Thu, Mar 03, 2011
Hope New Structure Leads Quickly To A New Contract
Sun Country Airlines has emerged from bankruptcy, a positive
step that the airline’s 162 pilots hope will encourage their
management to a speedy resolution of a new pilot contract.
The announcement that Sun Country has left Chapter 11 is the
latest sign of the airline industry’s improving fortunes,
said Capt. Dennis Vanatta, chairman of the Sun Country Master
Executive Council of the Air Line Pilots Association Int’l
(ALPA). “We’re pleased that our management can now put
its full focus on growing our airline,” said Capt. Dennis
Vanatta. “Getting out of chapter 11 took longer than usual
because of our unique situation, but we hope we are now on the
right path to success.”
Sun Country was forced to declare bankruptcy in late 2008 after
an FBI investigation revealed that majority owner Tom Petters had
stolen billions of dollars from investors of other companies he had
owned and others as well. Pilots and other employees had endured 50
percent pay cuts for a short period to keep the airline from going
out of business.
Petters is now in prison, the employees have been repaid with
interest and the airline is growing. Sun Country has recalled all
its furloughees, is hiring new pilots and won FAA certification
last year to fly overseas, including regularly scheduled service to
Great Britain. The SCA MEC entered contract negotiations almost a
year ago, and Vanatta says management should not forget the
sacrifices employees have made to preserve the airline. “Now
that we’re out of bankruptcy it’s time finalize a new
contract that recognizes and rewards our achievements. We’re
ready to accelerate our efforts to complete that process,”
Vanatta said.
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