And you give credence to that??? Any such muttering's happened to be the very some CEO that been jerking your crank through this whole Merger. In case you don't have a flare for the obvious, there's NOT a lot of solace to be had there, nor in any of his profound promise's thus far dawg-digity-dawg.

Maybe he'll grant you more "facts" to be facts in the coming months. After all, he "said it", so it must be true......appears to be nothing less than ease prey unto the CEO.

I don't argue that it wasn't made more attractive for a merger by reducing costs. I'm saying it happened through loss of scope. That is what lies ahead if we cave on scope again.

I hope I am wrong.

Tilton called it "Right Sizing". He could just as easily said "Downsizing, Outsourcing, Reducing" I'm not arguing semantics, just saying how you got there was the loss of scope.

Smisek, as I believe you are now painfully aware, would have said anything to get this merger to happen. Not for the good of either company or it's employees, solely to feed his ego and bank account. I don't believe ANYTHING that comes out of his mouth now, and that applies to all his previous statements as well.

Let's hope our MEC's find the wisdom to do the right thing ( Whatever you think that is ) and we can move closer to paying Smisek off and hopefully find someone with VISION that wants to run a real airline.

When was the CAL CEO ever credible? He would say anything he needed to for the $14.4M.

It's interesting how there are a lot of people down on Mr. Smisek. It seem to me that just before the merger there were a lot more people that would have sold their souls to get rid of Mr. Tilton. Many of which were saying "we just want your management". Mr. Smisek was the CEO for a few month at CAL before the merger. I think the person most people wanted was Bethune. He was gone, so be carful what you wish for.

I've been following or working in the industry since the mid-1960's and child-like whining about the guy(s) at the top is pretty standard. The managerial "grass" is always greener elsewhere.

The only exception I've observed over the last 46 years was the tenure of Gordon Bethune and Greg Brenneman at LCAL. However, even with a couple of the best there were still detractors who would occasionally surface. It's the "norm" for the industry.

This United thing sort of does take it to a new level relative to everyone else. I would surmise that even if Herb Kelleher (LUV), Gordon Bethune (CAL), and Greg Brenneman (CAL) were all "tag-teaming" at the top of the new United, there would still be individuals whining about it somewhere in the United system.

Old ucal

"I've been following or working in the industry since the mid-1960's"

If this is true then you are currently retired and have been for awhile. The most senior pilots at UAL and CAL were hired in the mid-late 70s. There aren't anymore 60s hired pilots left on the list. The age 65 rule alone would have sent you into retirement years ago.

So your stake in this merger JCBA is what?

Old ucal

According to your profile your 62. If you were hired in the 60s you'd gave still been in high school or a late teen. Dude I smell a bit if bs here.

High school, flight training, college, more flight training...all in the 1960's/early '70's. That's called "following." FBO instructing, charter, corporate, small regional, large airline...all in the mid-1970's and on. That's called "following" and "working."

Furloughed?...yes, once.

Retired?...very close, financially set, mentally prepped, playing the part through my schedule, just not quite yet...:)

Defending the current regime? Sounds like a SCAB to me.

Huh? There's a strike? Wow, probably the fastest that a strike has ever been organized in airline history!