United to buy 30 regional jets from Embraer

[densoo]

Let's see, the Pacific, Hubs in 4 of the biggest markets in the US, Fifth Freedom rights thru Japan, real wide bodies (not 75's), owned assets. Let's see, what did you bring........No credit, shiney new guppies, oh yea, and 700 scabs.....You and Flop really need to get a life.

Let's see, hocked right down to the hubcaps, 17% interest rates, 1500 furloughs, last new aircraft flown by Mr Varney himself, flying 25% fewer international block hours than CAL, CEO begging for a merger. Vice new aircraft as far as the eye can see, youngest fleet among all majors, recalling 147 furloughs, rapid upgrade in equip & seats, and a quality product the Board thought would carry over. Love those global widebodies though.

 

[MECH]

I hate to quote Jeff. But since it was in the latest ALPA magazine. It sums up the old United wide bodies pretty well.
"We've had to play a lot of catch-up, particularly on the United side of the house, the old United side of the house. That was a carrier that has been bankrupt and had actually deferred a lot of things just like if you lost your job, you wouldn't remodel your kitchen, right? Well, we've had to do a lot of remodeling."

747- over $5 million a piece just to make them a little bit reliable.
767- complete gut of every airplane
777- the only wide body that did not need a complete make over in the cabin. But the FMC software was only 5 versions behind CAL 777. Mods are required to all the UAL 777 to bring them up todate.
757- Parking 3/4 quarters of the airplanes. Just to old to update.

Just think how much more money could have been in our retro checks if our company did not have to spend over $500 million on your aircraft.

An example of this is. My neighbor just came back from RIO. United had to give every person in First class $900.00 and an apology for the condition of the aircraft (pre mod).

This is what United brought to the merger!! All of this is not the fault of the pilots! But very bad management over the last decade. But Continental pilots should not be punished for all the mistakes that United management made over the last ten years.

 

[Flopgut]

Good post. Thank you MECH.

 

[chppr5]

Let's see, hocked right down to the hubcaps, 17% interest rates, 1500 furloughs, last new aircraft flown by Mr Varney himself, flying 25% fewer international block hours than CAL, CEO begging for a merger. Vice new aircraft as far as the eye can see, youngest fleet among all majors, recalling 147 furloughs, rapid upgrade in equip & seats, and a quality product the Board thought would carry over. Love those global widebodies though.

Lets not forget who came running to who!! CAL was going to be blocked out of the consolidation game. We were less than a week from announcing a merger with AAA when your man came begging us to pick him. Maybe you should look at CAL's 10K the last half of '09 and the first quarter of '10. You had no more credit to draw from, no stop gap financing in place to pay for all those new guppies. In comes UAL with a credit line at market rates to pay for CAL's deliveries. The proof is in your financials. CAL was in better shape than UAL in 2008 but not 2010. CAL also had guys on the street on MAD and to boast about your intl' block hours is a joke.....Counting 30 destinations in Mexico does not equate to an international powerhouse.

 

[Continental]

I hate to quote Jeff. But since it was in the latest ALPA magazine. It sums up the old United wide bodies pretty well.
"We've had to play a lot of catch-up, particularly on the United side of the house, the old United side of the house. That was a carrier that has been bankrupt and had actually deferred a lot of things just like if you lost your job, you wouldn't remodel your kitchen, right? Well, we've had to do a lot of remodeling."

747- over $5 million a piece just to make them a little bit reliable.
767- complete gut of every airplane
777- the only wide body that did not need a complete make over in the cabin. But the FMC software was only 5 versions behind CAL 777. Mods are required to all the UAL 777 to bring them up todate.
757- Parking 3/4 quarters of the airplanes. Just to old to update.

Just think how much more money could have been in our retro checks if our company did not have to spend over $500 million on your aircraft.

An example of this is. My neighbor just came back from RIO. United had to give every person in First class $900.00 and an apology for the condition of the aircraft (pre mod).

This is what United brought to the merger!! All of this is not the fault of the pilots! But very bad management over the last decade. But Continental pilots should not be punished for all the mistakes that United management made over the last ten years.

But that was all done on purpose. They were right sizing maintenance for the merger as well!

 

[chppr5]

I hate to quote Jeff. But since it was in the latest ALPA magazine. It sums up the old United wide bodies pretty well.
"We've had to play a lot of catch-up, particularly on the United side of the house, the old United side of the house. That was a carrier that has been bankrupt and had actually deferred a lot of things just like if you lost your job, you wouldn't remodel your kitchen, right? Well, we've had to do a lot of remodeling."

747- over $5 million a piece just to make them a little bit reliable.
767- complete gut of every airplane
777- the only wide body that did not need a complete make over in the cabin. But the FMC software was only 5 versions behind CAL 777. Mods are required to all the UAL 777 to bring them up todate.
757- Parking 3/4 quarters of the airplanes. Just to old to update.

Just think how much more money could have been in our retro checks if our company did not have to spend over $500 million on your aircraft.

An example of this is. My neighbor just came back from RIO. United had to give every person in First class $900.00 and an apology for the condition of the aircraft (pre mod).

This is what United brought to the merger!! All of this is not the fault of the pilots! But very bad management over the last decade. But Continental pilots should not be punished for all the mistakes that United management made over the last ten years.

Yea because flying older/owned aircraft doesn't work.....just ask DAL. I guess we'll see whose business model works better, the CAL's way of leased new aircraft with no flexibility or an older fleet of owned aircraft like DAL.

 

[Flopgut]

and to boast about your intl' block hours is a joke.....Counting 30 destinations in Mexico does not equate to an international powerhouse.

Well, since they are in fact not 30 destinations in Mexico, I guess they are indeed not a joke.

We were run by a different guy until right before the merger. He saw something he didn't like and would not go thru with the merger. Then came jeff. We sCAL pilots know now what the first guy saw: You are a colossally screwed up airline. And, as MECH pointed out, even jeff understands now how messed up sUAL is and pointed it out in the ALPA magazine.

 

[chppr5]

Well, since they are in fact not 30 destinations in Mexico, I guess they are indeed not a joke.

We were run by a different guy until right before the merger. He saw something he didn't like and would not go thru with the merger. Then came jeff. We sCAL pilots know now what the first guy saw: You are a colossally screwed up airline. And, as MECH pointed out, even jeff understands now how messed up sUAL is and pointed it out in the ALPA magazine.

You're right, 28 destinations in Mexico. Maybe you should familiarize yourself with our route map.

 

[densoo]

We were run by a different guy until right before the merger. He saw something he didn't like and would not go thru with the merger. Then came jeff. We sCAL pilots know now what the first guy saw: You are a colossally screwed up airline. And, as MECH pointed out, even jeff understands now how messed up sUAL is and pointed it out in the ALPA magazine.

It is clear that Jeff was brought in specifically to do what the previous guy would not do--and was paid a lot for it. The term "hired gun" is entirely appropriate. Sooner or later they will announce Mission Accomplished, give Jeff his millions, and bring someone else in to clean up the mess or guide us through bankruptcy, depending on how bad it gets.

 

[Flopgut]

You're right, 28 destinations in Mexico. Maybe you should familiarize yourself with our route map.

This is coming from a guy who is claiming that United brought the Pacific to Continental?! Pretty sure you should familiarize yourself with a regular ole globe. We've got more to do with the Pacific than United EVER did. I've seen your route map; What do you see there that is so impressive?! Additionally, if the scope of your operation is so beyond Continental, how was it that our operating certificate made yours superfluous? Think about that.

It is clear that Jeff was brought in specifically to do what the previous guy would not do--and was paid a lot for it. The term "hired gun" is entirely appropriate. Sooner or later they will announce Mission Accomplished, give Jeff his millions, and bring someone else in to clean up the mess or guide us through bankruptcy, depending on how bad it gets.

I think it will be bk. Hope not, but I don't have too high hopes. These sUAL guys are clueless.

 

[eaglesview]

I hate to quote Jeff. But since it was in the latest ALPA magazine. It sums up the old United wide bodies pretty well.
"We've had to play a lot of catch-up, particularly on the United side of the house, the old United side of the house. That was a carrier that has been bankrupt and had actually deferred a lot of things just like if you lost your job, you wouldn't remodel your kitchen, right? Well, we've had to do a lot of remodeling."

747- over $5 million a piece just to make them a little bit reliable.
767- complete gut of every airplane
777- the only wide body that did not need a complete make over in the cabin. But the FMC software was only 5 versions behind CAL 777. Mods are required to all the UAL 777 to bring them up todate.
757- Parking 3/4 quarters of the airplanes. Just to old to update.

Well since we have stooped to quoting Jeff like he knows what he's talking about lets try this one on...

Continental was ?simply too small to compete effectively on a global stage we find ourselves?
and that it was ?facing increasing competition, not only here in the United States, but . . .
abroad,? which it could not counter absent a merger. ?Candidly, Congressman,? Mr. Smisek
concluded, ?we are eking out a hand-to-mouth existence.?​

See C-Span Video Clip, Smisek to
Congress, at http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4005674 (beginning at 0:34). And for Continental,
after the Delta-Northwest merger, it had to have a merger with United; there was no other option.​

See Darren Shannon, United Continental CEO is Person of the Year, Aviation Week, December

2010 (?If US Airways had succeeded [in merging with United], our only merger partner would​

have disappeared. There was no other option.?) (quoting Jeff Smisek).

Like it or not we needed each other. This childish tit for tat gets us no where. We, the pilots of UNITED airlines need to be on the same page.

 

[eaglesview]

I have no idea why when I copied and pasted the above quote why all those question marks appeared. I didn't put them there. I'll have to ask my teenager what happened.

 

[chppr5]

This is coming from a guy who is claiming that United brought the Pacific to Continental?! Pretty sure you should familiarize yourself with a regular ole globe. We've got more to do with the Pacific than United EVER did. I've seen your route map; What do you see there that is so impressive?! Additionally, if the scope of your operation is so beyond Continental, how was it that our operating certificate made yours superfluous? Think about that.



I think it will be bk. Hope not, but I don't have too high hopes. These sUAL guys are clueless.

I guess you're right. That huge lift out of GUM with the mighty guppie is every international airlines dream. Talk about clueless.

 

[Flopgut]

That huge lift out of GUM with the mighty guppie is every international airlines dream.

Delta sure thinks so!! In addition to kicking our ass in every other part of the world, Delta is going after what we have in GUM furiously. And because our airline is distracted trying to make the sUAL product somewhat palatable, they are doing a damn good job. Guam and especially South America (or to you "Mexico") are key going forward. Places LUAL had no meaningful presence.

This is one of the many instances I've had lately where I realize, despite a large number of wide body airplanes, the average sUAL pilot has the worldview of a Appalacian hillbilly.

 

[Shrek]

Delta sure thinks so!! In addition to kicking our ass in every other part of the world, Delta is going after what we have in GUM furiously. And because our airline is distracted trying to make the sUAL product somewhat palatable, they are doing a damn good job. Guam and especially South America (or to you "Mexico") are key going forward. Places LUAL had no meaningful presence.

This is one of the many instances I've had lately where I realize, despite a large number of wide body airplanes, the average sUAL pilot has the worldview of a Appalacian hillbilly.

A guy named FlopGut would know I guess.

Let the Brain Surgeons take care of the big thinking boys. You guys can do those island hopper flights all ya want.

 

[taxicabdriver]

Lets not forget who came running to who!! CAL was going to be blocked out of the consolidation game. We were less than a week from announcing a merger with AAA when your man came begging us to pick him. Maybe you should look at CAL's 10K the last half of '09 and the first quarter of '10. You had no more credit to draw from, no stop gap financing in place to pay for all those new guppies. In comes UAL with a credit line at market rates to pay for CAL's deliveries. The proof is in your financials. CAL was in better shape than UAL in 2008 but not 2010. CAL also had guys on the street on MAD and to boast about your intl' block hours is a joke.....Counting 30 destinations in Mexico does not equate to an international powerhouse.

So were you right sized for AA or Cal? I didn't know you were so close to another merger, wonder how the arbitrators will see that?

 

[Shrek]

We will see in SEP - I think some bubbles will be burst in CAL country.

 

[MECH]

Lets not forget who came running to who!! CAL was going to be blocked out of the consolidation game. We were less than a week from announcing a merger with AAA when your man came begging us to pick him. Maybe you should look at CAL's 10K the last half of '09 and the first quarter of '10. You had no more credit to draw from, no stop gap financing in place to pay for all those new guppies. In comes UAL with a credit line at market rates to pay for CAL's deliveries. The proof is in your financials. CAL was in better shape than UAL in 2008 but not 2010. CAL also had guys on the street on MAD and to boast about your intl' block hours is a joke.....Counting 30 destinations in Mexico does not equate to an international powerhouse.

Here are the quotes from the United 2009 10k filing. Your right all was perfect at United Airlines!

"The Company may not be able to maintain adequate liquidity."
"Economic and industry conditions constantly change and continued or worsening negative economic conditions in the United States and elsewhere may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations."

"The Company?s high level of fixed obligations could limit its ability to fund general corporate requirements and obtain additional financing, could limit its flexibility in responding to competitive developments and could increase its vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions."

This was a general theme by all companies in 2009.

 

[Azul]

Shrek

So let us have all the island flying???? Dude are u flying on the cal side right now? You seem to be so anti-cal and so pro ual. So why the f..k did u come and lower yourself to fly with all us scabs. I mean seriously, just quit and wait for your real recall. When we first annouced we were going to bring you guys on I was really happy, honestly. But now seeing guys like you I wish we would have just hired off the street,.at least they would be grateful.

 

[MECH]

Has for the own vs lease comment. As of 2009 United operated 172 leased airplanes and 167 owned. Continental operated 185 leased airplanes and 152 owned.

So United leases 51% of its fleet and Continental leases 55% of its fleet. Looks like both companies followed a similar fleet strategy!

Please don't just throw out BS that your hear in the crew room. Try to do little research for yourself.