Shuttle America Hires the Fat Lady!!!

[tindriver72]

Well, folks... This just in from Ft. Wayne HQ!!

"In the absence of any new developments that would permit us to operate, we are ceasing operations between October 27, 2003 and December 31, 2003."

" I certainly hate to admit defeat, but our creditors who we have engaged certainly needed to know that the other stakeholders involved in the restructuring were doing their “fair share” to participate in the carrier’s recovery. "

"We are therefore working on an outline of a plan to manage an orderly wind-down of the airline"

Looks like it's official!!!! Scare tactic? Don't know. But if anyone out there thinks that the flight crews didn't do their "Fair Share", they are sorely mistaken.

No block or better, no quality of life, junior manning, no PDO's, and still we managed to carry 98+% completion factor with a pheonominal on time percentage. The people that I've got the privilage to fly with are top notch professionals.

I'm gonna miss flying with you guys.

 

[Heavy Set]

Crap situation. But maybe you need this to move on to a better situation flying jets elsewhere. Would you ever see Herb Kelleher resort to these tactics? Nope. Management sounds like a bunch of jack arses!

Time to get out - at least you have some good flying memories...

 

[captjim]

I think this is a scare tactic. However if not, someplace will be picking up the flying you guys were doing and they'll need pilots.

It would hopefully be better than where you're at now. Good luck to you all, hats off for standing up for yourselves!

 

[I.P. Freley]

Well everyone wanted something official... Guess we got our wish!

 

[LuvMyJob]

Attention: Attention:

All non-typed management personnel report to St. Louis for "quickie" type rating to impress H.R. person at future interview!

Still seems to be money available for pissing away, why should things change now! Where can I sign up for my type?

 

[tiktak]

Dr. Strangelove

Funny SA mgmt behaves the same way

Make a poll who fits what roll.

I'd say this is one of the funniest comedies of all time. It's uproariously funny, yet the basic theme (nuclear apocalypse) is deadly serious. Actor-Comedian Peter Sellers plays three different roles to perfection. He plays the President of the United States, a British Captain and the mad inventor of the bomb, Dr. Strangelove (one of Sellers' best characters, next to Inspector Clouseau). The trouble starts when mad General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) orders an all-out nuclear attack on Russia. The message is sent to a squadron of B-52 bombers, lead by Major T.J. "King" Kong (Slim Pickens), who are sent to bomb strategic Russian Military bases.
In the mean time, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Sellers) is attempting to trick Hayden into giving him the code that will recall all the bombers. At the Pentagon, the President (Sellers again) and wacky General "Buck" Turgidson (George C. Scott) have decided that they will help the Russians shoot down the bombers, with the help of the extremely loony Strangelove, a wheel-chair bound scientist, who's artificial arm keeps giving the Nazi salute. Will the Bombs be stopped? Or will everyone be blown off the face of the earth?

Dr. Strangelove tells the story of an insane Air Force general named Jack D. Ripper who orders a bomber wing to drop a nuclear bomb on the Soviet Union. Ripper, who favors rainwater as a drink mixer, believes the Soviets are poisoning "our precious bodily fluids," an allusion to an actual Cold War belief that the fluoridation of America's water supply was a Communist plot. As the bomber unit headed by Major T. J. "King" Kong relentlessly approaches its primary target--a missile complex called Lapuda, a reference to a place in Jonathan Swift's satiric 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels--Soviet Ambassador de Sadesky confronts the president of the United States in the latter's "War Room" and tells him that a nuclear strike will detonate a Doomsday Device that will annihilate all living things on the surface of the planet. The wheelchair-using Dr. Strangelove, a presidential advisor on international political affairs and weapons development, explains the ramifications of the Doomsday Device while attempting to keep his bionic arm under control; during tense moments, the prosthesis has a tendency to choke its owner or give Nazi salutes. While making plans with others in the War Room for living underground in the post-Armageddon world, Strangelove unexpectedly rises out of his wheelchair and takes a few steps. "Mein Führer, I can walk!" he exclaims to the president, but his excitement is short-lived; Major Kong's bomber wing completes its grim mission at that moment, and a series of thermonuclear bomb blasts accompanied by the strains of the schmaltzy Vera Lynn tune "We'll Meet Again" concludes the film.

 

[dispatchguy]

The Full Monty

Direct from the hosses mouth, without editorialization...

----------------------------------------------------
Company Update- September 16, 2003


To all Shuttle America Associates;

I realize that there is a high level of concern across the company about our future in light of the recent pilot vote to overwhelmingly reject the concession package. While we had reached agreements with Saab, US Airways, Wexford and several other creditors on a reduction of our obligations and a restructuring of our debts, those agreements were, as I had previously communicated, conditioned upon a positive vote on the pilot wage concessions. I am sorry to report that this means the restructuring plan we have been focused on for the last four months has failed

So where does this leave us?

In the absence of any new developments that would permit us to operate, we are ceasing operations between October 27, 2003 and December 31, 2003.

I certainly hate to admit defeat, but our creditors who we have engaged certainly needed to know that the other stakeholders involved in the restructuring were doing their “fair share” to participate in the carrier’s recovery.

We are therefore working on an outline of a plan to manage an orderly wind-down of the airline. As hard as this industry has been since 9-11, nothing is harder for me than to develop this plan. Once I have more definitive information, I will try to get it to you quickly. For the short term, I can tell you we plan to operate the published flight schedule at the very least through October. That is, unless we have massive attrition, in which case it will have to cease operations on a more accelerated schedule.

While the current situation looks grim and for good reason, I am still actively involved in two different marketing campaigns to preserve this airline’s future. This is a long-shot but I am not someone who gives up easily. Those of you that were here in July 2002 should remember how dire our situation was. I did not give up then and collectively, we managed to turn the operation around to be consistently the highest performing operator in the Express program. I am continuing to do what I can.

Regardless of how the future plays out, our primary focus must remain the continued safe and reliable operation of our fleet. Despite our differences over our failed restructuring attempt, we have a professional obligation to ensure the safety of our passengers and crews. I sincerely trust that each Shuttle employee will adhere to the highest standards of professional ethics.

As I said above, I will try to keep you informed on information as it comes in. Again, I ask you to continue to hope and pray for our airline and for the success of the continuing efforts to save it.

Scott


Date: 9/16/2003

 

[I.P. Freley]

While I will unhesitatingly agree that Dr. Strangelove is one of the greatest films of all time, I am having a wee bit of difficulty relating the film to "our situation".

Except for the part about the B-52's... Our airplanes are of about the same vintage.

 

[skootertrash]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

What a jack-a$$. I'll buy any SA employee lunch if you really do "cease" operations.

If 10% of nothing would have "saved" the company they could have sold 2 gpu's to make up the cash. What a bunch of crap.

 

[the turtle]

You were sold out by your CHQ "brothers"....ask any Mesa pilot what they gave up for CCAir reintergration....it appears CHQ was successful in stopping Republic, sadly, they didn't follow it to the end with you guys.

 

[I.P. Freley]

We'll see about that. Apparently something is in the works that gives SA pilots an "out". Nothing concrete, at least not yet, but CHQ may have a place for us yet.

Of course that does nothing for the remaining 200-or-so SA employees. I do wish that there was something we could do for THEM if we manage to save our own hides.

 

[CHQNewHire]

Turtle,

You have know idea what you are talking about.

Our EC pushed for SA and got an emphatic NO. We have little or no leverage regarding SA as they ARE NOT under the Republic Holdings umbrella.

That being said, our negotiating committee pointed out at the road shows that we are trying to work out some kind of preferential hiring program should SA close doors.

Looking at the release above, it seems obvious that "Scott" left himself an out...very likely just another scare tactic.

 

[I.P. Freley]

I think your leverage, or at least the leverage that SA has against Wexford, is that CHQ's numbers will suddenly look very poor, indeed, if they suddenly have to cough up $3/4mil a month to pay for the leases on parked airplanes.

Of course, CHQNewHire, you are aware of who owns Republic Holdings, right? Surely you don't think that the argument "we aren't owned by the same company" holds any water in that sense...? Why do you think that CHQ is working to keep SA open in the first place? It's not out of purest altruism, that's for sure.

 

[captjim]

I have a very hard time believing that the doors are going to be shut. Sounds like a truck load of crap to me!

 

[captjim]

They arent going to have another vote are they?

Bingo!

Barginning with labor 101, "scare the crap out of them; they'll come crawling back"!

I don't buy it!

 

[tiktak]

Dr. Strangelove

Mgmt (like Gen Jack D. Ripper ) gave the order for a nuklear strike.
company shutdown.
Now capt Lionel Mandrake (EC) trys to get the secret codes to recall the bombers ( a new vote by the pilots )
At the Pentagon ( at Wexford in CT ), the President (Charles Davidson) and wacky General "Buck" Turgidson (Joseph Jacobs) have decided that they will help the Russians (Chautauqua Airlines)shoot down the bombers.
.Dr Strangelove (Scott ) trys to figure out the order after the (shutdown) nuclear apocalypse.
Will Major T.J. "King" Kong ride the nuke like in the movie?
And will the schmaltzy Vera Lynn tune "We'll Meet Again" sing in the background when we look for new jobs?

Just a thought.

 

[StuckInASaab]

Its an Opera

Seems the fat lady has sung a loud tune around here. Everyone that I have conversed with regarding this (besides the few people on flightinfo.com, who are not in jeopardy of losing their jobs) seem to believe that the company is going to close.

Go to Vegas, put your money in, after the dealer makes the turn, and it looks like you are down...when the guy across the table keeps raising the stakes on your every raise and check...put in another $100, call his bluff...but don't forget that the house always wins. It is a proven fact that you can score big, and walk away a winner, but the house will always control the cards. Everyone who is going to be out on the street if Shuttle America closes has a lot more stake in this game than the spectators enjoying the free drinks, chattering "boy it sucks for those guys."

 

[I.P. Freley]

The fat lady takes a breather...

New TA will be out on thursday... Last-ditch effort to save the company, I am told.

Guess we'll have to see what this new TA brings. I have the speculative version, but I am more than happy to wait another 36 hours to see the REAL version before I comment further.

 

[CHQNewHire]

Re: The fat lady takes a breather...

New TA will be out on thursday... Last-ditch effort to save the company, I am told.

Guess we'll have to see what this new TA brings. I have the speculative version, but I am more than happy to wait another 36 hours to see the REAL version before I comment further.

What a shock!!

 

[tiktak]

New TA will be out on thursday... Last-ditch effort to save the company, I am told.


Now Capt Lionel Mandrake (EC) trys to make a collect call from a payphone to the Pentagon ( at Wexford in CT ), the President (Charles Davidson) and wacky General "Buck" Turgidson (Joseph Jacobs) to transmit the secret codes to recall the bombers.

Will the radio in the B52 be broken?


Looking at the release above, it seems obvious that "Scott" left himself an out
or Dr Strangelove's new world order. ( Mein Fuhrer, I can walk)


Seems the fat lady has sung a loud tune around here