Originally Posted by
CaptCoolHand
Does this suck from our standpoint. Absolutely 100%. Any reductions in perceived growth hurts fwd progression. Especially since we lack any retirement movement.
I think this is a smart move. Here's why and you can flame away. The NEOs are not performing now and this buys us time to watch and see how that pans out. This "fleet review" is actually probably good for us. Whether it brings us new planes less planes is anyones guess at this point, but it may just simply reshuffle how we use them. It is good to look at to see if you're using your assets efficiently.
The last point I have is probably the most eye opening for me. We seem to have reached another growth point of critical mass. This happened to us back in 07 too. We have planes coming assume we have places in the system to fly them, but our current infrastructure is cracking on the weight of 1000+ flights a day. God forbid you throw a wrench into the mix...
Our support structure simply wasn't designed to handle the mass and it fails due to staffing issues throughout MX and CS and the lack of automations that we're desperately attempting to put into place. We don't want to grow too fast again and step our our dicks and end up days away from financial nuclear winter like we did in 08'. Taking a step back isn't necessarily all bad. At the risk of being a juicebox, we are still taking about a plane every month and paying for many in cash.
so... "what got us here won't get us there" well DB was right about that. I think the new admin in the crystal palace has taken note of our shortfalls and is setting up the motion to move us up to the next level. Everything takes time and we have to see how it pans out.
Take stock, wait and see or heat up your apps and run for the hills. Bottom line for me is I need this place to be successful for another 27 years and I can only hope that they're making the right decisions. I don't know what goes on behind the curtain even though I've solved all the company and countries problems between BOS and FLL...
That's my .02 Ill know if i was right in 2044.
You also make some good points.
However, I don't see the gutting of Tech Ops recently and increased pilot pushing and flying with multiple deferrals as being congruent with your theory. In fact, the opposite. I won't make any suppositions.... I just don't like what I'm seeing in maintenance or the delivery book.
It's incredibly frustrating and demoralizing to see the company pulling back while others are expanding into markets we should be beating them to. Sadly, I fear we will be late to the party in many markets and will miss the boat on some great growth opportunities.
I guess we can always add another flight to Port-au-Prince or Santiago.
