Originally Posted by
chignutsak
Says who? AMR? As soon as humanly possible they will put their "regional" needs up for bid. Just like the government. Lowest bid wins. Whoever the bottom feeder of the month is, with the aircraft mix that AMR wants, will win. They can dump some of the 20 year Eagle Captains ($$$$) and replace them with 20-something Riddle dudes. Eagle will probably not entirely go away, but just become a marginal player flying t-props around TX, FL, and the Caribbean.
What is the "lowest bid" ?
Is it the surface bid, or do other variables enter the equation like AMR control for the ability to manipulte profit/loss and tax issue.
The lowest surface bid by Grace L. Ferguson Airline and Storm Door Company may cost AMR more then Eagle and another carrier either spun off, or with a more adventageous agreement.
Eagle apparently DID have several suitors during its time in the "For Sale" window, but the details AMR wanted involved too much control for AMR and too little profit for a stand alone company.
That should tell you something.
Eagle isn't going to disappear and since seniority is an issue even in BK, it will likely be those junior who pay. In BK, it may not matter that Eagle has senior captains as pay scales could be readjusted to match the competition...........likely across the board, but it would be those senior who would be the hardest hit.