Half wing

What MOP said...

Also, our stock is down because we are adding capacity. Investors hate that. Finally, we are completing and adding routes like crazy. That's a strategy I haven't seen since I got here. I think Kirby is doing a good job. He's doing exactly what he should be doing, competing and trying to get United back to the powerhouse it should be. Of course he will try to get the best deal for the company on the next pilot contract. His job is to do the best thing for the company, not us. I'm ok with that.

On another interesting note, Kirby was heard saying that we swapped the A50-1000 for the 900 because those planes/delivery spots will be easier to sell. We still have options for something like 75 more 787's. I bet we end up getting more 787's and the 777-8 in the future to keep the number of fleet types down.

We are also going to need more 777 FO's in SFO. The CA/FO ratios are light on FO's for the flying they are doing. I think training capacity and not wanting to shock the system are why they didn't put out more bids for that BES now. The big bid for summer '18 flying should have lots of 737 CA/FO bids along with more SFO 777 and DCA 787 FO's.

sherpster

I thought new hire classes are shut down for 9 months at a minimum? 2 May thru Feb at the earliest (somebody memtioned March on one of these threads)

89Pistons

Plan:

- Hire some, not all, gullible pilots who may not easily recognize our mis-steps

- Cancel and push back some A/C orders

- Plant the seed for managements desire to have scope relief

- Tell the pilots the airline is growing but still stop hiring for a while and hope they don't stop relying on false hope.

- Once the pilots start recognizing it announce a new route or two in order to get them wet again and to get them to overlook that we're still not hiring and overlook that aircraft deferrals usually don't come to fruition

- If they squawk about getting a substantially lower PS check, or no check at all, tell them times are tough

- The above happens at the beginning of contract negotiations. Hey, we can turn this thing around with 70 seat relief.



Let's all sing: WE'RE #3, WE'RE #3, WE'RE #3!!!

89Pistons

At #3 it's still a good job. I'm just not gonna buy BS when I see or hear it.

MasterOfPuppets

Isn’t not getting a PS check the definition of hard times?

MasterOfPuppets

Maybe maybe not. There is a bid open now with unfilled vacancies. If the company wants to fill the slots they will need a class before Jan 1.

89Pistons

Exactly how long have you been here?? This is not a rhetorical question.

MasterOfPuppets

5 Years. How about you?

89Pistons

I'm coming up on 18 years here (two furloughs mixed in). I was going to guess around 5. Nothing wrong with that. I'm not trying to dampen your enthusiasm purposely. You're just missing some of the signs that many on this thread have seen more than a few times. When things go south, and they definitely will in this cyclical business, it's easier to deal with the games that are played when you see it coming.

MasterOfPuppets

I get it but it’s not how I choose to see thing. I don’t want to walk down the street expecting to get jumped at every alley I come up to. There will always be something ugly on the horizon so why dread every day until it gets here? If you want to find something ugly in everything I assure you you can.

Just because I haven’t been at UA as long as the 10000 pilots ahead of me doesn’t mean I don’t know how to play the game. A lot of regional pilots have been going through contract negotiations that where horrible and contentious, including our ComAir friends with battle stars on their wings.