THE PILOTS OFA L PA 2 012 or decades, Piedmont Although Piedmont is not and outbound flights from Airlines was in a class in a growth phase, this attri- gates at LaGuardia Airport. Fof its own among tion has forced the company In return, Delta would give airlines. As the successor to to seek out new pilots. Many to US Airways 42 daily slots Allegheny Airlines and one of the new Piedmont hires at Reagan National Airport, of the oldest airlines in the are newer pilots—recent as well as some international United States, Piedmont college or flight school gradu- flying rights. Piedmont pilots ates. Piedmont is expected were stunned at the news, to hold new-hire classes well as this move eliminated the into 2012, until all the avail- flying the group performed Piedmont able pilot positions are filled. for US Airways out of New However, with continued at- York. The final closure leaves Fighting a War has a rich history and an trition, it may be a constant Piedmont with five bases at important place in the airline hiring process. much smaller airports in the Of Attrition industry. Now that legacy is “We’re seeing many new mid-Atlantic states: Roanoke, By Jen lofquist, ALPA being threatened—not by job faces on our property, and Va.; Salisbury, Md.; New Bern, Senior Communications loss, but by a large number that should continue through- N.C.; Charlottesville, Va.; and Specialist of pilots leaving the airline out the next year,” comments Harrisburg, Pa. for bluer skies. Pilot attrition, Freedman. “So the challenge “We knew that when which began in 2010, contin- is to bring them up to speed this deal went through, we ued throughout 2011, with not only regarding Piedmont wouldn’t have our base at many pilots opting to get new Airlines, but also regarding LaGuardia anymore,” remem- jobs elsewhere. how ALPA works.” bers Freedman. “And the two “We are still a very senior Currently, the pilots are years that we waited for it pilot group, with some 25- focusing on negotiating to go through made it that year pilots in the captain’s a contract that seems no much worse. Instead of just seat. This is an unusual nearer than it did a year hearing the news, and going situation for a relatively small ago. In May 2009, the pilot on from there, our future fee-for-departure airline,” group began bargaining for a hinged on approvals and says Capt. Bruce Freedman, contract, working with pilots negotiations that were com- the pilot group’s Master from other fee-for-departure pletely out of our control.” Executive Council (MEC) airlines to reduce manage- In addition to the chal- chairman. “Fee-for-departure ment’s attempts to whipsaw lenges of attrition, conten- OMMONS airlines are usually home to one pilot group against tious negotiations, and a base C younger pilots, but Piedmont another. closure, the pilots are also IKIPEDIA W was the exception. We take In April 2010, the pilots facing the specter of an aging A US Airways Express great pride in our experi- applied to the National fleet. Piedmont flies only Dash 8 at Albany enced pilot group, but now Mediations Board (NMB) for Dash 8 turboprops. At a time International Airport. many of those pilots are mediation, and in August, when many fee-for-departure deciding to leave.” the company and pilots airlines are moving away In 2010, the company began meeting with an NMB- from 50-seaters to larger offered senior pilots early appointed mediator. The aircraft, the Dash 8, although retirement. Many with the negotiations team currently extremely fuel efficient, has lowest seniority numbers meets with the company only 50 passengers seats. opted to take the pack- often—and still with a media- “We’ve got a lot of speed age and start new careers tor—but little progress has bumps in the road ahead of elsewhere or simply leave been made. us,” Freedman says. “But we the airline piloting profes- In August 2011, the pilot can’t let these speed bumps sion altogether. Since then, group took another hit when become roadblocks. As a pilot however, many more pilots its base at LaGuardia was group, we have been mem- PDT at a Glance than expected have chosen officially closed, a result of a bers of ALPA for more than n Pilots joined ALPA: 1952 not to remain with the controversial swap of slots be- half a century. During that n Number of pilots: 377 airline. And the ones leaving tween Delta and US Airways, time, Piedmont pilots have n Headquarters: Salisbury, Md. Piedmont aren’t just the the owner of Piedmont faced some tough times and n Pilot domiciles: New Bern, N.C.; senior pilots. Those resigning Airlines. In 2009, US Airways have come out on the other Charlottesville, Va.; Roanoke, Va.; Harrisburg, Pa.; Salisbury, Md. are distributed throughout agreed to trade to Delta side. There is every reason to n Fleet: 44 DHC-8s the seniority list. 125 daily pairs of inbound believe we will do it again.” 48 Air Line Pilot January/February 2012 .