Formation #Blog: If I Had 1 Wish for Aviation

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BUT FIRST
“You won’t want to put down The Last Bush Pilots while the midnight sun still shines.”
—Airways Magazine
Finally had a chance to scan in Airways Magazine’s review of my novel, The Last Bush Pilots!

Grab a copy of the current Airways Magazine (October, 2013),
now available here online, or at your local bookstore!

Better yet, grab a print or ebook copy of The Last Bush Pilots at Amazon or iBookstore!
50% of proceeds go to orphanage charities!

Links:

• Amazon: amazon.com/author/ericauxier

• iTunes/iBookstore: http://goo.gl/fOW4L

And now . . .

BLOGGING IN FORMATION

“If I Had 1 Wish for Aviation”

“Why can’t we all just get along?”

—Rodney King

The image of the airline pilot is a super one. 

Second only to firefighter, airline pilot consistently ranks as the top most respected profession in the world. The stereotype of the stoic, benevolent, grandfatherly problem-solver in the sky is embedded in our psyche. Calm in the face of danger, the airline pilot gets it done. Plane on fire? Cat caught in a tree? Don’t panic! I’m an airline pilot.

But this heroic sky god has a secret weakness as powerful as Superman’s Kryptonite, one that will reduce him to a blubbering, tantrum-throwing 2-year old. Worse, it threatens to transform our benevolent Supergramps into Bizarro Supergramps, a snarling, cannibalistic jackal willing eat his own kind.

This Kryptonite has a name: Seniority.

Seniority is everything to a pilot. It dictates whether he’s a Captain or First Officer, holds a line (schedule) or is on reserve (on call), what equipment he’s on and where he’s based. It tells him whether he has weekends and Christmas off or has to fly redeyes. It dictates whether he even has a job.

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This Kryptonite has a name: Seniority

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Unlike doctors, lawyers and other professionals, pilots cannot make lateral moves between companies. Why? Because there is no easy measuring stick for saying, “This pilot is ‘better’ than that one, therefore he should be senior.” Either a pilot can fly, or can’t.

As a result, seniority is solely based on date of hire (DOH). The longer a pilot stays—in theory—the better his schedule, pay, and job security. The more people beneath him, the more he is cushioned from furlough (layoff, with recall rights) during a downturn. When a single company is involved, everybody agrees: DOH is the only fair way to determine seniority.

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When airlines merge, all hell breaks loose

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But when airlines merge, all hell breaks loose.

At first glance, DOH seems like a fair integration for any merger as well. After all, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right? Not at all.  First of all, no merged list is ever “fair”—one pilot always moves up on the back of another. Secondly, fair is solely in the eye of the beholder. In fact, it turns out, DOH is often so unfair for mergers that a recent act of Congress, the McCaskill-Bonds Amendment (see below)*, seeks to prevent mergers based solely on DOH.

To my knowledge, there has never been an airline merger in history wherein the pilots got together, held hands and sang Kumbaya while hammering out a reasonable, integrated seniority list. Instead, both sides fight beak and claw for the slightest advantage, and will stop at nothing to press advantage. No dirty trick is forbidden.

There’s no better example of this cannibalistic behavior than the 2006 purchase of bankrupt USAirways by America West Airlines. At the time, original USAirways (“East”) pilots had as many furloughed (on the street) as America West (“West”) had pilots.

During seniority negotiations with ALPA (Airline Pilots Association, their mutual union,) East pilots argued vehemently for DOH. This would “staple” 80% of West pilots beneath the East—even below those that had been laid off. This would force the majority of West pilots onto the street—the very pilots that had saved their jobs!

So much for pilots joining hands and singing Kumbaya.

“Thanks for saving my job. Now here’s your pink slip, Rookie!”

The West argued for a “relative seniority” integration, which would keep virtually all pilots—East and West—in their respective airplane, seat and base. This would have the added benefit of minimal costs for the new airline. Federal arbitrator George Nicolau agreed, but placed 517 East pilots on top of the West pilots’ entire seniority list.

That is, the #1 West pilot was now #518. All West pilots lost relative seniority, while all East pilots gained.

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So much for pilots joining hands and singing Kumbaya.

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But that wasn’t enough. The East pilots used their superior numbers (about 2 to 1) to force West pilots out of ALPA and into their own, in-house union, “US Airways Pilots Association” (USAPA.) USAPA’s primary mandate was to implement a DOH list and ignore the legally binding Nicolau arbitration—even though the Company had already accepted the list.

“What? They’re not all stapled below me? RRAAUU!!”

USAPA’s very first act as a “union” was to sue 24 West pilots—accusing them of RICO “mafia” violations—for the “crime” of fighting back. Required by law to pay union dues, these West pilots were forced into the legally bizarre position of suing themselves. The suit was thrown out as frivolous, but for the past six years, more lawsuits have flown back and forth, with both sides fighting to a virtual stalemate. 

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The pilots were forced by law to sue themselves

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By all accounts, USAPA has failed as a union. Obsessed with DOH, it has stonewalled all pilot contract negotiations. Once the top moneymakers, USAirways pilots now languish at the rock bottom of the industry. Moreover, USAPA’s every action has favored East pilots over West—blatantly illegal under labor laws. Post-merger, dozens of active West pilots were furloughed while all East furloughs have been recalled. While the last West pilots are only now being recalled from furlough, New Hires on the East have upgraded to Captain.

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By all accounts, USAPA has failed as a pilots union

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While not nearly the debacle as AWA/USAirways, the recent mergers at United/Continental, Delta/Northwest and Southwest/AirTran have all experienced similar turbulence. Indeed, American Airlines chewed up and spit out TWA pilots so severely, that it prompted Congress to create the McCaskill-Bonds Amendment.

What stands to happen with the new US/AA merger? If the past is any indicator, you’d better buckle your seatbelts. We’re in for some serious self-inflicted turbulence.

IF I HAD ONE WISH FOR AVIATION, what would I change? Aviators.

In the immortal words of Pogo, We have met the enemy . . . and he is us.

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What one thing would I change in aviation?

Aviators.
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I say again, Tower: 

“Why can’t we all just get along?”

A Special Tribute
— — — — — — — — — —

The Cap’n & the Controller—a 2-part series!

Part I: Blog Buddy & Air Traffic Controller Brian
Jumpseats with Cap’n Aux!
Part II: Cap’n Aux visits Air Traffic Control!