Based on Pinnacle's current financial status (which was set in motion when he was here), I'd wager he'd have been fired or asked to leave by now. Sure, he oversaw the buyout of Colgan and Mesaba and pushed through the okay on the move to downtown offices, which is partly why 9E is in financial crisis mode right now. Too much at once. I don't know how he "tricked" NWA into paying for the CRJ orders. It was pretty standard practice at the time those orders came in that the mainline partner owned the planes. Or did Skywest, ASA and Comair trick Delta into paying for their planes, too? What about Mesaba and Compass? Did they pull the wool over NWA's eyes to get them to buy -900s and 175s? It's just been a recent development that mainline partners have been getting the regional airlines to foot the bill for airplanes.

 

Or ExpressJet? CAL bought 274 ERJ's for them. Their guy must've been good too!

 

VA's losses since startup are closing in on $1 Billion. Don't be too overconfident, you're probably going to need the guys on here to help you land a job down the road. The best hope for VA guys is that they get bought before they file chapter 7, and this is coming from someone who's on year 18 and airline number 5 in this industry. I'm not bashing VA, I'm just shooting straight....

 

File chapt. 7? 3 qtr profits, seat cap up 30%, and airplane orders secured through 3 qtr 2013? Yeah, I see bankruptcy looming. It sucks getting the short end of the straw in this industry, but that doesn't mean that VA's going down. You have to remember who feeds them, and no I'm not talking about RB.

 

From the article linked above:

 

AA had over 400 new airplanes ordered before they filed BK. Please tell me what airplane orders has to do with NOT filing BK.

 

Not sure how you can compare apples to oranges here. AA's costs across the board are out the roof. You can order all the airplanes you want, but that doesn't mean you have the money to pay for them when it comes time for delivery. Yes, anyone can file bankruptcy these days but that doesn't mean they will. AA filed BK to shave off Eagle and go after scope and slice the golden pension egg off. VA's life depends on how they handle each market and how they pace their orders and deliveries. Their CASM, just like everyone else, is really based off of fuel right now, even though many carriers like to blame the pilot group. Keeping the balance between these two sides is what will determine VA's future. Plus, RB still has his hand in the pot with his name on it. Until he cuts his ties he'll make sure all is branded flying stays alive. With that said, filing bk as a start-up makes it hard to gain trust in the financial sector.

 

It's not really apples to oranges. I'll agree that AA's cost structure is different from VA's. But they're both losing money. You said that a factor for VA not filing BK is because they have airplanes on order. I say that is irrelevant. It's also interesting that you say RB doesn't feed VA $$$, but now you say he still has his hand in the pot.

Look, I'm really not a VA hater. I wish no ill will on those who work for or want to work for VA. Just bringing up some points.

 

Plus, you stated the company is turning a profit. As is pointed out above and in the articles below from the WSJ and Bloomberg, this is not the case.

Virgin America Swings to Loss on Higher Fuel Costs - WSJ.com

Virgin America Posts $3.3 Million Loss as Jet Fuel Costs Surge - Bloomberg

Surely you will acknowledge that losing money as opposed to making it in every one but a single quarter, raking up close to a Billion dollars in losses, and having (as the Bloomberg artcile states) a total of $24 mil in unrestricted cash on hand are significant financial issues, yes?

 

I will acknowledge that we did not make money in the third quarter. We did show an operational profit and the top line revenue shows bright spots all over. But to accuse me that I am the problem with this industry is so preposterous that I don't even know where to begin. This is my fifth airline in 11 years. I have been furloughed more times than I can count. I have more types than I have recurrent events.

I have stood the high ground more times than I can count. And you know what happens everytime I turn around to look for support, or even a show of confidence from my pilot brothers or my management to do what's right by its people. I end up on the bottom of another seniority list. So please spare me your crap. I no longer care to hear it. I am now working for the same person you all are. Myself. And if that means lining up behind an untried business model, or a nonunion carrier when there are no legacy jobs to be had? You know what I say? Go Virgin! I've never wished harm on anyone else and still don't. I want to see us all succeed. And I don't want that success to come from fish, any of the haters, or anyone else for that matter.

To act like I'm the problem when you all built this industry. Ha!