Another bid to buy Midwest Airlines?

[Ty Webb]

Flydaplane:

Everybody at AirTran, at least those that I've talked to- and I talk to a lot- has been talking about a fair and reasonable integration. Your posts on the subject seem to stray from fact, in an attempt to better your own bargaining position. . . . I don't think that's a very smart tactic to take. I'm willing to bet if you stick to facts, you will get a better deal from a fairly negotiated arrangement with our pilot group than what an Arbitrator would give you after looking over the situation.

Consider the following:

I've been at AirTran for 5 years. The upgrade has varied during that time only between 2 years and 3 years. During that time, our seniority list has gone from 640 to almost 1500. Our delivery schedule of 14 aircraft in 2007 would mean 84 pilots would upgrade, plus we have about a dozen retirements . . . in other words, roughly 100 of our FO's were guaranteed an upgrade this year based upon firm orders and mandatory retirements.

You had 2 airplanes coming (12 CA) and some retirements, I would guess . . . so that would be the starting point to measure from, not from speculating on some "possible fleet replacement".

Don't forget that as they phase out your inefficient MD80's, our present FO's will be stuck waiting for your Captains to transition, which is galling enough. Don't rock the boat further, or you might end up all wet.

 

[Murphy]

http://investor.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=64267&p=irol-IRHome

 

[Taildragon]

Anyone else tired of this windbag, lear70? I for one am!

 

[runwayjockey]

Anyone else tired of this windbag, lear70? I for one am!

You know they made ignore lists for guys like this.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Anyone else tired of this windbag, lear70? I for one am!

NOOO!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Afterprop]

. Have a good day . . .

 

[Steeler Fan]

Anyone else tired of this windbag, lear70? I for one am!

I'm actually interested in his perspective, as it seems he's has a good handle on the merger process. I hope our union takes advantage of his offer to help.

 

[Ty Webb]

Anyone else tired of this windbag, lear70? I for one am!

He has a dog in this fight, and his opinions are pretty sound.

Howsaboutyerself?


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[Lear70]

Anyone else tired of this windbag, lear70? I for one am!

Feel free to click the "ignore" button, you won't hurt my feelings.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. Whether the NPA puts me on any committee or not, only time will tell.

To tell the truth, I wasn't planning on getting involved in anything until this whole Midwest deal came down the pike. Now... *sigh*

 

[stlflyguy]

The sad thing about this situation is the smaller airline to be acquired is an ALPA carrier.

With the TWA pilots suing ALPA for DFR regarding the American Airlines integration (or non-integration, depending on how you'd like to view it) the Union is backed into a corner. If ALPA vigorously defends the rights of the Midwest pilots they open themselves up to the huge embarrassment of why they didn't do it (huge embarassment = big $$$$ for the former TWA pilots) for the TWA pilots.

Should they look the other way and allow the AirTran guys to have their way with the Midwest pilots, the Midwest pilots certainly use TWA as a reference in their own DFR suit.

So, after the deal actually happens, it'll be interesting to see exactly where ALPA happens to take a stand....if they do at all.

stlflyguy

 

[SkiFishFly]

Lear,
Don't listen to those guys. They don't know what they are talking about. I have learned a bit from your posts on this thread.
Please do get involved. I would appreciate good representation on this - I have been here a little over a year and came into this expecting a 3 year upgrade. Please help us keep that.
I heard a rumor that we offered 4-1 to the Midwest guys. I hope this was an incorrect rumor. It seems to me this could offer a significant gain to the Midwest guys at my expense.
I hope we come up with something equitable that preserves the expectations of AAI pilots. The Midwest guys should be happy as AirTran should continue to grow - a lot more than Midwest would on their own.

 

[HalinTexas]

Airtran was not going to take any ATA pilots with the buyout offer in 2004. However, they were going to take a significant part of out outfit.

Take any offer with a grain of salt.

 

[Lear70]

We had the P2P update on Saturday morning; absolutely NO mention of any integration offer was made, and it was the first major subject of discussion.

It might have been "mentioned" at the suarez (sp?) in ATL last week, and I don't know on which side of the table it MIGHT have come from, but it's definitely NOT an offer that was extended as far as I know.

That would be VERY premature anyway, as it would be silly to get into big negotiations before Midwest's shareholders have even decided on it. Who knows, it might be "close, but no deal" from Midwest.

We all know how aviation works: one day nothing, the next day it's a mad rush to get everything done.

Halin' Texas, you're right, it would have been kind of a shoddy deal for an ATA pilot staple, but the Southwest deal didn't exactly work out well for them as I recall either. They lost a LOT of their flying, and exactly HOW many ATA pilots have been hired by SWA since that move? A pretty small fraction as far as my ATA buddies have to say.

Would you rather be stapled with a job and current growth ongoing or furloughed and looking at a regional again if you want to stay in the game? ukep.s. I'm talking about ATA, not MEH here).

p.s. How's Haygood? Didn't you guys get hired on about the same time?

 

[Flydaplane]

"Your posts on the subject seem to stray from fact, in an attempt to better your own bargaining position"

Nope, just stating what MEH's plans have been and I asked to "watch where you're swinging that fence." I didn't say there should be direct integration or a merge of lists. In fact, I didn't even make a recommendation, simply stated that there are people near upgrade at MEH (myself NOT included) as well as AirTran, some of whom have been waiting a lot longer than ya'll. Myself, I would benefit from the merger and pretty much any seniority integration, other than the fact that I may not get a cookie anymore.

Lear 70 and Ty, you guys need to relax and not see everything as a personal attack. 1898 posts and 3189 posts....wow, as my wife says "get a hobby". Ya'll take this board way to serious. Integration negotiations won't be solved on this board.

Now, what I really want to know is when are you going to start the Alaska merger?

 

[Ty Webb]

Oxygen Mask on, 100% . . Communications, Establish!

I heard a rumor that we offered 4-1 to the Midwest guys. I hope this was an incorrect rumor

Simma down, now!

The NPA hasn't even decided yet who will be on the Merger Committee (and Midwest's MEC hasn't either). . . They haven't even decided on a damm floral centerpiece for the negotiating table, let alone a list integration, so relax.

Any rumors floating around the flight deck are just mindless speculation, which is the byproduct of boredom mixed with mild hypoxia.

I know it is a big concern to all involved, especially to the FO's of both airlines, but rest assured, in the end, everyone will be equally unhappy.



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