But, I can't imagine US Air and United needing any more slots in D.C., if they combine. If it went down, I bet the DOJ would insist they get smaller in DC, not bigger.

Were you the one wearing the cowboy boots? Except in the south they're not called cowboy boots, just shoes.:p

Good one. No, I had left my corner kickers at home, for the more stylish black wing tips. I did get hired, but had to make a tough choice between DAL and AMR. I'm still not sure if I made the right choice.

Aside from the pension loss, I'd say you made the right choice. We are a powerhouse and I believe we should see the seeds of that soon. I believe it was our fortune to merge two airlines during a downturn when it was easier to realign capacity, fleets, work groups etc. Anyone merging now will do it at the beginning of an economic growth cycle. Imagine trying to turn on your respective companies to capture the growth while trying to merge everything else. We are way ahead of the bell curve.

I thought two negatives made a positive!

I liked this quote, from the Washington Post. (Swelbar is a consultant)

Swelbar questioned whether United and US Airways pilots had laid any of the necessary groundwork. "Whereas Delta was blessed with visionary pilot leadership, the same type of leadership is not evident at either US Airways or United," he said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews

I must wholeheartedly agree. We are ready and waiting at the starting line right before the gunshot. Everyone else is going to have to play catch up. If the economy takes off, we will be the first ones out of the gate. I must admit, I was completely against this merger at first. Merging two completely different cultures, two completely different fleet types, and two completely different route strategies did not sound like a plan for success. Although the dust hasn't settled yet, it seems to be working pretty well so far, and for the first time in 20 years, the future is looking promising again. We shall see.

Parker has merger fever. He won't be happy until he is running a humungous airline giant. I'm not sure he is good enough to overcome the collosal labor conflicts which would surely follow. I can't imagine the UAL guys allowing it to happen. The USAirways guys may see it as another opportunity to get DOH. It will be interesting in any case.

That's a very slippery slope. Soon doing above and beyond becomes the status quo and failure to do so becomes a work action. Better for all of us if we do our prescribed jobs and others do theirs.

If the wheels come off the operation because of deliberate management decisions elsewhere I will do my job to the best of my ability but not anyone else's.

Besides the above hazard it might also undercut another work groups lawful efforts to organize or improve their working conditions.

I see it this way:

Very unhappy pilots + (Very unhappy pilots + Supremely ticked-off pilots) = UGLY!





/but not as ugly as a CAL/UAL merger...

I do not argue that. I do MY job to the letter of the PWA and FOM. I am professional and do what is in my power to provide a decent travel experience.

Bad decisions generally get fixed quickly. We are a vocal group, and when something is not right many normally will speak up.

I wish other work groups the best in their decision process, but it is frankly none of my business.

It should be. You are a union member - supporting others in their right to organize comes with the territory. You might very well need their support some day.