Meeting between FO and NJ.

[WileE]

OK, lots of rumors floating around about this meeting, what it might signify and all the merger nonsense. I finally heard a someone who might have hit the nail on the head on what the get together was all about. The rumor is (and that's all it is until there's an official release I guess) that Options and Netjets are tired of getting ripped off by charter operators when they have to cover a flight for whatever reason. The idea is that the two companies will come to an agreement to cover each other's needs instead of calling up a charter and the meeting was to hash out the details. This will allow a pre-determined cost per hour that would be way below what your typical 135 operator would charge, will allow a higher standard level of quality and safety for those flights and will be much easier to cover.

Makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[CE750Driver]

That doesnt make alot of sense to me...
Wouldnt our peak days be the same....
How would they cover each others trips when they are both short? Besides peak days, I dont think either has a problem covering trips. Doesnt pass the logic test to me.

 

[Frac Daddy]

I can hear the charter operators crying already, "Monopoly!"(or Oligolpoly).

Is this the frac version of code sharing? (Hey, we don't have a plane going your way, but our rival does.)

WileE, where did you get this info from? Sounds like another wild a$$ guess to me.

 

[ProFracPilot]

I think you're baiting, IslandFlyer

You are making quite a jump from where things are today to a discussion about FltOps flying struck work.

But assuming for a nanosecond that what you proffer is a real possibility: As the system stands today, it would be impossible for a pilot to determine if a trip assignment belongs to NJA or a NJA client. If this scenario were to happen, do you really think FltOps would show this info on their tripsheets? I think not.

 

[FracPilot]

Re: I think you're baiting, IslandFlyer

You are making quite a jump from where things are today to a discussion about FltOps flying struck work.

But assuming for a nanosecond that what you proffer is a real possibility: As the system stands today, it would be impossible for a pilot to determine if a trip assignment belongs to NJA or a NJA client. If this scenario were to happen, do you really think FltOps would show this info on their tripsheets? I think not.

Just remember one thing...Islandflyer is one of the big union pushers for Flight Options. I'd be willing to bet one of his next posts was going to be something along the lines of "if flight options were a union shop they would be able to insure that they are not flying struck work by virtue of the union and contract".

Why would either company want any part in a deal like that? Why would NJA go to other frax asking them to cover trips in the event of a strike? Why would Flight Options(or any other frax for that matter) agree to cover trips for a competitor if they are on strike? The chance of getting the owners to leave one company for the other are slim with contracts in place. I seriously doubt the contracts allow the owners to back out in the event of a strike.

Last but not least..if Flight Options pilots knew that the trips were NJA trips while the pilots were on strike, 99% of us would not fly those trips. My airplane would break every time one of those trips came up. I think it would be an epidemic. Of course, there would be those few that would give the rest of us a bad name - but they are the same ones that every company has that does "whatever it takes" to "help the company".

Where did this rumor of a meeting between FO and NJA come from anyways?

 

[learflyer]

Guys, this rumor was put to rest by nahill more than 2 weeks ago! Why wasn't it posted yet? He specifically stated about 4 reasons this could never happen.

 

[RJL]

Just curious - what are the 4 reasons?

 

[bartpearl]

The idea is that the two companies will come to an agreement to cover each other's needs instead of calling up a charter and the meeting was to hash out the details. This will allow a pre-determined cost per hour that would be way below what your typical 135 operator would charge, will allow a higher standard level of quality and safety for those flights and will be much easier to cover.

Makes a lot of sense to me.

This has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

What company would let it's COMPETITORS handle it's customers under ANY situation?

Plus, both companies have the same peak days, and need overflow support at the same time.

 

[learflyer]

Just curious - what are the 4 reasons?

I can't remember all of the specifics. Maybe some options guys who heard the "weekly message" can help. Something about monopoly issues with the Govt, and things of this nature.

 

[WileE]

I know a couple

One is that the feds would never allow the merger under monopoly laws. But the most compelling is that after the merger with RTA, Flight Options is legally an LLC, Limited Liability Company. Until the status changes, which couldn't possibly be until after 2005 at the earliest, by law Flight Options can't merge with anyone, not even a 2 jet mom/pop operation much less Netjets.

As far as the source of the whole charter cover deal, it's a rumor people. Where do you think I heard it? I heard it at an FBO from a guy who heard it from the guy that flew the Netjet rep to and from the meeting. I never said it was a steel plated rumor.