MESA/ACA Ain't Gonna Happen!

[hyperboy]

???????????

Cappy? Who do you think you are....... something special? You bore me. If you fly for ACA then why are you worried about mesa? Go whine somewhere else!!!!!!!!

 

[House_X]

We've gone from being the future next Air Tran to being bought out by the slime of the industry.

We are doomed! Doomed I tell ya!

BELAY THAT ORDER!!!!

Stand fast....SHEILDS!!!...Arm all photon torpedoes, ready phasers...JO INTRUDER ALERT...where's Worf when you need em!!!!!!

 

[Jeepman]

Tea.....Earl Grey......HOT!

 

[Cappy]

Re: ???????????

Cappy? Who do you think you are....... something special? You bore me. If you fly for ACA then why are you worried about mesa? Go whine somewhere else!!!!!!!!

I'll answer these questions one at a time:

1. I am not special, although I did receive special schooling as a rowdy teenager

2. I am sorry you are bored. It was not my intention to excite anyone, just to say what's on my mind

3. Yes, I am worried about Mesa. But not too much. As I stated, I beleive the BOD will quickly reject the offer and move forward. My reasons for rejection are listed in the first post.

4. Although not my intention to whine I can whine here if I want.


PLease do not be offended at my comments. They are not meant to slander the Mesa pilots individually. I just say things that I think are factual and that's that!

Later!

 

[46Driver]

Cappy,
The problem - as I understand it - is that Ornstein can take the offer past the BOD and directly to the shareholders. The shareholders can then approve the buyout regardless of the BOD's recommendations.

 

[ChinaClipper]

46Driver....

You sir, are definitely correct. Anyone want to know how JO bought CCAir? Stock swap Anyone want to know how JO intended to buy Mesaba a couple years ago? Stock swap. Anyone want to know how WestAir was bought? hmmmnnnn, ACA stands for Atlantic Coast division of WESTAIR, spooky how history repeats itself ....Chesty Puller would be proud....

 

[Captain X]

ALPA merger policy means DOH

ALPA Merger Policy says nothing of the sort.

G. MERGER NEGOTIATIONS
1. The merger representatives of the affected airlines shall meet and commence efforts to arrive at a mutually satisfactory method of integration and compilation of a single acceptable flight deck crew member seniority list no later than sixty (60) days following the Policy Initiation Date. Similarly, in cases where one or more parties to the merger has flight deck crew members with grandfather or similar special seniority rights that are limited as to job classification or status within the flight deck crew, the merger representatives shall commence efforts to arrive at a mutually satisfactory method of integration and compilation of such separate special seniority lists as may be necessary and appropriate to preserve and protect such rights in addition to the flight deck crew member seniority list. (AMENDED - Executive Board May 1998)

2. Nothing herein shall preclude the assembly of more than one list for each of the above classifications where the transfer of major routes or operating authority will be contingent on proceedings separate from the "instant proceeding" and such known contingencies may warrant the future replacement of one list with another.

3. For the purposes of limiting confrontation and expediting the merger process, the President shall, when he deems advisable, appoint a neutral facilitator to assist the merger representatives in arriving at a fair and equitable solution. It is recommended that outside legal counsel be precluded from direct negotiations until it is agreed that a solution cannot be reached.

4. The first task of the merger representatives shall be to resolve any and all disputes and inconsistencies with regard to the employment data exchanged. The representatives shall be empowered to compromise their differences to the extent necessary to reach agreement except that the relative position of the flight deck crew members on their respective seniority lists shall be maintained. Areas remaining in disagreement shall be reduced to writing, stating the contentions of the parties, and shall be resolved, if necessary, by utilizing the arbitration procedures set forth in Section H. (AMENDED - Executive Board October 1991; Executive Board May 1998)

5. The merger representatives shall carefully weigh all the equities inherent in their merger situation. In joint session, the merger representatives should attempt to match equities to various methods of integration until a fair and equitable agreement is reached, keeping in mind the following goals, in no particular order:

a. Preserve jobs.
b. Avoid windfalls to either group at the expense of the other.
c. Maintain or improve pre merger pay and standard of living.
d. Maintain or improve pre merger pilot status.
e. Minimize detrimental changes to career expectations.

6. The merger representatives shall report to the President, upon request, on their progress once negotiations begin. If, at any time after receiving the first report, in the opinion of the President, satisfactory progress is not being made, he may unilaterally intervene and invoke arbitration. (AMENDED - Executive Board October 1991)

PART 3 - GENERAL
A. ORDER OF MERGED LIST
No integrated list shall be constructed which would change the order of the flight deck crew members on their own respective seniority lists. (AMENDED - Executive Board May 1998)

 

[ALGFLYR]

Atlantic Coast has few takeover defenses to block Mesa Dateline: Wednesday October 08, 2003
Atlantic Coast Airlines Holdings, subject of an unsolicited takeover offer by Mesa Air Group Monday (ATWOnline, Oct. 7), has "extremely weak anti-takeover defenses," according to Credit Suisse First Boston analyst James Higgins.

In a report released yesterday, Higgins noted that ACAH's board of directors stands for election each year and there is no staggered board. Additionally, shareholders "can act by written consent, meaning that a proposal to hold a board election can be taken up at any time." The weak defenses, coupled with a "disgruntled shareholder base that is very skeptical about management's plan" to turn the Regional into a low-cost airline, "make the odds of Mesa's success in an offer quite high," according to Higgins. He also noted that nearly 45% of ACAH shares changed hands shortly after it announced its plan to become a low-fare airline and that another 20% changed hands yesterday. The implication is that a substantial portion of the stock rests with short-term investors interested in an arbitrage play.

Mesa Chairman and CEO Jonathan Ornstein is offering to exchange 0.9 share of newly issued Mesa stock for each share of ACAH common stock. In a briefing to analysts and media yesterday, he said he is prepared to take his offer "directly to Atlantic Coast shareholders." He said he disagrees with ACA's plan to become a standalone low-cost airline and its move in that direction propelled him to make his unsolicited bid. "That model is wrong for this company," he stated. However, he also would prefer to keep the two companies' operations separate.--Perry Flint & Sandra Arnoult

 

[hire_me]

JO is a genious. Mesa has the work. ACA has the airplanes. Mesa wants the airplanes. ACA has no work.

The ACA BOD/shareholders would be foolish to reject this proposal - the likelihood of starting up a successful low-cost carrier is poor to nil.

What's in it for the pilots? Initially a crappy contract. However, this merger will create the largest regional airline in the US. That means negotiating power. Imagine what a strike could do to Mesa down the road - seriously disabling operations at US Airways, United, Frontier and America West.

Genious I say!

 

[NoName]

They have power now, and didnt do anything with it. This is not good for pilots, i dont see how anyone can dispute that.

 

[46Driver]

JO is a genious. Mesa has the work. ACA has the airplanes. Mesa wants the airplanes. ACA has no work.

The ACA BOD/shareholders would be foolish to reject this proposal - the likelihood of starting up a successful low-cost carrier is poor to nil.

What's in it for the pilots? Initially a crappy contract. However, this merger will create the largest regional airline in the US. That means negotiating power. Imagine what a strike could do to Mesa down the road - seriously disabling operations at US Airways, United, Frontier and America West.

Genious I say!

First of all, its "Genius", not "Genious".........

MESA has part of the UAL contract because they bid on lower margins than are sustainable and are tying themselves to the 2 shakiest majors (UAL and USAir). ACA has the airplanes which MESA and UAL need but can not finance. ACA also has the gates at Dulles which MESA and UAL need but don't own. In other words, UAL and MESA are desperate.

The likelihood of starting a LCC is poor to nil? Yeah, just like AirTran and JetBlue. And ACA has more money in the bank than JetBlue when they started plus already having a structure in place.

What's in it for the pilots? To be whipsawed back and forth and forever be stuck with a MESA contract. Great. Pay rates at 20% less than the industry, no commuter clause, per diem at 33% less than the industry, only half pay for being deadheaded, no pay for weather or maintenance cancellations, nice.

 

[stillaboo]

What's in it for the pilots? . . . no commuter clause

They have a commuter clause. It's based on ACA's in fact.

Thes rest of your post, unfortunately, is sortta' true.

 

[46Driver]

ACA's commuter clause can be used at any time. From what I have heard, you can only use the MESA commuter clause once a year.....

 

[Anti-Matter]

ACA's commuter clause can be used at any time. From what I have heard, you can only use the MESA commuter clause once a year.....

And I hear their commute has to arrive 3 hours before their report time.

Way to go Mesa pilots!

 

[Cappy]

Are you serious???

JO is a genious. Mesa has the work. ACA has the airplanes. Mesa wants the airplanes. ACA has no work.

The ACA BOD/shareholders would be foolish to reject this proposal - the likelihood of starting up a successful low-cost carrier is poor to nil.

What's in it for the pilots? Initially a crappy contract. However, this merger will create the largest regional airline in the US. That means negotiating power. Imagine what a strike could do to Mesa down the road - seriously disabling operations at US Airways, United, Frontier and America West.

Genious I say!

You certainly must be joking as your comments lean towards this whole Mesa sideshow as something to be admired!?

Haven't you Mesa guys learned anything about who JO really is? He is Francisco Anthony Lorenzo reborn!!!

Don't know who he is? He whipsawed the Texas Air, Continental, New york Air and Eastern pilots for years until they had enough. The '89 Eastern strike has been misspoken as a pilot strike for years. It was actually a mechanic (IAM) strike...the pilots walked for over NINE MONTHS in sympathy.

Let's be clear, the pilot's were not really sympathetic to the mechanics (which is a long story) but knew that if they did not force Lorenzo out then their careers were over due to the his whipsawing the airlines employee groups.

Do you really beleive that your career is going to be something to be proud of as long as you work for JO?

PLease understand me, I am not blaming the Mesa pilots for anything, yet when I read your posts and your mesa-lounge webboard I am floored by the utter vacuum of information that you guys have. Or maybe it's something much worse, like a group that refuses to hear.

I do wish all Mesa pilots luck with JO and UAL. But ACA management chooses, and the pilots wholeheartedly agree, that staying with UAL has more long-term risks than reward. It's really that simple.

Stay Unified!