Ok dont quite get what you are saying but its not really necessary that I understand. I can say that without a merger AA is in a really bad spot in terms of a competing with the larger UAL and DAL. It would take years just to catch up to where they are today and by then the landscape of both of them will have changed even more. I think the merger happens dispite what a small group of pilots that really dont figure into the scheme of things wants.

WD at AWA

If this merger HAS to happen (market forces you describe and we all know about requiring it), then it's probably best for the AA pilots for it to occur PRIOR to Chapter 11 exit. At that point, APA negotiates with Parker to improve the CLA (not current TA) who has shown more interest in a model of less outsourcing as opposed to Horton who wants to dismantle the product via codesharing (4% Parker and 50% Horton).

I think it comes down to a merger and Parker working with the combined assets on the East coast and that being more to the advantage of "AA" (being AA/U) then codeshare or Horton who can only regain some assemblance of East coast and Carribean markets he's handed over to Jet Blue on a silver platter by.....well, either codesharing with them, trying to merge with them or perhaps even them acquiring American Eagle. Let's face it, this management hasn't done much with AA but run it vertically into the terrain over the last decade and I see little chance of real magic from the current magicians.

The Parker doctrine would be best for mainline pilots and the Horton scheme would be best for him, a few others and maybe One World.

IMO what would be best is a stand-alone AA without Horton and his gang. But Horton has a bit of a halo over his purported "excellent" handling of the BK - too bad he cannot handle a functioning, healthy airline instead.

The thought of inheriting, becoming a part of this East-West squabble, is nauseating.

APA will dominate the merger. USAPA may lose all leverage after a future MOU drops Change of Control. USAPA bargains SLI, pay parity, equipment/block protections... now or never.

A mass of East pilots will retire prior to SLI. A 2 year narrow body fence and 5 year wide body fence would solve protect APA significantly.

Longterm, the Nic award would bring the most damage to APA career expectation.

Well you are missing some very glaring facts there my friend. First is the fact that AA today would never be able to compete with UAL and like I said DAL has already left the building. The most important asset that AA holds today is the south american routes. DAL is in a position now where they could give AA a run for their money both from the US and now with that 49% ownership of Virgin Atlantic they could do it from Europe as well. In other words DAL is not at all playing around!!!

Second, there would be no"becoming part of the east/ west squabble" as you put it. Parker played this one to the bone and it was really a smart move. See, he knows that APA becomes the agent the minute the merger is announced. The only official thing left to do would be for APA to file for single carrier status and that would be over and done within 180days. Everyone on the planet knows that there was an arbitration ruling in our case and that by not honoring it only opens up law suits. APA knows this and I would suspect that they would do as the east has done to the west and use its greater numbers to force an issue. APA would never put itself in harms way AGAIN especially not with that TWA suit hanging over it head. The path of no problems for APA and a combined carrier would be to use the arbitrated list. The east has NO LAW SUIT position what so ever. The west pilots do have a suit where they could go after company, usapa, APA and the list goes on.

WD at AWA

Cacti, I think you need a little sensitivity therapy. Glad you joined in with some name calling. It lets us all know your back to yourself.
All the East wants is their own attrition. What you want is the East attrition. You will be in majority in 5-7 years anyway.
The line pilot has little to do with Union decisions including binding arbitration. USAPA does whatever they want just like ALPA.
The PHX franchise has little growth potential that is why you were down graded. Your DFR may sink this whole merger. If you listen to Crandall he knows another arbitration could kill the deal. Whatever APA and USAPA works out will have to work. At least there is a chance of an increase in pay, something DP resisted first time around. You will see little resistance on the East if there is a little wage increase. Whatever final SLI is, APA will prevail. APA is unified and respected and feared by management. USAPA in not a concern to management.

I sat and heard that argument back when we had a real union on this property."The west wants out attrition"!! Tell me capt, just how much attrition is there when you are one inch away from liquidation? Yeah I know, "the east really wasn't in bad shape it was all a ploy to get you to accept LOA93 right"? We are stagnant because you in the east have stolen what you did not earn in the process you picked, the arbitrator you picked and then you tossed the real union in favor of this east cult group in an effort to further damage our careers. If ever there were a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face this is it. The east pay is the same as a Horizon jet capt back when they had jets. A330 capt makes the same as an AA 777 f/0!! This is the choice you made in your efforts to steal and where you had no worries with the original award and time , now you do. West pilots are now waiting to invade the east bases to take our rightful positions that you stole. It was nothing short of criminally stupid to do whats been done for the last 5 years.

WD at AWA

It isn't the east s attrition, it was stolen from the west. The west started 2008 with over 1800 pilots And is down to 1300 today while the east has hired pilots into seats belonging to west pilots.

Wiskey Driver and Cacti, you have saved USAirways East pilots from liquidation? Thank you pilots for making management decisions and arranging the financing.
The East franchise is where the value has always been in this code sharing airline. If the East franchise had no value it would have been liquidated. All new major routes are going to the East due to the strength of the franchise. You Westies are doing 30% of the former East flying due to the weakness of the West franchise. So who really is stealing jobs? It is your golden boy DP who is hiring and has built up excessive staffing on the East side. There are pilots who barely fly 10 hours a month on the East? Why did DP say no recalls on the West in the crew news? Because the West franchise is a leisure market according to DP, weak in revenue.
If APA and USAPA can not come to an agreement outside of another arbitration the deal may be dead. Your DFR is the toxic deal breaker in consolidation, not DOH with fences. Management doesn't care about the NIC or DOH. Management will keep APA happy.

Well at least this thing turned into another east-west biotch fest...Merry Christmas everyone!

Mongo