Originally Posted by Irishblackbird

Im right there with you on the white shirts! I heard the blue shirts can be difficult to get, and can't imagine a combined airline all trying get them. As for the Karbon, I think we look like senior Ski Patrol or ski lift operators. Would much prefer the leather or some other top coat approiate to a suit. But definitely not a trench coat!!

Originally Posted by skytrekker

The engine issue is going to be wrecking ball with growth, fleet plan, hiring, upgrades, retention, and on and on. Interesting that NK has offered VTO to the FA's since August? And yet no current discussion of VIL for the pilots, depsite the current challenges. If your plan is to stick it out here or the combined entity I would certainly plan for long term stagnation.

Originally Posted by Born2FlyAv8R

both airlines already have the blazer which is “appropriate to a suit”. And you know spirit also has a leather option! But for the Karbon is amazingly comfortable, warm, and sheds water. We need to keep the Karbon option

Originally Posted by Irishblackbird

The combined airline growth plan isn't going to be for stagnation. Why even merge if that's the case. At the outset the plan was for rapid growth to gain market share via merger instead of a much slower organic growth. Yes, initially there will be a slow down in movement for pilots as they get all the pieces in order to form one airline, after that, depending on the industry, my bet is it will be full steam ahead. As for the engine issue, if Prat can't produce, I have a feeling they will look for another engine supplier. Executive management's job is to negotiate the barriers, and my bet is they are already have a plan of attack.

Originally Posted by CincoDeMayo

Well said. To even expand on this: JBLU will be close to the size of SWA post merger. SWA basically made Boeing do whatever they wanted when it came to that 737. JBLU will have a lot of power to dictate action with any Airbus engine supplier in the future.

Originally Posted by Lincoln Osiris

Close to the size of SWA?... how?

Originally Posted by GPullR

In 2022 spirit and JB carried 77 million passengers. Swa carried 157 million. So if same size you mean less then half then yes, they are gonna be same size.

Originally Posted by CincoDeMayo

It’s really not that interesting with the VIL vs VTO

FA have the opportunity to go away for no money and I think keep flight benefits, great for a 22 year old with 5 roommates

ALPA won’t agree to any free “leaves”. So it will require some sort of agreement like we had during covid. The company knows they wouldn’t get many pilots anyways, willing to take a leave for free.

If the merger fails, we furlough no doubt. Probably file chapter 11 too

If the merger is approved, I’m assuming Robin will tell Ted what he wants to be done with labor, furloughs or VILs.

Larger issue here as well. How the heck do you take planes down for 330 days for engine repairs and then take them down again for livery and interior retrofits?

It’s also going to take over a year to train spirit pilots for the JBLU certificate, and once you’re trained, you can’t go back to the NK side and fly. So lots of guys sitting around getting a check.

Going to be a long, expensive road.

Originally Posted by Noisecanceller

Yep.

My question is is there a way to paint and retrofit planes WHILE they are down for engines? I’m sure many logistical pieces but that would be quite convenient if possible. Fly it to the interior shop rip the engine off while it’s in there. Rob an pair of engines to move it to the paint shops when another comes in for interiors.

Originally Posted by CincoDeMayo

The new JetBlue post merger will have over 600 Airbus ordered/operating. SWA has a little over 700. JetBlue will be the largest Airbus operator in the USA, (from the Airbus order book.)

I’ll make a bet, I’ll bet JBLU sees 600+ planes before Kirby reaches his goal of 28,000 pilots by 2030.