HDQTRS in ORD........
 

Well, with the tremendous amount of crappy weather we've experienced this year, do you really think it makes sense to shut down ops in IAH and move it ALL to ORD? Going to be interesting to see how much of our "combined" airline will come to a grinding halt when MORE of these major snowstorms hit the Chicago area. I've always thought having a presence in IAH AND ORD makes much more sense. Having a contingency plan always seems like a good idea. With everything moving to downtown Chicago, I'm just wondering how this place will function when no one can get to work. Guess I haven't been to the school of "thinking INSIDE the box". :confused:

Ops is shutting down at 4 this afternoon at ord.

It's very rare for operations to be shut down. Freak weather can cause problems in any city.

I don't think it makes sense to have WHQ in two different cities...where's the synergy and cost savings in that?

Since Illinois has raised the corporate taxes (and individual income tax to 5%), maybe UAL should look at a more "friendly" state to do business in. I could care less where they put headquarters.

More importantly, what happens to our bunker in TX? I bet the UAL guys don't know about that place... I was convinced it was a myth for a long time.

The airline will run smoother than it has in years when they shut down 77 Wacker Dr.

Chicago gets the occasional, actually rare, big blizzard that affects getting to work. This latest storm is supposed to be the biggest since 1999, so not exactly a yearly event now is it?

Houston gets an occasional hurricane/tropical storm and severe flooding that makes it difficult to get to work.

Same difference.

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I know there are a LOT of people Here AT the OCC who might agree with you, "HOWSUMEVER" That's a "PIPE" dream. UAL took a TON of LOOT from Mayor Daly to relocate downtown TO 77 Wacker Dr. Then another Whole Ton of LOOT to move the OCC to the Willis Tower. There are some Killer Buildings out here in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago not far from the present OCC that would be tremendous and are for sale or lease. And More Still across the street from ORD that are IN Chicago but are Expressway, Subway and Train Accessable But we're not going to look THERE either Because they're focused on DOWNTOWN like that's some freakin "OASIS". All I can say for my "Texas Cousins"?? You guys have been HAD! I know what you're going thru but since I had to leave California for my Job? You guys can load up and show up as well so we can all "share the Pain" as a TEAM because NOBODY is going to be all that Happyno matter Where we end up.. (my choice would be SFO)!!
What I can't understand is why other cities like Denver or even the Washington DC (Fairfax VA) area around IAD weren't even considered.
I'm sure Chicago or Houston both have advantages but I'd be ok anyplace OTHER than EWR because it's too close to my "hometown" PHL. (Personal Preference)

Cheebooger, Cheebooger!
 

Just adjourn to the Billy Goat Tavern, lower Wacker @ Michigan Ave.

Billy Goat Tavern - Enter at Your Own Risk

I'm not longer shocked by any decision management makes.... I do think it makes sense to put the SAMC controllers near the rest of the operational control folks. Seriously, you are a long way from a toolbox in that job. Having to move to a new location to keep your job is a blessing compared to the fates of so many others. After your continuous ranting about ALPA and the pilots, I hope you're not expecting sympathy or compassion from anyone here.

Forget about the ORD weather. Once the new IL tax rates kick in and the SOC is approved I say move WHQ to Houston.

It makes no sense to move to ORD...er, IAH...:confused:

DUE TO WINTRY CONDITIONS IN THE SOUTH - CONTINENTAL AIRLINES WILL SUSPEND MOST OF ITS OPERATIONS TO/FROM HOUSTON INTERCONTINENTAL TOMORROW FEBRUARY 3RD STARTING AT 1500CST UNTIL FEBRUARY 4TH AT 1200CST.

Darn it, what can Karl complain about now!

;)

Hmmm... Denver?

Not Denver. The way I connect the dots UAL has minimal long term interest in Denver.

But hey those automatic loading bridges were a hell of a good idea weren't they? We work for a company that will spend millions just so that they can lay off 5 more CSRs. At least that's my cynical view.

ORD JUST opened up.........hmmmmmmm. You're right, why uproot all our good folks in IAH and either lay them off or make them move to Chicago? Glad I don't have THAT option!!!!

If it was good enough for Boeing...:rolleyes:

And if they made the HQ in IAH, then a good number of folks would have to move from ORD, or get layed off. Plus you don't think some folks already in ORD are not losing their jobs to make way for folks coming up from IAH?

And why do we as pilots give a crap where the HQ/Ops Center is? We talk to dispatch via phone or ACARS 99.9% of the time, not face to face.

Dc

Thank you!

Caint recall if anyone's mentioned it, but a lot has to do with deals and kickbacks (legal ones of course...why, I'd never suggest anything else ever happens in Chicago...) and we just don't know who's payin' what where. Nor do I really care...

Hasta

See, that's the difference between you and I. You couldn't give a rats ass, whereas I do. When they spend an absolute fortune moving our ops from IAH to ORD, then you'll complain there's no money left for YOU to get that nice hefty pay raise. I'm just wondering why we have to shut our ops down and move everything to one of the most expensive places around. So far about the ONLY thing we're keeping is our paint job. Merger of "equals"? Hardly...

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Because THAT'S the Deal that Jeff BOUGHT! Didn't you READ the Aviation week article? He SAID it was the Deal TILTON offered him "Take it or LEAVE IT", There WAS no Negotiation Jeff wanted to be the CEO BAD enough that it was OK to Him. You? Got "sold DOWN the river"!! What Merger of Equals? What Shared Sacrifice?? I would suspect it has as Much to do with UAL having lost our pensions so that they're offering the CAL guys early out retirement and Retention bonuses to stay on until the single certificate is a reality. Any NEW UCAL employees won't get a pension either. (they haven't offered us UAL Guys as much as a "Howdy DO"!) There's Nothing Equitable in their thinking. But if I survived the Blizzard? You would too. It wasn't all that Serious, Nothing we haven't seen before.
This is the chance you take being in the north. It could be worse. So? You have to ask yourself Are you Coming or NOT? It's going to happen either way. They're setting up the 27th floor of the Willis Tower for the backup center and we're keeping the Elk Grove Building as the backup once we move downtown. This severity of blizzard only seems to happen every 30 years or so so it's not like it's "The Day After Tomorrow".. The Trains are running today as well. They took care of everybody at Local Hotels.. I thought Jeff explained this in his Town Hall Meetings?
I didn't hear of any dissention in the ranks. Why are you NOW complaining?? Seems a little TOO LATE for that don't you thnk?
Well, they didn't ask any of US either if it put's your mind at ease.
We Probably know Less than you know except for we at LEAST know what the furniture looks like at Willis Tower, Believe me, all it is is NEW, It's not like it's got a lot of Style, It's Grey and Blue and NEW Willis Tower Has a LOT of windows. Though not much of a View. I saw a picture of the American Airlines SOCC on TV today on MSNBC "A week in the Life of American Airlines". I KNOW ours will at LEAST look better than theirs. I hear We'll have restaurants and a GYM and even a Dry Cleaners and Barber shop in the building. Other than being DOWNTOWN CHICAGO?? It's not a bad Setup at all and it should be a pleasurable Ride into town and back to the Burbs on METRA. In any case, No need to complain NOW. It's all but DONE! Might as well sit and watch the fun Happen because this is going to get INTERESTING!

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I'd Doubt that! Denver is as important to us at UAL as EWR is to you at CAL. But Deeper still?? Why Not LAX?!? It was 76 Degrees there Yesterday. That's Shorts weather! In February No Less!! If I could live in SFO I could Sure as HECK live in SO CAL! If you're GOING to be Miserable anyway? Might as well be Miserable on a GOLF Course and Beach Year Around! Y'Think??

I think there are HOOTERs restaurants in all of those cities. Oh, wait it says HDQRTS, nevermind.

How do you figure?

It's possibly the most efficient airport in the country, and still has room to more than double its current capacity.

Why not? CAL used to have its HQ in Denver. It would just like the good old days before Audrey.

1. We've done nothing but shrink in Denver, it's an expensive airport.

2. We've given a ton of our feed to the RJs.

3. United's RJ end of the concourse is a cramped, noisy, dirty disgrace, much like the F-Con in ORD. We're surely losing passengers to SWA and FRNT as a result.

4. No SWA passenger ever flew on an RJ. And FRNT's Airbi are even more comfortable than a guppy. PAX with no interest in loyalty programs will book a flight on a larger plane ten times before they'll book one on an RJ. I see steady passenger erosion as a result. Color me pessimist.

4. If fuel continues it's wild swings (and why won't it?) then eventually FNRT will succomb to SWA. They have been down to a few days operating cash how many times in the last 5 years?? SWA loves to move in, pick the low lying fruit and position themselves to feast on the carcass. Think BWI. This will allow them to increase their mass and that's not good for UAL/DEN.

5. International flying is best done from cities closer to the coasts. I recall reading that Tilton and Smisek have said that UAL wants to expand international ops. I can't see that in happening in DEN with EWR, IAD, LAX, HOU and SFO next to water, and ORD in the middle. Plus, United used to serve another (tiny) International airport in the New York area which could handle some EWR overflow. Nah...what am I smoking?

I hope I'm wrong. That's just the way I see it. Others smarter than I have already opined on this topic on the old board. Perhaps they will add their two cents.

Again....it doesnt matter where they put ops or HDQ. Someone and something would have to be moved to accomodate the size of the new UAL.

They would have to spend a fortune to move it all to IAH. So whats the difference? :confused:

6. Take a look at the amount of O& D traffic out of den.

Sounds like the way the JNC needs to put scope at the table. Invite Jeff into the room and lay it out just like that.

See it is a merger of equals! You just described the Express terminals in EWR (Terminal A) and IAH (Terminal B). We bring two disasters to the table as well. :D

Father Guido,

Are you saying that there is plenty of it, or a lack of plenty? Seems to me that O&D would be a dwindling enterprise and that our mass is propping the loads up. But, I'm a guy with a half empty glass of bourbon in front of me, as opposed to one half full.

Aye my Henry Mck swill loving son. The Denver O & D traffic from what I've read is not that great.

I assume you are living the chaste life of the three B's........Bourbon, Boats, and Beeyotches.

Well, two of the three. A bit cold for the yot I'm afraid.

I thought that our O&D was lame in Denver, but without a link to support my belief (and being too lazy to find one) I left that out of my opinion. Denver is a metaphor for the United that I have known during my short tenure here...an amazing opportunity squandered.

I wouldn't be moving if I were based there, but I wouldn't be moving in either.

Who Cares?
 

Name of the carrier, United or Continental?
City where management calls home, Chicago or Houston?
Address of Headquarters, Gold Coast or Cabrini Green, who f'ing cares?

They can call this place Bozo the Clown Airlines, base it in Peoria and I could care less.

As long as I have an industry leading contract I DON"T CARE.

FUPM Jeff

Looked online and the best I could find were data showing DIA anywhere from 6-10th place in the o/d rankings. From that perspective, all looks good.

I was basing my post from what I was told when paying homage to TK. Yeah I know, TK, but it was a passing conversation alluding to the notion that UAL'S o/d traffic at dia was not great.