Slot Transaction, E-190 Sale, Crew Base Closures, & Realignment Designed to Shop the Company for Sal

[USA320Pilot]

SpinDoc said: "US East/AA with a spin off of the US West operations/assets/personnel to RP - Gives AA huge growth potential on the East coast, and gives RP/YX/F9 new markets west of the Mississippi.... AND...... drum roll..... rids BOTH surviving entities of the toxic pilot contracts that have kept the HP/US merger from being fully consummated."

USA320Pilot comments: A question was asked at the October 23 Employee State of the Airline Meeting about a rumor where the company would be sold and split up with the East going to American and the West to Republic. Doug Parker said, "US Airways absolutely will not split up the airline to sell. This is not happening and will not happen. This is patently (a) false (rumor). That is not going to happen!"

On November 3 at the CLT Crew News Session Doug said, "We're not running around with a for sale sign on the company." "However," Doug said, "We have been talking all the time (with other airlines) for a long time (on a merger), by the way. I have no idea where this ends up, if anything comes of anything. Because planets have to align."

In my opinion, a strong argument can be made that US Airways will merge with American or United. I believe the first legacy airline that agrees to a merger will become US Airways' partner.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[JetMonkey]

Uh, yeah you ARE way off base. That's a pipe dream rumor thats been spewing from the east for a little while now. Ain't gonna happen bro. We're single certificate now, everything is merged except for the pilots and FA's. Parker's even stated that the whole unit stays intact. With the closings of BOS and LGA plus the president of CAL now stating that a UA/CAL merger is "possible" makes a UA/LCC combo less likely every day.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Can you back that up?? I'd love to see the numbers. The number of places US has packed up and run from is mind boggling. It's only a matter of time before WN enters the CLT market and.. you know what happens next.. LOL

Well, historically speaking, if you were right LCC would be a bit player on the run in PHL right now, since SWA has been there for several years. That scenario that David Siegel ("they're coming to kill US") fretted about never happened. In fact, SWA is pulling back in PHL.

I'm not enthused about SWA inevitably coming to CLT, but I don't think that eventuality would mean it's time to start shouting "the sky is falling down," either.

 

[AirbusA310]

I see a merger with either AA or B6... cant merge with UA with all the overlap DCA/IAD flying DOJ/DOT would not go for that unless we were to give the DCA slots as a bone to someone.

 

[nycbusdriver]

right.. I'm sure WN is shaking in its boots.. lol. I bet there isn't one route that both airlines compete on where US has the most market share. I can't wait for WN to start BOS-PHL! They'll clean their clocks! lol.

SWA is looking for opportunities to redeploy. If they thought for a New York second that they could make money PHL-BOS, it would have occurred.

Maybe you should call Love Field and tell them how they are missing this great opportunity to clean our clocks. (I'm sure they must have never thought about PHL-BOS....so, help them out.)

 

[Reed Richards]

USA320Pilot comments: A question was asked at the October 23 Employee State of the Airline Meeting about a rumor where the company would be sold and split up with the East going to American and the West to Republic. Doug Parker said, "US Airways absolutely will not split up the airline to sell. This is not happening and will not happen. This is patently (a) false (rumor). That is not going to happen!"


Attributing ANY forward looking logic to Parker's statements is pure folly. Besides the various denials over the years of base closings, we now see our sold 190's being deployed domestically, rather than the stated "out of country" use only.

The "spin off" idea probably is a pipe dream, but to many seems to be the biggest fantasy solution out there. Under East scope, outside of a BK filing, it will be the union that decides how any fragmentations are doled out. In theory, the union could actually say only red headed pilots, or tall pilots "go" elsewhere. Obviously that is extreme, but West scope does not have this. Since the two groups are still operating under separate contracts, but fall under one union, even the fallback position of each group's scope applying leaves the West in peril. Those that think a few more days vacation and a small raise are worth giving up a strong scope clause have not been paying attention to the industry. Giving an inch on scope would be, again...pure folly.

RR

 

[FlyUs]

Well, historically speaking, if you were right LCC would be a bit player on the run in PHL right now, since SWA has been there for several years. That scenario that David Siegel ("they're coming to kill US") fretted about never happened. In fact, SWA is pulling back in PHL.

I'm not enthused about SWA inevitably coming to CLT, but I don't think that eventuality would mean it's time to start shouting "the sky is falling down," either.

Thats because WN is gate limited in PHL. So they've cut a flight or two out of the NE.. discontinued service to AUS.. a route with no competition. Big deal! Wait until they have access to more gates and the economy improves

 

[FlyUs]

SWA is looking for opportunities to redeploy. If they thought for a New York second that they could make money PHL-BOS, it would have occurred.

Maybe you should call Love Field and tell them how they are missing this great opportunity to clean our clocks. (I'm sure they must have never thought about PHL-BOS....so, help them out.)

They've been in BOS less than 4 months.. give them a minute.

 

[bwipilot]

Escaping Southwest is like outrunning a bear: you can't exactly outrun the bear--but you can outrun someone else so the bear goes after them.

Right now, SWA has it sights on Milwaukee, Denver, and St. Louis. I'd guess SWA sees weakness with RAH and UAL in Denver plus RAH (ex-YX) in Milwaukee. AA's pullback in STL attracted some attention as well. Those are the flavors of the day. Who knows what next year will be.

 

[FlyUs]

US would like to believe they can co-exist with the bear

 

[PHX Flyer]

US would like to believe they can co-exist with the bear

US (West) has co-existed (and thrived) with the bear for almost thirty years.

 

[FlyUs]

thrived?? Is there one market where both compete out of PHX where US dominates? I don't think so

 

[Travelpro72]

US or HP at the time has stumbled, kicked and scratched their way to keep their head above water against WN in PHX. US regardless of the defenders out there is a blip on WN's radar. Their management has their eye on the ball at all times. Think LAS. Mmmm hmmm they make it work. I understand they have a "different business model" but c'mon already. Sure they may have made some decisions that didn't pan out as expected but if that's the case you see them retreat very quick only to redeploy their assets somewhere else. What does US do? Well history speaks for itself. Let's see, furloughs, layoffs, parked planes, closed bases, hubs and focus cities. Save it! WN manages to run a great airline while providing excellent customer service, treat their customers AND their employees with dignity and respect. THAT is why WN is viewed as being so fantastic. I'm sorry but they have their eye on the ball. Our management (money people) are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[a320av8r]

US or HP at the time has stumbled, kicked and scratched their way to keep their head above water against WN in PHX. US regardless of the defenders out there is a blip on WN's radar. Their management has their eye on the ball at all times. Think LAS. Mmmm hmmm they make it work. I understand they have a "different business model" but c'mon already. Sure they may have made some decisions that didn't pan out as expected but if that's the case you see them retreat very quick only to redeploy their assets somewhere else. What does US do? Well history speaks for itself. Let's see, furloughs, layoffs, parked planes, closed bases, hubs and focus cities. Save it! WN manages to run a great airline while providing excellent customer service, treat their customers AND their employees with dignity and respect. THAT is why WN is viewed as being so fantastic. I'm sorry but they have their eye on the ball. Our management (money people) are constantly trying to reinvent the wheel.

You may apply online at southwest.com. Please do and good luck...

 

[Travelpro72]

Just calling it like "I" see it. You are free to have your own opinion. Whatever floats your boat.

So anyway, Please stop quoting Doug Parker. It's ridiculous. Parker said, Parker said....... Parker and his sidekick have said MANY things yet they somehow happened anyway. I do believe that there will be some sort of merger of sorts. It will be something completely unexpected. Well, who really knows at this point.