The Transformation Plan

[etops1]

listen, we are just gonna have to wait and see what happens . it will be a matter of time before we know the real plan. i am going to have to lean more towards chip's side on this. there is no way they can come at us foe more money. we gave entirely to much. i think management has come to the realiztion that you can't shrink an airline into profitability. you must grow and expand to reduce unit costs. wether it be 60 a/c or 10 .we need more planes in our fleet . you can't keep the fleet size to 279. not if you want to compete with wn or any other llc. we need to start adding more long haul flying to have market share and feed into our hubs. the rolling hub system is a perfect way to compete as well with llc. even if it means longer wait time for connecting pax ,so be it. this is our survival we are talking about. point to point flying also . we already have some point to point flying so i think you will see more.
as for the negativity, its ok to have it. we have all heard this before and then nothing. but i think this time they mean bussiness. or else we are gone. something has got to be done in order to survive . and i think those guys at the crystal palace have realized that we neeed to grow and that it's there turn to show us what kind of talented individuals they are. they will come after us for more work rule changes and productivity i guarantee that. face we still run an ineficcient op. our work rules still need some twitching here and there.
as for efficiency . i said it before and i will say it again. the fence between itd/domestic will fall. no place to have it in this day in age. its not about seniority or any thing its about what makes sense and having it does not make sense anymore. so forget about the wet lease and how it used to be cause it ain't like that any more. you might see pilots and f/a's being separated like ual does. it will suck if we do go to that system but i could live with that. meanig that f/a' will be able to do probrably sfo turns with no problem . having the pilots layover and the f/a's come back to base. meaning me-too will probrably go. then there would be no need for an iro on carribean runs. pilots would layover in the carribean dest while f/a's come back . i know that sucks for us f/a's but hey you get your time in faster. its all about utilizing f/a's better and eficciently. i will give you an example on how the company is working us more and using us more efficiently. in jan i a 2 day lodo line that goes phl-sju-lga ron 24hrs d/hd lga phl. the next day is a total waist . i nkow i don't have to take the d/h and i could go home as soon as i get into lga but do you see what i mean. now in feb my line goes phl-sju-lga ron 13hrs d/h phl-sdq-phl/. see the hwole next day i do a sdq turn keeping me eficient and productive. sure the 24 hr overnight in lga sounds good . but i would rather be working and getting paid. just my 2 cents

 

[delldude]

work rule changes keeps comming up....well work rule changes to me means AFA doing ramp/fleet work thus reducing the ramp/fleet head count....i'm sure IAM will go for this.
utilizing the ALPA group more efficiently is nice but again i'm sure all these pilots who've had their pensions robbed will be more than willing to step up to the plate and help out 'ol davey.....surely CWA after having so many stations and wages expressed will be more than willing to open up their contracts too.
ok,what labor group then are we each willing to throw to the wolves in the interest of saving the company and reducing the casm,rasm...or whatever?

 

[700UW]

I see Mr Rumor Central has started it again, is one person that enamored with himself?

Get this thru Siegel and his cheerleader's thick skulls:

THERE WILL BE NO GIVEBACK FROM THE IAM!

THE CONCESSION STAND IS CLOSED!

And I like PITbull's idea, maybe we need to contact the SEC for a certain pilot releasing confidential inside information.

 

[700UW]

Bob, once again you are totally off base, Tom Buffenbarger has a union membership of over 635,000 members, Scotty Ford has and is participating in the same concessions that the UAL members took, keep taking your pop shots and spout your garbage as it shows your true disdain for unions and workers that belong to them, Freud would diagnose you with UNION Envy. Unions serve a necessary purpose to provide a check and balance in the labor market.

And it is David Siegel of Orlando, who is the #1 time share owner and hotel owner who is building a house in St Martin, wow, you can't even get that right.

And Bob, US' employees are the lowest paid out of the major network carriers and Southwest, so keep trying, maybe one day you can post something that is actually factual.

And another thing, there is no trust from any IAM employee towards this management, give us our airbus work back and maybe we will listen, how smart is it to park planes in the desert, pay leases on them at full price and then have to go out and lease more planes to keep the fleet at 279 planes? Whomever made that decision needs to be fired. And the company in their court filings claim they are losing $43,000 a day per airbus that is parked, it is all ready in the tens of millions of dollars. Yep we got some real bright executives running US Airways, yep running us right into the ground.

 

[700UW]

Once again you have to throw insults and attacks when you have been proven wrong, you are not an IAM member nor a US Airways employee, you have not walked in our shoes, you have not had your employer lie, cheat and steal from you.

Bob every union has to file with the DOL every single penny they have spent, companies don't.

And yes Bob, my union has stood tall with me and every member, three federal court decision has shown that, sorry if we don't roll over and play dead for Dave or bend over and grab our ankles so he can steal more from us. Bob most of US' employees have 15 years or more, Dave has 1 1/2 and he has done more damage in that time then any CEO we have ever had.

And you need to look in the mirror, you cast stones, insult, attack and call people frauds for sticking up for themselves, and I don't think you are any judge of any charector, seems I have been surfing your posts and you admit to breaking and entering and stealing from your coworkers, you sir have no ethics and no room to talk, insult or attack anyone else who stands up to big business who could care less about what happens to the common working people of this company.

Wrong you don't know, the IAM was never ever asked to bid on work that we all ready own, so Bob, prove it! I called my General Chairman and asked them we were asked by the company to go to arbitration on the issue, we declined and three FEDERAL COURT DECISIONS HAVE PROVED THE IAM RIGHT, COMPANY WRONG! So Bob, why do you post wrong information? The mechanic and related employees are employees of US Airways, we are not a seperate company who vendors work for US Airways, your posting of we were asked to bid is downright absurd and totally false. Your credibility is sinking to the level of a certain A320 captain on this board.

What will you dream up next?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Bob,

I won't get into the "union = good, union = bad" but you did make one remark that caught my eye:

"IAM was asked to bid on the Airbus work and become the prime contractor with a long term contract. IAM refused! Why?"

Even I, a non-IAM member, can answer that. The Airbus work already belonged to the IAM per the contract (ask the judges that have ruled already). Why bid on something that is already yours - by contract and past practice? Doing so constitutes an admission that the work isn't really theirs, but something that goes to the lowest bidder.

I don't think we pilots would take kindly to a company offer to "bid" on the contract to fly U's airplanes. I doubt that the F/A's would be thrilled if they were offered a chance to bid on the job of cabin service. The agents probably wouldn't like to bid on the job of working the ticket counter.

Take care,

Jim

 

[robbedagain]

Chip: Would those plans include using the 60 newer airbus jets to open up a few new cities such as ABQ or PDX or ELP???

 

[cavalier]

You're right 700 I DO have disdain for what passes for a modern day labor union and I have been consistant on that since I started posting. Here are some things I do KNOW to be factual

Organized Labor created the American Middle Class

Which in turn created the Consumer economy and high standard of living.

The Joe kenahan's, Aunt Molly Jackson, Mother Jones and host of pioneer leaders of the American Labor movement would vomit if they saw what passes for a union today.

The list of convicted union leaders is probably as long as the list of convisted corporate executives.

The American Labor movement was rife with racism when it started.

When I was 8, I spent parts of my summer with my dad on the picket line. I remember well him and his buddies telling me about the union movement. Trying to tell me in words an 8 year old could understand.

In order for a union to thrive the company being organized has to have a solid business model and be profitable. If you fail to take that into consideration then you have a failed union and failed company.

Nad just FYI as for Tom "Buffy the non airline slayer" and Scotty Fraud, I personally don't give a fat rat's ass if the have 635,000 or 6,350,000 members, I'm looking at exactly HOW they have benefitted US Airways. I happen to know IAM was asked to bid on the Airbus work and become the prime contractor with a long term contract. IAM refused! Why? Afraid to stand or fall in the free market? No Testosterone left in Scotty & Buffy? Could have been a win win situation, but then guys like Buffy and Scotty would have actually had to manage something and generate a profit instead of walking around with their chests all puffed out saying "Stand Tall union brothers & Sisters we'll protect you! Just as long as the dues keep flowing, after all I have my $1,000.00 weekly expense account on top of my nearly $200,000 salary, I'm right there with you! I understand your situation" LMAO

You need a union for just US Airways, that way your interests are ALWAYS first.

One needs to ask such a poster what is truly the personal drive coming on here and sounding like a mouth piece for Jerry Glass. Why would a pax and non u employee give a whit about the IAM or any union. Two reasons I offer up. Some personal grudge from times past and not even relevant to today’s reality, or there is something in it, personal gain. A poster who has the eyes and minds of many readers would send up a green flag for the likes of Jerry Glass. All the trashing of union leaders, what about all of the political leaders from the top down to the small towns in this country that run on clicks and elbow rubbing, why not address those very real issues while we are at it. Why pick on the union leaders making it seem like all other leaders are a pillar of virtue. There are reasons for everything, actions are taken to create a desired effect. Every post written here has its own person agenda, and mostly to the poster’s personal benefit. The reader who can see through the chaff has a clear view though the facade of manipulative deception and is getting at the true intent of the post. We do have experts in deception who read these boards and are eager to give free advice to willing participants.

 

[ITRADE]

Robbed has a good point. Where are all these planes going??? Are they to increase the fleet from 279 to 339 or simply replace older 733s?

I do think that there are at least 30 or 40 white tailed or used 320 family craft out there on the market. A good number of them would likely come from airlines like Sabena and Swissair - companies that kept them in good condition.

Anyhow, I'm sure some would be used to expand caribbean service from 1x weekly flights to daily operations.

It'd be nice to see some heavy equipment come into the mix.

 

[USFlyer]

Chip -

Any rumors on where or how these planes would be operated? More BOS/LGA/TPA/FLL/IAD-Caribbean? Transcons? Northern South America? Central America? Maybe finally see service (again) to YVR, SLC, PDX, ABQ, RNO, SMF, etc.? Just curious, as 60 aircraft is quite a bit of service if they are not replacing old 73s.

Also, FWIW, US would lease these aircraft. If they are already sitting on the open market, I'm sure lessors wouldn't mind leasing them to US just to get some revenue. Sure, US might still end up returning them, but if they could get another 9-12 months of revenue on the birds they might as well.

 

[ITRADE]

One needs to ask such a poster what is truly the personal drive coming on here and sounding like a mouth piece for Jerry Glass.

Or Eugene V. Debs

 

[ITRADE]

Chip -

Any rumors on where or how these planes would be operated? More BOS/LGA/TPA/FLL/IAD-Caribbean? Transcons? Northern South America? Central America? Maybe finally see service (again) to YVR, SLC, PDX, ABQ, RNO, SMF, etc.? Just curious, as 60 aircraft is quite a bit of service if they are not replacing old 73s.

Also, FWIW, US would lease these aircraft. If they are already sitting on the open market, I'm sure lessors wouldn't mind leasing them to US just to get some revenue. Sure, US might still end up returning them, but if they could get another 9-12 months of revenue on the birds they might as well.

ITRADE's wish list:

PDX, SLC, YVR, AUS, SAT, SJC, SNA.

A couple BOS transcons.

Express service to JFK to tie into * alliance.

DCA-LAX.

New A330s (or leased ones) for VIE, MXP, ZRH, ARN, and BRU.

 

[etops1]

700 how do you know dave seigel is building a house in st. maartin. do you have absolute proof he is. i want pictures. or is it from word of mouth. and if he is who cares .i am tired of people with there "he is building a house in st. maarten bit." what ever that man does in his persoal life is his business. if i were ceo of a company i would buy a house not only in st'maarten but in other places as well. all i care is that he runs the company back to profitability. he can buy 5 houses in st maarten for all i care. if he can afford a house in st maarten more power to him. if you want a house in st.maarten then you should have doen all the things you need to do to be a ceo of a company made money and build your house. as for now, let it go. life is to short to sweat the small stuff.

 

[ITRADE]

Oh no etops, you've crossed the message board picket line.

Be prepared for eggs, rotten tomatoes, and having your tires slashed...

 

[PITbull]

This managment has all the tools to turn this company around and produce a profit. Somewhere in here, this managment needs to show that they are WORTH having homes in St. Maaten and anywhere else in the world...but, it should not be by stripping your workers of everything to get there. ETOPS, you speak for yourself!

I won't subsidize a company to become successful when it eliminates 60% of its employees in a downsize plan to profitability, AND THERE STILL IS NO PROFIT, and then this mangament comes back around again, 6 months later for round #3.

PS: Hey Bob, your best friend "flyonthewall" is on stage now....thought you might want to show off a little by putting the screws to unions and labor. You'll make him real happy.....