CO backs out of merger, UA/US deal still on?

[bigbusboy]

MY guess ....


CLT HUB (will rival ATL)
ORD HUB
DEN HUB
PHL HUB
LGA / DCA / BOS large focus cities
PHX / LAS focus cities
SFO / LAX BIG focus cities with international flying
IAD downsized, becomes nothing more than a destination

Bingo...except I think LGA will be more than a focus city....probably more of a BIG focus city like LAX/SFO just without TA flying....too much money, and done right LGA will give the same access to NYC that CO in EWR would have given. I think they just might sacrifice DCA in favor of LGA. BOS might even get beefed up too. CLT will rival ORD/ATL with the new runway and international terminal being built. DCA slots will be just enough for hub and shuttle flying. The rest will be forfeited. PHL and IAD are still a puzzler.

 

[PhillyFlyGuy]

I just wanted to throw this out here. Maybe IF there is a merger between UA/US that the investors will look to Gordon Bethune as CEO. I believe he is currently an advisor to PAR Capital who has shares in UA, CO and at onetime US. Wasn't he an advocate/advisor for a UA/CO to merge? Since CO BOD choose not to merge. Maybe PAR Capital/Investors will tap him as the CEO to bring peace to this POSSIBLE marriage.

Gordon Bethune's BIO

 

[767jetz]

If you are going to quote me......

I never said ANYTHING about infrastructure..... I was refering to moral and such

Jeeezzz! You said "mirror image" to my entire post. Next time be more specific, or read my whole post first.

 

[StewGuy86]

I would imagine they'd have a hard time luring Bethune away from CO, but IF the UA/LCC merger were to happen he'd be a dream candidate to run the show!

 

[etops1]

I just wanted to throw this out here. Maybe IF there is a merger between UA/US that the investors will look to Gordon Bethune as CEO. I believe he is currently an advisor to PAR Capital who has shares in UA, CO and at onetime US. Wasn't he an advocate/advisor for a UA/CO to merge? Since CO BOD choose not to merge. Maybe PAR Capital/Investors will tap him as the CEO to bring peace to this POSSIBLE marriage.

Gordon Bethune's BIO

i think you might be on to something. stranger things have happened . i would not be surprised .

 

[hp_fa]

Is Bethune somewhat tarnished to at least some degree after Aloha closed down their passenger service?

 

[767jetz]

So it's just the darn $120 per barrel that's keeping UAL from being a powerhouse? Did we all miss your world beating performance prior to this development?

Maybe you should pay more attention. I've been saying over and over that it also has to do with bad management as well. High load factors and great assets mean nothing with bad management and moral.

Actually, you'd be "adding" the 32 A330 and A350 aircraft that LCC has on order as well. Not to mention the 60 A319, 320, and 321s on order. EMB195s are also in the pipeline. All of these should mesh nicely with the new aircraft UAL has ordered to replace its aging fleet. At this point, the UAL orders total exactly, uh, uh, zero.

Orders don't mean squat. Especially in a shrinking economy. They can be renegotiated and postponed indefinitely. The A350 doesn't even exist yet. And how many 319,320,321's are flying on those Atlantic and Pacific crossings? Maybe you should improve the reading comprehension a bit before spouting off a response to what I said.

 

[sharonstoneseat]

Both of our airlines apparently suck..... One service wise (US) and one (UAL) financially..... WE KNOW THAT!!!!!

Rather than sit here and get our toes stepped on because someone said something that you don't agree with............Let's show these managment teams (especially US) That we are ready for you and we will NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING LIKE HOW OUR CURRENT MERGER IS GOING!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure I am not alone on this....

I for one cannot take another year or so with another merger of constant infighting!!!!!!!!

TwiceBaked,

I support this. Let's face it folks, somewhere there are US and United officers, directors and managers sitting in conference rooms keeping their thoughts on the numbers and the goals and having to abandon their nationalistic pride about THEIR airline. There is no room for posturing in this industry at this point, it is all about financial survival and the ability to compete with the DAL/NWA and the upcoming megamerger of AA/BA/CO.

The cost pressures are the same for every airline so the only way to differentiate ourselves is the attitude that we present to the customers about who we are and what progress we intend to make.

I will always love my first airline, they are like first loves...over romaticized because of excitment of it being a first and great fun to sit with my coworkers drinking very good wine or very cold beer and trade anecdotes about when we were (or thought we were) the best of the best and would be together forever.

Here is my stance. I accept my DOH as if it is a lighted sign on my forehead and respect any Flight Attendant who has more time. I understood that when I entered this industry and as painful as it is at times, it works for me as I was raised to respect experience and yes, even age. I also think that youth and enthusiasm should be mixed in for a balanced and open minded crew complement.

I will put the United uniform and wings on with great pride, it is a great name with world wide recognition and deserves the kind of comeback that Continental had made. I hope to contribute to it.

I vow to be curious, not critical when I am face to face with changes that fly in the face of what I am "used to". They may not be comfortable but I probably need some discomfort to keep me sharp and forward thinking.

I will, under all circumstances, adhere to the airline professional code of conduct as if the pages themselves were wadded up and jammed down my throat (or any another part of my anatomy) when it comes to how I treat my new coworkers or personnel from any airline. The reason that I was drawn to aviation was because airline people were held to higher standards and I miss that environment.

If all of this seems lofty or unrealisitc remember what Continental was and what it is today. It can be done.

And I say all of this with the unfortunate reality that if there are furloughs, it is very possible that I will be furloughed.

But in the mean time, may this new development bring out the very best in us all.

 

[EMBFA]

The above is the most thoughtful, insightful, and mature post on here about the whole thing. Well done sharon.

 

[Tim Nelson]

Look, I told you people back on April 7th on this forum that United was going to buy US AIRWAYS, Parker was going to be the CEO of the combined company and that it would be announced the 3rd week of May. I even acted to change my personal investments over this information.
Am I a prophet? No. But I heard it from "TOP PRIMARY SOURCES" before all this Continental talk and Delta/NW talk. I personally believe the Continental stuff was a manufacturization of the media as United was NEVER in serious talks with them.

Secondly, the reason why they are holding back on the announcement until May is because of the critical tentative agreements it reached with two IAM units, whose votes will be May 8th.

At any rate, this merger is the metaphorical equivalence of two drunks holding eachother up.

regards,
Tim Nelson

 

[Hi-C-Camp]

TwiceBaked,

I support this. Let's face it folks, somewhere there are US and United officers, directors and managers sitting in conference rooms keeping their thoughts on the numbers and the goals and having to abandon their nationalistic pride about THEIR airline. There is no room for posturing in this industry at this point, it is all about financial survival and the ability to compete with the DAL/NWA and the upcoming megamerger of AA/BA/CO.

First and foremost aa/CO/BA will not merge... Foreign ownership laws.. CAL may join OneWorld but thats about it... Who wants to be in OneWorld anyway? It is the crappiest alliance out there... The rest of your post was very true in my eyes, however, PArker needs to be gone and Shambles next on the list out the door...

 

[StewGuy86]

Excellent post, Sharonstoneseat! And kudos on your positive outlook and attitude. The entire industry (not just US) could use more of that. But I would warn you that if an announcement of a merger between US and UA does indeed materialize, you will NOT be greeted with open arms by the F/A ranks at United. Even though he/she's a pilot, you can safely use 767jetz sneers and insults as a guide to how they look down their noses at us. I don't know if you were around then or not, but the last time these two carriers looked at hooking up back in 2000/2001, the hostility directed at us from the UA side was positively astounding. On the numerous occasions that I had passing contact in airport terminals and hotel vans with United crews during that period, it was not pleasant. Not once....ever. Once, while walking through the terminal, a group of UA FA's watched us walk by with sneers on their faces and laughed, and just as we got past them, one of them said loudly enough to make sure we heard, "Nobody wants you. Go away!" I'm sure there are many UA stews that would never do anything like that, just as I'm sure there will be some US stews that will be obnoxious. The point is that the negative comments and evil-eye looks directed at the "other side" are totally unnecessary and don't serve any useful or healthy purpose.

Hopefully if this merger comes to fruition (and who the heck knows...it's far too early to tell) it won't be like that this time. But I will say that the UA stews were frightened enough at the integration of our seniority lists that they even tried to get AFA voted off the property so they wouldn't have to honor DOH. Of course, I never really understood that, since the much smaller number of our FA's compared to theirs wouldn't be enough to make a sizable difference. And God knows how any of us could have the patience to listen to the catfight that will inevitably ensue between the UA and US pilot groups. That alone is enough to give anyone a headache. It will be nasty on BOTH sides, unless employees can be mature enough to remember that decisions like these take place way over the heads of us lowly frontline folks and we don't have control over it.

 

[smoot4208]

Well IAD/DCA/PHL are all profitable. If they dump DCA, I think IAD and PHL will complete against each other which is not good. Dumping PHL would lose key TA routes that are very profitable. I think cutting IAD would be the best out of the three. ITs very clear that CLT would stay and would be the central America/Caribbean gateway. (UAL would have done so with IAD it they knew it would work) My take is only my opinion so no need to bash it. This is also a take if we adapt the business model not an LCC model.

 

[FWAAA]

Well IAD/DCA/PHL are all profitable. If they dump DCA, I think IAD and PHL will complete against each other which is not good. Dumping PHL would lose key TA routes that are very profitable. I think cutting IAD would be the best out of the three. ITs very clear that CLT would stay and would be the central America/Caribbean gateway. (UAL would have done so with IAD it they knew it would work) My take is only my opinion so no need to bash it. This is also a take if we adapt the business model not an LCC model.

Really? If IAD/DCA/PHL are all profitable, then where, exactly, did US lose that $239 million (excluding special items) in the first quarter? When you consider that revenue was only $2.840 billion, that's a huge negative margin. Almost as big as the negative margin at UA, and much larger a percentage than at CO or AA or DL or NW. US is losing boatloads of money somewhere - maybe PHX?

 

[Planemx]

The above is the most thoughtful, insightful, and mature post on here about the whole thing. Well done sharon.

And rare for this forum.......