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B-atch

broke, and getting worse.
Joined
Feb 26, 2004
Posts
584
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) announced today that it is seeking a full investigation on the impact of a proposed slot, gate and facility transaction between US Airways (LCC) and Delta Airlines at New York’s LaGuardia and Washington’s Reagan National airports. In a letter to Christine Varney, assistant attorney general of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, USAPA stated that this transaction may have serious antitrust concerns.

“We are extremely concerned about the market concentration that this transaction would create if it is allowed to be consummated,” said USAPA President Mike Cleary. “Those conditions raise the prospect of much higher fares and, if history repeats itself, a reduction in service to smaller communities. It also places a great burden on many of US Airways’ New York-based employees whose jobs will be eliminated and will cause financial harm to the New York City and tri-state economy. With all that is at stake, the transaction warrants a thorough review of the consequences of a deal that creates this level of market domination.”
The proposed transaction calls for the transfer of 125 pairs of New York’s LaGuardia Airport slots from US Airways to Delta Airlines and 42 pairs of Washington’s Reagan National Airport slots from Delta Airlines to US Airways. A pair of slots is both a takeoff and a landing right. In addition, US Airways proposes to transfer what USAPA believes to be LaGuardia Airport’s most coveted real estate and gates to Delta Airlines.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., the US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) represents more than 5,000 US Airways pilots in seven domiciles across the United States. Visit the USAPA Web site at www.usairlinepilots.org.


CT

Contact:


The US Airline Pilots Association
Captain James Ray, 980-875-7642
 
hmmm, the release does not mention it includes slots to Tokyo NRT and Sao Paulo GRU for US Airways. They really didn't put up a stink to closing the LGA crew base and BOS crew base, along with the LAS base, but what does USAPA care about the west guys anyways?
 
Let me get this straight. The union is fighting a move that would increase two respective airline's ability to make a profit?

...will cause financial harm to the New York City and tri-state economy.

Profitable airlines, that cover their cost of doing business with reasonably priced fares hurts the economy?
 
Great move guys. Now what are you going to say when a merger comes along that is the only way to save your jobs (again)?

"Uh, yeah, well sure the merger will create market concentration, um, and , uh, well there will be a reduction....uh, does anyone know how to get turkey grease out the upholstery of a Ford Taurus?"


Does anyone remember Cleary lecturing the west pilots on the importance of a strong communications policy? Someone should remind him.
 
I wonder if USAPA will have a response if DAL starts taking delivery of A330s which were originally ordered for USAir. Grasping at straws here.
 
This will fall on the same deaf ears as when USAPA protested the BOS base closure. This time they are trying to use the spin of, "looking out for the consumer".
 
Another brilliant move by the USAPA leadership. It never ceases to amaze me how little value people can place on a group of pilots that has a sole purpose of advancing the interests of the pilots they represent (unlike ALPA). USAPA is for the pilots, through and through and this latest move just highlights again this point. Be honest, ALPA NEVER would have done this move to write the DOJ.
Go USAPA!
 
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/US-Ai...tml?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

More info as the lead story on Yahoo Finance:

US Airways pilots union wants probe of slot swap

US Airways pilots union says slot swap deal with Delta Air Lines could lead to higher fares

By Harry R. Weber, AP Airlines Writer
On 6:25 pm EST, Monday November 30, 2009

ATLANTA (AP) -- US Airways' pilots union said Monday it is concerned a deal with Delta Air Lines to swap takeoff and landing slots could lead to higher fares and a reduction in service to smaller communities.

The US Airline Pilots Association said it sent a letter to the Justice Department seeking a full investigation on the impact of the proposed transaction between US Airways and Delta at New York's LaGuardia and Washington's Reagan National airports.

The dispute pits the US Airways pilots union against its counterpart at Delta, which supports the slot swap deal. The Delta pilots union encouraged members in a memo Nov. 6 to help in the effort to get government approval.

In August, US Airways said it had agreed to transfer 125 operating slot pairs to Delta at LaGuardia. In exchange, Delta agreed to transfer 42 operating slot pairs to US Airways at Reagan National.

Slots, especially at peak times of day and in busy corridors like the Northeast, are valuable to airlines.

A slot is an interval of time during which an airline can take off or land its aircraft at an airport. A pair refers to cities airlines fly between.

The same week as the Delta-US Airways deal was announced, it was disclosed that AirTran Airways planned to stop flying to and from Newark, N.J., effective Oct. 25 and would give its takeoff and landing slots there to Continental Airlines Inc. in exchange for Continental slots at LaGuardia and National airports.

Continental has a hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, which is used by many travelers heading to or from New York City.

US Airways' pilots union said it believes the Delta deal may raise antitrust implications.

"We are extremely concerned about the market concentration that this transaction would create if it is allowed to be consummated," union President Mike Cleary said in a statement. "Those conditions raise the prospect of much higher fares and, if history repeats itself, a reduction in service to smaller communities."

A spokesman for Delta Air Lines Inc., based in Atlanta, said nearly 10,000 of Delta's customers and employees have voiced their support for the proposed transaction directly to the Transportation and Justice departments. US Airways Group Inc. spokeswoman Michelle Mohr said her airline, based in Tempe, Ariz., believes the transaction will pass government review.

It's not clear when government regulators will reach a decision.

The transaction would add 11 gates to Delta's LaGuardia operations. The world's biggest airline operator has said the deal would allow it to create a domestic hub at LaGuardia, even as Delta maintains a strong presence at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. At the Washington airport, Delta said previously it expected to cut its daily departures from 89 to 55.

If its deal is approved, Delta has projected it would operate nearly 30 percent of the total available seat miles from the three main airports serving New York City. Available seat miles measure an airline's capacity for carrying passengers. It equals the number of seats available multiplied by miles flown.

US Airways, meanwhile, has said it would expand its service at the Washington airport and reduce its Express flights at LaGuardia, while mainline and Shuttle flight levels would not be affected.

The airline's regional carrier Piedmont has been expected to be hit hard by US Airways' plans to discontinue service to 26 destinations served by US Airways Express. The airline has said that would result in the elimination of roughly 300 Piedmont positions at LaGuardia when the reduced flight schedule is implemented in early 2010.

The US Airways pilots union is concerned the deal will place a burden on many of US Airways' New York-based employees whose jobs will be eliminated.

But Delta's pilots union said the agreement will allow more than 2 million additional passengers to fly at New York's preferred domestic airport every year without increasing congestion, moving Delta closer to its goal of becoming the top airline in New York. The union urged members to contact lawmakers in Washington to express their support for the slot swaps.
 
Let me get this straight. The union is fighting a move that would increase two respective airline's ability to make a profit?


It is this type of mindset coupled with leadership failures that has put that airline in such dire straits. Remember Parody Plus 1%? One joke after another....
 

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