Originally Posted by
DoggiePoo
The reason "airlines have never shrunk to profitability" is because they are always in debt up to their eyeballs and need to service that debt. There is 1 particular cargo company that has absolutely no debt and could park every airplane if need be. And still be okay. Because the owner owns everything down to the staplers. Agree this is an absolute set of "complex variables" to navigate through. But if we break down the debt loads of each major airline. Obviously AA is in real bad shape. Now add in the complexities of each airlines route system especially international. I predict you will see $300.xx fares to Paris just to get people back in seats. Once they get back in seats and realize this whole thing has been overblown, America will be back in business. This is a wake up call for companies and employees to operate a financially sound business and personal life. A lesson not be taking profits and buying back stock. Just think, if each of these companies files bankruptcy. Each and every employee is going to take the hit when they come and want to renegotiate contracts. What happens to the Wall Street CEO that couldn't manage a lemonade stand?
K4 is definitely the exception and not the rule. Our old man is an old school business minded individual who only makes moves when it 1000% benefits him in advance. That's why we practically own everything and are also able to be very flexible.
When I first started at XJT I remember some senior pilots saying you will never know how your career turned out until the day you retired. I know a great handful of XJT pilots that took the risk and decided to skip on the CPP to United (mainly because of how long it would be).
As well positioned as we are at K4 i believe we will still be impacted on the other side of this "recovery". Even at top 20% I don't feel safe or at ease in this industry.
My hope for United is that you purposely staff fat on the NBs so that you can take full advantage of the recovery and protect your market shares! To do otherwise might be shortsighted.
As a former UAX pilot I'm pulling for yall!!!