Base reduction

[nohojob]

So WJ is planning a base reduction without layoffs.

Any idea which bases are going to be hit?
Where the opening spots will be to relocate the affected pilots?

[MaxAuto]

Maybe they are referring to YQB and YHZ on the Sunwing side. They already stated YQB will close after the Swg winter program and all crews transfered to YUL. YHZ will no longer be a seasonal base.

[nohojob]

YQB is done in Spring.
I heard it will be in a year for further rediction.
They can't do it before as per their CBA.
And it must be without layoff at least for the first year.
So I don't know, maybe YYZ as there will a massive addition of swg pilots already there ?

[MaxAuto]

I doubt YYz will reduce. The existing WJ flying plus the existing SW flying is a lot of flying especially when loads are high. SW also fills up planes out of a lot of out stations like Thunder Bay, Suite st. Sunbury, Sue St Marie, North Bay, London, Windsor, kitchen, Ottawa, Moncton Halifax, St. John's, St. John, Gander, and a hand full of other maritims cities through pairings. YYZ and YUL need to be big in order to accommodate that. Crews need to be positioned ahead of time to meet the aircraft and take the plane back down south. It's been a big market for Swg andI'm sure WestJet/Sunwing group are not going to give that up to Air Transat because AT is a major competitor in the maritimes.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think WestJet does any out of hub flying down south except for a few places like YHM, Victoria, and some others. This is a new market for WestJet Vacations which requires the additional Crews.

[nohojob]

I really hope you're right as it would suck to have pilots displaced from their base (including me).
However this base reduction info is coming from WJ ALPA. So I am afraid it is pretty solid.
What is umknown though is which bases are concerned, how many pilots etc...

[daedalusx]

Feds should have never approved this merger

[safetyfirst123]

Feds should have never approved this merger

Westjet pilots should have never forced integration with their last contract. Scope and aircraft limits, much like they had with the Swoop LOU to ensure Sunwing didn't poach Westjet flying sure, but I think everybody would have been happier with separate operations. Oh well.

I believe both YYZ and YUL will be overstaffed. Sunwing captains will lose their seats, and subsequently open positions will show up in places like YWG. There will be some musical chairs in one year for sure.

[JBI]

Feds should have never approved this merger

Westjet pilots should have never forced integration with their last contract. Scope and aircraft limits, much like they had with the Swoop LOU to ensure Sunwing didn't poach Westjet flying sure, but I think everybody would have been happier with separate operations. Oh well.

While the very short term benefits to this idea are understandable, this is not a good idea in the medium to long term. The challenges of integrating the seniority lists would pale in comparison to how management would pit two pilot groups against each other for the rest of our careers.

[daedalusx]

Feds should have never approved this merger

Westjet pilots should have never forced integration with their last contract. Scope and aircraft limits, much like they had with the Swoop LOU to ensure Sunwing didn't poach Westjet flying sure, but I think everybody would have been happier with separate operations. Oh well.

While the very short term benefits to this idea are understandable, this is not a good idea in the medium to long term. The challenges of integrating the seniority lists would pale in comparison to how management would pit two pilot groups against each other for the rest of our careers.

I don’t necessarily disagree, but there could have been scope protections to prevent expansion on the Sunwing side (no more new tails, max xx tails in summer / winter, no widebody no ETOPS). But absolutely, a race to the bottom between no one in the long term.

I just believe that fundamentally, the feds betrayed the interests of the Canadian consumers and (some) Sunwing employees.

[Turboprops]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think WestJet does any out of hub flying down south except for a few places like YHM, Victoria, and some others. This is a new market for WestJet Vacations which requires the additional Crews.

Westjet does quite a bit of southern flying from outstations. YQQ YXE YLW plus more