Just like UAL back in 2000. But since AMR is in bankruptcy reorganization, this has more serious consequences for them. The whole plan, the aircraft orders, all based on this deal happening. Wonder how much those Latin America routes would cost?

The horror, the horror.

They'll give them to swa.

To me that is a good example of how an equal sharing of flying between senior and junior reserve pilots in a seniority based system doesn't quite make sense. Senior lineholders can usually fly fewer days for the same amount of pay as the most junior lineholder that works more. Why would/should it be different for reserve? And to all please note the key word "equal" sharing. I am not advocating for no work vs all the work.


I am also not so sure that we are going to see the "sit and do nothing" all month that some categories have seen in the recent past during the slow months. As FTB mentioned, and as I have seen in my own category, they have trimmed the ranks of reserve pilots. Not saying it won't happen to a guy or two, but I have a feeling it won't be as wide spread as it was before. Time will tell with that one, especially if we get short staffed with retirements, 717/737 deliveries, etc. and hiring doesn't keep up.

Man, you just described politics in America today. So true.

And therein lies the conundrum. How do you somewhat honor seniority while distributing flying and short calls amoungst reserves......

How to merge the SC situation in with the buckets and amount of flying is the tricky issue IMHO.

or is SWA and DAL making sure AMR/LCC divests in a way favorable to them and not Spirit or JB?

Regarding the picking up of white slips: Sometimes it is a case of "you don't know what you don't know."

Maybe the individual drops trips they don't like and then WS to fill in their schedule. They may be, for various reasons, below the GS trigger. Or maybe they want a certain type of trip/report times/etc. etc. and can't usually get a GS or don't want to wait/hope for one that meets their criteria.

A friend of mine is constantly dropping trips/swapping trips and picking up new ones via WS to fill in his schedule.

Who knows. Lots of different variables to make any sort of blanket statements regarding it.

Interesting.

But to echo what others have said it would not suprise me to see a decision like that based on corruption or greasing of palms or consultant "no show" deals, or anything else of that nature. :D

Called not having your ducks in a row....

I'm a guessing that the AMR/USAir guys weren't as proactive as RA in getting all the govt players to explicitly tell them what divestitures and conditions would get this thing to slide thru..

And I wouldn't put it past the DAL govt guys (or SWA, or JB, or whomever...Franke even) to have thrown a wrench into the mix to get slots pushed their way

IMO, this will get done, but a few more hoops will be put in place for them to jump through.

8

States (AZ, FL, TN?, VA, PA) and a nuther country are involved in this whole thing (TX).


One of the things they have specifically mentioned is the 67% of departures at DCA. But the problem with some of those departures (FTB eye balling it here) is that it's a bunch of CRJ200s to places that probably don't need the service to begin with but get it because like LGA there is someone State or Congressional regulator demanding it. According to AMRair they'd have 67% of the departures but only 25% of the seats... in DCA/IAD/BWI. That's kind of big area. But I wonder what the seat make up would be? I mean we plug a full 88/90 in there every 30 minutes it seems.

I say limit DCA and LGA > 100 seats and drop the range limits but that's a different shoot from the hip reactionary on my part story.

Maybe SWA and DAL aren't apart of this, but they have a vested interest. I just wonder how the DOJ gets a way with it after not just allowing DAL/NWA to merge or UAL/CAL, but SWA/FL which gave SWA BWI all to itself.