US/UA Merger Master Thread

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

No offense taken. And quite actually, my paternalistic feelings run much deeper with my present employer since my parents met while working at United back in the early days. I am UA progeny. Born and bred. And for the record, it's not the U people I am worried about denigrating the UA product. It's those AWA amateurs that concern me... :down:

Now, now we can all get along with the proper training.

If you will have us we will just do fine HP/US.

 

[EMBFA]

Well, at UAL its not a - you call we go - situation, we have 2 types of reserve - call in and ready... With call in reserve you find out the day before what trip you will work the next day and with ready you are on call day and night to cover sick calls basically or irregular ops... However, there is nothing less than a 4 hour call out... They must give you at least 4 hours no matter what.... Which is golden... None of that 2 hour stuff...

The four hours is great, but there is no choice to it. You call-in and get your trip, or they call you the next day and give you a trip. Really it's somewhat similar to the concept of Future Scheduling and Daily Scheduling US has.

Does anyone else think it's time for a new thread? This one is getting long, and creeping off in several directions. It's a bit like being in a group at a party but four different conversations are going on.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

TDoes anyone else think it's time for a new thread? This one is getting long, and creeping off in several directions. It's a bit like being in a group at a party but four different conversations are going on.

I'll agree with you.

 

[JAMAKE1]

The four hours is great, but there is no choice to it. You call-in and get your trip, or they call you the next day and give you a trip. Really it's somewhat similar to the concept of Future Scheduling and Daily Scheduling US has.

Well my friend, I think it comes down to this: Do you want choice or do you want to fly? At UA, our reserves fly. That doesn't seem to be the case at US. You guys have complained about that fact quite loudly on these threads.

At the end of the day, I still happen to think we probably have a contract that is better than most. We have 5 paid holidays. I am not sure what you have. Our duty rigs are as follows: 1-day 5 hrs; 2-day 10 hrs; 3-day 15 hrs; 4-day 20 hrs. Here in SFO, I pick up a lot of meters (a trip pairing constructed at the last minute by crew scheduling) that goes something like this: SFO-LAX-SFO with a deadhead on the return. An easy 5 hours of pay. We also have trip guarantee.

When I do work, I strategize to maximize my pay. I just flew a 1-day on my birthday (the 11th) SFO-KOA-SFO. Not exactly an ideal way to spend one's birthday, but the trip alone was worth an extra $450 in holiday pay. Not bad for a one day gig. My point being, there are ways to circumvent our bankruptcy concessions and still maximize our earnings...if one's willing.

I try to fly smarter, rather than harder...

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

What you have you deserve.

No one is trying to take anything away.

We are more than familiar with how things work.

No stress-my guess is that that the best of both would be adequate for us and you.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

EMBFA-What do you thnk?

 

[USstew23]

Our duty rigs are as follows: 1-day 5 hrs; 2-day 10 hrs; 3-day 15 hrs; 4-day 20 hrs.
We also have trip guarantee.


I try to fly smarter, rather than harder...

Whats up JAMAKE?

We actually used to have this, and we kind of still do unless it's a system's trip (kind of like your "meter") and then that SFO-LAX-SFO with a DH on the back end just became a 1 hour 1day for a RSV. I think for you guys at UA, you are still treated as if this is your career, and rightfully so. It would be so nice to finally have some class around here again.

 

[BobbyBuckInAtlanta]

If this occurs and again this is a BIG if, be aware that there will be "redundancies" so be prepared for change (unfortunately we've been through this a couple of times) and it is not fun.

My apologies to Bobby in ATL.

Thankyou Carefull

 

[BobbyBuckInAtlanta]

Actually, I could really give a rat's ass what I fly, since my primary objective is to take personal leaves to continue my education. What I do care about is working under a management team that is visionary and that can set and execute a product standard that I can take pride in delivering.

Ironically, I was one of the few UAL employees in favor of the proposed merger with US back in 2000. This go around, I am totally opposed. Back in the day, I was on the PSA end of the USAir merger and also the US-PI merger. Historically, I've supported DOH as I've seen it work through the two mergers while I was at PSA/USAir.

This go around I don't support it, or at least the idea of a management team from Tempe running the show. I think they have completely degraded the US Airways product as well as the US Airways brand. I don't want to see closets removed from our First Class cabins; I don't want cheezy advertisements plastered all over our tray tables; I don't want to see the ice cream sundae cart done away with; I don't want to see plastic ware in First Class; and I don't want Las Vegas Showgirls plastered all over Hemispheres Magazine.

United does have a few things going for it: The new International Premium Product; p.s. Service to New York; Economy Plus; and Explus (3 class service on United Express). I can just imagine Team Tempe getting their hands on United's strongest attributes and f**king it all up. I have NO faith in Doug Parker nor Scott Kirby, nor anyone else in the sandbox. NONE. ZERO. There is no strong brand identity at the "new" US Airways. There is no point of differentiation in their products and services.

I believe that Team Tempe, under Doug Parker, is a group of amateurs that are not really committed to running a truly customer-focused world class global carrier. They have demoralized the US Airways East employees; they have alienated US Airways' core customer base (the east coast business traveler that pays a revenue premium); they have trashed the Envoy product, and they have repeatedly demonstrated that they do not care about the premium business traveler. I don't believe that their mindset will change merely because they have become part of a larger carrier.

Vision, high standards, impeccability, and service excellence come from the core of one's essence. This is not something that is learned. If you're not born with it, it takes years of cultivation to become it. And Team Tempe has only demonstrated that they clearly do not have "it."

Absolutly fabulous post. That desription, i'd say is how 90% or more of us from the East feel about this whole catastophe.
My self and many others look forward to workng to a higher standard if this thing commence's.

 

[WCT]

don't forget thou , it doesn't just come down to dollars and cents , there are also the intangibles associated with our operation here , for instance the community “goodwill “ … us airways/america west has done a lot of good for the community here , everything from helping to build homes to taking the local children on north pole plane rides , our name is very well established here , anyone remember the cool jazz trip a day giveaway ? And we have our logo on some of the major sports centers here too …

We need to do as much as possible to keep the management team that we now have intact , face it , they’ve brought in some really great people to get this thing going , but those people have families , and I’m sure that these families are not going to want to uproot if they don’t have too , some of the new guys who’ve just come into town in the last few years will probably leave the company if it comes down to a forced move .

Like that one poster suggested a few pages back , it might be time for a few satellite locations , and personally I think that’s a great idea , what we’ve got here are two huge operations coming together as one … it’s not really that efficient or effective to put everybody under one roof (at least not right away ), with the way communications work these days it makes more sense to keep things decentralized …

your right though fly for food , it’s not going to kill me if they move our HQ’s … but I think zethya’s post was right on … if our goal is to shrink operations then lets actually get away from the beast which is corporate mentality……… Over in ORD , they do things the “united “way , and even if we merge with them , it’s likely that those people will still insist on doing things the “united†way even though the situation screams for change … Here in Arizona I’d say people are pretty accepting of change .

You are full of Looney Tunes, and sundances!! :blink: Go drink from Doug P's party cup some more! AMERICA WEST AIRLINES IS DEAD sonny!! US Airways is MY AIRLINE NOW!!!! Grow up! Arizona suxs! AND so does TEMPE! Cactus are meant to sting, don't you know?? IF PHX remains anything it will be TED, or DEAD!!

 

[InternationalShannon]

You are full of Looney Tunes, and sundances!! :blink: Go drink from Doug P's party cup some more! AMERICA WEST AIRLINES IS DEAD sonny!! US Airways is MY AIRLINE NOW!!!! Grow up! Arizona suxs! AND so does TEMPE! Cactus are meant to sting, don't you know?? IF PHX remains anything it will be TED, or DEAD!!

Wow.....

What flavor of kool aid is that? :huh:

 

[JAMAKE1]

THANK YOU! That guy sounds absolutely nuts...

 

[WCT]

100 hours a month! LOL! I don't think I've flown 100 hours in the last 5 months, which suits me fine. I doubt the 'special guest star' gig would last though, I'd probably be asked to show up and actually work on airplanes with some frequency. I'm not sure many F/As fly 100 hours or want to, reserve or lineholder, or if they even can at US. We used to time out at 80 (right? or was it 85?), and the moment you hit that you could call up and tell them not to call you for the rest of the month. Our blockholders (lineholders) are all about dropping to the minimum amount of hours they can. And those west F/As seem to be more concerned about vacation than anything else, so I certainly wouldn't peg these two groups as real go-getters trying to spend a hundred hours a month zooming around in an aluminum tube regardless of where it's going...

Rotation would be great, it's something our old biddys have been violently opposed to and they will finally be drowned out by a voice of reason and fairness on the issue. Hopefully the positive aspect of the US reserve system- choosing from available trips or remaining on call- would be adopted rather than the traditional 'we call you go'. I had a friend that flew for UA who was shocked when scheduling called early one morning and I answered, basically told them to knob off, and went back to bed. "You have a choice? What do you mean? What did you just do?" She also seemed to think I was perhaps furloughed or on some sort of suspension since she never actually saw me put on a uniform and roll out. It was hard to explain our way of doing things... she'd just look at me funny as I headed out to the bar. "I thought you were on call!"

I wouldn't work on my off days if you paid me triple and allowed me to nap in the last row the whole time, but a lot of people do. I'm sure that flexibility could be integrated.

US Westies LOVE OUR VACATION, YES!! Thank goodness we have something to look foward to!
Yes, we work 90 hours or more because it is possible with our flexiblility on the West. With more vacation, means less time working those months and getting the 100 mark or more!! OF course at a lessor pay scale then the East. :down: SO, on months with no vacation I just bid a line with all 3 day trips, at 70 a month average, but 18 days off, pick up a 2 day, maybe change a couple of my trips, and boom I am up to 90 hours, and still 14 days off!! Good for me. Can't imagine that on RSV.

 

[JAMAKE1]

I actually cannot believe I am reading this sh*t...

I think our company has the BEST management in the entire industry , we’re talking trend SETTERS not follow the leader guys …

...And the man to LEAD that new airline is and can be none other than Doug parker .

Is this guy for real? :huh:

 

[WCT]

Wow.....

What flavor of kool aid is that? :huh:

FREEDOM Punch I believe. He see's nothing but from HP goggles!! And I got that from Legacy to LCC!! HALA!