Why Was Comair Not Sold?

[CX880]

You are naive if you really think Delta did not punish Comair for the strike.

I agree with you 100%. But it also has to do with the fact that they are too expensive with little assets.

The problem with regionals is knowing when you're bitting the hand that feeds. They defintely bit it off with Delta. But like everything else in this industry the pilots only care what happens up to their upgrade or the day they leave the regional. No body gives two ********************s about its future pilots. That's why this industry is in the crapper. Others are reluctant to do anything about it because there's the mentality of if they didn't sacrifice, why should I? Good luck to ALPA with that one.

 

[Speedtape]

The MEC didn't strike, but they deliberately managed pilot expectations down that path. They were way too arrogant and are directly responsible for the backlash that has occurred since then. After 89 days, the pilots still didn't want to come back, but the MEC convinced a slim majority to come back or face a total shutdown. The contract they ended up with after 89 days was not much different than what they could have settled for before the strike.

The strike was a terrible idea. Why? Because Comair was no longer owned by Comair Stockholders. Had they been, it would never have come to a strike. When the forced sale took place, the horizon changed. Striking the new owners was like a midget trying to stomp on King Kong's foot. Let's face it, the strike was a disaster and they are still paying for it! The proof is in the pudding, no one has to have any more evidence than that.

 

[Bugsmasher Plus]

The MEC didn't strike, but they deliberately managed pilot expectations down that path. They were way too arrogant and are directly responsible for the backlash that has occurred since then. After 89 days, the pilots still didn't want to come back, but the MEC convinced a slim majority to come back or face a total shutdown. The contract they ended up with after 89 days was not much different than what they could have settled for before the strike.

The strike was a terrible idea. Why? Because Comair was no longer owned by Comair Stockholders. Had they been, it would never have come to a strike. When the forced sale took place, the horizon changed. Striking the new owners was like a midget trying to stomp on King Kong's foot. Let's face it, the strike was a disaster and they are still paying for it! The proof is in the pudding, no one has to have any more evidence than that.

This is true for the most part, but the MEC was directly responsible for how the negotiations went and how they could have ended. They had multiple opportunities in the closing days to finish the deal but they boycotted the final bargaining session. At that bargaining session the checkbook was wide open for Seibs to personally close the deal. They only showed after Maggie (the arbitrator) dragged them into the room, then they left and never returned so the arbitrator ended the session early.

What you stated above is 100% true. What they got after 89 days could have been had prior to the strike.

And it wasn't a forced sale. The company was prepared to split off from Delta until they made an offer the board couldn't refuse. The company had huge cash reserves set aside specifically to walk if "mother" didn't want to play nice. None of the board expected what Delta offered and the deal went down in a matter of 2 days.

In the end, "mother" had enough and was prepared to just shut it down, that's when the ratification happened. The company was never the same after. I believe you are right, if the sale to Delta hadn't happened, the strike most likely would have never happened. All I know is that the culture we enjoyed prior to the sale and subsequent strike never happened again and as I've said before.. it stopped being "fun".

 

[tiffanytaylor]

It's true that there have been talks between Comair's MEC and Delta's about stapling Comair to the bottom of Delta/merging. Whether it will happen or not remains to be seen but we are getting no information so far as to our future. My feeling is that Delta's management won't go for it, but who knows.

 

[Tarzan]

It's true that there have been talks between Comair's MEC and Delta's about stapling Comair to the bottom of Delta/merging. Whether it will happen or not remains to be seen but we are getting no information so far as to our future. My feeling is that Delta's management won't go for it, but who knows.

That is called a pipe dream..........

 

[fugghedabowdit]

I vaguely remember, a year or two after the strike, Randy R. coming to the group and basically saying that our costs needed to be brought in line with the others providing feed for big D in order for us to see any more growth. He was rightfully told to pack sand. As it turned out he was right. To me that was the high water mark for Comair and what followed was the slow decline that they are still in.

 

[tiffanytaylor]

That is called a pipe dream..........

If it weren't for pipe dreams, I wouldn't have any at this place.

 

[Broke in CVG]

It's true that there have been talks between Comair's MEC and Delta's about stapling Comair to the bottom of Delta/merging. Whether it will happen or not remains to be seen but we are getting no information so far as to our future. My feeling is that Delta's management won't go for it, but who knows.

Contrary to what ML thinks, Lee Moak is not Moses. It doesn't matter what Delta's management thinks, because it will never even get that far.

 

[tiffanytaylor]

Contrary to what ML thinks, Lee Moak is not Moses. It doesn't matter what Delta's management thinks, because it will never even get that far.

There were talks, it got that far at least.

 

[tiffanytaylor]

I vaguely remember, a year or two after the strike, Randy R. coming to the group and basically saying that our costs needed to be brought in line with the others providing feed for big D in order for us to see any more growth. He was rightfully told to pack sand. As it turned out he was right. To me that was the high water mark for Comair and what followed was the slow decline that they are still in.

The one after him, Fred ?, said if we'd take paycuts we'd get the plane that Fred paraded around...we didn't.