House chairman gives 'hell no' vote to Delta merger

[Henderfuzz]

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On one hand, you've got to figure that Anderson/Steenland are VERY familiar with Jim Oberstar.

On the Other hand, I Warned of this(J O) the very day that the first hint of DL/NW surfaced.

And finally, "JO" may very well be the reason that Anderson has UAL at "the ready", if trying to do a deal with BIG RED becomes TOO difficult.

LET the Games BEGIN

And just think most unions and there leadership support guys like this and his party becasue they think there pro worker. Well IMHO there is nothing more pro worker than allowing the airlines to consolidate in oder to improve the balance sheet that will give workers more long term stability.
Oh thats right most unions would rather see reregulation of the industry. Well that wont happen.

 

[RobertD]

So how long should the legacies limp along without combining? They clearly aren't thriving. At some point, the employees will recognize that huge profits = a chance at higher wages, and if huge profits don't return, their chances of recovering what they lost in the first half of this decade will be delayed even longer.

It won't be too long before the financial disaster will have spanned an entire decade. How long should legacy airline employees wait?

I think the airline workers have a false sense of hope when thinking a merger is going to benefit you. No one seems happy in their jobs is it because of pay? All I see is that everyone thinks 2 bankrupt companies merging somehow makes 1 financial power entity.
How is that so?

There will be lose of jobs in some form or another. The belt is still going to have to be tightened so again a false hope in "chances for higher wages." You all are better off hoping for a chance to keep your jobs. I guess "they" (the top dogs) know that if they throw you a few dollars you'll stick around a little longer.

As for your question on How long a legacy airline employee should wait? Well I think that ship has sailed. What used to be will no longer be. It was to be a great ride, but that ride is over. The way it is, is the way it's going to be. Well I guess you get my drift. Airline legacy careers are over.

Well in any event, a half a decade is way too long to have waited already! Get those resumes out there, oh never mind, that ship has sailed also. The economy is going to hell in a hand basket. No one is going to be hiring in a recession.

good luck to all

 

[Travelagent]

I think the airline workers have a false sense of hope when thinking a merger is going to benefit you. No one seems happy in their jobs is it because of pay? All I see is that everyone thinks 2 bankrupt companies merging somehow makes 1 financial power entity.
How is that so?

There will be lose of jobs in some form or another. The belt is still going to have to be tightened so again a false hope in "chances for higher wages." You all are better off hoping for a chance to keep your jobs. I guess "they" (the top dogs) know that if they throw you a few dollars you'll stick around a little longer.

As for your question on How long a legacy airline employee should wait? Well I think that ship has sailed. What used to be will no longer be. It was to be a great ride, but that ride is over. The way it is, is the way it's going to be. Well I guess you get my drift. Airline legacy careers are over.

Well in any event, a half a decade is way too long to have waited already! Get those resumes out there, oh never mind, that ship has sailed also. The economy is going to hell in a hand basket. No one is going to be hiring in a recession.

good luck to all

I have been following both the NW and DL commentaries since the "announcement" and finally read something that makes sense.
Alot of people seem to be beating the union drum but looking at the industry trend over the last 15 years, airline careers are over and will never come back. Every major carrier seems to have outsourced many of their stations to save money. Does everyone really think that when and if the merger happens that the management will all of a sudden say ...hhmmm lets bring back all the old employees and pay them more than the what we are paying to our outsourced stations or take the outsourced station employees and make them XX employees and pay them more. I really don't think paying more is anywhere in this equation. The airlines have saved $$ by outsourcing to their lower cost subsidiaries. This merger will also cost the airlines money if they pull hubs from DTW, MEM, SLC or ??. More than likely more workers will lose their jobs. I don't know how much influence the unions actually have in approving or rejecting any deal, whats to stop the new airline from outsourcing more stations? (I really DONT know how it all works so don't stomp all over me) I have been a travel agent for 17+ years and I too remember the good old days (NYC_LAX last minute ticket for $1700 and the travel agent made $170 for selling it- now we make $0 and have to charge people to issue a ticket) I am afraid the good old days are long gone- we now work in a service industry at service industry wages. Good luck to all.

 

[FWAAA]

I think the airline workers have a false sense of hope when thinking a merger is going to benefit you. No one seems happy in their jobs is it because of pay? All I see is that everyone thinks 2 bankrupt companies merging somehow makes 1 financial power entity.
How is that so?

There will be lose of jobs in some form or another. The belt is still going to have to be tightened so again a false hope in "chances for higher wages." You all are better off hoping for a chance to keep your jobs. I guess "they" (the top dogs) know that if they throw you a few dollars you'll stick around a little longer.

As for your question on How long a legacy airline employee should wait? Well I think that ship has sailed. What used to be will no longer be. It was to be a great ride, but that ride is over. The way it is, is the way it's going to be. Well I guess you get my drift. Airline legacy careers are over.

Well in any event, a half a decade is way too long to have waited already! Get those resumes out there, oh never mind, that ship has sailed also. The economy is going to hell in a hand basket. No one is going to be hiring in a recession.

good luck to all

I don't work for an airline so I'm not suffering the way the legacy airline employees are suffering.

Mergers and acquisitions will surely suck for the people who are let go. And make no mistake about it, mergers will result in some downsizing of the merged airlines. But for those who get to stay, mergers provide the only realistic hope for higher profits and thus, possibly higher wages in the future.

For those employees who don't believe it, perhaps the mergers will be the kick in the pants they need to cause them to pursue all those other great higher-income opportunities so many legacy airline employees like to talk about.

 

[LukeAisleWalker]

I don't work for an airline so I'm not suffering the way the legacy airline employees are suffering.

Mergers and acquisitions will surely suck for the people who are let go. And make no mistake about it, mergers will result in some downsizing of the merged airlines. But for those who get to stay, mergers provide the only realistic hope for higher profits and thus, possibly higher wages in the future.

For those employees who don't believe it, perhaps the mergers will be the kick in the pants they need to cause them to pursue all those other great higher-income opportunities so many legacy airline employees like to talk about.

Unfortunately, FWAA, I think your post makes a lot of sense at this point. I've thought of starting a topic to get airline employee feedback, esp those opposed to mergers, on what their alternative would be to this roller coaster we've all been on for so many years. And now, with such high fuel prices and a softening economy...if things stay the same, could we possibly end up in BK again? or take even more paycuts?

 

[DalMD88]

Unfortunately, FWAA, I think your post makes a lot of sense at this point. I've thought of starting a topic to get airline employee feedback, esp those opposed to mergers, on what their alternative would be to this roller coaster we've all been on for so many years. And now, with such high fuel prices and a softening economy...if things stay the same, could we possibly end up in BK again? or take even more paycuts?

There is an answer has how to end the rollercoaster. Many outside of the industry think of it as a dirty word, and it flies against the winds of all business in the US. Yes, regulation. Stablity would be back. Rational pricing would return. Small city service would return. Is regulation the beat all answer? I don't know. Sure it wouldn't ensure the merger talk or BK movement would stop. We had all that back before dereg. A lot of the caos in the industry would go away though.

I don't see it happening though. So, don't get nervous. I think our grand experiment that is capitalism is safe for now.