Airlines Parking Planes: Anybody Here Losing Their Jobs?

FedEx is flying full planes. All hands on deck time.

 

We're down about 60% on typical traffic at YYZ. One taxiway and one runway allocated to parking thus far.

 

The larger passenger planes are the ones likely to be parked, as regional jets and 737s/A320s will likely be able to handle flights normally used by twin-aisle jets.

As for cargo, I don't think they'll be any reduction at all; in fact they may be busier than usual.

 

Delta/United/etc ALPA would lose it if regional airlines were flying routes once flown by their furloughed pilots. Perhaps someone here knows if their contracts have any language to dissuade this.

I started at a United Express carrier last summer and I’m fully expecting to get furloughed. So far two regionals have announced that they are shutting down, pay cuts have been announced, but no airline has furloughed yet as far as I know, although there is lots of doom and gloom on airlinepilotcentral. Time will tell if my career change was a good idea or not.

The Air Force reserve has stopped all non-mission essential stuff like training locals/missions, sims, and even PT tests. The PT test thing really surprised me because not going overdue on one is literally the air force’s #1 priority, way ahead of actually flying airplanes.

 

They are reducing rather than just daily cancelling starting with the April schedules at all the mainline carriers. That includes mainline and regional schedules wich are combined. I can see an almost complete shutdown for a few weeks if and when the government orders it. The career choice you made would not make a difference as everyone other than cargo pilots, hospitals, grocery stores ect. will be staying home if they do shut everything down.

 

Mostly true, but different industries have different levels of job stability. I’d definitely have a job to go back to if I was still an engineer and although I’m optimistic, I can’t say the same now. I’m happy to have a job at present though, and I really feel bad for the TSA and Compass people who don’t.

 

A good sign. China flight just landed at ORD. Things are getting better in China and I expect things will also get better in the USA in a few weeks. This was a China East 777W passenger flight.

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Daughter works for Qantas. All international flights cancelled, domestic reduced 50%. 2/3 of staff (20000) sent on leave without pay for 2 months (and they have been told to expect 6 to 9 months).

 

Well China started cancelling almost all flights around 2 months ago and are just now starting to come back. I would expect this summer(your winter) will be ruined as the airlines have already planned major reductions no matter what. We will see what happens but they can always add capacity and bring back people early if needed.

 

Ouch!

 

Starting to park a lot of United widebodies at Chicago O'hare, but still a lot of domestic and international flights are operating. Also the cargo flights have increased including from China. China Eastern started passenger flights again to the US from mainland China a few days ago. Had them land and LA, NYC and Chicago already along with two Canadian cities. Not sure what the load factors were on those flights from China. Photo at ORD today.


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Mate, I admire your optimism, I truly do. But remember, your borders are closed to pretty much everywhere like ours are, so any flight with passengers landing will only be repatriation flights or cargo only (which is what Qantas is currently doing). And winter here is traditionally our peak time for travel overseas.

This not only looks grim for aviation but for the local economy - so many small businesses are closed and people out of work - at least my daughter has a job to go back to whenever that is, and I like to think that will be soon but it doesn't look good.

 

Are they reducing capacity on domestic flights so that passengers are sitting at least 6 feet apart, or does that cut capacity to the point where it doesn't even pay to fly?

 

This. In the short term it looks really bad, the only reason the furloughs have not started is the companies are waiting for the Airline part of the big Coronavirus stimulus to pass or not. If it passes, things will be OK till September then all bets are off as I doubt the airline biz will pick up by then. If the airlines don’t get any help, there will be draconian level furloughs immediately following the package getting voted down or the airlines not included in it.

 

No one is flying. Essential travel only. State borders are closing - as of Wednesday if I drive from my home in Queensland to my farm in northern New South Wales I would have to self isolate for 2 weeks. Not a good situation.

 

Business jets are busy. I have a lot of work.