Furloughed Employees

No. Plain and simple. They don't deserve the hardworking people they had.

Avantair has been the best and worst job I have ever held. Worst because of the silliness we saw coming from the top. Much of that was filtered through the OCC which is why I think we see so much animosity between some from the OCC and the pilot group. We were frequently asked by OCC to do things that could not reasonably, and occasionally should not have been done.

THis is not because the OCC folks are bad people. It is because we all collectively suffer from a desire to get the job done for our customers. I seriously struggled with grounding an airplane from time to time because I knew the burden this placed on fellow crews, OCC staff, and our owners.

For me to come back a few things will have to happen first. Santo and McKamey have to go, along with some of the folks pushing the OCC people to make bad schedules.

Second the culture of Avantair has to change. For too long it has been get the job done and worry about regs later. Not that anyone wanted to break rules, just that the pressure to get the job done may have clouded judgement from time to time. That culture would have to be different.

Thirdly, as a pilot I would want ahrd and fast rules, not just for my benefit but for that of the OCC staff and again our customers. When we schedule right up to the FARs it means that any delay or issue runs us either contrary to those rules or into gray areas nobody wants to be in. When my work day is scheduled in a way that just getting a sandwich causes a sever delay, its too tight. So how about 1 hour turns, with at least a 90 minute turn halfway through the day. Yes, I could eat a sandwich in the cockpit but frankly, I don't ask others to forego a real lunch break so why should I? More importantly this leaves room for when things go wrong as they frequently do.

Finally, if NewCo succeeds and I get a call to come back I would insist upon two things first. One, that all employees are being recalled in seniority order, regardless of where they live. In the case of NewCo we are looking at an East Coast operation while there are many loyal pilots living on the West Coast. Secondly, every Avantair employee must be made whole in terms of paychecks, per diem payments, and cash spent out of hand, prior to NewCo issuing paychecks. It is not unreasonable for us to expect to be paid. I personally have two weeks pay, a couple weeks of per diem, and a large amount of personal cash yet to be reimbursed.

I hop NewCo/Avantair does come back, better than ever. But, as someone who has worked hard make this place better for myself and my coworkers, it breaks my heart to see what it has become.

First of all i would like to say special thank you to all of our royal owners allow me have food on our table for past 9 blessed years.
Hope wthis newco plan works out For the sake of owners and furlough employees.

In my opinion, owner needs to realize that most of us do not have milion in cash on our account. Understand this is not a easy decision for the owners. Longer we wait less chance of retain good old employees worked for you in the past.

but especially on pilot perspective, once we leave for other job, more than likely we wouldn't be able to back. (Some of them bounded by training contract. Etc...).
Also I would keep eye on where the money goes when newco starts.

Can't and wouldn't say about exec mgt and maintenance (QA and maint record keeping).

But middle mgt (bill chief pilot gari training dir and chip and tom bayer julie os and their subordinate are only reason I might go back.. those are my brother and sisters that I would keep for rest of my life.

Good luck to all of you

If I have not gained employment I will go back. Can we refuse and retain our eligibility for unemployment? The great folks in middle management and below would be the determining factor for my return....I don't think we can start operations again without Roger, Jessica, Chip...the folks who ran operations from day to day. It may sound silly to consider returning, but it's home and the people I worked with are family. I miss them....

Saw a response from the latest AIN article outlining the "Go Forward" plan where someone mentioned management stealing from FLEX spending accounts. That explains a recent letter I received from the bank who managed this account stating that I was overdrawn. I never once used the account and should've had over $3k in there. When I called to inquire I was told my account access had been cancelled. Just another log on the bonfire formerly known as Avantair. My time there is certainly a dark day on my resume. However, I did meet and work with some very fine people who cared about the customers, wouldn't spin the lies following the first stand down and refused to try to sell what we all knew we couldn't deliver. My hopes and prayers are that the 95% of good, honest, professional people from Avantair find jobs quickly. For the other 5%, I hope they get what they deserve.

Are you saying that Avantar management has STOLEN the money in the FSA that came out of YOUR paycheck for covering healthcare expenses?!

I didn't even think that the company could access that. If true, why would ANY employee go back to working for them when they've actually crossed the line to STEALING from employees?!!