Midwest has more than one foot in the ground

[jravi8tor]

I wouldn't go as far as saying all MEH pilots were against the AirTran deal. Tim Hoeksema did exactly what a CEO was supposed to do in regards to the best interest of their shareholders. TPG/NWA offered $17.00 all cash deal and AirTran' offer was stock and cash option. As a furloughed MEH pilot it does suck, and AirTran would have been nice, but the cookie monster screwed all MEH employees and the shareholder made out nice!

 

[Jetjockey]

3 words for TH. Karma, anal cancer.

 

[eightdriver]

Hindsight the AT dea would have been much better then this... but thats hindsight. Our CEO convinced our union that they had a solid stand alone plan that TPG was backing. But when Delta and NW announced a merger, all of TPG's plans for us went out the window. The pilot group at MEH backed the union on there decision to go along with the stand alone plan... you can't blame us for that. Fact is the union was talking with Tim and TPG in good faith when in reality they were being lied to just like the pilot group. Either way, the next few weeks should be interesting to watch develop...

 

[TheJCNIs]

So, Midwest 717s seat 99 and Midwest Connect E190s seat 100. Does that mean that Midwest just became a regional airline feeding traffic to Midwest Connect?

 

[fam62c]

Hindsight the AT dea would have been much better then this... but thats hindsight. Our CEO convinced our union that they had a solid stand alone plan that TPG was backing. But when Delta and NW announced a merger, all of TPG's plans for us went out the window. The pilot group at MEH backed the union on there decision to go along with the stand alone plan... you can't blame us for that. Fact is the union was talking with Tim and TPG in good faith when in reality they were being lied to just like the pilot group. Either way, the next few weeks should be interesting to watch develop...

In retrospect, the best deal for everybody involved except the shareholders would have been a friendly merger with a stock-swap deal that would have preserved the combined airline's cash positions. Unfortunately, with the personalities involved this was not possible but it would have made a carrier with a decent economy of scale, a nice route network and a balance sheet that would have allowed them to survive the downturn. Unfortunately, I think that until the day he dies Tim H. will believe that it was better to see Midwest fail as a "stand alone" company than succeed as a part of AirTran. Kind of a "better dead than red" mindset.

In my mind Midwest/Skyway will always be remembered as a glaring example of wasted potential; a company run into the ground by an incompetent, indecisive, arrogant CEO who didn't realize the necessity to adapt from the only business model he knew when the competitive environment changed. A CEO who was more concerned about the image of the company than the actual company itself. It's unfortunate to see where this is going but Republic or no Republic, E-190's or no E-190's the fate of Midwest was ultimately sealed by decisions made years before. I've got to believe that the end of this sad drama can't be that far off.

 

[fam62c]

Bid on what???? A contract with 2 regional airlines and a bunch of cold pre-baked cookies cookies sitting in a warehouse?

I agree, at this point the liabilities far exceed the few remaining pieces of any value. AirTran is better off doing it the way they are doing it.

 

[CitationLover]

One word "Pride". The double edge sword is that our pride can also cause us to shoot ourselves in the foot.

It's easy to arm chair quarterback now. This is what our MEC told us.

At the time we needed to reopen our contract to add verbage to our successorship language. So we needed management's concurrence to do this. You suggest we support Air Tran then go back to management to ask for this?

 

[CitationLover]

So, Midwest 717s seat 99 and Midwest Connect E190s seat 100. Does that mean that Midwest just became a regional airline feeding traffic to Midwest Connect?

No thank you. Let's compare pay rates, work rules, etc. and then use your logic.......

 

[9rj9]

I don't know why you were so scared of Airtran, freaking cream skimming NWA a la Delta you should have know what those ase wipes would do to you. It's Delta first step to replacing the Maddogd with regional pilots in 100 seat airplanes. Gotta break the barrier and then offer the senior guys a sellout deal. Weak sisters at Delta will fold like cheap lawn chairs. Watch

 

[RobCat]

We all know in this industry dont trust anyone to do whats best for you and your family, and never apply logic to this industry.

Citation, what do you guys see happening to Midwest? What is your MEC telling you guys?