turbojet28

Including Aprils class, it will be around 1150.

I think there still should be at least one more VSA imminent in order for those April guys to have something to bid for.

Salukipilot4590

I believe this happens at almost all airlines during the summer months. You've got to have all hands on deck for the summer schedule....especially when we're as short staffed as we're going to be.

No need to chicken little errybody!

NWSteeringArmer

Apparently some of the neos are behind schedule

DENpilot

I'd normally agree with you, except they had a huge hiring event for FAs last week in Denver for an April 24 class. That April class has now been canceled. They also held an FA hiring event in CVG yesterday in which they told the people they hired they could be in a hiring pool for up to a year. That is not a normal summer slow-down.

NWSteeringArmer

But cancelling flight attendant classes doesn't make any sense... that probably means there's something going on... they leave in droves... can't wait to get calls at 3am for a 5am show for a puj turn they "have no one to for"

PulledBreaker

Exactly. IPO announcement, then basically a hiring freeze for 6-12 months? After they offered early outs to the FAs?

I don't know about you, but if there was a prime NK/F9 merger opportunity...you are looking at it square in the eyes. The longer they put it off (growth overlap), the more it'll cost them in synergistic losses.

WN is gearing up to do redeyes, to try and stomp out the ULCC market share loss. Spirit's and Frontier's survival is dependant on a unified effort vs undercutting each other. Both companies know this very well. They are both stalling CBA negotiations, most likely to lengthen the process with a JCBA reboot in 18 months.

There's my speculation for the day.

sulkair

But I thought the USA ULCC market potential was majorly UNDERtapped!?!? So how could NK and F9 be pressured into trying to undercut one another? Maybe on some routes... but on the whole??? And what purpose does it serve to merge when you are so greatly profitable alone? Especially with an IPO on the horizon, a Spirit merger just doesn't make sense to me.

PulledBreaker

With the current division of the US ULCC market between NK and F9, they are profitable. But you have to factor in the WN effort going forward. They won't sit idly by as they continue to lose passengers. Hence their new training facility, huge hiring numbers the next few years, and their net aircraft losses. They are setting up their operation for higher utilization. Both their FAs and pilots say the same thing. Redeyes are coming.

It wouldn't take but a few months of WN paralleling routes/times/fares in an effort to make F9 or NK drop the route. They know we can't afford to fly planes at 75% capacity.

I hate to sound pessimistic. But it's necessary to evaluate all aspects. It's cheaper for WN to go to war then to buy a merged NK/F9. Especially since they have no use for 120+ leased 320s.

I'm just throwing darts here, I could be way off. But from a long term survival standpoint, there is strength in numbers.

Salukipilot4590

Touché salesman! I Didn't think of that!

SpankysLadder

3 months out is the furthest any airline management can realistically plan for anything. Don't get too excited.