DAL sees more mergers and wants cash on hand to participate

[Frank Lorenzo]

Look at all of the CEOs behind the keyboards. Mergers already consummated, route authorities finalized, financing laid out, unions integrated, new aircraft procured, DOJ anti-trust issues alleviated. Impressive.

All of you have proven that you will never make it in my world. In 4 pages, never have I seen any mention of the most important part of any deal - the massive executive compensation windfall.

How do any of you guys expect a guy like Richard Anderson to actually go out an consummate a deal with Alaska without a minimum of 8 figures? Making those phone calls is difficult. We are looking at all sorts of phone related injuries - carpal tunnel, sprained fingers, or even worse, tennis elbow!

And what if the executive team was forced to travel? Do you have any idea the hardships that some are forced to endure? My team one had to live through some ghetto 4-star hotel one time! They didn't even have tennis courts!

If any of you want a deal, let's focus on what matters. Making sure that the irreplaceable executives are compensated for their grueling work behind the scenes.

I'm positive you will all do the right thing and take a generous pay cut in honor of those who serve in the trenches of the executive suites across this great country. Your pay cut will subsidize the most important Americans that have made America the second rate (and sliding) power that it is today.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

As always.... Frank Chimes in!!

Good work!

 

[FBN0223]

It was a 40% pay cut plus work rule changes that amounted to a total of about 50% total pay cut. Trust me...I was there.

I was there as well. Bad memory though, I guess it was more like 40% but at least Compass got a bunch of new jets to fly around.

As a fNWA pilot, for me it wasn't the SLI that was the blunder. The SLI could have been better and worse. But the fact that we continued to squander opportunities to recapture our flying is inexcusable. ALPA, blinded by who is going to be senior to who, once again signed off on massive outsourcing of our airline in the form of scope and codeshare agreements.

With future mergers/contract negotiations, I hope everyone has their eye on the ball and this time DL pilots focus on the real issue and that is OUTSOURCING.

 

[ackattacker]

Good job Frank... that was excellent work.

As for the title of this thread, DAL isn't merging with anyone, the antitrust issue is a huge one. Remember DAL-NWA only got approved because the economy was in the dumps and the merger was sold as a job saver. With airlines in the black, the pendulum swings to consumer protection and no way they'd let the largest airline in the world get bigger.

The way I read the article is that DAL may want to invest partial stakes in foreign airlines.

 

[clippyrip]

Hey clippy.....

Were you the guy telling everybody that new-hires in 08 would be on the triple 7 also?? I hope your optimism spreads true because the ER in Seattle seems a stretch

Nope. I was former NW, we did not have 777s. Never said that.

It's not optimism, it's mathematics.

 

[General Lee]

Good job Frank... that was excellent work.

As for the title of this thread, DAL isn't merging with anyone, the antitrust issue is a huge one. Remember DAL-NWA only got approved because the economy was in the dumps and the merger was sold as a job saver. With airlines in the black, the pendulum swings to consumer protection and no way they'd let the largest airline in the world get bigger.

The way I read the article is that DAL may want to invest partial stakes in foreign airlines.

Anti-Trust problems? Um, no. If there is no route overlap, then it can and will be approved. If there is overlap, then the airlines have to divest themselves to the satisfaction of the Govt.

Could US airlines invest in foreign companies? Sure, supposedly DL was looking at investing in Virgin Atlantic according to an article. But, there will never be a "full" merger with an INTL airline until the rules are changes (ownership %), and the unions will cry to Congress to protect jobs (rightfully so), so that will probably not happen fully.

You seem to be forgetting how fast Airtran/.SWA was approved, and UAL and CAL. I think it took a total of about 1 week. If I were a betting man, I would think a possible hookup eventually could be DL and AK. No overlap, and they are the best thing left out there right now.


Bye Bye--General Lee