Bob,
Are you sure you didn't get "recruited" by the management team at Roachfest?
If you think we wouldn't be exactly where we are today irregardless of an agreement between the pilots and the company, just consider these numbers from the BK filings:
Sept 10, 04 - $750 million is unrestricted cash (ATSB requires $725 million)
Sept 15, 04 - $110 million DB pension payment due (no IRS waiver)
Early-Mid Sept, 04 - Approx $7-8 million due to pilot's DC plan ($19 million total for months of July, Aug, and Sept 1-10 to be paid in Sept, Oct, & Nov)
Little immediate savings from ALPA settlement since pay/benefits lag actual work done - changes to pay, DC plan contributions, medical, vacation, etc would not kick in for at least a month. Any furloughs would increase short-term expenditures (furlough pay, training)
No agreements near conclusion with other unions.
So explain how U had any choice but to file BK, regardless of having an agreement with ALPA or not.
Jim
ps - ok, the ATSB could have agreed to the lower cash limit outside BK - $585 million by Oct 14. That leaves $165 million unrestricted cash available to spend. Less $110 million DB pension paymen & $19 million DC payment leaves $36 million. Less cash burn (reportedly $1-3 million a day by the media, so be optimistic and call it $1 million a day) of $30 million leaving $6 million.