JimLaheyTPS

I remember starting around last September you guys were preparing to park planes and had a pretty grim outlook due to global cargo demand plummeting.

Amazing how a year and a global pandemic changes things right? When every passenger airline was printing money last year, you guys were trimming the fat. Sounds like the only reason you’re over here running your trap about how good things are at FDX is by default of a global pandemic. Kinda pathetic really.

Too bad all that cash in your bank can’t buy you humility nor common sense for when it’s time to sit back and realize you dodged a bullet this time because of a once in a lifetime event. This too shall pass. Sure hope you guys will be able to eek by the next global cargo slump without needing a global health and economic disaster to save your rear.

Noworkallplay

JimLahey,

Your compadre stated this “Pfizer probably realized that Fedex sucks and decided to go with someone more reliable”. This was unprovoked by anyone if you read the thread before and uncalled for. This is one of those “keep your dog on a leash” things. My comments are directed just at that dbag. Many great people at UA and I wish nothing but good things for you all. My statement was to put this bigmouth back in his place.

We have been going to park old planes for 10 years now. Just never ends up happening. Even as we add 20-25 new ones a year. At some point some will be retired. Thats natural.

As for FedEx’s financial health prior to covid you have miss stated a few things. We did have a stock price dive due to market speculation and dumping Amazon which was our own choice. Even with this FedEx was still hugely profitable. Check out the 10k filing. All airlines go through ups and downs and FedEx was by no means in troubled waters just some rough waves trying to get out of Amazons wake. At this same time we had secured long term contracts with other big names but it was going to take a couple years to fill the void.

My apologies for being a bit offended but I think you can look at his comments and understand. My point to him was don't throw a grenade in a fox hole with 10 seconds left on the timer because it just may end up back in your hole with 1 second left.

wrxpilot

You do know that FDX was still very profitable last year right? The biggest issue was the TNT integration, as well as a major IT hacking event with that company during the acquisition. Both issues that were temporary and in the rear view mirror. Also, Wall Street was beating down the stock price due to our high Cap Ex projects. Classic short term thinking by short sided analysts. As an employee, I’m thankful to be working for a forward looking company that is concentrated on the Long Game.

I spent many years flying United Pax as a UEX pilot, and was also lucky enough to be hired by United. It’s an excellent company, and the only pax carrier I’d want to be at. I absolutely wish you guys the best, and truly believe you guys are going to be just fine after all this is over. I wouldn’t say the same for some of the other carriers, that’s for sure. I like buying my full fare tickets on you guys, let’s all wish the best for each other.

scns77

. My point to him was don't throw a grenade in a fox hole with 10 seconds left on the timer because it just may end up back in your hole with 1 second left.[/QUOTE]



More like 5 seconds!

CousinEddie

Maybe you will earn a bit more someday when you take the lead on single pilot ops. Boxes don’t care.

JimLaheyTPS

I hear what you’re saying and yes the whole bickering about who’s flying vaccines around like it’s some sort of badge of honor is silly.

Im glad things are going well for you all right now. You gotta go back and look at your comments and see that they didn’t seem to single him out. It sure seemed like a broad swipe at all of us at UA that are getting our collective Richards knocked in right now and you’re just rubbing our noses in how dandy everything is there. I appreciate your acknowledgment to my rebuttal. We all have our ups and downs. Let’s just keep our emotions in check and try not to be that guy that kicks our friends while they are down.

Cheers!

JimLaheyTPS

Thanks for filling in the blanks on what was going on. I don’t the know full details for what was going on last year, except my friends there didn’t seem thrilled with how things were going and a few articles up about the poor outlook of global freight was about the scope of my know(broad brush stuff).

Like I said to your coworker, this whole argument is silly about who’s flying the vaccine around like it’s some huge bragging right. BFD who is flying it, just get it done so we can all start to recover!

Keep up the good work over there and thanks for the kind words about UA and your business.

DashTrash

FedEx is much better set up for DG transportation than we are. They have dedicated containers for DG. They also have personnel that are trained specifically to handle DG (I used to be one of them). The problem FedEx has is capacity. They have been going full tilt since the pandemic began. This is also their “peak” season. Especially with internet purchases at all time highs because no one can/will go to a store to buys stuff. That exacerbates the situation over what happened last year.

Noworkallplay

Boy that's a new one....... Have you not noticed cargo is generally the last to fly new type certificated aircraft? FedEx is still flying 1970s equipment. We like trusted and proven products. We are buying new stuff now, but its stuff that has been in production (767/777) and had the kinks worked out over the last 30+ years. Not saying it isn't on the horizon, but it isn't going to happen quickly. I know ALPA is a huge part of this and that's what we pay dues for. Make no mistake, if it happens in cargo it will for sure happen in pax airlines. I think you may be able to look back in history and see that pax airlines probably have a much higher level of volatility due to many different market affects. I will take my chances with cargo going forward. I did the "major" pax airline thing and have seen both sides and the risk is no comparison after the last 20 years. Over that span I dealt with 9/11 followed by the stock market crash. 10 years of stagnation followed by 3-5 good years. Then this Covid pandemic. Over that period cargo has weathered much better. Its all a crap shoot though and is anybody's guess. Honestly hope my brothers and sisters at the pax airlines have a blessed and profitable 2021. I will be vacationing with some of you when things open back up. Cheers.

CousinEddie

Hard to underestimate a company that managed to turn a DC-10 into an MD-10.