Ask a former "MEWS Air" (sp?) Pilot.
Southwest bought MEWS Air in the Mid 80's. They did not have a union as I recall.

Mews was a small DC-9 outfit out of Houston in the Mid 80's.
They ain't around anymore. Just sayin.

Not intended as Flame to Southwest Pilots, as Pilots do not control who management buys, merges or what ever else Management chooses to do.

 

It is - or was - "Muse".

That pilot group had some form of representation IIRC, but it wasn't ALPA.

What happened to them is interesting - I'll leave it to current and former SW and Muse guys to hash it out, if they wish.

 

Thanks for the Correction or clarification.

BTW, I hope this does not degenerate into a Muse vs SW issue (ala TWA vs American). I was just trying to answer a previous posters question.

 

I guess what I would find unbelievable is an Airline like American buying JB which has 150 airplanes and 2000 pilots and letting all those pilots go to put their furloughed pilots in. The training costs would be astronomical. I couldn't see the board of directors or stockholders be too thrilled with type of decision.

 

Rogue, Most likely that wouldn't happen............

It could be most simply stated that If I were a Jet Blue Pilot, I would be very concerned about any merger with another Pilot group represented by a Union with a Contract. let's leave it at that!

 

Jetblue to DFW? Found this today.....

D/FW Airport officials see a lot more service flying this way | AIRLINE BIZ Blog | dallasnews.com


"Here are the highlights from Joe Lopano, D/FW's executive vice president for marketing......
Domestically, Lopano said they're getting close to getting JetBlue to serve New York and Boston from D/FW, and the cooperation between AA and JetBlue on the East Coast may make that kind of route more appealing for JetBlue, which has steered clear of AA in most respects outside of New York."

 

would you believe this then...

the original business model never included two airframe types and the associated cost increases... and it also did not include ANY long term MX since the 320's came with included two year MX programs... and the original business model had the planes being turned over every two years.

There are many more reasons their CEO left other than an ice storm. A severe change in the direction the company was being taken by the Board of Directors... The original business model was to build a name brand airline, and sell it off for mega-profit. Somewhere along the line, the BOD decided they'd rather run an airline than sell it off... and poof the founder left with a convienient excuse of an ice storm. The long term effects of this change are/will be to increase their costs beyond what their current LCC business model can absorb. Hence all the little partnerships with places like Cape Air, the cash infusion from Luftansa, and most recently an interline agreement with the most evil empire on earth.... AMR.

The cost savings from leased equipment, single equipment type, no maintenance costs, low cost labor are all vanishing (some already have), and the company has noplace else to trim down and lower expenses since it already is a barebones operation.

They'll be bought within the next two years....

 

Sidestep-
I do see where Herk is coming from. Especially the part about being stuck in the right seat of an Embrear for a very, very long time. Little growth and even less attrition will trap you in that seat--at New York. Maybe I'm wrong, but what do you see the upgrade timeline looking like for a newhire today? It surely won't be the same as those who preceded him/her. Wasn't a bad ride for those who jumped on 10 years ago. It is certainly a different ride for those today. Thoughts?
Schwanker

 

Mr. Pipeline, Gerry Lopez, once said about the modern day crowding on the legendary North Shore reef break "Its not the same as it was (referring to the halcyon early to mid 70's years), but it'll do..."
Unfortunately, they long ago hired their last airbus captain. Embraer for seniority 2000 and better maybe 8-10 years to captain at current pace. If you are in the last 500 here or maybe bottom 1000, like it or not, you are keeping an eye for a better deal. In the meantime, it'll do.

 

Bingo! A union can't fix everything, but these 5 year contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on. Once this company is bought we will all be walking the unemployment line. Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when.