There are plenty of 'leaders' (airline execs) within this industry, many past-some present, that would not be coined the term 'smart'.

As you well know, there have been numerous 'business decisions' made in the past that have lead many of us to say "W.T.*. was that about??"

Lesson of the day: Never discount the possiblity if the ability is an 'option' sitting right there......Wanting it bad enough ('smart' or otherwise).....if there's a will, they will find a way. :cool:

Is the likelyhood of a marriage between the present AA/U real?? Probably not.

I agree that AMR is much more concerned about getting approval for the BA/IB deal but I wouldn't put it past our government to demand a quid pro quo.

For example, Parker and Tilton tell key Congressmen and Senators they're going bankrupt and this time, without an available credit market plus the fact that they've hocked everthing already, it'll cause the companies to close their doors, Chapter 7. The boobs in Washington hear the sound of voters in their district losing their jobs and they see they have the power to make demands on AMR in order to grant the BA deal. Congressmen call on Arpey/AMR and say "We've got a deal for you, buy ...LCC/UAL or parts of it and we'll grant you the BA deal this fall." It will ensure everyone suffers a little instead of half the crowd suffering a lot.

Call me a conspiricy theorist but I don't trust executives in this country OR Congress.

I thought the same thing until Willie Walsh decided he couldn't pay his employees and asked a bunch to work for free.. BA is not as financially solvent as many here believe.

AA

Something USAPA has no concept of. APA is no bastion of goodwill either. They even ate thier own at one time. Remember B Scale.
The two groups together would bring down what's left of public respect for the profession.

I give you credit for looking at all pieces of the puzzle. I think everyone of those executives is factoring in alliances in their decision-making. I would also add that we've already seen what fear of bankruptcy does. I wouldn't put it past pilots and other employees to actively lobby for foreign investment.

Had the European economies (and airlines) stayed disproportionately strong, we might have seen more of this already. I think it's only the fact that credit markets were essentially closed that prevented more European forays into our side while they were still much stronger. With credit markets thawing, and investors willing to take on more risk, who knows what the future holds? I suspect it involves more arrangements, similar to our DAL / AF-KLM JV, with some agreements on division of flying. The focus will be on STAR next, and I suppose CAL/UAL will (e)merge as a strong partner to Lufthansa. AMR will be next to come up with an arrangement that works well within OneWorld. I never discount AMR. It's not immediately apparent to me how they're going to do well right now, but it never pays to understimate them.

And the Easties would have to play the ALPA way again. Crow pie served cold.


Sorry, I just think that would be funnier than "F" expletive.

Not sure what you are directing at me? If you are providing a history lesson, you are too late. I am well versed in what has transpired in our industry from inception.

I am very well aware of APA's past, and ALPAs as well as respective pilot groups and their negative contributions.

However when events occur that are positive, maybe, just maybe they can modeled and built upon for the good of our profession.

In the end I applauded what I thought was a rather professional, honorable "MERGER" between DAL and NWA.


Thanks for your insightful contribution to this thread and our future as whole by dwelling on the past.

AA

Excellent post.

AA

Agreed.


Just like AMR buying TWA to counter a UAL/U marraige that never happened. It cost them 800 mil for all the purchasing and another 800 mil to dump most everything including most of their fleet, routes and hubs. All they kept was some of their equipment and employees, most of which they furloughed.

But I sincerely hope that even AMR wouldn't be stupid enough to allow their precious rep (or so THEY believe) to be placed in the hands of Mesa and that was the crux of my assumption of the absence of COMPLETE stupidity.

WE can only hope:(

AA