Republic wanting to join Star Alliance

[inflightboi175]

Republic wanting to join Star Alliance?

got this from airlinepilotforums.com written by YXnot


Subject: Resolution & Republic Airways Holdings

I wanted to see if anything came of my resolution for half time line flying, especially since the flight attendants now have 'partnerships' with benefits. Same thing, different name.

Also, I wanted to address this Republic Airways Holdings maneuver that is going on now:

I took a jet for jobs position with Chautauqua during the last furlough. I was working there while they were starting the 170 operation. It took them extensive time, money and effort to try and get the Republic operating certificate up and running, but, during that time, they were able to buy the dying certificate of Shuttle America and morph it into the United 170 operation very quickly and cheaply. Bryan Bedford, Republic Airways Holdings CEO, learned very quickly that buying a dying certificate was much cheaper and faster to start an airline than building one from the ground up.

Last year I was jumpseating one of Shuttle America's planes. The captain was very senior and one I had flown with. He asked me if I had heard about the company's plan to start a 90 seat carrier. I said no and that none of the major carriers had given up scope for that. He said 'no, they plan on joining it with the Star Alliance." I immediately shut up and went home to research their SEC filings for 190s. There were none at the time.

This last month I have watched carefully while Republic has purchased Midwest Express and has already expressed intent to eliminate the Boeings and replace them with 190s. In addition, they have bid on Frontier and will most likely get outbid by SWA. This is purely a defensive purchase by SWA to prevent Republic from being able to start a national low-cost carrier virtually ovemight by buying existing certificates. It is my understanding that Republic also bid on AirTran. If they had succeeded, they would have started a low-cost carrier in a couple of months with hubs in Denver, Atlanta and (Milwaukee) soon to be our B gates in Chicago.

The plan to start a 90+ seat low-cost carrier that joins the Star Alliance is crystal clear to me now. Continental, United and USAirways are all complicit in this. They have been working with Bryan Bedford for years on the execution of this plan. CAL and UAL eliminated their 737 fleets because they intend to replace this flying with the soon-to-be Star Alliance partner of Midwest Express. A USAirways pilot told me 2 days ago that the unannounced rumor is that USAir intends to eliminate their 190 fleet starting in January. Just a year ago USAir said this was their most profitable fleet. Perfect timing for Midwest Express 190s to be up and running!

 

[inflightboi175]

Republic Airways Holdings and "investors" would not have made such a bold financial move if they were not assured of success. CAL and UAL would not have already eliminated their feeder fleets if they were not assured of success. Continental, United, USAirways and Republic Airways Holding are sure to have been lobbying Washington hard over to past years to set this up for success.

I do not have to explain the dangers of this to you on many different levels. Clearly they do not need scope relief. They intend to just take it. They showed their hand to me with the intent to purchase Frontier. They just intend to work out the kinks with the 190s and then replace all the Airbus flying in the future as well. Glenn Tilton fully expects, and will get the elimination of all domestic flying at United Airlines using this operation. You can plan on it!

I really see no way of stopping this unless the pilots of CAL, UAL, USAirway and ALPA take a stand on this. ALPA must work on stopping Midwest Express (or its future name and form) from joining the Star Alliance. These carriers are working together because with the Star Alliance set up in this way they effective take all the wind out of the union sails! If anyone of these carriers ever threatens a strike, the other carriers can pick up the slack by rerouting the tickets through the Star Alliance. In addition, they will easily and effectively outsource all of this flying to cheaper labor. I cannot believe they are going to succeed in this way with a DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY!

Please, Eric, just let me know that our union has already figured this out or is aware of the plan. If we move forward with our heads in the sand they will run all 3 carriers over. SWA just thought outside the box with their blocking purchase of Frontier. Maybe our unions should have thought outside the box and purchased Midwest Express (it was sooooo cheap). We need to outmaneuver them by preventing growth or by blocking this in DC. Hell, get competing carriers like SWA and Delta to use their clout in DC to stop the Star Alliance. At this point, I don't give a (expletive deleted)

Just an additional point I thought of while pulling weeds ... Republic Airways Holdings has been spending 10s of millions of dollars to float the Frontier and Midwest Express certificates for the better part of a year. Republic could have made an attempt to purchase them at any time in that time frame without spending all that money. It was not until CAL was approved to join the Star Alliance that Republic moved forward with their attempt to purchase Midwest and Frontier. Almost immediately in
fact. They had to make sure all the pieces were in place before the final piece of the puzzle was added. Without CAL they would not have had appropriate international coverage in the event of a strike by UAL. Glenn Tilton is the mastermind. This is why his board is so patient with him in downsizing and losing money ...there is a higher goal. They know in the end the
domestic flying will be covered by the new Star Alliance partner. It also makes the recent announcement that UAL wants to replace only its international fleet valid.

Watch this one! If they get Frontier and then make another play for AirTran, DAL will have the combination of UAL, CAL, 'USAir, and the new low-cost AirTran morph thing as a unified carrier operating out of ATL. DAL mgmt should put the spank on this one!

 

[sstearns2]

I don't think Republic is going to be the only new domestic Star Alliance partner. This is how the legacy's will get around scope and farm out more flying. I hope ALPA has a plan.

Scott

 

[contrail67]

Of course we will listen to an F/A.

 

[BoilerUP]

I've never seen so much rumor & innuendo stated as "fact"...and being that this is Flightinfo, that's saying something.

 

[Airline Driver]

I've never seen so much rumor & innuendo stated as "fact"...and being that this is Flightinfo, that's saying something.

What is a little interesting Boiler, is that The Star alliance Rumor has been floating around RAH for 2+ years now. This is flightinfo as you said, so of course we "MUST" believe everything we read on here. I guess we'll find out in the years to come.

 

[Draginass]

Doesn't UAL ALPA have scope restrictions on code sharing as well. If not, then ALPA might was well close the doors and kiss Tiltons you-know-what.

 

[jonjuan]

Doesn't UAL ALPA have scope restrictions on code sharing as well. If not, then ALPA might was well close the doors and kiss Tiltons you-know-what.

Maybe alpa meant "takin' it in the back."

 

[inflightboi175]

as I said I read this on airlinepilotforums.com I did not write this and I did not say it was fact notice the question mark

 

[EHE2]

Alpa

ALPA will just throw you guys under the bus and petition the "new" Republic! But you have my support!