UA and CO seems a go

[ChockJockey]

The following are my six steps to guaranteed profitability for US Airways

1. Eat JetBlue for breakfast thereby re-establishing wicked East Coast dominance.
2. Grab Hawaiian for lunch for pre-packaged pacific route structure
3. Coffee and courtship in the evening with Southwest to become their super-sexy international codeshare partner (Europe/Caribbean/Canada/Mexico/Hawaii)
4. Give Star Alliance the finger.
5. ??????
6. PROFIT!

 

[robbedagain]

chockjokey thats cool how you did that. I think its a matter of time before Star loses US and I think US may join OneWorld and probably get a relation with AA and possibly establish code share with SWA or even anthr carrier

 

[NAPAUS]

chockjokey thats cool how you did that. I think its a matter of time before Star loses US and I think US may join OneWorld and probably get a relation with AA and possibly establish code share with SWA or even anthr carrier

It would seem prudent an wise for US to join One World. STAR doesnt need US anymore, now that they have the new UAL.
Seems like somebody needs to marry US before they hit the skids again, IMHO. Oh Parker what will you do!!! Everything you touch turns to crap. Feel sorry for the US employees and frequent travellers.

 

[USFlyer]

That's interesting because based on this link you do need a same day ticket for UA:

https://shopping.usairways.com/Club/Enrollment.aspx

That's strange. Web site must be wrong. Club members received an e-mail in October 2009 that changed the rules for CO and UA lounges. I still have it. If you want a copy, PM me and I'll send you a copy. I've also used the lounges several times since that e-mail.

 

[mweiss]

I always figured that any "lower 48" carrier that bought AS would screw it up inside a year.

Amen.

The intra-Alaska market is like no other market in the country.

Hawaii Interisland is close.

I figure that any carrier that purchased AS would concentrate on the Seattle hub, ANC, and FAI, with ANC/FAI having over 50% of the population of Alaska. The real goldmine is connecting all those small outllying communities with the rest of the world.

Exactly. But that whole concept is foreign to any other US airline.

For the same reason, I'm not convinced that AS taking over US would be benefical. I don't think AS would be able to absorb an airline of that size without having some serious indigestion, even leaving aside any labor integration issues.

 

[SparrowHawk]

For the same reason, I'm not convinced that AS taking over US would be benefical. I don't think AS would be able to absorb an airline of that size without having some serious indigestion, even leaving aside any labor integration issues.

Not sure I agree. AS is a pretty well run airline. They seem to squeeze out a profit more often than not. The key to sucess of ANY Alaska takeover/merger if for them to keep NONE of the Sr. Management of the airline aquired. I'm thinking Managing Director and above if it were US should be GONE!!!!

Good, Bad or Indifferent AS would need those at the top to be "Baptized" in the AS culture in order to swallow an airline the size of US sucessfully..

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

The key to sucess of ANY Alaska takeover/merger if for them to keep NONE of the Sr. Management of the airline aquired. I'm thinking Managing Director and above if it were US should be GONE!!!!

Amen!

 

[USFlyer]

I still think AA would be interested in US assets in PHL and DCA, and possibly CLT. I know I left PHX out of the equation in my prior post, but I'm not sure any "legacy" carrier really wants a decent presence in PHX. Sure, one might keep whatever US has today, but I don't see that hub growing much beyond what it is today. Remember, AA uses DFW as their gateway to Mexico and Latin America, so those flights would surely be routed thru DFW in lieu of PHX in any merger.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Not likely. I predict US's days in Star are numbered.

I don't think so. When Star admitted Continental, Parker said they agreed to keeping LCC's membership for something like five years or more if LCC acquiesced to letting CO join. LCC's days in Star may be numbered only by the fact that LCC's day may be numbered in general.

 

[SS255]

Not sure I agree. AS is a pretty well run airline. They seem to squeeze out a profit more often than not. The key to sucess of ANY Alaska takeover/merger if for them to keep NONE of the Sr. Management of the airline aquired. I'm thinking Managing Director and above if it were US should be GONE!!!!

Good, Bad or Indifferent AS would need those at the top to be "Baptized" in the AS culture in order to swallow an airline the size of US sucessfully..

I somewhat agree with this, but not entirely. I'm sure that US has some really good eggs at the Managing Director level and above who will not try to impose the US culture on AS, or whatever airline were to acquire them. I think that the key is to bring over those whom you feel will easily, readily, and positively adapt to change, and be loyal to their new management. Good people with the right experience are always an asset, no matter where they came from.

One of the most crucial lessons I learned through the mistakes of others when my company swallowed a smaller company (and then spit them out a year later) is that if you do survive a merger, and you are brought over from the acquired company, you do not make noise about "how we did things at X company." Your new manager does not want to hear about how you did things at your company which no longer exists. 😉

 

[SparrowHawk]

I somewhat agree with this, but not entirely. I'm sure that US has some really good eggs at the Managing Director level and above who will not try to impose the US culture on AS, or whatever airline were to acquire them. I think that the key is to bring over those whom you feel will easily, readily, and positively adapt to change, and be loyal to their new management. Good people with the right experience are always an asset, no matter where they came from.

One of the most crucial lessons I learned through the mistakes of others when my company swallowed a smaller company (and then spit them out a year later) is that if you do survive a merger, and you are brought over from the acquired company, you do not make noise about "how we did things at X company." Your new manager does not want to hear about how you did things at your company which no longer exists. 😉

All I have to say is One Bad Apple Can spoil the whole lot. Why take a chance

 

[BoeingBoy]

I know someone explained what made a US-B6 merger difficult. I think it was a labor/scope issue when I suggested US operate B6 as a subsidy? Can someone re-state what the issue would be.

PI 1984 answered your other questions so I'll take this one...

With a merger, nothing about scope is an issue with the pilots. Just like in this merger the scope problem is covered by the transition agreement allowing the merger partner's pilots to fly mainline sized aircraft during the transition from two separate airlines to one fully integrated airline. The East scope language (and I imagine the West contract has basically the same) restricts mainline flying to pilots on the US Airways seniority list. The TA language basically says that West pilots can fly mainline-sized aircraft during the transition. The combined contract would have the East language since there would be no separate East/West pilot seniority lists after the contract was ratified.

Operating B6 or whoever as a subsidy of US Group (like US Inc, PDT, or ALQ) would violate that scope language - B6 pilots would be flying mainline US aircraft for the foreseeable future. With no merger envisioned, there would be no transition agreement defining an exception to that language and to give that protection up without a merger would open the possibility of management shifting aircraft to one side or the other to play the two pilot groups against each other to lower costs.

Jim.

 

[JAMAKE1]

Subsidy is a term that refers to financial support. e.g. EAS carriers receive a government subsidy to provide service to smaller communities.

Subsidiary is a term that refers to a separate division of a company. e.g. Horizon Air is a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Subsidy is a term...

You're definitely absolutely correct - but you don't need my confirmation to know that. The problem with spell checkers is they don't catch the wrong word if you spell it right. I guess my mind must have wandered since I knew the word I wanted but didn't type it. Thanks for catching it.

Jim

 

[twoturnin]

SIGH----it just might be in two maybe three years finally the end ----bad management merger decisions(or planned ?)---bad union decisions---no pilot unity---on and on-----amazing really we've lasted this long with the LONG LIST of follies----management I think has learned how to defeat unions in the airline business---create mergers that result in fractionated workers union----the core of winning against higher labor costs, for my .02$