Henderson is nice too. Particularly the Green Valley/Legacy area. 15 minutes from LAS.

Very real possibility of a Frontier buyout or merger in 2019. Once G4's airbus transition is complete.

Huh?! Based on that logic, Spirit and Frontier should already be one airline.

Ha, quit stirring the pot! G4 and F9 merging makes no business sense. Totally different operations.

If we merge or get bought it will be to the highest bidder... nothing else matters. We can crunch business models, fleets etc and it just depends on who wants to pay up.

Right, but the point is Frontier has nothing to offer allegiant, except the opportunity to eliminate a weak competitor. Acquiring F9 would more than double the size of G4, who is already struggling with its rapid growth. G4 has no interest in operating at large airports, like the Spirit and Frontier business model. The only possible get together between these two that I could see is if F9 went bankrupt, G4 would probably pick up a bunch of airplanes in the fire sale.

I think it's much more likely to see a Spirit merger/buyout once they get their labor issues settled. They are basically the same airline.

Wow, do you get high on the smell of your own farts?

I had no idea that Allegiant was such an elite powerhouse!

Last time I checked, Allegiant was the most profitable US airline last year so…

How did Punta Gorda work out for ya? :D

Vegas
 

A friend sent a pic of Flica page showing LAS CA and LAS FO under the submit bids, click on drop down menu. No VSA yet but guessing very soon!

Oh yeah, I'm sure F9 is licking its wounds over your twice weekly service between TTN and PGD.

Keep flicking your little wiener and telling yourself you're a big boy.

Well I mean you can actually put in a bid for it as of right now so there's that. Now that VSA9 is done they're getting ready for 10 which should be for LAS, maybe.

Classy!

Don't forget the ORD-PGD service which also flopped.

How's that contract coming?

Yeah well I already get to eat my words. Our COO mysteriously resigned today. Maybe a buyout/merger IS eminent.

Funny you should ask. The union met with the NMB today. Here is an excerpt, go ahead and have a look!

"ALPA representatives provided a comprehensive presentation to the NMB that detailed: (1) the Company's refusal to sign our customary Negotiations Protocol Agreement; (2) its unwillingness to bargain in good faith regarding LOA 67; and, (3) management's desire to delay negotiations by slow discussion of less important sections of the CBA instead of bargaining earnestly and efficiently to make improvements to the economic portions of our eight-year-old concessionary contract.

We believe we made compelling arguments that the Company's conduct was consistent, deliberate and showed a disregard of the Railway Labor Act's mandate to complete "prompt and orderly" resolution of negotiating disputes.

The NMB has scheduled six mediation sessions through September 21, 2017. We believe the Board recognized the slow pace of bargaining by taking the following actions; they announced that Harry Hoglander had been named the Board member overseeing the case to ensure that progress accelerated; they indicated it would further intensify the agency's work on this case; and also stated the NMB's belief that a comprehensive agreement should be achieved within the time currently allocated for mediation. If an agreement is not reached during that time, Board representatives said they would review the status of mediation and be prepared to consider the alternatives provided to it under the RLA. We believe that the same points were communicated to management representatives.

Association representatives voiced our willingness to meet every single day - including weekends - from now until September 21 in an effort to complete negotiations, and affirmed our willingness to engage fully in the give and take of the bargaining process. We are scheduled for two weeks of mediation in June, and we intend to try to resolve as many issues as possible in that time. We will report fully on whether the same good faith efforts are demonstrated by the Company.

In summary, our continued hard work and good-faith efforts to negotiate favorable industry contract patterns have resulted in the NMB taking appropriate steps to move the mediation process to a conclusion. Stay the course!"

Last time I checked there was an age requirement for an ATP. Did that change recently?

Yeah I checked Friday morning and it wasn't there they added it after the VSA closed Friday.

So when is this VSA supposed to come out for Vegas? If its 60 days for a new base that means it would have to be tomorrow if my math is right for an August 1 start / opening.

They keep adding new cities to the LAS schedule. I think were up to 24 destinations by August.

In other LAS news, Have you seen the new LAS layover hotel? Right in the middle of party town down town. Should be fun.

I heard Vegas isn't opening until Oct

Well they did say fall, I thought it would be September or October opening.

I'm s Skywest guy. We live in Summerlin and it's really nice. A little more pricey. Also Green Valley Ranch in Henderson, Southern Highlands, Seven Hills.

Sounds like it may be more like December for the pilots at Vegas.

I would believe this as easily as anything else. But do you have a reason for saying this outside the fact that there is still no VSA?

My money is on October

Moving to new G.O., IPO, aggressive mediation summer schedule, and opening a new crew base...anything else? My gut tells me the peeps in the G.O. are working their butts off. Lots going on.

That pretty much sums up the sounds I'm hearing. Lol

The IPO folks have nothing to do with the crew planning folks... nor do either of those folks have anything to do with the people planning the move to the new GO. Please don't don't give any mgmnt personnel in the GO more credit than they're due. No one is working any harder than usual. Besides, I am sure they will reward their "hard work" with more bonuses to themselves...

Meanwhile, we can't even get a loadsheet filled out properly and has anyone else noticed recently that no one on the ramp can marshal an airplane into the gate properly? If anyone is working their butts off, it is the pilots and FAs...

So true. And let's not give them any credit for the busy negotiations schedule. It's not as if they are doing it out if the kindness of their heart.

You guys get so testy. I never said they were doing a good job. I left that open for debate. Lots of balls being juggled at once...waiting to see if one gets dropped. We'll see.

-FYI for anyone that has a LAS layover tonght 7/3/17free concert on Fremont Street tonight - Ann Wilson from Heart. Happy 4th everyone.

Well, looks like Sept-Jan 18 for Vegas is becoming more of a reality at this point.
Wouldn't have guessed it would take this long. I'm guessing they didn't either.

Why do you say this? I don't see a VSA.

Rumor in ground school was December/January now.

Heaven forbid these guys let us know in advance so we can try and plan our lives just a little bit.

This strike just can't come soon enough.

Exactly............

They don't give an eff. I had hope this place was going to turn out ok someday, but I'm starting to lose faith. Time to update the apps.

First LAS bid is out.

Looks like I was right about October.

Also 14 upgrades.

I think they'll be enough DEN and ORD pilots taking LAS to avoid the 6 and 2 displacements, respectively.

Is it just me or is 22 crews a little underwhelming?

My guess is that's the initial bid and it'll grow with subsequent bids a lá Orlando.