Skywest/ASA merger

[General Lee]

Gen

What makes you think it will be DAL doing the dumping? DAL is the company that is losing billions. I'd be cautious to stay there, especially given the lack of real progress. If I had to stick with one of the partners, I'd keep UAL. DAL's future is a real question mark. Both nature and business abhor a vacuum, DAL goes away, someone will the void and the same regional flying will be available. I don't expect you to agree with me publicly, but deep down were you write the mortgage check you have to be wondering yourself. If DAL does stop the tailspin, will it be the same DAL it was just a few years ago? Will it be like TWA in the decade or so till it went away, simply treading water until its final demise?

Oh come on man. Are you serious? Delta is a company with over 50,000 employees, and a Georgia Bankruptcy judge knows that very well. The USAir bankruptcy judge (in Wash DC where USAir is based--Crystal City) stated right off the bat that "he would NOT liquidate USAir." Do you think the GA judge (with all the pressure from everyone in GA) wouldn't do the same? Also, Delta has a recovery plan---to save $5 billion a year BY 2006. That is the key, except we have to get to 2006 first. They have the plan, we just started it late. We have made tons of progress----we just started it late and gas prices haven't helped. We also have the flexibility of only one union---something no other Major legacy airline has. Quit telling me about this "vacuum" theory you have-----nobody wants 50,000 jobs to go bye bye. A lot of people have a lot riding on DL continuing---including SkyWest. But, you will have to play ball or Mesa will be the next DCI in SLC, and you will be begging Allegiant to be their feeder in Sanford or LAS.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Well, It will probably be a bankruptcy judge calling the shots for Delta...and everyone else! When they go into bankruptcy, can't imagine ASA and Comair will be doing that great either....

But hey, Mesa will buy Comair anyway!

Bye Bye--The Best!

You've cracked the code! Your new callsign over there will be "Air Sh!ttle."


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[catIIIc]

General,

Skywest could also invest its money in Delta when the go CH 11 just like Air Whisky and CHQ did with USAIR. And remember Skywest is one of the only airlines that has money in the bank, Mesa has none or not enough, CHQ is in bed with USAIR, so who do think will be there with money on hand to bail out Delta. And remember financing is drying up for Airlines UAL and USAIR are getting all the good rates and they better file before the new BK laws go into effect in Oct. They only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.

You never know the only staple could be Skywest Pilots to the bottom of Delta's list

 

[General Lee]

General,

Skywest could also invest its money in Delta when the go CH 11 just like Air Whisky and CHQ did with USAIR. And remember Skywest is one of the only airlines that has money in the bank, Mesa has none or not enough, CHQ is in bed with USAIR, so who do think will be there with money on hand to bail out Delta. And remember financing is drying up for Airlines UAL and USAIR are getting all the good rates and they better file before the new BK laws go into effect in Oct. They only thing that is certain is that nothing is certain.

You never know the only staple could be Skywest Pilots to the bottom of Delta's list

True, there could be plenty of investors. But, there is a good chance ASA and Comair will be sold, especially if we go to court. Those buyers will probably be included into the DCI fold (a larger presence), and I can see three airlines trying----SkyWest, Mesa, and CHQ. But, a possible merger with NW could also complicate things---because Pinnacle and Mesaba also feed the pot. Grinstein keeps saying consolidation will happen, and he has hinted that if we go to court we MAY be looking for a dancing partner. Then, after everything is done, we FINALLY WOULD BE ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY. And, Russ would be my captain...?? Greaaaaaaat.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[ArcticFlier]

There's a fourth option..................a private investor(s) that may buy ASA and/or Comair. It may not be an existing airline.

AF

 

[General Lee]

There's a fourth option..................a private investor(s) that may buy ASA and/or Comair. It may not be an existing airline.

AF

True dat. There are plenty of Billionares that want to become Millionares.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

YUP! Air Sh!ttle....Thaaats SilLLY! NW will never happen. Delta WANTS to make it..they will if they clean some house. Pensions are gonna have to go. Regular 401k's from this point on!

They are gone. I now have a defined contribution plan(401K), not a defined benefit plan. The problem now for the pensions is for the already retired---the ones that retired with a defined benefit plan---they may get $crewed unless Congress allows Delta to extend the payments out for many years. I believe they have a plan to extend it out 14 years (we owe around $5 billion in the next 4 years---so that is better than nothing).

I really think there will be some consolidation. Look at Grinstein's record. He allowed DL to buy Western, and he did the same with a couple Rail companies. The deal will have to include airlines that do not overlap in routes or hubs (like USair and AWA), so NW looks plausible. CAL and DL have a large NYC presence.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Crash Pad]

Bring on the reaply

All I have to say is I hope they make ASA pilots reapply to skywest. The idea of a basic indoc class filled with ASA pilots sounds like a month long drunken frat party. Bring it on! Just out of curiousity has anyone run the cost of running 1700 already trained pilots through initial. Then the 800 or so skywest upgrades that would have to go through upgrade. The brazilia transitions. ATR transitions.... On top of all that the moving costs and continuous per diem TDY cases... I think the ASA reaply is the best business decision skywest could make.

Looking forward to the party in Salt Lake... We'll put the drunk back into mormon!

 

[ArcticFlier]

True dat. There are plenty of Billionares that want to become Millionares.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Or there are the now, up and coming Carl Icahns and Frank Lorenzos of the world.....


AF

 

[Otto Coarsen]

Mesa has none or not enough,

We have our flaws, but this statement is ENTIRELY untrue (for the record) YV has lots of cash on hand.

PS I hate defending Mesa. I really do hate the way my company treats me...