Originally Posted by
Skyflyin
Ok, just because I'm on a layover and bored, here is a description of what transpired from someone on the Frontier Pilot's union regarding the failed United merger. It's kinda long, but describes how the United MEC did not live up to their promises and let the Frontier pilots fall by the wayside. This is commonly what I heard when flying with Frontier pilots. Boy Scouts, I think not.
BILLY WALKER'S REPORT
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What is not said in Billy’s letter is that Ferris was playing both pilot groups; he never intended to merge with Frontier. His goal was to acquire Frontier's hangars at Stapleton and a few minor assets including two MD80’s that he did not intend to fly. Walker wanted the UAL-MEC to agree to a lower wage agreement for his pilots. The United pilots had no interest in that idea after just striking over the two tier pay scale. Ferris knew the UAL-MEC would never agree to such a deal and he gleefully intended to hang the failure of the proposed merger on ALPA. Walker fell into his trap, but he nevertheless blamed this debacle on Roger Hall and the UAL-MEC for years after.
As it turned out, Ferris lost out on the hangars in court and the following year his airline career was history. Billy will always believe Ferris was an honest fellow and wanted to save the Frontier pilots except for those mean United pilots that shut him down for 29 days. It didn't help Walker's case when he told the UAL-MEC that he thought Frontier should be entitled to a DOH merger. Short of agreeing to a double breasted operation to give Ferris what he could not get with a strike, there was not much the UAL pilots could do for Billy.