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StumbleuponWilmington pilots who lose jobs will face tough market
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Pilots at the DHL air freight hub and ABX airline in Wilmington speculate they'll be working at retail stores after the hub switches to UPS. 'It's a terrible job market for pilots right now,' said Patrick Walsh, chairman of the ASTAR pilots' chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association.WILMINGTON — More than 1,100 pilots who fly U.S. express packages from Wilmington face a grim job market if they lose their positions as an expected result of DHL's planned switch of the work to United Parcel Service.
Joe Teuchert flies for ASTAR Air Cargo which, along with ABX Air, flies cargo nationwide from DHL's Wilmington freight hub.
Asked where his next job would be if DHL takes away ASTAR's work, he said: "Home Depot. Wal-Mart. I'd be saying, 'welcome to Wal-Mart.' Everyone is laying off pilots."
Airlines including ATA and Skybus have shut down in recent months because of record-high fuel prices and the slow economy. Major carriers including Continental and United have announced plans to park planes, cut back on routes and lay off hundreds of employees, including 950 pilots alone at United.
"There are very few prospects," said Patrick Walsh, chairman of the ASTAR pilots' chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association. "It's a terrible job market for pilots right now."
Senior captains who leave an airline must typically start all over again as first or second officers at another carrier, going from salaries of $150,000 to $170,000 down to approximately $30,000, Walsh said.
Air Transport Services Group Inc., which owns ABX Air, is developing its business that provides overseas customers with cargo and related services. The company also said it is exploring options to deploy some of its DHL aircraft with other customers, which could create opportunities for pilots.
Pilots who lose their jobs with commercial or cargo airlines could pursue jobs flying business aircraft to transport executives, but those jobs would likely pay less, said Richard Gritta, a University of Portland finance professor who specializes in aviation industry economics. Pilots could also relocate to developing countries where there are pilot shortages, but would have to contend with cultural and language issues.
Otherwise, displaced pilots are faced with starting new careers, Gritta said.
Teuchert, 46, said he has flown for DHL 15 years, relocating from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in recent years when DHL consolidated its freight hub at Wilmington.
He commutes from Moores Hill, Ind., but he and his wife recently bought four acres in Wilmington, hoping to build a home there. That was before DHL's May 28 announcement that it would cut costs in the United States by hiring UPS, within three months, to replace ASTAR and ABX Air as its domestic air cargo carriers.
"There's no reason for us to come here," Teuchert said.
He and others attended a save-the-jobs community meeting last week in Wilmington, wearing T-shirts trimmed in yellow and red — the same colors DHL uses in its corporate logo.
John Graber, ABX Air's president who formerly flew for Pan American, TWA and ATA, said ABX Air has been trying to get an audience with DHL's owner, the German postal agency Deutsche Post, to offer a cost-cutting plan that could compete with UPS' offer. Deutsche Post isn't listening, he said.
DHL said its restructuring to cut costs is essential to continuing to operate in the United States as part of its global network, and that it is aware of the economic impact that it will have in the DHL-dependent Wilmington area.
"No one at DHL took this action lightly," DHL said. "This will help ensure continued employment for tens of thousands of people across the country."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
