Originally Posted by CaptainNameless

Not trying to fan flames here, just floating possible scenarios we may face if this merger goes through.

IAH is going to be United's largest hub. United is most likely going to want most of the RJs going in there to be larger than 50 seats at some point. ORD will be second largest. Same story there, along with IAD and EWR. I would guess the majority of the 50 seat ops would be sent to thinner markets out west where airport capacity isn't as jammed up as it is in the east half of the country.

So as XJT's fleet and ASA's CRJ2s enters the waning years, they will start to get sent west out of the IAH/ORD/IAD/EWR service area and into the LAX/SFO/SEA/DEN area. I think this will happen if SKW is one list or ASA and SKW are kept separate. Crews will not be retrained in new aircraft to prevent pilots from losing their domicile. I guess what I mean is, if you're a 70/90 seat CRJ pilot, you may face displacement east into IAH, EWR, IAD, and ORD. If you're a 50 seat or less pilot with whichever division, you have a greater chance of keeping your (west) base, or being displaced west (XJT/ASA 50-seat guys).

No, that's not how it will work. I don't know where you came up with the idea that the airline can move the aircraft and not give the crews a chance to retrain on a different aircraft. If I am displaced I then have the option of bidding any seat my seniority can hold.


Just an observation because it sounds like a lot of SKW guys are worried about losing their base in a merger. I think it just depends on which fleet you are on, and there may be little anyone can do in the future when United decides what they want and where. I think there may be a LOT of unhappy XJT guys getting sent where they don't want to go if the fleet allocation follows what I think is likely to happen, and are not allowed to maintain domicile by switching aircraft. Anyway, just another example of how SKW pilots are invloved in all this along with ASA and XJT. If you are going to be flying United pax, you are pretty involved.

I don't know, which is cheaper, retraining crews for different planes or paying moving expenses? Does SKW cover moving expenses if your base is sent elsewhere? (OK, maybe that's flamebait).