American Eagle Spin OFF will be like Express Jet?
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Posts: 787
Here is the scenario that everyoine here at the Eagle BNA station likes the best (whether it has any chance of coming to reality I do not know).
Virgin America is having trouble expanding its routes because they can't get landing slots or gates at many of the eastern and southern airports. If they were to buy Eagle they would have an instant growth that would also include the caribean. They could then turn around and compete with American in most of their cities. There are not many cities at all that American flies into that eagle doesn't also serve. And at a few of the cities Eagle employees actually do the ground handling and gate work for the American Flights.
We also see this as a plus for eagle because we can now buy larger regional jets without worrying about the scope clause in the American pilot contract.
This is just my 2 cents.
Virgin America is having trouble expanding its routes because they can't get landing slots or gates at many of the eastern and southern airports. If they were to buy Eagle they would have an instant growth that would also include the caribean. They could then turn around and compete with American in most of their cities. There are not many cities at all that American flies into that eagle doesn't also serve. And at a few of the cities Eagle employees actually do the ground handling and gate work for the American Flights.
We also see this as a plus for eagle because we can now buy larger regional jets without worrying about the scope clause in the American pilot contract.
This is just my 2 cents.
#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Posts: 787
Who owns/leases the gates and slots, though, AMR or American Eagle? I am not being fesicious....I really don't know. I think the chances that American would let go of their real estate/landing rights in profitable markets, as a part of the Eagle sale are slim to none.
They might sell you the aircraft, but unless your flying feed for American, you're gonna be on your own as to where to fly 'em and park 'em.
They might sell you the aircraft, but unless your flying feed for American, you're gonna be on your own as to where to fly 'em and park 'em.
I'm not sure what the economics are, but has anyone considered whether AE could take some of the way-senior captains and convert some of the ERJs into the bizjet version kind of like XJet does? They could create a sizeable charter fleet overnight (certification?), and maybe even venture into all biz-class flights on major routes since they already have the gates. Just throwing that out there.
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 181
The thing is, none of what we are speculating would happen for a while. For AMR to make any money off Eagle they need to be worth something (it doesn't matter if they IPO it, sell it to a private equity investor, hedge fund, ect.) it has to be worth something for it to become sold for the "right price."
Because of this AMR will load Ealge up with debt and then inflate Eagle's CPA and provide some short term stability (2-3 years is my guess) by locking AMR into that flying. When the newly generated CPA allows them, AMR will pull flying from Eagle and put it out to bid or lower Eagle's rates. Now that they got the high price per share they needed from the Eagle sale (assuming an IPO) the will no longer need Eagle. They will make it difficut for Eagle to retain flying for current rates, and/or keep leased aircraft.
The result will be AMR getting cash value for the sale of Eagle, and cheaper flying be either lowering the value of Eagle's CPA, canceling parts of the CPA and trying to give their airplanes to a less expensive carrier, or binding Eagle to cheaper rates via other methods (MFN clauses come to mind.)
For all this too hapen however AMR will need to create value in Eagle by giving their CPA some stability (that can be washed away) and an impressive fees for depature or cost plus percentage contract. Due to these things Eagle won't change for a few years. It'll be kinda like what happened at ExpressJet.
JMHO
Because of this AMR will load Ealge up with debt and then inflate Eagle's CPA and provide some short term stability (2-3 years is my guess) by locking AMR into that flying. When the newly generated CPA allows them, AMR will pull flying from Eagle and put it out to bid or lower Eagle's rates. Now that they got the high price per share they needed from the Eagle sale (assuming an IPO) the will no longer need Eagle. They will make it difficut for Eagle to retain flying for current rates, and/or keep leased aircraft.
The result will be AMR getting cash value for the sale of Eagle, and cheaper flying be either lowering the value of Eagle's CPA, canceling parts of the CPA and trying to give their airplanes to a less expensive carrier, or binding Eagle to cheaper rates via other methods (MFN clauses come to mind.)
For all this too hapen however AMR will need to create value in Eagle by giving their CPA some stability (that can be washed away) and an impressive fees for depature or cost plus percentage contract. Due to these things Eagle won't change for a few years. It'll be kinda like what happened at ExpressJet.
JMHO
#25
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 53
Who owns/leases the gates and slots, though, AMR or American Eagle? I am not being fesicious....I really don't know. I think the chances that American would let go of their real estate/landing rights in profitable markets, as a part of the Eagle sale are slim to none.
They might sell you the aircraft, but unless your flying feed for American, you're gonna be on your own as to where to fly 'em and park 'em.
They might sell you the aircraft, but unless your flying feed for American, you're gonna be on your own as to where to fly 'em and park 'em.
#26
AND AE already has a highly experienced (albeit high cost) group of pilots and FOs at the company who don't want to leave (otherwise they would have easily already went to a major/UPS/FedEx)...if Virgin did that, they could put those high-dollar AE senior guys on bigger, newer airframes, thus reducing the per pax per mile cost relative to flying ERJs. Then the guys on the ERJs would be more junior...so overall, Virgin America + AE could actually outcompete AA...newer more fuel efficient large aircraft flown by VA mainline (instead of AAs MD-80s) creating a place for the senior AE pilots to go, lower costs on the ERJ routes due to more junior pilots, and dominance in the caribbean, which could also cross-feed both Virgin domestic and Virgin Atlantic's tourist travelers. Not to mention Virgin has plenty of cash to make it happen, even if it's a long-term play...just look at Virgin Nigeria...that's definitely a long-term play with plenty of risk involved...Virgin's business strategy has always been founded on taking opportunities that more conservative companies are too risk-averse to take. I could see Branson pushing for something like this through back channels, even if VA has been forced to distance itself from the Brits.
#27
Line Holder
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Position: looking for work
Posts: 88
Ok So how about this situation. I live in LA have about 400/100. My life is in LA and cannot be changed for the time being. So I have been thinking about picking AE because of the domicile preferential choice. I am looking to just build my hours until I am ATP qualified and then a few more maybe 2000 and then move to more of a corporate job that awaits me. So with all this talk if my plans find an airline just to build some time and 121 experiance would AE be fine for a couple of years?
#29
Its pitiful when 800 hours is competitive to get a job in a jet carrying people aroun. in my opinion. But on that same deal, I wouldn't go to eagle. At least express flys for someone other than continental so they have more business to fall back on if/when continental takes more flying away. who knows whats gonna happen with these companies but why would you go somewhere that most likely has trouble in the future.
Thats all well and true, maybe ya'll should spend your breath dissuading people from going to Mesa, GoJets and the likes, so that we can actually make progress in our industry instead of regressing....just a thought from a simple turboprop FO.
#30
well ORD here I come...
Didnt get the Xjet job. They seem to be realy tight in the interview proces. I didnt make any mistakes and I thought my HR interview went pretty well. I have 1035 and 200 multi all in Cessna's and Pipers and I didnt get the job? I think they selecting about 2 people out of 22 that interviewed that day. They said they had many people in a pool and no set plans for a class. the best estimate they could give us for the next class date was March.
I think Eagle will be a good place to work for a while maybe not a career but a nice place to get initial expereince. Plus if a Virgin Sale ever goes through, WOW! but I think somthing like that is doubtfull. who knows. thanks for all the responses on my first post guys. hope to see some of you out there on the line in the coming year.
I think Eagle will be a good place to work for a while maybe not a career but a nice place to get initial expereince. Plus if a Virgin Sale ever goes through, WOW! but I think somthing like that is doubtfull. who knows. thanks for all the responses on my first post guys. hope to see some of you out there on the line in the coming year.
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06-24-2005 02:53 PM