Burn indeed.

After today's Q3 report it's clear that UCON is starting to realize the partial synergy of a combined operation. Those revenue numbers will only get better as the overlap is removed from the system in the next few years.

Aside from merger expenses, UCON noted an increase in fuel costs, which as we all know is an expense that's difficult to forecast more than a few quarters out. What I find interesting is that this management continues to marginalize, disenfranchise, and provoke the one employee group that has the greatest influence on aircraft fuel usage. I haven't seen a concerted effort to over burn, but by creating a disinterested and disengaged pilot group, human nature suggests that UCON is creating an expensive long term cultural problem.

The main thing should stay the main thing - and that's operational safety. With so many operational changes occurring, we all lean on each other to keep operational safety at the forefront of everyone's attention! However, in the current employee climate of rock bottom morale, operational efficiency may very well give way to operational safety as a long term cultural climate. Operational safety is what the traveling public expects, but not being able to achieve both safety and efficiency represents another missed opportunity that can be laid squarely at the feet of sr. management.