I'm not sure how to reconcile Alaska dragging Horizon in the local press with the idea of making a large, paradigm-shifting capital investment in the operation.

The article I saw was because an employee leaked an internal memo to the press.

It was someone within flight ops management. None of the rank and file or training dept saw the email. H did throw the pilot group under the bus when he implied a pilot leaked the article to the times.

Also, friendly reminder to never take H or C seriously when it comes to Horizon stuff (or anything really). They aren't typed on the Q and have no idea how it handles or flies, and never will be because they wouldn't dare give up their seniority numbers at AS.

Links to the article?

At this point you can google ‘Horizon Air’ and it’s the first thing that shows.

https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...afety-culture/

Would a gutsy BCP leak this?

Not sure. There's only one BCP left on property that has been at the company for more than 2 years.

So back to the topic of the OP. MEA are we for or better or worse hedging our future on the max? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2019/12/11/faa-chief-says-boeing-737-max-recertification-to-stretch-into-2020.html
Bids with no public fleet decision, are blind bids. We are losing airframes, so not only are we not growing but currently shrinking. My confidence is never been high with VA management or Alaska’s, but I’m becoming scared for the future of this pilot group. We have effectively merged to grow only to shrink back to a PNW airline.

How else do you think they were going to get all of that cash into the right people's pockets?

I think you have nothing to be afraid of. Growth is coming, I think exciting growth. The only slowing this down is Boeing at this point. Large order will be announced soon, single fleet. AS will take an expedited delivery schedule. More displacements from the Airbus, fall of 2020. 250-350 a year hiring, indefinitely moving forward.