Yet Another Comair Update

[crjdxr]

11 or 12 a/c start going away in/around September (supports DAL's 13% system reduction)
MCO and FLL go "full DAL" in Sept. (DAL/DGS to handle above and below wing and any RJ ops) - Comair to continue heavy mtx in MCO but Comair C/S personnel will be gone in MCO and FLL.
SCE service ends in Sept.
2600 block hour (system) reduction for Comair beginning in Sept.
The "F" word was spoken but no groups highlighted
After September 1, about 265-270 daily departures for Comair in CVG.
DAL stock to $5.35 during call
'Pee Pass' :laugh: is helping (according to The Briner)
More "F"-word information to come in a week or so...meetings scheduled with ALPA and IBT next week to discuss.
Hopefully, more charters with the 'extra' aircraft.
GRB is going to one flight per day in Sept. and the Packers fans are hacked off.
September 1 schedule is not yet final
More Q-400 talk...blah blah blah....no capital...blah blah blah...a lotta money invovled...blah blah blah...possible substitute for jets...blah blah blah...customers like it....blah blah blah...Horizon and Lynx customers like it...blah blah blah
Not currently evaluating 'paperless' flight deck (according to The Briner)

Comair standard.

 

[Seaknight1]

Oh don't forget about all the tap dancing about a possible merger with Mesaba. "Confidentiality agreement...blah..blah..can't talk about it...":bomb:

 

[Mel Sharples]

DAL and NWA regional pilots = dance band on the Titanic


Oh, yeah! Sounds like a fun summer for all of us.

 

[samballs]

I love how the GRB station was trying to say they can't cut flights becuase the Packer season is about to start. I know the only thing to look forward to in Wisconsin is the Packers, but the rest of the country could care less about the packers. I think only flight a day to GRB will be more than enough. John did really seem to be throwing some hints about Mesaba. Briner sounds more company than ever. Nice not to hear much from Soaper, I always wanna puch the phone when he speaks.

 

[clarkwgriswald]

Maybe if we are lucky, they can use our merger money and negotiate a staple to the bottom of mesaba's list.

 

[SBD]

How the French Connection U.K. does the company go from hiring twelve a week to maybe furloughing approx 100 pilots in a matter of two weeks?

 

[PA44Jockey]

Where did you get 100? I think that would just be getting started.

 

[General Lee]

DAL and NWA regional pilots = dance band on the Titanic


Oh, yeah! Sounds like a fun summer for all of us.

Honestly, it is your airplane. The RJ can't make money during a high fuel environment. Larger planes and less frequecy can squeeze people onto one plane and with the higher fares can try to make a profit. INTL routes can bring in currencies that are worth more than the dollar. The Delta/NWA combo actually has a good chance of "making it", but we unfortunately don't need all of the 50 seat RJs, and some of the 70 seaters.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[JoeMerchant]

Honestly, it is your airplane. The RJ can't make money during a high fuel environment. Larger planes and less frequecy can squeeze people onto one plane and with the higher fares can try to make a profit. INTL routes can bring in currencies that are worth more than the dollar. The Delta/NWA combo actually has a good chance of "making it", but we unfortunately don't need all of the 50 seat RJs, and some of the 70 seaters.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Honestly....with oil on its way to $150 a barrel....Nobody is going to be making money except for maybe Southwest.....

 

[General Lee]

Honestly....with oil on its way to $150 a barrel....Nobody is going to be making money except for maybe Southwest.....

I don't think Southwest is "making money", rather not losing as much thanks to their hedges. Their hedges keep them in the black, since they can price what they want in the market. Without the hedges, I think they would post a loss. Domestic travel isn't very good right now for any US airline, and having great hedges like SWA does helps them out tremendously. The legacies have to find revenue elsewhere, and right now that is anywhere but the USA. Also, with $150 a barrel oil, many airlines will unfortunately cease to exist. That will help the remaining airlines eventually make a profit, with less capacity and higher fares. One thing is for sure though, 50 seat RJs don't work in a high oil environment.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[chjack]

How the French Connection U.K. does the company go from hiring twelve a week to maybe furloughing approx 100 pilots in a matter of two weeks?

because they had no business hiring in the first place. oil is through the roof, everybody else is cutting back, and comair decides to hire 400 people. yeah, that was thought out real well by somebody.......

 

[clarkwgriswald]

Keep in mind comair can't do anything without Delta's blessing. I am certainly not defending comair, but I'm sure the hiring was driven by flying delta told them to expect to have, obviously circumstances have changed and now those running the show at comair have been given new instructions.
During the net conference the "management team" continued to run their mouth off about q400s. What a joke, there is more chance of us closing up shop than ever seeing that aircraft or any new additional aircraft. Comair has no real contract with delta, when delta wants cuts without the headaches, and costs of going to court they will cut aircraft and flying from comair.

 

[flyboyike]

During the net conference the "management team" continued to run their mouth off about q400s. What a joke, there is more chance of us closing up shop than ever seeing that aircraft or any new additional aircraft.

Not to defend Comair (or any other management), but the Q400 keeps coming up in many conversations nowadays. If oil stays where it is, that airplane will only make more and more sense. Not that airlines have a track record of doing what makes sense, but...

 

[clarkwgriswald]

I agree the q400 does make sense for today's airlines. Much more than any of the rjs that comair has including these 900s. Having said that I still do not believe you will ever see one at comair. They are too expensive to buy in todays climate, let someone else buy them and contract with them.

 

[flyboyike]

I agree the q400 does make sense for today's airlines. Much more than any of the rjs that comair has including these 900s. Having said that I still do not believe you will ever see one at comair. They are too expensive to buy in todays climate, let someone else buy them and contract with them.

That's probably true, regrettably.

 

[zasca]

colgan perhaps...........?

 

[Speedtape]

I don't think Southwest is "making money", rather not losing as much thanks to their hedges. Their hedges keep them in the black, since they can price what they want in the market. Without the hedges, I think they would post a loss. Domestic travel isn't very good right now for any US airline, and having great hedges like SWA does helps them out tremendously. The legacies have to find revenue elsewhere, and right now that is anywhere but the USA. Also, with $150 a barrel oil, many airlines will unfortunately cease to exist. That will help the remaining airlines eventually make a profit, with less capacity and higher fares. One thing is for sure though, 50 seat RJs don't work in a high oil environment.


Bye Bye--General Lee

What's a high oil environment? Is that where supply exceeds demand?

Your statement in bold is broad and absolute and is simply flawed. In some scenarios, given present conditions, most airplanes don't work with high oil prices--but not in every scenario. There is no one simple solution resolved by one type aircraft in all condtions.

Presently, international travel is the least affected and best opportunity for growth. However, most traffic does not originate or terminate in the gateway city. Therefore, feed is necessary. Better rationalization and utilization of the "tools" under present and future, ever-changing market conditions is mandatory and each plane (no matter what size) will play a role. RJ's will not go away but the fleet size will be reduced (like every other size aircraft)--for now. But, RJ's make even more sense in many ways. Markets served by narrow bodies will thin. RJ's will once again be Replacement Jets!

Your notion of reducing RJ frequency and replacing with one narrow body in a market makes sense if there is no other competition in that market and the environment remains static. That would be a very rare situation. RJ's enhance competition and have actually reduced narrow body service in many medium size markets. That will not change.

General, your awakening will occurr post-merger. There is a post merger plan--it's just that no one on our level knows the specifics. Hubs, fleet, and staffing will be greatly impacted. The crown jewel in this merger is the Pacific Rim Routes and the reason for the quest. Nothing else matters, and the post merger, domestic morphing will have far reaching affects as the restructuring and slashing starts.

 

[Speedtape]

Originally Posted by General Lee
I don't think Southwest is "making money", rather not losing as much thanks to their hedges. Their hedges keep them in the black, since they can price what they want in the market. Without the hedges, I think they would post a loss.

Southwest is making money. If they were breaking even, they would still be in a better position than every other airline to endure the storm. They are making money for lots of reasons. Yes, hedging is one of the important reasons. Hedging gives them the competitive edge, more importantly, the staying power! THEY got it and most others don't. It will get them through when others will fall. When Southwest starts losing money, we will all have alot more to worry about!

Saying without the hedges they would post a loss, could be true--but that is a hypothetical that ignores the facts and reality. General, without an airplane, you could not fly! And without FLIGHTINFO, you would be your real world status of BUCK PRIVATE--with your writings and insults found only on the bathroom walls.

Ba-Bye