USAirways/America West Merger Talks -WSJ

[700UW]

That has nothing to do with HP and US.

And you said it did not occur because of the government, US did not file Chapter 11 till one year after the merger was not consumated.

 

[700UW]

HP's Employee Counts:

Pilots 1,700 Air Line Pilots Association

Dispatchers 40 Transportation Workers Union

Mechanics and related personnel 800 International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Flight Attendants 2,400 Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America

Fleet Service 2,200 Transportation Workers Union

Stock Clerks 60 International Brotherhood of Teamsters

This was off HP's Annual report, before the Agents Unionized

*3,100 airline’s customer service representatives, reservation agents, tour sales agents, baggage service agents and customer relations employees at 50 airports and two call reservation centers.

 

[Twicebaked]

These numbers are great, but do you have any idea where they fall as far as seniority? I am not sure what the "integration" would be, but going by past mergers...date of hire....I would be interested to know their seniority. We know that the most senior person would have about 22 years since the airline has only been in operation since 1983.

 

[funguy2]

In regard to United and the UCT and ICT, go look at my previous posts. I never said a deal would occur, I said the parties were in in-depth discussions.

Excuse me, you never said it would happen, and yet you coined several phases to describe it? Seems far fetched to me.

But naturally, as is you M.O., you have said everything from "a deal is imminent" to "I never said it would actually occur". Thus, you are now indemified from being incorrect. How convenient. You should consider a career in politics when you retire from flying.

 

[HPearlyretiree]

I think that blue/black color blindness is common in older men.

[post="263902"][/post]​

I'll go find an older man to try to prove that, I'm only 41 and have perfect vision!

USAirways livery is as unimaginative as their management.

 

[Fly]

Yes, I very much like our livery and prefer it over yours.

[post="263700"][/post]​

I don't fly for US but I think they have the best livery out there.

 

[Bear96]

United chief wants U.S. to ease foreign airline-ownership rules

The USA Today reproted, Tilton said his company has stood on the sidelines as other major airlines merge to create "super carriers" that now have improved financial strength to compete.

When asked to comment on recent reports regarding a potential merger of America West Holdings Corp. and US Airways Group Inc., Tilton said he understands the position of both companies in pursuing a deal. He said restructuring can only do so much, and growth through a transaction becomes a necessary element, the USA Today wrote.

USA320Pilot

[post="263920"][/post]​

Wow, you sure can take someone's words out of context and make them seem like they are referring to things that aren't there.

Tilton was talking about international "supercarriers" (not whatever will emerge from an HP/U combo), like AF/KL and the possible SQ/CX combo.

And he didn't say UA has voluntarily stayed on the sidelines so much as being forced to stay on the sidelines -- ALONG WITH ALL OTHER US CARRIERS compared to non-US carriers -- because of US foreign ownership rules.

 

[KCFlyer]

I don't fly for US but I think they have the best livery out there.

[post="263957"][/post]​

I dunno Fly...the US livery reminds me of a UAL plane in inverted flight.

 

[longing4piedmont]

I dunno Fly...the US livery reminds me of a UAL plane in inverted flight.

[post="263962"][/post]​

Well KC, United has changed the livery since the last time you flew on a airplane. When was that BTW? Two years? Four? Ten? 😛

The new colors of United

 

[RowUnderDCA]

I'll go find an older man to try to prove that, I'm only 41 and have perfect vision!

USAirways livery is as unimaginative as their management.

[post="263956"][/post]​

Oh, so you've just been pretending not to be able to tell the color of U's planes.

I here passive-aggresivity can occur at any age, as early as two years old.


I agree that U's scheme is unimaginative.

 

[KCFlyer]

Well KC, United has changed the livery since the last time you flew on a airplane. When was that BTW? Two years? Four? Ten? 😛

The new colors of United

[post="263970"][/post]​

l4p - I was aware of that. I am also aware that the "old" UAL paint was brought to you by Stephen Wolf - just like the "new" US paint. Sorry if I confused you.

 

[longing4piedmont]

Sorry if I confused you.

[post="263977"][/post]​

Ok just checking. I happen to like the US colors, being a hard core conservative three piece button down kinda of guy. (absolutely no comments neccesary from those that know me). Sure beats the old colors.

And I know several people who like WN's new colors. They are however all plumbers. B)

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Fasten your seat belts if airline merger takes wing
http://www.azcentral.com/business/columns/...21talton21.html
Apr. 21, 2005 12:00 AM

A few times each day, US Airways sends Airbus jets out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with passengers bound for Philadelphia and Charlotte, where they will change planes for cities in the East and South.

The airline could become much more important in Phoenix if a deal is consummated to merge with America West Airlines. I hope I'm wrong, but this gives me an Airbus full of bad feelings.

US Airways is the toxic lover of the airline singles scene. Over the years, it has hooked up with good carriers. But their good never overcame pathologies that seem the one constant of US Airways. advertisement




Pacific Southwest Airlines was a friendly, innovative airline based in San Diego. Piedmont was an industry paragon of low costs and great service, based in North Carolina. Both merged with then-USAir with the conventional wisdom saying they would bring these virtues to the combined venture. USAir remained mired in high costs, labor trouble and executive malpractice.

The consequences were not abstract. Dayton, Ohio, for example, built a sumptuous hub for Piedmont that was destroyed by the merger despite the promises of USAir executives. In North Carolina, the scars of the takeover remain the conversation of cocktail lounges and church socials.

Now here's America West, good-looking and freshly cleaned up after the 12-step program to move toward being a low-fare airline. I'd like to believe America West's intellectual capital, combined with the changes wrought by US Airways' latest time in bankruptcy court, would create a powerhouse. History, though, doesn't support the view. US Airways' troubles have withstood visionary turnaround artists, committed employees, take-no-prisoners investors and judges and big incentives from communities.

Changing a corporate culture is difficult. The difficulty rises when industries become obsessed with mergers. The focus becomes making a deal and finding the draconian cutbacks necessary to "make the numbers work." Customer service, innovation and competitiveness become secondary. No wonder most large mergers don't work, and many drag down the combined company (just ask Carly Fiorina).

Despite the reassurances from some corners that the merged airline's headquarters would be here, I worry. Wall Street might want it on the East Coast to keep a better eye on its money. If so, it's the same old story: Arizona isn't growing new companies to replace its steady losses. It's the same old story of good jobs lost, community leadership eviscerated. We don't have unlimited pages in this tale before this place becomes a mere people warehouse riding a real estate bubble.

Travelers in the West have enjoyed a sweet deal, thanks to competition. Anybody from back East can tell you about the horrific fares imposed by "fortress hubs," where one carrier holds a near-monopoly. An America West-US Airways deal would set off the long-anticipated consolidation of the industry.

The investors pushing this move want to see far less competition.

Even if Sky Harbor continued to see strong rivalry, the merger might stall the airport's ability to improve. I can see a tough (or desperate) new US Airways threatening to move hub flights to Las Vegas if Phoenix tries to raise fees to help fund infrastructure.

I hope I'm wrong.

It would be especially sad, considering the way this town has backed America West and fallen in love with it.

As a woman said Wednesday after reading the news, "Well, there goes my favorite airline."



Reach Talton at jon.talton@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8464.

 

[Light Years]

It definately stands out from the dull white and silver schemes that dominate now worldwide.

 

[Travelpro72]

I think the scheme is definately set apart from the rest. It is a professional image but a bit stiff. Again though....the scheme was brought to US by Mr. Wolf. The colors represent "HIM" and what "HE" thought we should look like. Although a nice color scheme it has run its course.