SkyWest Had Made Hostile $3.50/Share Bid For ExpressJet

[BOX OFFICE]

amcnd is right. I know it looks scary right now, but this is a good thing for the future of the Xjet pilot group. If you want ONELIST there are other ways of obtaining that goal. This is not that time. If the Xjet pilot group wants to play hardball, then Xjet will die over the next 4 years (or less!!!!!) and ASA/SkyWest pilots will expand and fill in the gaps. Or, the Xjet group can be more than welcomed into the Inc. fold and be players in the future.

It took 14 pages for someone to finally say it. All of the superficial bickering is meaningless. Either XJT ALPA waives the scope and SKW buys them, or they join ACA/Independence Air in oblivion within two years or less.

If you XJT guys want to fall on your swords to "protect the profession" then by all means do so, but don't cry about it when the vultures at SkyWest and ASA gleefully take over your former flying.

Jerry Atkin is going to get your flying one way or the other. Either prosper by it or die by it. It's your choice, but SkyWest is like the Borg, and yes, "resistance is futile".

Now with that said, it seems that SkyWest has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to ASA, and Atkin did, after all, secure at least a 15 year future for ASA. He didn't have to do that. Maybe you should at least trust him a little and consider it.

 

[ERJFO]

It took 14 pages for someone to finally say it. All of the superficial bickering is meaningless. Either XJT ALPA waives the scope and SKW buys them, or they join ACA/Independence Air in oblivion within two years or less.

Like I said, the scope is in our contract for a reason and we'll let it go away. It's going to be negotiated for something - not just given away.

If you XJT guys want to fall on your swords to "protect the profession" then by all means do so, but don't cry about it when the vultures at SkyWest and ASA gleefully take over your former flying.

With what airplanes? Who's to say the company doesn't "fall on it's sword" agian to keep the flying away from someone else. I'm sure they are going to position themselves in a spot where SkyWest needs us more and more.

Jerry Atkin is going to get your flying one way or the other. Either prosper by it or die by it. It's your choice, but SkyWest is like the Borg, and yes, "resistance is futile".

We'll negotiate if the board wants to sell, and if SKYW wants to buy bad enough they will too.

Now with that said, it seems that SkyWest has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to ASA, and Atkin did, after all, secure at least a 15 year future for ASA. He didn't have to do that. Maybe you should at least trust him a little and consider it.

I'd trust him more if he put us on one list. We'll see what we can talk out of them.

 

[Goose Egg]

Shouldn't you guys be at temple or something??

Yes, as a matter of fact. And this is what we say there: "You will all be assimilated. Resistance is futile." Notice a pattern here?

Geeze, some people...

-Goose

 

[ewrjet]

Why are you guys beating your chests over something that is not ours to begin with and may not exist in 4 years anyway? The flying is not ours, it's CALs, and if they want to give it to someone else, the scope clause won't stop that.

You can wave the scope clause around all you want, but if we use the scope clause to keep from securing a future, then what good is it? If we tell Skywest or anyone else for that matter, that we won't waive the scope and we lose our flying and company what good did it do us?

Do you guys really think that Skywest would buy us and then try and shift the flying and airplanes over to one of thier other companies, incur all the training cost for thier pilots and MX guys, and just let us wither away? Remember CAL still has to do something with all those jets, so it's not like Skywest can just start using CRJs for the CAL stuff, and after thier experience with CHQ, I'm not sure CAL want's to use CRJs.

And, if the 70 seat scope at CAL goes away and Skywest starts using 70 seaters for the CAL stuff, I'd like to think Skywest would have us do it, but you know what, with no 70 seat program in place, we'd be no worse off then we are now.

 

[whosurdaddy?]

I'm going to make a prediction... United and continental will merge, they will want to reduce domestic capacity and 50 seat aircraft. they will want to increase the 70-90 seat market. if xjet wants to play ball then they will have a seat at the table and have an oppurtunity, if not then all those planes will go away, you then have reduced your 50 seat flying and skywest/asa will fill the void with crj-700's and 900's. they will NOT merge the senior lists, to many junior people at skywest to let that happen, plus uncle Jerry likes it that way. you can negoitate until your blue in the face, but i seriously doubt you'll get that. they will continue to run each airline separately. if down the line some decade they might merge, or they might make the airline profitable and then sell it off, you never know. Skywest is putting itself in a position to succeed in a post-merger world, either jump on the bandwagon or good luck with whatever you choose.
Just my two cents.

 

[ATRCA]

Plus, Uncle Jerry has already shown a good faith offer by securing your Continental flying before even offering to acquire ExpressJet. Does that not count for anything?

Serious? "Good Faith"...............now thats funny. I have never seen more Koolaide drinking in my life.

I want to throw up.

 

[whosurdaddy?]

Serious? "Good Faith"...............now thats funny. I have never seen more Koolaide drinking in my life.

I want to throw up.

it's delicious!!!!! uncle jerry always is breaking through the walls, passing the stuff out, we drink it up like it's going out of style!!! afterwards we turn into zombies and do whatever jerry says. oh just a second he just crashed through the wall again, time to drink up. can i have seconds?

 

[Future Furlough]

https://careers.homedepot.com/cg/

Don't think I haven't thought about it.

Apparently truck driving ain't a great option right now.

 

[No.W.]

I can't wait until Republic comes in and back doors Skywest with a higher offer.

Shouldn't you guys be at temple or something??

Long live Express Jet/Chautauqua Airlines!!

Not sure you guys have the cash(yet).(150 million compared to SKYW INC. 600 million)

Could be financed(I'm sure Republic could get good financing with their balance sheet).

Bidding wars are not good for anyone...

 

[Future Furlough]

So why not have a single list then? That's got to be easier and more productive than juggling three different entities.

All right gang. It was simply a rhetorical question. But once you strip all the emotion from the situation, why does it make more financial sense to have multiple companies doing the same business rather than one? Especially if flexibility and efficiency are the ultimate goal?

 

[Future Furlough]

Do you guys really think that Skywest would buy us and then try and shift the flying and airplanes over to one of thier other companies, incur all the training cost for thier pilots and MX guys, and just let us wither away? Remember CAL still has to do something with all those jets, so it's not like Skywest can just start using CRJs for the CAL stuff, and after thier experience with CHQ, I'm not sure CAL want's to use CRJs.

Well....Skywest could shift flying without moving the aircraft to another operation.

And I don't think you can compare CHQ's CRJ program to SKW's. Let's face it, Skywest runs a good operation.

 

[TexFlyer]

they will NOT merge the senior lists, to many junior people at skywest to let that happen, plus uncle Jerry likes it that way. you can negoitate until your blue in the face, but i seriously doubt you'll get that.

Now I see why you don't like this part of the contract. Many junior people at XJT, do we throw our own under the bus or ASA's under the bus so Skywest group saves their own. The way I see this part of the contract is a win for each of the pilot groups. One lists provides protection, jobs, and pay for all. We all would get a variety of bases to choose from. Why do you think Jerry likes it like that? I think it is so he won't have to deal with a stronger pilot group of 6 to 7000!! Our scope if you will doesn't just protect XJT but the acquiring pilot group as well. It forces us to join together which is a good thing. Jerry will still have his flexibility with aircraft and managing. Just won't be able to manipulate one of his largest work force anymore.

 

[No.W.]

One list is a great idea.

It's not going to happen.

I believe what will happen is precisely what happened at ASA.

SkyWest will purchase, then improve the xjet operation. What the "improve" part means, I have no idea. They will run the companies as separate, competing entities. This sucks for the pilots(whipsaw much?), but it's great for business.

 

[TexFlyer]

It might not happen, but that is what we would have to vote to give up. That is the key, we have it in place. My view on it is this, damned if we do damned if we don't. We decide to keep our clause (again good for all pilot groups) and Skywest says no thanks then. Then CAL says you will lose planes beginning the end of '09, year and half away. Many changes over that long of period awaits. But gives our group time and options. Or we give our clause away for some short term gains but in the long run we all still fight each who is the best performance blah, blah, blah. Either way I still look for a job starting all over at a regional because Jerry feels he can do whatever. Or I keep the clause intact and make Jerry deal with us all. I for one don't want to work at Home Depot again.

 

[ePilot22]

Not quite sure...

But once you strip all the emotion from the situation, why does it make more financial sense to have multiple companies doing the same business rather than one? Especially if flexibility and efficiency are the ultimate goal?

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at with this question, but it seems like the hand works better with fingers, than without.

Again, I ask, what is the rush? Why now? Is there some impending doom right around the corner that none of us can see? The earliest airframes go away is Dec of 2009. CAL is going to announce the merger with UAL next week. Maybe we should just see where this is going. This is not a bash at anyone, but is this how you guys handle emergencies in flight? Personally I like to evaluate the situation and not just react to the situation.

Good point, however just because you can't see the big picture doesn't mean it hasn't been painted or by the time you do see it the paint may already be dry....








eP.

 

[WalterSobchak]

...but it seems like the hand works better with fingers, than without.

I like that...kinda makes sense.

Serious? "Good Faith"...............now thats funny. I have never seen more Koolaide drinking in my life.

I want to throw up.

The Kool-Aid is quite refreshing, you should try it.

Really, there's kind of an inside joke at SkyWest that all you have to do is have faith in Uncle Jerry and all will be OK...but there's a bit of truth to that.

As stolen and paraphrased from an old SkyWest Online iShare thread:

Lo, as I listen to the testimonies of my fellow brethren, I feel moved to speak. I know Uncle Jerry is the one true CEO because he has multiplied the dollar to many with a single bonus and turned cran-apple to wine before thine eyes...and I know this all be true. In the name of The Airline, The Dispatcher, and The Holy FARs...Amen.

 

[Future Furlough]

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at with this question, but it seems like the hand works better with fingers, than without.

Why don't you want all the fingers on one hand, instead of one finger on three different hands? Maybe it's just me, but I fail to see the "synergies" of maintain three completely separate companies. If there is little movement among the three, where is the flexibility, and how do you raise productivity?

 

[Future Furlough]

It might not happen, but that is what we would have to vote to give up....

...Or we give our clause away for some short term gains but in the long run we all still fight each who is the best performance blah, blah, blah. Either way I still look for a job starting all over at a regional because Jerry feels he can do whatever. Or I keep the clause intact and make Jerry deal with us all. I for one don't want to work at Home Depot again.

Last post for a while. As much as I enjoy the scintillating conversation, I got's to go to work (would you like to fries with that?).

I'm willing to listen to Jerry in regards to our CBA. However, I'm not willing to give up anything without getting something in return. My biggest fear is that Jerry will see that we rolled over on scope and will come to us sometime in the future and say, "If you guys want to keep all the flying you have now, you need to give me blank?"

We got a year and a half, people. That's an eternity in this business, especially in this climate. I'm not drinking Rev. Jerry's Kool Aid without making sure no one else croaks.

 

[10nCLR]

Serious? "Good Faith"...............now thats funny. I have never seen more Koolaide drinking in my life.

I want to throw up.

Personally, I like Hawaiian Punch better. Yum, I just had a glass this morning and I feel Greeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaat!" But in all seriousness, if you would like to get on the Christmas Kool-Aid mailing list which I started ealier this year for those ASA(pro ALPA) anti-SkyWest folks then feel free to sign up. Sign up now and you will get at least a 10 year supply of Jerry's special super hero blend. Wow, that stuff is awesome, it keeps you flying longer and higher than the traditional "branded" blend plus it won't leave you mindless after the imminent zombie like hangover. So sign up now and you too can be busting down walls with Jerry. It's a lot of secured fun even without the traditional scope blend, so don't be afraid and come on, what are you waiting for. Join the biggest happiest Kool-Aid mailing list in town. Act now or you will definitely be grounded.
Gee, I'm getting thirsty just talking about it.

 

[XPOO]

Last post for a while. As much as I enjoy the scintillating conversation, I got's to go to work (would you like to fries with that?).

I'm willing to listen to Jerry in regards to our CBA. However, I'm not willing to give up anything without getting something in return. My biggest fear is that Jerry will see that we rolled over on scope and will come to us sometime in the future and say, "If you guys want to keep all the flying you have now, you need to give me blank?"

We got a year and a half, people. That's an eternity in this business, especially in this climate. I'm not drinking Rev. Jerry's Kool Aid without making sure no one else croaks.

Let's say UA/CA and DL/NW both want to have a regional operation running out of (shakes Magic 8-Ball) LAX. How can SkyWest work both? By having seperate entities work both. Now, I know you are going to say that United relaxed the exclusivity for LAX. I know. But, what does the post-merger Major World hold in store when it comes to these things. The seperate airlines maximizing their revenues doing what they do best is better than an amalgamated company trying to do everything great.

I would imagine that the ERJs would have better performance in the mountain states, especially in the ski markets. I believe SkyWest would instantly maximize their revenue by letting XJT run the ERJs on the ski markets. But I am not in Sales and Marketing, so I am just guessing here.