Delta, Northwest could announce merger in next week

[Cobra17]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2008-04-08-nwa-delta-talks_N.htm

This will be fun to watch!

 

[Tanker Clown]

Holy sh!t. I wish I had a buck for every time this merger was going to be announced "next week."

Looks like the pilots can't agree yet...

When are you NWA/DAL guys going to start denying jumpseats to one another? This could make East/West look like a powder puff football game.

 

[StopNTSing]

Hey guys, just poop or get off the pot already!

 

[jonjuan]

There will not be a DAL/NWA merger.

 

[IXLR8]

I'd swear I read this last January/Feb/March/April.

 

[jetflier]

Practice makes perfect !

 

[Eagle757shark]

Delta talks with pilots may aid merger with Northwest: report

Wed Apr 9, 2008 7:30am EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Northwest Airlines (NWA.N: Quote, Profile, Research) could proceed with their merger announcement as early as next week if Delta's management wins in talks with its pilots, the Wall Street Journal said citing people familiar with the situation.
Merger talks between the two airlines cooled in March when pilots from both failed to agree on how seniority would work for the roughly 12,000 pilots in the combined carrier.
But it was reported recently that the airlines agreed to revive merger talks.
Delta and its pilots have been discussing a new contract that would be valid if the merger went through, but only for Delta aviators, the Journal said, citing people familiar with the talks.
Delta pilots are being asked to get rid of some restrictions in their current labor agreement to give the merged airline more flexibility, the Journal said.
The Northwest pilots' contract doesn't have as much restrictive language, the Journal reported, quoting sources familiar with the situation.
Delta is in talks with its pilots and hopes to reach an agreement by the end of the week, the report said citing people familiar with the situation. The faster both sets of pilots have the same contract and get on the same seniority list, the sooner the combined company can realize savings, the Journal said.
Delta representatives were not immediately available for comment.
A Northwest representative declined to comment.
(Reporting by Aarthi Sivaraman; Editing by David Cowell)

© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

This is a dangerous game. Will we play with management?
Doubtful.
I hope that NWA's MEC sees what is going on and realizes that what we have proposed is very fair and falls along the lines of ALPA's merger and Fragmentation policy.

 

[Max Powers]

This is a dangerous game. Will we play with management?
Doubtful.
I hope that NWA's MEC sees what is going on and realizes that what we have proposed is very fair and falls along the lines of ALPA's merger and Fragmentation policy.

You don't have a choice. You will play with Mgmt.

Should have realized that when your sweetheart deal was out there. Nothing like ALPA overplaying it hands on the NWA side and the DAL side.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Oh I know that we will play, but I hope that we are not played.
I hope to god that we do not sell out our brothers from the North. That action in my opinion would be unacceptable. They (NWA ALPA) may need a swift kick, but not at the expense of alienating them. This would go too far.
Of course, this is up to the MEC and IF we get to vote then it is up to us.

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

Restrictions in their current agreement...

Like what?

Ownership rule changes in another airline so they can still own a stake in Midwest?

Scope relief?

God I hope not.

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

Stinks of Texas Air. Delta=Cal, NWA=Eal. Lot of Lorenzo proteges involved. The question is, will we fall for it? Sounds like the Delta boys don't mind being used as union breakers for a seniority grab. Maybe I am reading this wrong. Hope I am.






quote=ACL65PILOT;1558054]Oh I know that we will play, but I hope that we are not played.
I hope to god that we do not sell out our brothers from the North. That action in my opinion would be unacceptable. They (NWA ALPA) may need a swift kick, but not at the expense of alienating them. This would go too far.
Of course, this is up to the MEC and IF we get to vote then it is up to us.[/quote]

 

[Max Powers]

Scope relief?

God I hope not.

Yes God please NOOOOOO

 

[~~~^~~~]

Fin's SWAG....

Sounds like Delta's idea is a Delta airlines which gets all the new flying, while the NWA fleet is replaced on the top by Delta jets and on the bottom by RJ's.

The NWA Captains will gain a new title, "Plaintiff."

To enable this, Delta scope effectively goes away to enable outsourcing of the entire airline.

Delta pilots are told to look at the pay rates and ignore the line of 100 seat RJ's in line for departure on 27R.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Sounds like a lot of BS to me. I want those 100 seaters here on DAL property. I will vote NO for anything that falls short of that.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

BTW NWAALPA has not stake in the Midex agreement with TPG and NWA.
That is completely up to NWA management and the powers that be for NWA.
It would be a nice knife you AAI to have DAL get the gate space in MKE.
FWIW this is in play big time. Other stuff is too, but it is too far out to comment on currently.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

You give 100 seater to DCI, guess what. They will not only replace the 68 remaining DC-9's but they will also replace the 88 and maybe some of the 737-700 we were going to get.
Be careful what you wish for.....

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

You give 100 seater to DCI, guess what. They will not only replace the 68 remaining DC-9's but they will also replace the 88 and maybe some of the 737-700 we were going to get.
Be careful what you wish for.....

Please don't budge on scope. Mainline should be flying ALL JETS no matter how many seats it has.

 

[~~~^~~~]

ACL... not my wish, my nightmare.

My wish was to bring the ALPA members inside the brand, stapled on to a single list.

The dream of all Delta flying performed by Delta pilots appears to be getting further away .....

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

This is the opportunity to execute that idea and gain flying! Do not give in on scope!!!!!!

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Call your reps.
I have and have told them that I am willing to give up compensation to have this done. It is the only true flight that is worth fighting. Some may see it as an easy way to a major, but in reality if this turns out to be true, it may be your only way to a major.
They may want a vetting process for the regionals, or a 10 year fence but at least the deal would be done.

 

[Networ-King]

Oh.... and make sure you Delta boys negotiate a NO FURLOUGH clause also after the merger, cause that'll stick and NOBODY could get furloughed right? ..... priceless...

 

[ACL65PILOT]

If the agreement comes out as all are talking about this morning, DAL guys will not be the ones updating their resumes.
Sad but true.

Either way I have my backup all lined up.

 

[Pat Fabin]

You guys are getting all worked up with ZERO real information to go on. This rollercoaster has been running for months now and nothing has panned out....so just hang in there until you have something real to consider.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Quite true Pat.
I have some of that info as well. Nothing wrong with a healthy discussion though.
Fact is that this probably will get the NWA pilots more worked up than their MEC could, and a lot quicker. :0

 

[Superpilot92]

just Say No To Scope Relief!!!!

 

[General Lee]

Oh.... and make sure you Delta boys negotiate a NO FURLOUGH clause also after the merger, cause that'll stick and NOBODY could get furloughed right? ..... priceless...

I guess 9-11 wasn't a big enough event for you huh? It changed a lot of things in our industry, and Forced Manure was just part of the process. We still have a no furlough clause though for TBKANE and up, and it includes economic problems and high oil prices, which most arbitrators would understand. I really don't think Dalpa would give that up, but I haven't see the proposal. It would be dumb to let that go. Doubtful.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Networ-King]

I guess 9-11 wasn't a big enough event for you huh? It changed a lot of things in our industry, and Forced Manure was just part of the process. We still have a no furlough clause though for TBKANE and up, and it includes economic problems and high oil prices, which most arbitrators would understand. I really don't think Dalpa would give that up, but I haven't see the proposal. It would be dumb to let that go. Doubtful.


Bye Bye--General Lee

General....

Those two words are the most useless two words in any aviation contract. I don't give a rats arse if its for oil, economic or whatever else you want to put in the contract to give yourself a warm and fuzzy... .but management will do what they want, when they want, however the heck they want and there's nothing any employee group can do about it. Good luck over there with your wonderful scope and no furlough clause..............

 

[Tanker Clown]

Call your reps.
I have and have told them that I am willing to give up compensation to have this done. It is the only true flight that is worth fighting. Some may see it as an easy way to a major, but in reality if this turns out to be true, it may be your only way to a major.
They may want a vetting process for the regionals, or a 10 year fence but at least the deal would be done.

Oh boy...How much more can you give? You really shouldn't lower the bar like this.

 

[Tanker Clown]

I guess 9-11 wasn't a big enough event for you huh? It changed a lot of things in our industry, and Forced Manure was just part of the process. We still have a no furlough clause though for TBKANE and up, and it includes economic problems and high oil prices, which most arbitrators would understand. I really don't think Dalpa would give that up, but I haven't see the proposal. It would be dumb to let that go. Doubtful.


Bye Bye--General Lee

I'm sure your no furlough clause will be yanked on this trip through Ch 11...or you guys will cave in on it.