Bases announced!!

[highlander]

According to the info we should expect ports to close.

As a porter- I am disappointed by this- I truly believe we can still make them work- but it's too early to tell what is in store.

[RustyDeuce]

Nice to see other employees trolling WestJet. Reminiscent of the early days of WestJet when WestJet added 70 or so aircraft, profitably, and Air Canada went into CCAA and everyone took a haircut. History has an odd way of repeating itself.

[Mig29]

Good luck with everything that is ahead of you boys and girls!!

I hope you fight for your profession and not let it drain down the toilet....you are better then that.

[hifliers]

The only problem I see is that the contract negotiations have been shelved in order to do this base thing. Why would the WJPA allow that to happen? When the company is making record profits, (and as far as anyone hears the company wanted concessions from the pilot group including days worked) it should have been easy to come up with a new agreement. Now it is status quo for a year or two, and what happens when the company is no longer making record profits come negotiating time next year? Reserve system? 10%esp? Sounds real good.

[wjhr]

They aren’t shelved for the tenth time fliers!
Really easy to come up with a new agreement....oh brother. Maybe you should check out how easy it is sometime to implement work rules and pay scales, get the bean counters to model different scenarios, line up schedules. Gregg has stated internally to all employees that the esp is not at risk to a roll back. The bases will save money. That’s the whole idea about staying ahead of the curve to be proactive, not reactive. In fact reserve will likely never have to get touched now, because with a base, the commuters that couldn’t give an extra day for OT work before, now can and are likely more willing now, if they live for example in YYZ. Make sence?
Mig, all companies don’t have to “fight” If that’s what happens at your place, good luck with that!

[pelmet]

So does this mean that over 50% of the YYC captain positions are about to disappear and those guys will have to commute?

[The Fish]

Fine. When are the bases scheduled to open?

What are the location of the bases? How many bases?

The answer; unknown, unknown and unknown.

But the pilot agreement goes on the back burner.

Keep your eye on the ball.

As early as September if they can get the poop in a group.
YYZ 40% YYC 40% YVR20% is one proposal and the one most likely in my opinion.

Look around Arctic, how did the winter go? Every other day commuters can’t get to work, over 500 cancellations in Feb, the storms etc. Where do we see big growth? Where do we need the resources with only 25 captains in YYZ and about 100 FO’s? When PORTS consolidate in the East, that will bring the FO’s alone up to roughly 30% of what is required. I know you know these answers

And, Yes they are still working on the agreement! Bases touch sooo many parts of the agreement. Not to mention the new fatigue rules coming into effect in the near future. It’s the most prudent thing to do in my opinion.

WJHR,
you seem to have more info than is being disseminated internally,
I too would like to know if 50% of the skippers in yyc will be forced to relocate.

How about throwing us a another bone, PM if you like!

[wjhr]

Personally speaking, I'm guessing no. The reason being that if you do a natural bid first, that will likely bring the YOW, YHZ and possibly some from the YWG Ports into YYZ naturally. TAFB will likely be less in yyz and single days will likely be plentiful.
There are currently 25 captains in yyz, more should be upgrading this year coupled with maybe some natural movers from yyc, I think you can easily reach a 20 to 25 percent right away.
I don't think anyone is saying they have to reach 40 percent overnight. It's just a goal.
FO's will be a different story though. In fact, they might have too many!
Forced moves are the last and least desirable option is what I'm hearing.

[El Comat]

Seeing as a YYZ base will still leave me a commuter (YSB), I'm hoping that 4- and 5-day pairings still exist! Lol

Waiting with baited breath to see how this plays out. After seeing how much better our management is than the other big airlines out there, I have no doubt that they'll do what's best for WJ as a whole. Will it be perfect? Not a chance....but people are foolish to ever expect that, because it doesn't exist! Those who whined before will still whine, and those who came to work happy will still come to work happy when it's all said and done. Just don't forget how great our comapny is compared to the vast majority out there.

EC

[SMP]

I would expect that there will be more multi day pairings in YYZ as compared to the current pairing breakdown in the port, considering YYZ will most likely be covering some/more/most of the east coast overnights. As for 5 dayers, I anticipate that they will all but disappear.

SMP

[KAG]

There are no bones to throw - honestly you now know as much as us.
This is now up to our Managment to see which direction this will take, and I'm sure it will
Be as fair and equitable as possible. This is a wait and see situation.

I see lots of good credit single days going forward, suits me fine I'll leave the multi days
For others

[Mig29]

Wjhr,

I am doing just fine here

I wish you the best over there as well.

[wjhr]

Why all the interst here mig? I don’t see you commenting on what your shop is up to. Just curious because you certainly comment a lot on WJ and well; just about everything else or is it perfect where you are? Just askin’ I guess a separate thread might be in order too btw I never asked how you were doing.
I agree, The planners have run models and there are multi days and lots of singles like KAG said. In fact the best, most efficient flying is out of YYZ.

[7thirtyseven]

There are no bones to throw - honestly you now know as much as us.
This is now up to our Managment to see which direction this will take, and I'm sure it will
Be as fair and equitable as possible. This is a wait and see situation.

I see lots of good credit single days going forward, suits me fine I'll leave the multi days
For others

Im sorry but this sticks in my throat. "Its up to managment"????? Do you not have a vested interest in this???? Are you so fat dumb and happy youll take whatever???? Are you so dumb that you cant bring any insights to the table????
Get in there man, work something out! Management doesmt have to do shitty pairings, managment doesnt have to move agaist theirs or their families wishes, mamagement wont have to actually live the results of decisions, so dont let THEM "see which direction this goes".

[Lateralus]

There are no bones to throw - honestly you now know as much as us.
This is now up to our Managment to see which direction this will take, and I'm sure it will
Be as fair and equitable as possible. This is a wait and see situation.

I see lots of good credit single days going forward, suits me fine I'll leave the multi days
For others

Im sorry but this sticks in my throat. "Its up to managment"????? Do you not have a vested interest in this???? Are you so fat dumb and happy youll take whatever???? Are you so dumb that you cant bring any insights to the table????
Get in there man, work something out! Management doesmt have to do shitty pairings, managment doesnt have to move agaist theirs or their families wishes, mamagement wont have to actually live the results of decisions, so dont let THEM "see which direction this goes".

Probably calling a guy dumb, one of your co-workers I might add is probably not going to help the productivity of this discussion.

I have to ask what has management done to you or the pilot group that makes you so paranoid that they are out to screw you? When I fly the line 95% of the guys are happy and love their jobs. I have to say coming from my old shop it was quite a shock.

Of course the pilot group can't just roll over and take it, I agree everyone should voice their opinions and come up with some good ideas like they have been on the WJPA site. Maybe KAG is one of those guys on the WJPA site that came up with an idea, instead of only ranting about how management is pulling a fast one on us with our agreement (which is ridiculous).

Dude the scope of this thing is huge, it is going to be complex, and its a fact not everyone is going to be happy with it right now. But the big picture man, down the road we will all hopefully end up where we want to be.

Maybe I am too naive and optimistic, I forget sometimes that I am a pilot and have to be pissed off, paranoid, and never happy. Silly me.

[Mig29]

Why all the interst here mig? I don’t see you commenting on what your shop is up to. Just curious because you certainly comment a lot on WJ and well; just about everything else or is it perfect where you are? Just askin’ I guess a separate thread might be in order too btw I never asked how you were doing.
I agree, The planners have run models and there are multi days and lots of singles like KAG said. In fact the best, most efficient flying is out of YYZ.

Why not? Is this a private WJ forum may I ask?????

If it is then someone better put a password on it. You are more then welcomed to visit other forums as well, ok?

And to be truthful, I really got nothing against WJ, but I do have a comment or two in regards to your pathetic Encore division.

Have a great Easter weekend

[7thirtyseven]

Laterus I never called him dumb, he is infact quite a smart well rounded individual. The question posed is done in a way to highlight his withdrawl of envolvement in the next phase.
You seem to think Westjet is "great" but what you are missing is a key piece, It was some hard working pilots that made it great for pilots, management had the skill to listen and use that hard work. Things have shifted my friend, and your blissfull disregard of the effort required by PILOTS to make this good, not management, is further proof of how unwestjetty the people who shout "westjetty" really are.
I am definitly NOT paranoid of our management, but surely even youmust realize there are naturally far different pressures on managment types and pilot types. Guess what??? Its the pilot types that have to live with the nittygritty of any decisions, and if I were truly an invested Westjet pilot Id be in there like a dirty shirt.

[wjhr]

I can assure you that this will be worked out very closely with the pilot group; It’s not a shoot from the hip. They will take as long as needed to do this properly. Forced moves are a very last option.

[pelmet]

I can assure you that this will be worked out very closely with the pilot group; It’s not a shoot from the hip. They will take as long as needed to do this properly. Forced moves are a very last option.

I'm sure there will be no forced moves as you can already live where you want. But what about forced commuting for Calgary guys.

[wjhr]

I wouldn’t sweat it. It’s not going to happen overnight anyway. We’ve changed a lot in 17 years, we will change a lot more going forward too! It’s a guarantee!

[KAG]

There is no point in getting wound up (yet) untill we have some actual facts to digest.
All we know is bases are coming. The idea is out and now it's up to us (the pilots and Managment)
To work together to get this done to mutual satisfaction.
Maybe I'm naive but I still believe we have a say in the direction of our company.
Like all things time will tell. Personally I'm not getting to excited either way till I read more memos.

[7thirtyseven]

There is no point in getting wound up (yet) untill we have some actual facts to digest.
All we know is bases are coming. The idea is out and now it's up to us (the pilots and Managment)
To work together to get this done to mutual satisfaction.
Maybe I'm naive but I still believe we have a say in the direction of our company.
Like all things time will tell. Personally I'm not getting to excited either way till I read more memos.

Ahhh worded much better

[ilovelamp]

Im just curious, how was the pilot group informed of the base announcement? email? I have pilot friends at WJ who havent heard this announcement.

Thanks

[Bede]

An email was sent out to all FA's and pilots.

I am not sure why some people thought a bomb was dropped. How were they supposed to tell everybody? Once all the details were worked out with no input from the pilot group? Registered mail? This will all work out.

[ilovelamp]

An email was sent out to all FA's and pilots.

I am not sure why some people thought a bomb was dropped. How were they supposed to tell everybody? Once all the details were worked out with no input from the pilot group? Registered mail? This will all work out.

An email would suffice just fine.