Jesus H man, with 17,000 posts and missives like this, do you really have any time for your wife and kids? I mean, holy h ell.Way too dramatic Bill. First off, we are modifying our current widebodies with new lie flat seats plus AVOD for planes that don't have them. Have you been on one of our 767ERs with the new seats plus crew bunks? They are REAL nice. The product is being upgraded, and that is good for you and me. How many other US Majors are getting new widebodies? All I see is CAL (now UAL) getting some 787s they ordered a long time ago, and AA getting a few 777-300s (maybe 2 or 3 total). That's it. Our industry is still trying to recover from the BK days. We need to keep fares and fees high to order those widebodies. You know the drill, get debt below a certain number ($10B), save money on interest, and then order away. The current used planes we are getting are cheap, but new 777-300ERs won't be. Unless you pay cash for them on the spot, you have time to make even more money and then pay it off as they come from the factory.
I am actually glad the airline is taking time during this downturn to do mods on all of our current widebodies, not park them for good, and at the same time retake domestic routes we gave up long ago to DCI. Those 717s will take back current 76 seat flying, and that also is good for you and me. I don't think it is Stockholm Syndrome, I think it is me being glad we have management that will take chances to make OUR airline stronger and think outside the box. (Refinery, 717s, possible VA tie up). All of those things show our guys are creating the plays, not just watching from the sidelines. I still think those 773s will be ordered, but in the meantime they are cleaning up the used ones and creating a better product. There is no doubt that is happening.
So, if you want to jump ship and see LBB with the Corndogs, then do it in a few years. The only reason our current INTL flying is down is because the EU problems, and the widebody mods are happening. No permanent parking of widebodies, and eventual larger growth as planes come back and the economy gets better. Your claims of major outsourcing are a stretch too. Most new AK routes are ones we never did, and AF/KL have had to give us routes (SEA and ORD) to stay in compliance with the JV. Next Summer we add EWR-CDG permanently, and add back a lot of Summer flying (CDG-BOS, PIT, PHL, etc). If you want to keep some of those year round, you have to fill them up. This Winter it's been tough to Europe.
I doubt you and I will ever go to LBB, unless you get hired on the bottom over there. If you do, you can PM me from Midland. I'll be off on a Moon 3 day...and not all 757s are leaving. The ex TWA birds are fairly new, and all 757-300s, plus 757-200s with winglets are staying for a long while. Those new 739s will replace the older FNWA 757s (5500 block) plus older A320s, and some older 767-300 DOM planes. You knew that, right? Btw, I flew the 738 for a short stint before 9-11, and I still have the notes if I go back to it in the left seat this time. No need for the Corndog's help. Thanks anyway.
Bye Bye---General Lee