Comair Sale Conjecture

[General Lee]

Waco,


The lower we HAVE TO go, the lower YOU WILL ALSO EVENTUALLY GO. From what I have heard, Malone hopes you guys do not go lower, but the concensus is that if you guys want the feed, you will eventually go a lot lower. Sad but true these days. We haven't given up anything freely, and neither have you. BUT, that will change and if we go down by 30% or whatever, you can bet your a$$ you will too eventually. That does $uck.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[MedFlyer]

Doesn't look like Comair can compete at the moment against CHQ, Skywest or even Skyway with their lower cost bases.

Why don't you back these numbers up? Please provide a link that shows Comair's costs are the higher than these other carriers.

Unless you are assuming that simply because Comair's pilots are the highest paid, therefore Comair has the highest cost. However, I wouldn't think a DAL pilot would be dumb enough to go down that road.

Face it, your union got greedy. You gave away all your growth to Comair, ASA, SkyWest, CHQ, Air France, Korean,etc. Now, your careers are stagnant and your pay is about to collapse. You're desperately looking for someone to blame, so you figure you may as well go after those evil RJ's. Sorry my friend, you screwed yourself.

 

[rumrnr78]

General lee- I wish DALPA didn't have to come down on wages but something needs to be done. We (and we are all in the same boat since I have to sell my home of 6 months in DFW- TO STOP COMMUTING!!) are in a world of hurt.
If you look at current Mesa our 4 year rates (amendable 9/15/02) are only a c-hair better. We are already at a concessionary salary.
Eventually, the pride of the uniform will wear off and other carriers will begin to seek higher wages. Especially since the Valhalla of Mainline is for the most part gone.
If you boys don't act soon ( and you should have shocked the company by coming back 1% higher in concessions; can you imagine Wall Street reaction?) or BK court will decide your wages and who gets the 70/100 seater. I am pro-DALPA but I am quickly becoming disillusioned. Thoughts? Rum

 

[General Lee]

Rum,


This whole thing is DESIGNED to scare you. Yes, we are hurting financially---no doubt there---but there is a method to this maddness IMO. I have read that Malone and Grinstein talk on the phone twice a week minimum. I bet they are both holding out to get the others(creditors, lenders, venders) in line also. I don't know one pilot that doesn't expect a large pay cut. If we had given it all up 6 months ago, the creditors etc would have said, "Great, you guys got some more money from those stinking pilots, and now we don't have to contribute...." We really need everyone to chip in here to have a chance to pull out of this ok. Grinstein can take anything he wants from the non contract people (stews, mechanics, ground people etc), and I bet the pilots are ready too. But, they have to get another chunk from the creditors etc. United currently pays 737 rates for their 747s (leases). We need to trim our leases payments down also. This thing will probably go down to the wire, but I bet we already have some sort of an agreement or are very close to one. If we can't get one and we are headed into Chap 11 anyway, then it is best to negotiate once in Chap 11---not before and then during. I think there is a method to this maddness. That is my opinion, though......


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[rumrnr78]

General Lee- I hope the majority share your opinion. I hope Grinstein is not Boss Hogg!! All best- Wil

 

[General Lee]

Wil,


I have flown with some ex-Western guys out here in ATL and they all think he is the man, but I don't know if he can save this mess. I hope there is a plan and it is going the way he wanted it to. It will be interesting.....


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[FDJ2]

Why don't you back these numbers up? Please provide a link that shows Comair's costs are the higher than these other carriers.

Medflyer, if your costs were in line with your peers you would think that you would have gotten at least one RJ from the last RFP.

Zero growth and possible downsizing is in your future if you want to hold on to your high cost contract. Here's some excerpts from the opening column in this thread.

And Comair President Randy Rademacher has told employees repeatedly that Comair's high costs make it difficult for the airline to compete.

David Beckerman, director of consulting services for BACK Aviation Solutions in Washington, D.C., noted that just last year Delta asked all its regional partners to submit bids for new routes. Those bids led the airline to send more business to Chautauqua Airlines, not Comair.

Industry insiders say even if Comair were spun off as an independent airline, it would be difficult for the regional carrier to compete with its current cost structure.

Comair spokesman Nick Miller declined to comment on any speculation about a possible spinoff or on Comair's financial health except to say Comair knows "that Delta is working very hard to lower its cost structure, and we're going to have to be ready to respond to that

"We may be owned by Delta, but the fact is, we're a supplier," Miller said. "We provide connecting feed, and we compete with other airlines for that opportunity."


Comair has maintained some independence since being acquired by Delta. The airline has always kept a separate flight certificate and has its own uniforms, flight and maintenance operations, which helps fuel speculation about a spinoff.

But the airline will have to find a way to work through its high costs, whether it's owned by Delta or not, the association's McElroy said.

"It's critically important for the regionals to remain the low-cost producer in order to be valuable to the majors," she said.

 

[79%N1]

So, FDJ2.....By posting this I guess that means you support the further reduction of pay and benefits for Airline Employees? Why would you revel in thae fact that another airline management is trying to wrestle pay and benefits and work rules from another group of pilots??? Oh, Misery Loves Company!

 

[N2264J]

Last two paragraphs of the article say it all... Comair has to keep costs competitive to be valuable to Delta. Doesn't look like Comair can compete at the moment against CHQ, Skywest or even Skyway with their lower cost bases.

Chautauqua, Skywest and Skyway are not the competition for Comair or ASA. We are Delta Inc. pilots and our competition is United, American, Southwest, jetBlue, Airtran, Northwest and Continental. Our costs are very competitive with the competition.

 

[N2264J]

If they spin it off they will also give away some of that enormous debt. And if they do spin off and turn into the next Indy Air, then Lawson and Ford can actually do something they always wanted to do---fly a mainline jet for low rates. (like Indy Air)

Gosh, over 3,300 posts, which accounts for more than 4 sentences of pertinent, useful information.

 

[bvt1151]

Chautauqua, Skywest and Skyway are not the competition for Comair or ASA. We are Delta Inc. pilots and our competition is United, American, Southwest, jetBlue, Airtran, Northwest and Continental. Our costs are very competitive with the competition.

Then who are we losing all of our aircraft to? Our allies?

 

[surplus1]

Oh, Misery Loves Company!

You are mistaken. It is not "misery loves company" that motivates the posts of FDJ2, the guy hates our guts. You can almost "taste" it in every sentence. That is why he revels in whatever misfortune he thinks may occur. What's more, he's not alone. There are many more like him in the same place.

Call a spade a spade.

 

[N2264J]

Then who are we losing all of our aircraft to? Our allies?

Do you believe everything that management tells you? You think we lost aircraft? I believe Comair got every airframe we were going to get anyway no matter how we voted on the RFP. If they fooled us into taking an $8 million pay cut, it would be gravy for management and guess what? We still wouldn't have received those planes, they would still be hinting at us about concessions again today and we would be starting from a contract worth $8 million a year less.

This is all a head game and you don't have to be a victim of it.

Level with me; when the time comes, are you going to support concessions for the promise of growth?

 

[SkylerS]

If they spin it off they will also give away some of that enormous debt. And if they do spin off and turn into the next Indy Air, then Lawson and Ford can actually do something they always wanted to do---fly a mainline jet for low rates. (like Indy Air)

Bye Bye---General Lee

You're out of line General. Usually your comments are right on the mark however this is just plain wrong.

Who went on strike??? Who turned down "concessions for growth?" We are the only ones who are holding the line (other than ASA who hasn't given it, thank you ASA).

The pilots of Comair and ASA are your best friends General. Would you rather have the spineless you-know-what's of the others on your side? I certainly wouldn't. These are the kids who would stab you in the back for your mainline aircraft, not the men and women of Comair.

Before you tell me I'm wrong, show me proof, where was it said, we would fly your aircraft for low pay???

--Sky

 

[Vortilon]

N-number,

I'm still furloughed so I don't have a vote but this is my take...

I think when the time comes we'll give concessions for the purpose of investing in a sound business plan and restoring health to our company. The plan hints of growth but I don't think there's anyone having visions of a 1000 planes next year and Captain positions for everybody. A "yes" vote won't be simplified into concessions for growth. It'll be concessions to hopefully keep what we've got...the rest is up to management.

I will say this for GG....at least he came up with a plan that involves running an airline. Althought there hasn't been much earth-shattering information released, it at least makes sense.

My spouse is furloughed from UAL and we've yet to see any plan nearly as comprehensive as what GG unveiled. USAirways doesn't have a plan either.

I think our company has a fighting chance at getting back in black and staying there and we'll do our part.

You guys will have to make your own decisions at some point too. I'm not in favor of any paycuts at any regional/feeder/whatever. My wife now flies an RJ and its sad what she brings home but she's really happy to be an airline pilot again. That being said, its apparent that DCI carriers will be continued to be pitted against each other and management will eventually ask YOU to fix their problems.

To quote the line from speed, "What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO?"

You will do what you can to balance your own self-interests and what's best for your company.