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[Paphitis]

Lets hope for your sake Paphitis that the coronavirus problem ends soon and not become another 737 MAX situation where the end of the problem is pushed back and back and back to no end in sight. Hope all works out for you in the end.

Oh btw, if this Caronavirus really takes off like the experts at WHO are warning it might, then I think we all have much bigger problems.

personally, i still consider Caronavirus nothing more than a common flu. But what would I know about infectious disease?

I hope it all turns out to be a massive over reaction and they get on top of it so people don't lose their lives more than anything. Hopefully they contain it or fine a vaccine.

Markets are definitely spooked by it. World Health Organization seemed go be spooked as well. I suppose they are looking at the possible potential for it to uncontrollably spread and infect millions of people which would most certainly be a terrible catastrophe for the world.

[Kikapu]

Paphitis,

Here is what I think for what it's worth.

If you can delay your job enrollment in the US and resignation in Australia by few months, it may serve you well. Once you go for your USA immigration interview and you have been approved for your visa, if I'm not mistaken, you will have just 4 months to make the move to the USA or else the visa becomes void.

You should ask at the immigration interview whether your visa remains valid for USA if you should be furloughed by the airline, especially before you even start flying, despite showing employed on the books, because being furloughed means you are laid off temporarily with no income or benefits, but not fired. This may be a concern to immigration if you and your family are going to become "needy" on the state to survive. Also, you most likely will not have the company medical coverage for the whole family while being furloughed, so be prepared to buy private health insurance. In all honesty, if you have the opportunity to delay your move in one way or the other, it might be a good thing. It may be that the airline company in the USA may delay hiring you themselves, but hopefully before you give your resignation in Australia.

At the moment, there are no good news coming out of the airline industry. Good luck!

[Paphitis]

Paphitis,

Here is what I think for what it's worth.

If you can delay your job enrollment in the US and resignation in Australia by few months, it may serve you well. Once you go for your USA immigration interview and you have been approved for your visa, if I'm not mistaken, you will have just 4 months to make the move to the USA or else the visa becomes void.

You should ask at the immigration interview whether your visa remains valid for USA if you should be furloughed by the airline, especially before you even start flying, despite showing employed on the books, because being furloughed means you are laid off temporarily with no income or benefits, but not fired. This may be a concern to immigration if you and your family are going to become "needy" on the state to survive. Also, you most likely will not have the company medical coverage for the whole family while being furloughed, so be prepared to buy private health insurance. In all honesty, if you have the opportunity to delay your move in one way or the other, it might be a good thing. It may be that the airline company in the USA may delay hiring you themselves, but hopefully before you give your resignation in Australia.

At the moment, there are no good news coming out of the airline industry. Good luck!

Immigration is continuing to proceed at the airline's request so I think they have every intention of employing all of us.

The 23 currently on property have apparently only had their course delayed. They are in a bit of limbo as we speak but are on property. I guess they are deciding what they are going to do.

They could decide to press ahead with the courses and place those pilots on the reserve list. They could be furloughed and be placed on leave, and they could proceed with CRJ endorsements and have placements for everyone at United Express.

See what happens.

In any case, I am still in Australia, still have a job and am just doing what I am told. Surely they won't fly us in to USA unless they got their ducks in a row. They are continuing to issue us paperwork and contracts.

I just got their SOP Manual and memory Items which is a secure and controlled document.

They have got International Flights by 20% and Domestic Flights by 10%

But they are not really cancellations. Most flights have gone from mainline to United Express, which results in a massive shortage at United Express. So it will be interesting to see what they do. So there is a reduction at United but major increases in flights at United Express as mainline are cutting capacity on some routes to the smaller CRJ Fleet at United Express.

That's what was told to me.

Right now their immediate concern is for the 23 pilots currently in USA. All these guys would have left jobs. Some are from Australia and Canada.

[Paphitis]

All flights to China have been suspended, and flights to Italy, Japan, Korea have been slashed so there are big problems now at all both AA and UA.

And ticket sales have been reduced because the public is spooked and don't want to travel as much. And it looks like its going to hit profits and if it continues they could lose money. But the problems in USA are nowhere near as bad as airlines in Asia. Chinese Airlines are almost on the cliff edge and if it continues they could go bankrupt. Problems also at cathay Pacific, Emirates, Dragonair, Korean, Alitalia and so on. Even Singapore Airlines and QANTAS. It's not looking very good Kikapu.

But situation in USA with regard to caronavirus isn't dire but as we have seen in Italy, all you need is a couple of hundred cases and a week later have 10000 people infected and a week after that, 100,000 people infected with up to 10000 dead people.

China Southern has almost been grounded with major cities in China in lock down. Manufacturing and Industry in China is basically also closed down and they could have a credit crunch like Greece did if it continues. Looks like Caronavirus is getting quite serious. If China goes under, then there are likely to be flow on affects for EU, North America and Australia.

But they are hoping its all temporary. The Americans should have enough money to pull through, but some big companies in China may not pull through at all.

[Paphitis]

In Australia, they have detected a case of Caronavirus in the school system. That school has been shut down, and all children are receiving medical attention and monitoring because it takes 14 days for the disease to incubate in your system.

So every country is getting exposed to this, and it's only a matter of time before it hits every country.

[Kikapu]

It used to be that regional airlines for major airlines were on a different contract for pay and benefits than the majors themselves. If so, all the new pilots initially whom were to fly for the majors but end up at the regional lines, would effect their pay and benefits.

[Paphitis]

It used to be that regional airlines for major airlines were on a different contract for pay and benefits than the majors themselves. If so, all the new pilots initially whom were to fly for the majors but end up at the regional lines, would effect their pay and benefits.

Still is the case.

What you have is the mainline operators like UA, AA and Delta and all 3 have their regional arms such as United Express.

Multiple operators like Skywest and others operating under the United Express brand with aircraft owned by UA and pilots on the seniority list for mainline, but on different contracts. The pay is lower.

Which is one of the issues they will need to grapple with. If they change our contracts, a lot of pilots will pull out. Or they could decide to pay us mainline rates since that is where we will end up anyway. Wait and see...

The bonuses will remain intact apparently and be locked in either way.

[Kikapu]

It used to be that regional airlines for major airlines were on a different contract for pay and benefits than the majors themselves. If so, all the new pilots initially whom were to fly for the majors but end up at the regional lines, would effect their pay and benefits.

Still is the case.

What you have is the mainline operators like UA, AA and Delta and all 3 have their regional arms such as United Express.

Multiple operators like Skywest and others operating under the United Express brand with aircraft owned by UA and pilots on the seniority list for mainline, but on different contracts. The pay is lower.

Which is one of the issues they will need to grapple with. If they change our contracts, a lot of pilots will pull out. Or they could decide to pay us mainline rates since that is where we will end up anyway. Wait and see...

The bonuses will remain intact apparently and be locked in either way.

Not to mention the regional pilots work like dogs at any given days with multiple landings/take offs which would be at least twice as much as the pilots at majors.

[Paphitis]

It used to be that regional airlines for major airlines were on a different contract for pay and benefits than the majors themselves. If so, all the new pilots initially whom were to fly for the majors but end up at the regional lines, would effect their pay and benefits.

Still is the case.

What you have is the mainline operators like UA, AA and Delta and all 3 have their regional arms such as United Express.

Multiple operators like Skywest and others operating under the United Express brand with aircraft owned by UA and pilots on the seniority list for mainline, but on different contracts. The pay is lower.

Which is one of the issues they will need to grapple with. If they change our contracts, a lot of pilots will pull out. Or they could decide to pay us mainline rates since that is where we will end up anyway. Wait and see...

The bonuses will remain intact apparently and be locked in either way.

Not to mention the regional pilots work like dogs at any given days with multiple landings/take offs which would be at least twice as much as the pilots at majors.

That's across the board.

The average is about 80 to 85 hours of flying across the entire network. 4 to 5 sectors some days except when you go coast to coast. B737 mainline and even B757, B767 and A330 is the same.

You might fly less on long haul but you got Trans Atlantic and Trans pacific time zones changes.

It's hard but not exactly hard work. The CRJ Fleet is a highly automated aircraft similar to the A320. The only time you get to fly is in an emergency after phase 2 checks.

[Kikapu]

It used to be that regional airlines for major airlines were on a different contract for pay and benefits than the majors themselves. If so, all the new pilots initially whom were to fly for the majors but end up at the regional lines, would effect their pay and benefits.

Still is the case.

What you have is the mainline operators like UA, AA and Delta and all 3 have their regional arms such as United Express.

Multiple operators like Skywest and others operating under the United Express brand with aircraft owned by UA and pilots on the seniority list for mainline, but on different contracts. The pay is lower.

Which is one of the issues they will need to grapple with. If they change our contracts, a lot of pilots will pull out. Or they could decide to pay us mainline rates since that is where we will end up anyway. Wait and see...

The bonuses will remain intact apparently and be locked in either way.

Not to mention the regional pilots work like dogs at any given days with multiple landings/take offs which would be at least twice as much as the pilots at majors.

That's across the board.

The average is about 80 to 85 hours of flying across the entire network. 4 to 5 sectors some days except when you go coast to coast. B737 mainline and even B757, B767 and A330 is the same.

You might fly less on long haul but you got Trans Atlantic and Trans pacific time zones changes.

It's hard but not exactly hard work. The CRJ Fleet is a highly automated aircraft similar to the A320. The only time you get to fly is in an emergency after phase 2 checks.

Except that regional flights are relatively short, which increases their landing/take off rate than longer haul flights within the USA.