HAL hiring

[waveflyer]

Wave, I was expecting a rational post on the dangers of union vigilantism, not a threat about seeing what we got!

It's my unrealized motorcycle gang member soul that gets curious-
Gets channeled when I realize how soft the airline life is

Just have to laugh at threats from any pilot. But don't worry - I'm a dad, I'd laugh at myself too if I'd written that

 

[Dan Roman]

Are you high?!? Let them negotiate a crappy contract, then recall them? Talk about a waste of time considering the last contract was sent out for ratification how many years past the amendable date?

Why recall the MEC? How many mid contract LOAs have been signed? Now how many of them had any gains for the pilot group? Now how many benefited the company? The lounge the pilots spoke very adamantly against. The NEO agreement which netted us ZERO gains (not even any no cost items) while even the flight attendants negotiated themselves furlough protection & segment limits to protect interisland flying. Oh yeah, the premium instructor rates for 717 instructors which gave our nc chairman a huge leg up when he transitioned to fleet captain a mere few months after negotiating himself a pay raise. You mention dal. They just negotiated (mid contract) a rig increase to deal with far 117. What did we get? Buffers, & a secondary line assignment program helping the company to dump open time & manipulate reserve coverage. Am I missing anything else? Oh yeah, flica. We finally got flica 4 years after it was guaranteed in our contract, and 3 years after the flight attendants were using it. Are these the guys you want negotiating our next contract? Seriously? Not me. No agenda, other than trying to get the contract we deserve considering the position we're in.

Guys despite what I said, I'm keeping an open mind. A lot has to do with who steps up to fill the void created by a recall. We have a hard enough time as it is getting people to step up to the plate. I'm all for getting the best contract we can, we can afford it. This has the potential of being very divisive is all I'm saying. If this "new" MEC can represent the wishes of the pilot group accurately and get us a better contract, great. But if it wants to proceed in a fashion best described by the perspective of a certain JM we will have a grossly ineffective union is my concern.

 

[Junkflyer]

I think the group is disappointed in one person more so than the others. There does appear to be inappropriate spending of union funds.

 

[...Lost]

.....

 

[waveflyer]

I have decided to bet 1.95% of my salary and no raises for a few years on my opinion VX and HAL are getting together. There are many reasons I believe this, but the most recent was VX retweeting HAL tweets and the fact HAL came to VX hq to celebrate Lei Day. I will probably get berated with negativity, but whatever. When was HAL's 321 order announced?

Sounds as plausible as any

Do you guys have a union drive going?

 

[Twin Daddy]

I just heard from a pretty reliable management source that SWA is seriously looking at HAL. Things should start happening next year after ATN is all wrapped up. He said hang in there, things will go better next time.

 

[bri5150]

Sounds as plausible as any

Do you guys have a union drive going?

It's in its infancy right now.

 

[HAL]

I just heard from a pretty reliable management source that SWA is seriously looking at HAL. Things should start happening next year after ATN is all wrapped up. He said hang in there, things will go better next time.

Apparently someone decided to skim - not read - the previous 13 pages.



HAL

 

[Twin Daddy]

Just sharing what I heard, thought you might be interested.

 

[Jim]

Just sharing what I heard, thought you might be interested.

So far this year I've heard Hawaiian will be bought or merged with:
- Delta
- SWA
- Alaska
- Jet Blue
- Virgin America
- AA

Of course I've heard the majority of these every years since I came back from furlough in early 2008.

 

[redflyer65]

Pick any one of them Jim. That's why I took a good size position in HAL stock today. I don't have to know who's on the other side of the purchase. Just my opinion and you might be right...nobody buys anything. And in the meantime I hope HAL stock goes higher like most other airlines.

 

[Dan Roman]

Just sharing what I heard, thought you might be interested.

Hate to break it to you but your "pretty reliable source" doesn't have anything to do with making a decision like that because anybody that did would be keeping those cards very close to the chest. Rumors rarely come true in this business. Pilots love to start rumors like that though, as many would love to have a HNL domicle. The reality is it doesn't make business sense only pilot sense (which is why so many of us make so many stupid investments!)
Since you didn't read the string I'll help you. HA makes a very poor match for SWA. They would spend between 1 and probably closer to 2 billion to purchase it, then lose a considerable amount of money trying to fit a round peg into a square hole and they would finally end up with a little wannabe legacy airline that would be ill prepared to compete with AA/UAL/DAL in the International market.
Other than that I'm sure it would be a great idea.

 

[Dan Roman]

So far this year I've heard Hawaiian will be bought or merged with:
- Delta
- SWA
- Alaska
- Jet Blue
- Virgin America
- AA

Of course I've heard the majority of these every years since I came back from furlough in early 2008.

So true, isn't it funny how over the years you never hear UAL. I guess UAL has enough of a Hawaii presence that their pilots don't need to fantasize about it.

 

[waveflyer]

You forgot to add the "......, I hope" at the end Dan.

And if you were really honest the "...but I fear you may be correct"

I don't know why you're so scared of a merger-

Oh yeah- the same reason we all are-
They all tend to suck for the employees

I'll buy you a beer to toast no more mergers-
I'll buy you 3 if you do get bought

And sorry Dan- FOR ME- I'd rather fly the west coast of the states than HNL-
This isn't about coveting-
What I worry about is that there are rumors at all.

Before air tran- we heard air tran rumors- and jet blue and Alaska and hawaiian just like now-
Air tran is the one that actually happened. But rumors were hard to stop at that time.

Now, we're hearing some rumors- but not like just before air tran-

The thing to make peace with is that all the heads get together and talk about all the possibilities with their people and sometimes each other. It's probably their job.

The good news is if we're hearing about hawaiian, it probably means we'll end up stock swapping and merging with Alaska-
Which I think is a better fit than the rest-

And the same would apply-

ALASKA AIRLINES operated by Southwest

There would be more angst bc that's a senior group and you'd have everyone affected on our side, unlike air tran

 

[Dan Roman]

You know the reality is the fact that this being bantered about on Flight Info probably does more to feed the rumor mill than anything being considered in anyone's board room! :beer:

 

[BentOver]

I heard a strong rumor from a very reliable source..........

Oh wait.....where did I hear this one before.??

Oh that's right, maybe every other week flying, and more frequently than that on this forum..

Throw enough sh.it at the wall, something will stick... Every serious player in the US has been rumored to buy/ merge with Hawaiian ( except UAL)...

Inevitably one may... But not because some line pilot heard from a reliable source.. It'll happen if it makes good business sense... And we are not privy to that kind of information.. It's called confidentiality... There are so many variables that go into new routes, new planes, mergers, acquisitions.. So much data that pilots simply don't have access to... And that's just with lil ole Hawaiian.. Let alone larger airlines with much more vast route structures.

But by all means everyone, proceed with this silly conversation. We all know ya'll just think Hawaiian is that sexy....:beer:

 

[Twin Daddy]

Dan, et.al.,
I'm sure you are correct. I wasn't just trying to stir the pot and it isn't wishful thinking. I personally don't want SWA to go thru another merger. I was as shocked to see the AirTran announcement as I was to hear this rumor. Alaska is probably more likely, and I'm not thrilled about that either. Best of luck to all.. I hope all the consolidation is over, because like Wave said mergers suck for the employees.

 

[BentOver]

Dan, et.al.,
I'm sure you are correct. I wasn't just trying to stir the pot and it isn't wishful thinking. I personally don't want SWA to go thru another merger. I was as shocked to see the AirTran announcement as I was to hear this rumor. Alaska is probably more likely, and I'm not thrilled about that either. Best of luck to all.. I hope all the consolidation is over, because like Wave said mergers suck for the employees.

Just an FYI,

SWA is on a long list of mergers rumors with Hawaiian.... You guys, meaning SWA airlines, is not special in that regards.

 

[waveflyer]

First rule of an alpa carrier

Never miss an opportunity to tell SWA they aren't special

 

[Dan Roman]

First rule of an alpa carrier

Never miss an opportunity to tell SWA they aren't special

Hate to state the obvious Wave, but if you think everyone is telling you that you are "not special" than the fact is, you have set them up to do that by telling them you are special. Nothing wrong with SWA, it's great airline and very good at being a LCC. But we all have bias concerning the airline we each work for. Personally I would rather be an F/O at HA than a Captain at SWA. But that defines me, not SWA. SWA is not "better" than other airlines, they have their pro's and con's like anyone else, but they do seem to lead the industry at patting themselves on the back. Have to laugh when they boast having the " best 401k" in the industry.......and lag behind other airlines retirement packages.