Friday, May 1, 2020

Remember when we used to fly airplanes? Yeah...me too

It's May! The last time I flew an airplane was April 9th. One leg from Pittsburgh.

Over the last 3 weeks I did have vacation, but I was also on call for 9 days....and never was called. I've never been home this long outside of training in over 12 years. I've grown my quarantine beard.



Being home as helped my family. My wife has worked from home for 3 years. With 2 kids, one being school aged, also at home due to the Corona it's been hard. If I had been working my wife would have a heck of a time doing her job and keeping track of a 3 year old and 9 year old. The 9 year old is pretty self sufficient, but the 3 year old is not.

That being said....I want to fly. I was hoping to be called at least once during my recent 5 day on call stint. Nothing. Due to contractual rules I couldn't even volunteer to fly.

So the elephant in the room....will I keep my job? No one really knows. Well I guess some CEO has an idea. As I'm number 13495 out of about 16200. I am lucky that I got hired out of flow as I would be about 14161....about 600 numbers. Maybe it will help...maybe not. If things get worse and furlough starts....it will help.

Traditional furlough is like a game of musical chairs. The airline announces how many chairs are available. Pilots start picking chairs in seniority. When the music stops if you don't have a chair....well...you are furloughed. This will take time as if the senior pilots need training they will keep the junior pilot around until THEIR replacement has been trained.

For me....if they furlough 2500 pilots and things are optimal...and they train 100 pilots a month (very optimistic) then it would take 2 years to get to me. That's traditional furlough.

As things improve international travel will take the longest to return. Airlines could pull a rabbit out of their hat and use Force Majeure and furlough out of seniority to save money. Lawsuits would occur and eventually airlines would have to pay....but it would save them money. Will they do it? No idea...I didn't go to Harvard.

For the time being I'll keep growing my beard and being Mr. Mom.