FedEx to outsource more capacity - Page 5 - Airline Pilot Central Forums

#41

jsled , 05-02-2013 08:04 AM

Gets Weekends Off

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrontSeat

Many UPS/IPA pilots said the same thing...........

One guy told me I would be a captain in 7 years. It will be 22 years at best......if they still have an airline

Did you give up your number at Yonited?

#42

pipe , 05-02-2013 02:53 PM

Banned

Quote:

Originally Posted by XprsFr8r

I agree that we shouldn't make like ostriches and feel all nice and comfy because of FedEx's past success. On the other hand, the lesson to learn from Pan Am (and Eastern, TWA, Braniff, etc.) is that a company has to continually adjust to the market and remain competitive. Deregulation was the game changer that lead to the demise of those great airlines. I view the changes that we are making as sound, strategic moves to keep us healthy, profitable and competitive.

The impact for the pilot group in the short term is likely more seat shifting, but I don't see 4A2B raising its head again. We may not hire as many as before (see other poster comment on "organic growth"), but we've still got significant numbers of retirements on the horizon which should mean job security for those on the property already. Granted, seat progression may be at a snail's pace, but for me it beats the alternative.

Call me naive, but I don't see black helicopters in this announcement.

You need a history lesson.

TWA - killed by Icahn
EAL - killed by Lorenzo
Braniff - killed by their "out of the box" thinking, not by a failure to adjust, but by over adjusting

None of these were killed by employees or a failure to adjust. Criminal corporate raiders stealing equity is more to blame.

TWA and EAL didn't do anything significantly different than UAL or DAL, they just got robbed every time they went to the bank.

Pipe

#43

maxjet , 05-03-2013 04:34 AM

VHR-very happily retired

Hey! What's Fred's number. Connie has lots of room in our bellies!!!!!

#44

XprsFr8r , 05-03-2013 06:57 AM

Line Holder

Quote:

Originally Posted by pipe

You need a history lesson.

None of these were killed by employees or a failure to adjust. Criminal corporate raiders stealing equity is more to blame.

Pipe

Hold on, I agree that Lorenzo and Icahn were to blame, but I never suggested that the employees killed their airlines. I lay the blame at the feet of management teams that failed to keep pace with changing regulations and market factors.

Don't forget, had it not been for those changes, you and I would still be flying Falcons.

#45

pipe , 05-03-2013 10:24 PM

Banned

Quote:

Originally Posted by XprsFr8r

Ok, you didn't blame the employees-fair enough. Robbing a company blind, however, is not "failure to keep pace with changing regulations and market factors".

Pipe

#46

V1VR , 05-04-2013 07:34 AM

Line Holder

Quote:

Originally Posted by pipe

I can't speak for EAL, but I was with TWA and was there when Icahn came along. ALPA urged his takeover to fend off Lorenzo's bid. He turned out to be as bad. But TWA had not been prepared for deregulation and had no real north-south route system. It had been bleeding red ink, especially in winter, for a decade, allowing for the Ichans and Lorenzos to feed upon.

My point is, TWA management had not been forward thinking since 1971 or so. It continually shrank it's route structure, bought Hilton Hotels through Trans World Corp, then TWC spun off the airline after milking the cash cow dry. TWA had some of the worst management in US corporate history. Robert Crandall left there to head American through deregulation and did well there in the early 80s.

FedEx has some of the best upper level management in the US. I can't say it will last forever, but if it remains forward looking and politically astute, we've got a good shot.