for people in those cities to make "day trips" for business meetings because the last flight out of most major business centers will be at 3:00-4:00. And you will only have 1 flight from the west coast, other then the red-eye flight. Yes, I do understand that this is traditionally a slow period for all airlines, but isn't there another way?

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I see you're still looking for that "great management" team to please stand up...please stand up...please stand up!

You're so funny you just tickle me to laugh. Let me help you out here before this post disappears off the page...You don't see much posting on here on this issue cause everyone else knows what's going on and who they are dealing with. Company has been throwing around the word again "force Majeure". You do know what that is? right? Less planes, less pilots, less employees, and it goes on and on and on and on.

Don't tell me your looking for a management team that is mythodical and logical are you? Still? One that cares about revenue and capturing pax to grow, what? An airline or something? LOL Well...it ain't gonna be "mainline".

Do you not see the plan? You know...see the "forest between the trees"?

This management is focused on reducing "mainline" flying no matter what is out there. They don't want mainline employees. Eventually, everything you see will be express and LCC airways flying. That's it my friend, $4.3 billion worth of RJs right at you...and its not for your "good health" and this is just the begining of the buying. Your 5% deferral was a nice accelerated bonus for the RJ orders. This is what our dedication and concessions bought us...job losses and reduced income and personal liquidation. Period, end of book.


Welcome to your "new" epiphany.

PS. Notice everything is this 5%. 5% deferral, 5% reduction in the fall, 5 hour penalty for sick...blah, blah, blah, yawn....

 

[USAirBoyA330]

Well....we are all awaiting the Sept 2003 Pilot bid. That will tell us exactly how much they are going to cut. But I can assure you that AFA/ALPA are ready and waiting for 279 aircraft language to be violated.

 

[jetsandprops]

Some of the routes coming out were seasonal adds for the summer - - i.e. clt-san, clt-sea. US and other airlines tend to reduce capacity in Sept due to demand declines - this happens every year.Did anyone check last year to see what happened? Demand declines as schools start back up after summer. Does it make sense to offer same amount of seats in Sept as Aug? Press release said banks in CLT and PIT come back after a month - I bet travel is stronger in OCT.

 

[sabre]

We hear PIT will be down to 50 flights in October and just a dozen or so come January and MDA is looking more and more like CLT. Also throw in our Maintenance base going to IND. Our Airbus work is going to go to outsiders because our union forgot to put in black and white language. Scotty''s big on big talking letters but hasn''t delivered one thing as our chairman. I''m sure he already knows that Siegel can do this but Scotty at least has to make it look like he is doing something.

You will need 40 years to hang on to a job in PIT unless your name is Frank.


love,

joesy

 

[MarkMyWords]

Once again the ultra-negative PitBull has to rear her ugly head and spout off nothing constructive. The intention of my post was:

1) to point out that everyone''s fears of the fleet count going below 279 (violating every contract in the company)was not going to happen. The 5% schedule reduction maintained the fleet count.

2) To solicite constructive ideas and points of view from some of the more insightful posters. Could there be another way to spur traffic and revenue, or was the 5% service reduction the right thing to do.

3) To show that there may be some initiative in this management team. Going against the grain of flying the full schedule and more accurately meeting supply and demand, versus running a money losing operation.

My questions were legitimate. Was this planning to premature, or was it the right thing to do? Could marketing have stepped to the plate and tried something different to spur additional revenue and traffic? Is sacrificing employee producticity and aircraft utulization in lean months going to lead to profits or just higher CASM''s?

Funny Miss Doom and Gloom, but I have not heard about a single furlough, in any department, associated with the 5% schedule reduction. Have you?

 

[Hope777]

Mark, please don''t talk about Marketing. We have not had a marketing department in years.

 

[cat 111]

PineyBob, An unexpected profitable quarter would mean the company would have to give up the 5% pay deferal to the employees.I can''t see that happening for 18 months.

 

[PITbull]

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On 6/3/2003 12:52:51 PM MarkMyWords wrote:

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God, man you are ill. Nothing FUNNY about job losses, and YES I have in PIT. Job losses on the way. Are they associated with the fall reduction? Who the hell knows? A job loss is a job loss, no matter the reasons...they are all related. And where do you get the 5% reduction only? How do you know that is it? Who's talking in your ear Mr. "everything-is-great-in-paradise"?

Why don't you answer your own damn questions above?

As you notice, I brought your post back to life, so "fire away"...
​

 

[USAirBoyA330]

PITBull:

I spoke with a member of the AFA MEC today and I was told NO FURTHER FURLOUGHS INVOLVING F/A ARE BEING DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW. Now, that''s not to say they might not try something in the future but you seem to have IMPENDING ANNOUNCEMENT or inside information of some sort. The information I got came from the MEC "YOU" (everyone knows who you really are) put into office. So why don''t you back up your statements Ms.PITBULL? What are your INSIDE sources? From everything I have been told, no one in management would give you the time of day! So stop spreading your crap around and throwing stones.

 

[PITbull]

You wish....YOU need to transfer to PIT if you got the "guts" to expose yourself.

Sorry, moderator, this guy is an *deleted*.

 

[USAirBoyA330]

Oh Gag me. BLAH BLAH BLAH. No, I didn''t talk to you thank God. I said I spoke with an M E C Officer...I am referring to one of the three MEC officers not a Local officer.
We can only pray that AFA takes a note from ALPA and cleans house with LEC/MEC members esp. in PIT.

 

[pitguy]

Hey, if you do talk to Teddy Xidas ask her if she would like to represent the Mechanics. Allot of the Mechanics would like to be represented by someone like her with a good heart instead of the lame representation we have now.

;-)


--You can not always run from the fight.

 

[PITbull]

No, not quite. I am not done with you...

Your post sound extremely "jealous" of the PIT President. Do you know her well? Have you ever been based in PIT?


I want to extend a "thank you" for inferring that I am the Local PIT President. I take that as a compliment.

And I agree these posts should not be about personal issues or personalities.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Well Henny Penny (aka PitBull)

No, there is nothing funny about employee furloughs. The point you seem to miss over and over is that we reduced the schedule 5%, maintained 279 aircraft and did not layoff a single employee. This is contrary to your doom and gloom predictions that we would once again see the term Force Majeure and a total aircraft count of 255-249, thus violating everyones contract.

As for how I know that this is only a 5% schedule reduction, because this is the same schedule reduction used in April. It was publicized in all of the company news sources (or propaganda as you would call it). At this point the October Schedule is to return to 100%, but is still under evaluation.

As for answering my own questions, here is my take on things:

I think the Sept schedule reduction was a bit premature, but I am not sure how far in advance the Pilot bids have to be published. The April reductions were done in haste and thus created Chaos in the daily operation. There has to be a balance in the middle. If the Sept reductions were done to keep the Pilot bid on schedule and ensure that the crew pairings were built with the reductions already in place, then I think it was the right decision. Given the typical soft demand after Labor Day, then I do think we are doing the right thing, but it will cost us in CASM''s because we lose productivity and higher a/c utilization rates. But it also doesn''t make sense to fly around empty airplanes.

I still feel that Ben and company could do a better job of marketing this company. Could we have done anything to increase traffic on Tues, Wed and Sat? Offered a different kind of e-saver fare? Offer mileage incentives of some sort? Something.

Perhaps you could have a constructive idea versus a destructive attitude for a change. Oh, wait, I forgot....in your eyes that is what we pay all those VP''s for and it is not your job. Well, I wasn''t asking who''s job it is, I was asking if anyone had any other thoughts on if there was anything else that could have been done before we reduced the schedule. If you have a creative suggestion, I would love to hear it, but please spare me your sarcasm, complaining and incessant whinning. We get enough of that when you show up on the local news.