Northwest pilots set conditions for a merger...Article

[glasspilot1]

Delta and Northwest: "Two Great Airlines, One Great Future".

Hmmmmm... Now where have I heard that one before...Hmmmm?

 

[Superpilot92]

While I agree that the Diesel 9s will eventually need to be parked, I think that NWA plans to park them over time with or without a merger. That's what Compass is for. The fact that a potential Delta-NWA merger has few overlapping hubs (except MEM/CVG) translates into fewer needs to reduce redundancies.

Delta and NWA do not compete directly on many routes except to/from the hubs - right? Maybe some random flights to Hawaii but not many other routes. You don't find NWA flying between LAX and JFK. You don't flying Delta flying flights between SEA and NRT. The point is that while there might be some basic redundancies (back office, administrative, one HQ will need to be reduced), I don't see the need to discontinue many flights beyond the inter-hub traffic. You know that another airline would just fill that void. If DAL reduced the number of flights between ATL and DTW, Air Tran would just increase its numbers between those city pairs.

The main benefit of this combination would be complementary route systems - NWA adds two upper Midwest hubs and a fantasic Asian network. Delta adds Europe, JFK, the Southeast, Latin America and a West Coast presence that NWA lacks. Both are members of the same code-share alliance and both will benefit from working closer with Air France/KLM.

Anyone who thinks UAL would be a better partner than NWA (like Gordon Buffoon) is on crack. I don't see the need for the "sky is falling" mentality in this case - sure, there will probably be some change but I think it would be minor (beyond headquarters reduction and administrative "synergies") because the route systems are so complementary... The regionals have the least to gain, however, because you probably don't need as many regional partners - especially if either MEM/CVG is reduced.

Not possible under the current contract. Now if they merge compass into NWA and bring the 175s onboard the NWA ticket then sure they can keep ordering more 175s. Right now Compass or mesaba can only grow 18 more aircraft between the 2 companies. The only way more aircraft can go to Compass or mesaba is if NWA gets more aircraft.

 

[Superpilot92]

And the madness continues! Furloughs will be on the way, flying is going to be cut and that's just the begginning! It is going to be UGLY!
Right now both companies need pilots, except when the merge is complete they will start parking dc9's faster than you can imagine. They will want to get the fleet in order ASAP to keep costs down...ie training, sims, aircraft parts etc. Man, I would not want to be on the bottom of THAT list! Good Luck to all of those involved...you might want to get your resume's updated also....

Well its a good thing you dont have to worry about anything since you will be unaffected at the regionals. Good luck with that, oh and thanks for the career guidance

 

[retired guy]

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[johnsonrod]

I disagree. IF the feds approve the merger (and that's a big "if") it will be on the condition that they can't eliminate competition and cut service. Right now, on the DTW-ATL route NWA flies DC-9s and Delta flies RJs with a couple of Maddogs thrown in. If these overlapping routes move to mainline equipment, the RJs will be redeployed elsewhere. But more likely, the routes like DTW-ATL and ATL will remain the same so as not to arouse the antitrust watchdogs. And the current capacity on those routes already seems "right sized" anyhow. I doubt they will decrease frequency on these business routes just to eliminate the RJs.

More likely a lot of the short DC-9 routes will be cut, especially the intra Michigan routes like DTW-GRR, DTW-MBS, and DTW-FNT. Thee routes will be going to RJs or even turboprops, as they already should have.

There will be plenty of capacity for RJs post merger. They will just be used in more of a traditional commuter role, and for the long thin routes, not to and from large cities like they do now.

I think RJs make sense on non-competitive routes where pricing can be adjusted to compensate for high fuel costs. I agree that the number of flights will stay near the same on competitive routes (spread out the costs across more seats), but RJs would be better deployed on longer, thinner routes with no LCC competition. Delta currently uses RJs on some competitive routes because it wants the international feed from those cities - I think the addition of 737-700s soon will change the mix on some of those routes.

I think we will see more E170s, CR9s and Q400s in the future because it is so difficult to make a profit using 50 seaters - especially in competitive routes where pricing pressure is increased. You need more seats to spread out the costs.

 

[MCDU]

Will the NW guys on furlough be stapled?

 

[FDJ2]

This is Hilarious.... The General and some of you others actually think you have a say. Alpa will get hood-winked again, fall for it and then slap themselves silly for agreeing to such a dumb idea.

The same was said when we faced an 1113c, yet we managed to keep our work rules, we have a decent sick leave policy, only endured a modest pay cut when compared to what was asked, a short duration for the concession and nearly $2B in cash in our pockets.

Then there was the hostile takeover. All the posts on here about how the money was with Parker, money talks, blah, blah, blah, but at the end of the day Parker and his backers were shown the door.

Good thing not everyone has your victim/defeatist mentality.

 

[FDJ2]

I disagree. IF the feds approve the merger (and that's a big "if") it will be on the condition that they can't eliminate competition and cut service.

The airline will agree, the merger will be blessed and in short order management will cut high cost RJ service citing unprecedent fuel costs no longer make the gas guzzling RJ feasible.

 

[jtm2222]

Does everybody realize that the General Lee has averaged a little over 5 posts a day for the past 5 1/2 years....

 

[FDJ2]

It doesn't really matter, but our A330 CA rate is $161.52 + $5.17 Intl Override (no domestic flying on the 330). I was thinking your 75/6 domestic was around $158.


We also got a raise on 1/1/08.

If DAL only receives the 1.5% contractual minimum raise:

Delta 767 rate is 159.98/hr, Int'l override is $5/hr

DAL 767-400 rate is $180.54, plus over ride

DAL 777 rate is $191.13 Only 8 on property, 2 more in Febuary.

DAL 757 pay is $159.98/hr

DAL has 136 B757s

DAL has over 100 767s, 21 of them are 767-400s.

For pay comparison purposes, DAL's 767-400 pays about the same as NWA's 747-400, DAL's 767 and 757 pays about the same as NWA's A330, and DAL's MD-88/90 pays about the same as NWA's 757.

Hopefully all pay rates will go up in the event of a merger with pay equity across the board.