American Airline’s regional carrier American Eagle wants to shed their senior pilots in place for new lower paid pilots. American Eagle recently launched an unusual program that helps senior pilots find jobs at other carriers all while the company plans to hire several hundred new pilots this year.
"The average longevity of Eagle pilots is a lot higher than most of our competitors, because we've been keeping all of our senior pilots," said Dave Ryter, a pilot and spokesman for the Eagle chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association.
After the airlines furloughed thousands of pilots years ago, everyone stopped moving up to the mainline fleets from the regional carriers. This forced the regional carriers to adjust their models to start paying hire salaries.
American Eagle is continuing to have issues because American still has 2,000 pilots on furlough. This is a large number to go through before many Eagle pilots can move up to the mainline fleet.
The voluntary "pilot placement program," which began in June, offers to help pilots with the extensive paperwork required to apply for jobs at other carriers. The program also works with pilots to identify potential new employers, provides letters of recommendation and allows time off for job interviews.
The union is cautiously optimistic about the program, because it could provide some career opportunities for Eagle pilots. And they warned that the airline must handle it diplomatically, and provide enough resources to make a difference.
AJC.com
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