Skywest to buy Mesa and ExpressJet

[johnpeace]

Don't you think that Inc would be more concerned with lowering its overall costs than to keep its Skywest pilots the "purebloods" of no union? While they may not like the idea of a unionized work force in each labor group, it's fair to say they're more concerned with the bottom line. Should be interesting to watch and see....

From my perspective, the presence of ALPA at ASA hasn't done anything to prevent Skywest, Inc from running that airline exactly the way they want to.

- understaffed for lean, efficient operation
- PBS
- red arrow days all month
- inadequate reserve coverage

I mean...what would they be doing to run leaner/make more profits without ALPA representing the pilot group?

Is it really any different?

 

[maxcackel]

Yes Jerry found out the ASA union is so weak he has made them his bitch so he is not so worried about it anymore I think. Skywest has bought Expressjet and I am surprised it has taken this long to hit the boards. Now why buy a bunch of old 50 seat aircraft I'm not sure unless it's to get at the contracts in hopes Continental relaxes scope (please don't do it CO). The Express scope requires the list to be merged, that is what killed the deal last time Jerry tried to buy them. But with the new voting rules, the union might be on Skywest property anyway.

 

[flap operator]

Yup... and Skywest was also buying Mesaba too. Even up until the night before it was announced that Pinnacle was buying us! I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Jon Rivoli]

Actually, last time around Jerry had no intention of actually buying Expressjet. The goal was to get them out of SLC and LAX; end their DLC flying while assisting CAL in bending them over to renegotiate their contract. He accomplished all that and for his troubles CAL gave SKYW $8 million, for "termination of agreement". With the merger pending it also helped establish a good relationship with CAL management. If SKYW buys Expressjet now it will be part of a larger deal tied to long term contracts and other tangible benefits similar to the ASA deal. How it would play out in the long run is anybodies guess.

 

[Jon Rivoli]

Some of those planes are already at the Skywest hangar in SLC and a couple are already online with Mesa registry still on them.

I have only seen 200's with Mesa tail numbers and I suspect that we either just bought them really cheap or got very favorable leases on them.

 

[Erlanger]

Yup... and Skywest was also buying Mesaba too. Even up until the night before it was announced that Pinnacle was buying us! I'll believe it when I see it.

Actually Jerry said recently that Skywest wanted Mesaba and out bid everyone but Delta didn't want Skywest to have a monopoly on the flying.

 

[flap operator]

I guess we'll see what happens. It's nice to be "wanted" I suppose. I would have rather it been Skywest over Pinnacle, but they didn't ask the employees.

 

[johnpeace]

Skywest has bought Expressjet and I am surprised it has taken this long to hit the boards.

It hasn't even hit the financial news:
http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:XJT
http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:SKYW

 

[Erlanger]

It hasn't even hit the financial news:
http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:XJT
http://www.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:SKYW

So maybe you should take all your money and go buy stock in it before it does. Don't tell anyone you found out about it on flightinfo or it'd be insider trading.

 

[CX880]

You guys mean Skywest is not going to buy Mesa and Expressjet? I thought the title looked official enough. FI strikes again!