CAL/UAL .....again...and fearful

[Kugelblitz]

As an employee of CAL I am reading with great trepidation some of the statements made regarding a renewed effort to merge us with UAL. Is everyone out there extrapolating this from their posterior or is there some legitimate reason to think that this once balked deal (very dramatically balked deal) is now back in the works.

I know there are a lot of you out there that would love to see this out of a sense of grim fascination (like watching UAL file CH.7) but all that aside, where is the impetus for all this talk of a new merger deal? Why would UAL seem more attractive now that they are $780 mill poorer than they were last spring? As a company insider I will admit that there are completely unsubstantiated rumors of Kellner leaving in the winter and Bethune coming back, but we are also negotiating a contract right now and I find these leadership change scenarios fanciful and distracting to the pilot group.

So, I am not interested in anyones 'informed opinion' but if anyone out there has links to legitimate information sources to lend credibiltiy to this idea of a renewed CAL/UAL merger I would appreciate it. As a pilot on his 6th airline and a refugee of the AA/TWA debacle one can understand my concerns. If a merger were to occur, I have every confidence that my job will be taken away yet again.

The real sickening part of having someone help themselves to your job that they had no expectation of ever having is listening to the self-righteous rhetoric that these individuals conjure. We are an amazingly nihilistic and inhumane group packaged in a pretty uniform.

United management, very best of luck but please leave us out of your mess!!

 

[4got2flare]

There are only rumors, no Legitimate article's on the subject. The Gorden and Larry swap is a new one on me though.....
See ya around campus...
Happy Landings

 

[luckytohaveajob]

Let's Roll!

May I have this dance?

 

[Scope out RJ's]

If there's money to be put in the pockets of management, like that moron Tilton, you can bet there'll be a merger, despite what you, I or anyone else thinks or cares.
Good luck to you.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

I've heard the same thing about Gordan here at UAL...makes sense he's the only one with the intelligence to make this thing work...maybe.

 

[ultrarunner]

A smarter play would be to wait it out, and pick up only the pieces of UAL that you want. As a whole, it's a $hitty partner to get in bed with. But some of the pieces are worth big-bucks!

 

[Fubijaakr]

1. UAL will NOT declare Chapter 7.
2. UAL/CAL will merger.

You saw it here first.

 

[CapnVegetto]

The rumors I'm hearing is that they're sending Larry over to UAL to prepare it for Ch. 7 asset acquisition after they fold. Who knows though?

 

[whatitdoing?]

Blah blah blah blah.....we'll be talking about this for the next 10 years. It's not going to happen.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

DAL/NWA is a done deal.

UAL/CAL is back on the front burner.....

UAL is NOT going Chapter 7!



Good luck to us all.

 

[cybourg10]

I never thought the CAL/UAL was dead, I think they were seeing how the DAL/NWA deal would go. The Star-Alliance move was a huge indicator of things to come IMHO. Also interesting in how USAirways will fall in all of this, I'm sure Lufthansa is going to control what goes on in the next 18 months.

 

[Dumb Pilot]

DAL/NWA is a done deal.

UAL/CAL is back on the front burner.....

UAL is NOT going Chapter 7!



Good luck to us all.

There are several UAL active pilots interviewing for contract work right now, I have spoken with a couple of them for the ANA gig and they seem to think that the place is going under (I hope they are wrong)

 

[dojetdriver]

DAL/NWA is a done deal.

Yep, and that rumor was prevalent for a pretty long time.

 

[Mil Leave]

Info

Where are you hearing these rumors? Hopefully not FI.

 

[contrail67]

UAL is setting itself up to be the right size for a merger...not chapter 7 as some of the flamers wish. King Kong can only be so big if a merger is to be approved. They are just starting the alliance and finishing up the anti-trust approval first.

 

[BeachBummer]

Yep, and that rumor was prevalent for a pretty long time.

Damnnit Beavis... It would have been a rumor forever had it not been true... GOD!

 

[contrail67]

The rumors I'm hearing is that they're sending Larry over to UAL to prepare it for Ch. 7 asset acquisition after they fold. Who knows though?

No he is not....

 

[Double Shot]

Merging with United is the kiss of death. Nothing like putting a million pound anchor around your neck and taking the express lane to the bottom.

 

[contrail67]

Merging with United is the kiss of death. Nothing like putting a million pound anchor around your neck and taking the express lane to the bottom.

Funny how we don't see anyone trying to merge with SWA....or even join an alliance with them.

 

[Double Shot]

Contrail,

Trueth hurts about United doesnt it.

 

[SLOTH]

United may not be the best looking girl to dance with, but with the right partner could outshine all the "better" ones. United is just suffering from being battered as a result of its relationship with Tilton.

 

[contrail67]

Contrail,

Trueth hurts about United doesnt it.

What truth...just reading your one sided opinion from the outside....I am optomistic...yes.....sounds to me like you got turned down at some point by UAL...or did they even call you.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

There are several UAL active pilots interviewing for contract work right now, I have spoken with a couple of them for the ANA gig and they seem to think that the place is going under (I hope they are wrong)

Junior guys furloughed or about to be....whatever makes you feel better.

Nobody is thinking doom and gloom Chap 7.

 

[GuppyWN]

Funny how we don't see anyone trying to merge with SWA....or even join an alliance with them.

Man I hope not. I'd rather do our own flying.

Gup

 

[Double Shot]

What truth...just reading your one sided opinion from the outside....I am optomistic...yes.....sounds to me like you got turned down at some point by UAL...or did they even call you.

Never applied...Never wanted to fly with a 500 hr wonder...You.

 

[Full of LUV]

This makes the most sense....

UAL is setting itself up to be the right size for a merger...not chapter 7 as some of the flamers wish. King Kong can only be so big if a merger is to be approved. They are just starting the alliance and finishing up the anti-trust approval first.

You know if you want approval from the DOJ, then the two parts of the future combo have to be already reduced to their combinable parts. Otherwise there is just too much political resistance to cutting planes/people. Rightsizing the parts of the future merger then putting them together everyone will see "look the two will have very little overlap" all is well. Sure, after UAL has parked their whole fleet of 73's not to mention all the airframes they have parked in the last 7 years. Does anyone know how many pilots were on the UAL seniority list at it's height compared to today?
Luv

 

[Yuppyguppy]

close to 11,000 including FE's

 

[Yuppyguppy]

can you say halved? basically 1/2 of what we used to be...620 airframes soon to be 360....SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE GLENN TILTON GO AWAY!

 

[whatitdoing?]

It wouldn't of made sense for CAL to stay in the Skyteam. Why help them out? We didn't have an option....so we're dancing with the ugly chick. But at least she'll screw us at the end of the prom. Herpes aside.....

ps....the only ones that think that UAL isn't going under is United pilots......duuuhhh!!!

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

Imho, Ual has the best fleet mix, best core route structure and with the right mgmt , a world beater. A Cal or AA merger would give the east coast, chicago, houston or dallas, and sf & la plus asia, south america. As much as ual has been shrunk, don't count out AA making a run. Would not be much bigger than the new dal, with a little pruning here and there for the DOJ. Now, the only problem would be having to fly with the 500hr wonders.

can you say halved? basically 1/2 of what we used to be...620 airframes soon to be 360....SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE GLENN TILTON GO AWAY!