....and RDU, and MCO, and DTW, and MIA, and CVG, and PHL, ....

You're are going to LOVE the 10.3 hour three days!

At least they're commutable on the front end.

 

Oh whew! I was worried that I may have to fly north or south. But then again we can not compete doing that!

 

Except ours ... .

 

All true, it seems as if the company wants an accelerated section 6, they also know they can drag this out.

But if the wanted to drag it out then why not start now? Since their in section 6 I bet there is something they want, like labor peace so that they can...



Oh did I post that pic? I meant:





What I'm saying is I bet there is something they want, if they don't get it, then they can drag their feet. In the meantime, contract-itis is something we need to watch for and we need to leverage their desire to fast track this.

As to what I mentioned about the contract and putting it on paper. I get the idea that maybe in two contracts we get back to C2K+ instead of one. I get that being someones motivation and we all know two contracts may happen before the first ever hits the midway point.

But to just say we'll take this deal and then hope to make more gains the next time around is not anywhere near as good as saying we'll take this deal and in this deal we have the mechanisms and systems in place to assure we're back at the table in an expedited manner looking for more gains.

 

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA



ahhhh... well, WAR CAM EAGLE!

 

Interesting statistic leaked from American's lessor, AeroCap, on their 737 order. Apparently they got them for a 50% discount, $35.5 million each.

This explains why Bombardier's getting their head handed to them with their "our airplane is better, but we are not negotiating price" tactic. Boeing and Airbus have amortized all their R&D on narrow body jets years ago. That leaves Bombardier's future jet with a 2 to 3 Billion deficit right off the bat.

 

We would not need a new contract to acquire Hawaiian. In fact it is more likely that we'd seek a new contract in combination with an SLI process agreement (which is ALPA's current model)

 

Just so we're clear...We have a requirement in our contract to seek mediation no later than end of March 2013 (90 days after our current contract's amendable date). The typical length of time in NMB mediation is 29 months. Ours would be much less given the fact that we're not going to be making the mistake APA guys made. But even IF it's 29 months, that puts us at 32 months after our contract's amendable date.

My opinion is that most pilots would be willing to wait less than 3 years after our contract's amendable date to get it right. But I think the company underestimates what would happen to the operation due to the anger we would be feeling. We give up 46% of pay and many other things to save the company. It works. The company is hugely profitable 2 years before our contract's amendable date. The company does nothing to shorten our time with these bankruptcy wages. Instead saying: "a contract is a contract." Fine. But to then try and further increase that time with bankruptcy wages by exploiting the section 6 process would be the last straw for many. That anger would show up in operational statistics that management could not handle.

Carl

 

I think RA said in an LCA meeting that the American pilots would have been further ahead if they had taken 3%/year for the last five years. Instead they thought asking for 52% up front would net them something acceptable. Bankruptcy came before acceptable.

Our situation is different than the APA had, but don't forget that there is a time value to our money, and a value to whatever the "opportunity" is that is driving the company to negotiate. The possible returns of a contract in 5 years have to be weighed against whatever certain gains are presented today, and the contract 5 years from now will not have the value of today's "opportunity". The knock on that door will have gone unanswered, and the value lost. Essentially it is the old adages of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.", and "opportunity only knocks once."

If the negotiators reach an agreement, consider the agreement in the context of your needs, the industry, the economy, the political climate, the professed NMB attitude Linda Puchala outlined regarding obstinate pilot groups, and make a professional choice.

Personally, I think the attitude of a pilot group that leads to waiting 5 years for a contract displays a disconnect with reality. How can a professional group misjudge so gravely the difference between what is possible with what is desired, that it leads to 5 years of stagnation?

 

Great post!!

Carl