The pre-tax income gap is mostly noise. UAL's $870M GAAP pre-tax includes $444M in sale-leaseback gains on aircraft transactions — essentially UAL sold planes and leased them back, booking a one-time accounting gain that flows straight through to pre-tax income. Strip that out and UAL's adjusted pre-tax is $498M vs Delta's $532M. Delta actually wins on an adjusted basis, which is the only number that reflects actual airline operations.

Everyone relax. There’s zero chance United jumps us overnight - especially in a fuel crunch. That being said, no doubt they are knocking on the door and who knows what Delta plans to do about it.

But I’m not so sure United is the juggernaut you all think they are. They do A LOT of smoke and mirrors advertising (fleet orders, Evtols, Kirby himself, etc) and A LOT of low margin flying, hence the quick pull down in flying they had after this conflict started. They’re also in a margin war with AA at ORD. I wholeheartedly agree that our management team moves slowly. But I’ve also learned that margin discipline looks very slow (read not flying from EWR to Nuuk).

Anyway, I want my PB days and normal reserve back!

 

I couldn't care less how much money United or American made because there is absolutely nothing I could do or say that would change anything. I'll continue to show up, fly my contract, and hope the people who get paid to make decisions continue to make us profitable. I hope United and American do well because that means, hopefully, their pilots do well which means we will do well as a pilot group.

 

I think you missed the greater point. It’s all like “two fleas arguing over who owns the dog they live on.” I also hope that our people who can do something about our operations do so. The numbers are merely indicators of something increasingly dysfunctional over here. It’s the only reason anyone cares. They may as well be eggplant emojis. Ours are just turning in to something else….the gummster fire continues. Feel the churn!

Aside from that I fly the contract 4-5 days a week anymore and just absorb the crew swaps and delays. Four days, four FOs again this week. It was better not all that long ago. I hope we get those days back.

 

"Feel the churn"

I like it, imma steal that. Good lanyard fodder too.