As previously stated , USAirways had NO choice in the actions they took.
Dave was forced to take this route thanks to the mess he was handed from W&G. U's failure to have a Plan B after the merger failed , was a kiss of death..9-11-01 only helped expedite the downward spiral.
This is a clear cut case of If you fail to plan...Plan to fail
I can assure you that things are only going to get worse for the employee's , before we see any signs of things getting better.
USAirways and the industry as we have come to know it , will likely never be the same , well at least not in terms of the near future anyway.
Folks, You need to clearly understand the fact that Dave signed on to a Failed Business Plan...and judgement day in terms of correcting it as come with a vengance. Be aware of where your anger should be directed, it's not with Dave...It's with the failures of all the past leadership groups going back to Pre-Merger days. Had things been directed and lead toward strength and intelligence? We would be in a position like WN and FL to prosper from other carriers failures. B6 just happened to come along at the right time...with the right plan.
If my conclusions are wrong? , which they aren't!! We would have never been in a needed position to merge with UA in a pre Sept 11th world. U'sleadership failed to make a sound business plan...and the issues of an Ad Hoc fleet...and silly work rules only compounded the problems. The Unions are not without thier guilt either...Greed and a lack of planning has hurt us all.
The only questions remaining are...Will the hurt continue?...or will sacrifice eventually bring an end to the death spiral? Politics and the economy still have a chance to wrench things further...So you better have an Indivdual Plan B just in case.