AirTran-Midwest deal is 'doomed,' analyst says

[Eagle757shark]

Lear70, gt1900 was wrong. My response was to him calling Airline #5 out because he had an OPINION about the Midwest deal. I too have been furloughed a few times. I don't take it personally because it was beyond my control. What I could control was I show up on time and do a good job and then go home. So is gt1900 saying that in 1999, 2000, and 2001 the men and women that accepted jobs at American, United, Delta, US Airways, Continental were all wrong then? NO they were not, those airlines were all hiring and EVERYONE, including folks at AirTran were trying to knock down the doors at one of these carriers. When many pilots were furloughed from one of those carriers, many tried other opportunities to fulfill their dreams. Some have worked and others haven't. If I knew the future, I would have that lucky lottery number and would retire now. None of us know if we've made the right airline career choice until it is time to retire.

 

[FlyWolf]

Whoa gt1900, I think you need to step back a moment. If you take a look around, there are many guys at AirTran, Jetblue, Southwest that are on their 5th, 6th and so on airline. This doesn't make airline #5 any less knowledgable! If you have been fortunate enough to be at AirTran for the last 5 to 7 years, you've seen some profitable times and that is a blessing. Doesn't mean you are a business whiz kid! Just means you were at the right place at the right time. Do you really think that airline #5 chose his airlines for employment with some vision he'd be jumping around? Furloughs happen, and I for one had NO SAY in any of the ones that I experienced. It was just the luck and bad timing of the industry. So gt1900, the fortunes for AirTran pilots have been good the last few years. But be humble! This industry can turn on a DIME for anyone!! I will say, for airline #5 to go to 5 airlines and stay in this crazy industry and not give up says alot about this man. It sounds like he loves what he is doing and that is flying airplanes. That is what it says about him. gt1900, deflate the chest and lower the nose, and you may begin to really see the real airline world!

Well said Eagle, 100% right on the money, people tend to forget how crazy this career can be.

edit: Airtran actually did sell and not just deferred some of the 737 deliveries for a little profit.

 

[Lear70]

Well said Eagle, 100% right on the money, people tend to forget how crazy this career can be.

I was just trying to be a little funny and calm people down a bit by pointing fingers at how all of us just keep jumping right back into a career that, at the very least, is in severe need of overhaul.

I don't like people slamming people on here when it's undeserved either.

edit: Airtran actually did sell and not just deferred some of the 737 deliveries for a little profit.

If they did this RECENTLY, it better have been for a LOT of money, and not just a "little" profit. Those 737's have gotten VERY pricey with a VERY long line for delivery slots.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

[edit: Airtran actually did sell and not just deferred some of the 737 deliveries for a little profit.[/quote]

2 B737

 

[gt1900]

First off, like I said, I wasn't really trying to bash him. It was just his comments were very, very far out of line. AAI may defer a couple airplane orders, but AAI will continue to grow. His remarks about adding the 737 to the west coast and having it be the death of AAI are also out of line. He must not be aware that Seattle was the first city AAI has made money on right away. And that was at last years rediculous oil prices. Most fares have come up since then that will offset the even higher cost of fuel this summer..... I have seen this so many times in the airline industry. Guy's get a chity attitude because things aren't going great and then decide to jump ship to the greener pastures of other airlines. When they get to the new airline they realize the same chit happens at every airline, even southwest, UPS and Fedex.. The only problem is now they are junior and when the the industry hicups they are the first to get furloughed because they were junior... You have to understand the airlines to make it in the airlines, and be happy... Its a chit industry, and its all what you make of it... Airlines are like wives.. Your usually better off staying with the first one you get, #2 maybe, but 3-4 and 5 are all liability's... The grass is rarely greener on the other side of the fence.. And upgrades and aircraft delievery's will continue at AAI... BTW.. You might wanna look on the AAI website and see what the forecasted earnings are for 07... Pretty impressive to say the least..

 

[ATLDRVR]

Our two July 737 deliveries were sold to a Nigerian airline. It is not a done deal yet until that airline actually pays us for the airplanes.

As far as upgrades go they are stopped for now because everyone is already in the pipeline for this years deliveries but don't forget our deliveries are front loaded for the next 3 years. Upgrades will pick up again in the fall in preparation for the 2008 deliveries.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Also we are short on FOs so they must take care of that problem first.
JP just up fit rom what AirTran is predicting so we might even do better then that.

 

[The Victors]

Haven't you guys been in negotations for 4 years now?

 

[Phaedrus]

Yes, in dog years.

 

[XRMEFLYER]

Haven't you guys been in negotations for 4 years now?

2 years actually. Were you attempting to make a point?