Southern Air

[Fr8Dude]

Anyone Know whats going on over at Southern Air?:8 Got Furloughed I need a Job.

[layinlow]

Read this on another post. Maybe it will answer your question.

From: Brian Neff
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2009 3:11:33 PM
To: CaptainsAndFirstOfficers; FlightEngineers
Cc: Tom Gillies; David Thiel; Gary Walsh; Jim Walsh; Judy Ackley;
Dan McCauley; Jim Neff
Subject: Crew Announcement
Auto forwarded by a Rule
To all crewmembers:

Over the past three months, it has become apparent that the recovery we all hope for is not going to begin prior to the second half of this year. As all of you are aware, our industry in particular has gotten hammere d by the current recession. Every one of us has done a great job surviving this period, even as we have watched all of our competitors either go out of business or drastically reduce their workforces. We really are the “last man standing.” We had hoped that this strategy would allow us to take advantage of an early recovery in the beginning of 2009, but this is not the case, and we have seen month after month in 2009 of hugely negative cash flows. The flying is just not there right now, and we don’t see it coming back in the next few months at least.

The result is not good news. We are going to have to furlough approximately 25 crews, strictly based on seniority per our contract. We have never, ever been the type of airline that viewed crews as a variable cost, to be hired and fired for peak seasons only. This is a very different case, and the company’s entire livelihood is at stake. We cannot continue to lose money waiting for business to return in this, the worst ever economic environment for our industry. Doing so would jeopardize the ongoing operations of the entire entity.

To those of you who will be furloughed, I tell you that Southern will be the first airline to build up its fleet again out of all of our competitors, just as we were the last ones to have to make this choice. It is my plan and hope now that this decision will be short-lived, and by the fall we will be back on our feet again and will be in a position to hire you back. To those of you who remain, please work with us to continue to give our customers great service so that when the recovery comes we will be front and center for any growth needs that they may have.

This is a tough day and a tough email to write, but please trust that we are doing everything we can to fight for the continued success of the company..

Best regards,

[Podunk]

Fr8Dude:

Were you perchance furloughed by Air Atlanta Icelandic?

[captjns]

Is Klein still the chief pilot?

[klipper11]

Yes he is still the Chief.

[PCLCREW]

Sounds like the olde seasonal summer furloughs have come back to freight... lovely. I bet by Oct Southern not only calls them all back, but is running new hire classes.

But then again, who knows... and Im nobody!