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Pilots Reject Deal to Allow American Eagle to Add Larger Embraer Planes to Fleet
The leadership of the union that represents American Eagle pilots failed to ratify an agreement that had been negotiated in January with American Airlines Group. The American Eagle Master Executive Council rejected the deal that would allow American to add 60 new Embraer 175 aircraft to its fleet but called for freezing the pay rate scale until 2018 as well as higher contributions for healthcare insurance..... (www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
"For a fixed salary for the next f^^^^^^ four years." No thanks.
Most of the best pilots would've moved up to the mainline AA fleet or some other major within those four years. If the issue was getting higher pay, they missed out on a opportunity for better flow-through benefits with much higher pay than is possible flying regional-sized planes.
Why do pay increases every year have to be a stumbling block, especially at the upper ranges? Either the pay is sufficient compensation for the work performed or it's not. Either it is enough to live or it's not.
It is way more important to pay the starting pilots more. First, the regionals need to recruit more pilots. Secondly, the new pilots need to take financial stress away as they're starting their commercial airline career.
Locking in ever higher wages at the top, means less flexibility in recruiting new pilots and paying them more reasonable wages. And it has the perverse effect of making the pilots too comfortable and consider staying instead of moving up to the mainline.
Higher pay should be tied to fulfilling a greater role, eg. as an instructor or check pilot, and not just be tied to time alone.
Why do pay increases every year have to be a stumbling block, especially at the upper ranges? Either the pay is sufficient compensation for the work performed or it's not. Either it is enough to live or it's not.
It is way more important to pay the starting pilots more. First, the regionals need to recruit more pilots. Secondly, the new pilots need to take financial stress away as they're starting their commercial airline career.
Locking in ever higher wages at the top, means less flexibility in recruiting new pilots and paying them more reasonable wages. And it has the perverse effect of making the pilots too comfortable and consider staying instead of moving up to the mainline.
Higher pay should be tied to fulfilling a greater role, eg. as an instructor or check pilot, and not just be tied to time alone.
Now the geniuses at American have orders for 60 E-175s and will have to either mainline them or start up a new entity to try to entice pilots to work at minimum wage to fly them. The first Eagle pilots to bail to other airlines (Stateside or overseas) will be the most senior. One way or the other American is going to pay more to have them flown.
These same geniuses will have to rationalize whether having feeder service is necessary to keep the mainline seats filled or whether they will have to switch to a Southwest model of more point to point and still trying to attract business with the standard US Air crappy service.
These same geniuses will have to rationalize whether having feeder service is necessary to keep the mainline seats filled or whether they will have to switch to a Southwest model of more point to point and still trying to attract business with the standard US Air crappy service.
Word on the street is that Republic is picking up this planes, and doing all that flying. It is Envoy's pilots that missed out. They only have their union to blame. The pilots should've had a chance to vote on their future. Then they'd have no one else to blame, had they rejected the work, that now seems headed to Republic.
You know what they say about horses and water.
You know what they say about horses and water.
The other article here on FA references downsizing Envoy/Eagle so apparently they have, or at least had a place to go with them. It may not be less money but basically, contract air can be handled as an expense rather than a capital cost, nor do they have all the liability of fringes and all. It is sad, but it will really be interesting. Douggie Boy needs a can or 2 tied to his tail instead of being the perfect Golden Boy. I'm really curious how much of this Horton is involved in in or if he is just sitting back and saying I told you so.
There is an update in another story here on FA. AAG did not waste any time.