Video interview from the CEO's
Alaska Air to buy Virgin America for $57 a share
We are both good companies. I look forward to a positive outcome for both groups.
The AS mgt group has been very successful at building a very good and profitable operation. They are financially conservative. Brad Tilden has been with the company for a long time. He rose up through the finance dept and was the CFO. He is very smart and knows the value of employee harmony. He is well liked and respected throughout the company. He is a bean counter with great people skills. I have been through several management cycles here and so far these guys have done very well. The CFO and COO are also very smart. The flight ops management and training team are also very good. All of Alaska's ratings and awards prove this.
VX also has great ratings. So they must be doing something right.
I have been with several other airlines in the 80's and early 90's so I have some experience to compare. There were times in the 90's I thought about going somewhere else but I'm glad I didn't.
The only negative I've seen lately is the QX contract. I think The QX folks should have been treated better.
I would be concerned if B6 won out and had a sudden huge presence on the west coast. Even if AS announced a 2.5 billion dollar Aircraft purchase instead of an acquisition we would not see any planes anytime soon due to delivery times and we would be competing with DL AND B6/VX combo. Is this a great deal? I don't think so. But strategically I hope it is the smart one.
I think AS will continue to hire pilots. We have retirements and A/C deliveries. I don't think there will be any flight crew furloughs. Experienced pilots are at a premium these days and AS flt mgt knows it.
There is no use worrying about things you can't control. It's a business and we just move the metal.
Welcome VX folks we have a pretty good team. I look forward to a positive outcome for all.
btw I would love to fly the Bus. Nice plane.
my 2 cents.