Any news on the recall of Air Transats FA's and Pilots?

[DGuy]

Is there any recent news on the possible recal of Air Transats layed-off FA's and Pilots? How many of each, and when? I suppose the leased A330's should be returning soon since the 2012 Hajj is finished.

[Scuba_Steve]

Have not heard a peep, I doubt there will be anything more than some seasonal recalls for next spring...

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Some F/A are recalled for December (they were included in the question).

[TopperHarley]

Pilots probably won't be recalled to spring & summer once the flying picks up again. If people quit or take LOAs, there could be recalls. I think there were around 25 FAs recalled in YYZ for December.

[JTF01]

Pilots probably won't be recalled to spring & summer once the flying picks up again. If people quit or take LOAs, there could be recalls. I think there were around 25 FAs recalled in YYZ for December.

What is the Transat fleet plan going forward?

Reason I ask is because from what I have read, the reason for the layoffs is because you guys are getting rid of 3 Airbus 310s, and focusing on the A330s plus a few A310s that remain.

Would TS ever start operating a B737/A320, or would they always contract it out to CanJet?

jtf

[TopperHarley]

Nobody really knows what's going to happen. But seeing how Canjet is hiring permanent pilots now, I don't see us taking on the 737s. Most A310s will eventually be phased out and replaced with something else I'd imagine.

[DGuy]

Is there any more news as to when all flight crew (pilots and f/a's) Will be recalled, Or will there be further layoffs to come. How will Rouge be affecting Air Transat?

[Gilles Hudicourt]

The contract between Transat and Canjet ends in May 2014.

That brings a lot of questions :

1) Since the bulk of Canjet flights are on behalf of Transat AT, what happens to Canjet if Transat does not renew ?
1a) Do they become a competitor like Westjet did when Transat ended that contract ?
1b) Will they be purchased by a competitor ?
1c) Will they begin flying on behalf of a competitor like they presently do for Transat ?
1d) Will Transat buy them out ?
1e) Will they just close shop and send everyone home ?


2) If Transat does not renew, what will they do instead ?
2a) Buy Canjet as in 1d above
2b) Operate its own 737s
2c) Sign a contract with a third company

Transat has no problems operating a large number of wide bodies in the summer and any number of narrow bodies in the winter. The problem is what to do with those aircraft in the off season.

As for what Air Transat will do in the spring, my guess is that a lot depends on how it passes the winter. Since Transat clearly demonstrated last year it can operate a large number of wide body aircraft profitably in the summer, any restraint they will have in increasing their fleet next summer will be caused by them being unable to sustain that same number of aircraft in the winter. So my guess is that if we make money or at least not lose any this winter, we will expand and recall. If we lose tons of money, we will shrink to a size we can live with next winter.......

With just 2 wide-bodies announced next summer, Rouge is not yet a source of concern to Transat for 2013.

[DGuy]

I suppose that this seasonal employment modus operantis results in a high turnover in staff , especially f/a's as many of them might have found other employment. I am sure only those with high seniority are able enjoying year round employment.
Same must be true for pilots, since A330 rated pilots are in high demand worldwide.
I find it difficult to believe that the Canadian market can only sustain 2 wide body (etops) operators, of which one is mainly a charter operation.
I hope 2013 will be good year for Canadian aviation,and for a speedy recall for those layed off.

[OceanGal]

@

[flyincanuck]

I hope the recalls come sooner than later...many friends on furlough right now.

Canada certainly supports more than one (or two) etops operators.

A few off the top of my mind: Air France, Qatar, Emirates, Ethiad, Gulf, Sunwing, JAL, Cathay, Thai, Ethiopian, KLM, LOT, Svit, BA, Icelandair, etc etc etc

[andy_mtl]

Gilles,

From my modest opinion on the matter.

Yes the contract is coming to the end and yet no official word on wether or not is extended and if so by how long on what conditions, however the recent Enerjet-Transat contract that started dec 23 to end april 28 gets me thinking that maybe people at Transat AT may be exploring other options.


Andy

[ahramin]

Man (to woman seated next to him at an elegant dinner party): If a man gave you a diamond necklace would you sleep with him?
Woman (simpering): Oh I think so.
Man: How about doing it for fifty dollars?
Woman (indignant): Why, what do you think I am?
Man: That’s already been established. Now we’re just haggling about the price.

Face it, Transat is in bed with Canjet for the long term. That's not going to change. The only thing under discussion is the continuing price, and any feelers in any direction away from Canjet are part of the haggling, nothing more.

Canjet's days of being a total operations disaster are in the past, and the current service disaster will be solved by going to ACMI. Say what you want about their management, Transat isn't stupid enough to start all over with another operator like Enerjet and repeating the same mistake as when they went with Canjet. The only other possibility is taking the narrow body flying in house, and before that happens you're going to have to see the BOD replaced and the finances solidly in the black.

My opinion and while I may be wrong, I'm not uncertain. Canjet is solid until at least 2018.

[Takeoff OK]

Face it, Transat is in bed with Canjet for the long term. That's not going to change. The only thing under discussion is the continuing price, and any feelers in any direction away from Canjet are part of the haggling, nothing more.

Canjet's days of being a total operations disaster are in the past, and the current service disaster will be solved by going to ACMI. Say what you want about their management, Transat isn't stupid enough to start all over with another operator like Enerjet and repeating the same mistake as when they went with Canjet. The only other possibility is taking the narrow body flying in house, and before that happens you're going to have to see the BOD replaced and the finances solidly in the black.

My opinion and while I may be wrong, I'm not uncertain. Canjet is solid until at least 2018.

I think, for the most part, you are probably spot on.

[Jean-Luc Monette]

Face it, Transat is in bed with Canjet for the long term. That's not going to change. The only thing under discussion is the continuing price, and any feelers in any direction away from Canjet are part of the haggling, nothing more.

Canjet's days of being a total operations disaster are in the past, and the current service disaster will be solved by going to ACMI. Say what you want about their management, Transat isn't stupid enough to start all over with another operator like Enerjet and repeating the same mistake as when they went with Canjet. The only other possibility is taking the narrow body flying in house, and before that happens you're going to have to see the BOD replaced and the finances solidly in the black.

My opinion and while I may be wrong, I'm not uncertain. Canjet is solid until at least 2018.

I think, for the most part, you are probably spot on.

As much as I'd like to be of the same opinion, or not, nothing is as uncertain as the future of a charter company (5-year plan you say?)...

[Takeoff OK]

As much as I'd like to be of the same opinion, or not, nothing is as uncertain as the future of a charter company (5-year plan you say?)...

True, but some probabilities are more likely than others.

[DeltaHotel]

I'm also fairly convinced the Canjet contract will be renewed. Althought I'm not thrilled about it, maybe that's what it takes for Transat to become profitable again, enough to start expanding again so my collegues can be called back.

They are talking about phazing out the 310s but they are also upgrading the cabin in 5 of them... In the president's meeting this fall, Mr Graham and Mr Turner said we could see the fleet downsized to 17 aircraft, down from 20 or 21 aircraft right now. If that's the case, it means no recalls/more layoffs. I hope this is really the worst case scenario. I hate seeing fleet reduction especially when loads arent the problem ....

I try to be optomistic, but I can tell you that right now at Air Transat, the moral isn't pretty. This is all everybody talks about. It does take it's toll.

[DGuy]

Canada certainly supports more than one (or two) etops operators.

A few off the top of my mind: Air France, Qatar, Emirates, Ethiad, Gulf, Sunwing, JAL, Cathay, Thai, Ethiopian, KLM, LOT, Svit, BA, Icelandair, etc etc etc


That was precisely my point. The business is there, those foreign operators have all good load factors out of Canada... Yet only one Canadian operator, with a large narrow body fleet vs. wide body long haul fleet.
Quite a few of above mentioned airlines are based in countries far smaller than Canada with a smaller population base. Some of them have the advantage of being based at well thought of airports which are accessible for destination traffic as well a nice place to spend some time in case of transfer traffic (SIN, DXB, AMS,...). YYZ could have been one of them as well with the right vision. And long term vision seems to be lacking, quick wins seem to be more important, resulting in unstable employment opportunities. Which might be acceptable being single, but as a family a secure and stable income become more important.
A lot of well qualified Canadian pilots can be found employed by foreign airlines, earning decent wages and receiving the respect they deserve. Some of those airlines are serving Canadian destinations.
Let me assure You that there are more Canadians flying for large foreign operators than there are Foreigners flying for Canadian operators.

If you look back to the 70's, early 80's Canada's airline scene ( CP, Nordair, PW, Quebecair,...) looked quite different. Communities now served by small metro liners then enjoyed jet service.

[ahramin]

Isn't Westjet ETOPS?

[DeltaHotel]

Meetings are set up at Air Transat next week in YUL, YYZ and YVR.

Hopefully, we will know more as of the 16th (first meeting). Certainly feels like a decesion has been made.
The meeting title on the memo is called ''réunion petits porteurs''