ABX says NO THANK YOU to ASTAR

[inplaneview]

Did the DC-9 Captain class start on time? Or, as rumor had it, was class postponed due to shortage of 767 FO's? It's going to get even more grim with all the training scheduled...maybe we ought to hire!!!

 

[Jurassic Jet]

Talked to a bud that's been on duty for the past few days. He said the class started as scheduled.

Did the DC-9 Captain class start on time? Or, as rumor had it, was class postponed due to shortage of 767 FO's? It's going to get even more grim with all the training scheduled...maybe we ought to hire!!!

 

[abxaviator]

Did the DC-9 Captain class start on time? Or, as rumor had it, was class postponed due to shortage of 767 FO's? It's going to get even more grim with all the training scheduled...maybe we ought to hire!!!

The rumor was referenceing the additional 9 Capt proffers, those are indeed going to be delayed. The 7/31 class was started as scheduled.

 

[abxdx]

It's all good!

http://www.aircargoworld.com/break_news/08012007a.htm




Looks like all is well with the ANA contract!

 

[jdflyer51]

Be real careful what we wish for in an ANA contract or international language. Having worked for a non sched prior to coming to Airborne, I know that is not what I want to do again. Personally, I am convinced that DHL/Astar will complete the ABX purchase. I would prefer that we all sit back and wait until then and then hit them hard with a new joint contract. I would prefer to see us work together instead of against each other. International work with no work rules cannot help us.

 

[GoABX]

JDFlyer,

The together part won't come for 2-3 years after seniority lawsuits and most everybody being pissed off. In a perfect world both ABX and Astar would get TAs prior to a deal so both sides are working from a better position when the amalgamation occurs. That too will take a couple of years.

The problem is if management knows a deal is coming there is no way they will take something to a vote first.

 

[shooter]

Be real careful what we wish for in an ANA contract or international language. Having worked for a non sched prior to coming to Airborne, I know that is not what I want to do again. Personally, I am convinced that DHL/Astar will complete the ABX purchase. I would prefer that we all sit back and wait until then and then hit them hard with a new joint contract. I would prefer to see us work together instead of against each other. International work with no work rules cannot help us.

I agree that the pilot group and ABX management NEED to come to an agreement with ANA and future international operations. That is a whole other animal than the DHL work. I do not feel we are working against ASTAR, rather get frustrated when we have to do over 100 recovery fights for them. Our success and theirs depend wholly on the success of DHL here in America. And by looking at the decline of express business since DHL purchased Airborne Express is depressing to say the least.

If DHL does not hold/secure/grow express business the airlines are obsolete and they will just need to buy more trucks. Air Cargo World just revealed a DHL truck contractor that guarantees freight to move from the Columbus hub to the West Coast in 40 hours. Express is the need for the airlines. And I too bring past experience to ABX by operating the USPS Express mail EAGLE hub with a 14 year contract. Well, as we all know contract does not mean squat to the workers because FedEx now moves the Express Mail for them. With over 99% performance from the airline did not matter because sort/weather delays did not count against the airline performance. Sound familiar??? [Ironic: ABX now manages the EAGLE hub, Evergreen handled it when I worked there.] So if customers keep leaving DHL because of delivery failures, ALL of our jobs and growth are at risk.

As far as your prediction for ASTAR to purchase ABX, there should be no surprise on this board about where I stand. Would the integration of the two help the pilots? I think yes, but with the track record of the ASTAR management group, I would not count the eggs before they are hatched. Reference the last paragraph and you will see that it is the customers of DHL that need to be happy more than DHL to grow the airline side of the operation. DHL can operate in their own screwed up way all they want and be happy with the airline and keeps losing customers. Does that make good business sense? ABX management understands the performance keeps those customers happy enough to become larger contract repeat customers. DHL has lost those customers to cater to their pet airline to the detriment of both airlines. One’s fate is being witnessed by reduction in fleet and the other is just deferred with no growth until there are no other places to cut. So again I will ask: of the two management groups (ABX and ASTAR) which one do you think will grow the airline in all directions, the one that has proven it or one that has not?

 

[nitefr8dog]

you are spot on shooter!

 

[jdflyer51]

I don't expect either management group to be here in five years.

 

[FreightBumper]

I don't expect either management group to be here in five years.

As long as their demise doesn't drag us down with them.