THE SCOPE OF HYPOCRISY

Since 2015, the amount of misinformation, half-truths, conspiracy theories, and stories about Jewish lasers have definitely been on the rise. This industry is not immune either.

There is a fair amount of misinformation being spread around the industry about pilots and air service. Some are actually saying that it will be fairly easy to go out and find a replacement carrier for the 29 routes SkyWest intends to exit.

The situation is about a lot more than having enough pilots to fly a schedule that a network carrier would prefer. It is also every bit as much about the cost to operate a 50-seat regional jet. If you read our stuff here, you would know that the airplanes used during the Pandemic's recovery have been the large (70-76 seats) regional jets and mainline aircraft not small (50 seats and less) regional jets.

Next week, we will be producing a follow up to our first "Third Rail" paper. The cost of operating the small jet and an eye-opening analysis of the EAS service the government is supporting will be the subjects.

This week our friends at #ALPA went a step too far regarding the SkyWest filing calling the proposed cuts an “egregious miscarriage” of the EAS program. 

DePete topped it off with: “We will remain watchful to ensure that such HYPOCRISY is stamped out and the spirit in which the U.S. government granted the [payroll support] and EAS federal support is respected”.

The hypocrite is #ALPA. ALPA does not give a damn if an EAS market loses service. It is one less scope issue to think about.

By now, the airport community and other stakeholders have learned a lot about scope clauses in mainline pilot contracts. Scope defines the amount, or number and type of aircraft, that can be flown in scheduled service carrying the larger carrier's airline code.

In the mid to late 1990s, the scope language fight between #ALPA and the network carriers was about how many small regional jets could be deployed inside of a respective network. They were competitive weapons for those with relaxed scope clauses relative to other carriers. Then the scope concern turned to the number of large regional jets. And that is where we are.

Ten years ago, when we were talking about a pilot shortage, ALPA's mantra was that pay needed to be increased. That was true. They also promised that the increased pay would fix the problem. It has not. But they continue to talk about it today as if it is the only prescription.

ALPA was successful in increasing pay for regional pilots. Now the problem is that those increases in wages, combined with the price of jet fuel, the spike in maintenance costs, and the other fixed costs that increase as demand is less - makes the 50-seat jet uneconomic to fly for most everyone.

For those being promised that replacement service can be easily found, be careful. The math does not work for all seeking small jet service.

#swelbar