Will DAL/NW Merge? Yay or Nay?

[tiffanytaylor]

Nay...haven't heard any positive rumblings today

 

[NuGuy]

My bet is no. The DAL proposal is SO rank, its a non starter.

Unless the DAL guys crawl down from their high horse, or Anderson and Co decide to force the issue, it's done.

Nu

 

[FDJ2]

My bet is no. The DAL proposal is SO rank, its a non starter. Nu

You have no idea what you are talking about and certainly no details of what was proposed.

 

[737 Pylt]

My bet is no. The DAL proposal is SO rank, its a non starter.

Really? What are your sources?

Unless the DAL guys crawl down from their high horse, or Anderson and Co decide to force the issue, it's done.

Nu

You really need to get a grip on reality!

737

 

[~~~^~~~]

It is hard to say Yes, or No. The analysts are struggling with the same question.

There is little doubt a Delta NWA merger would be better for the combined airlines. The global reach of this combination would make it "one he11 of an airline." AirFrance's cash would be used to fund expansion.

It probably is good in the long term for the involved pilots once the pain of SLI is absorbed. The "Fair Plan" I posted seems like the most painless way to integrate for the pilots and the Company.

Both DAL and NWA will continue without this merger. It is not do, or die. However, fuel prices and open skies may force consolidation in the future at a point where the merger might not be as relatively painless as it is now.

Delta's internal rumblings are that planned 777 growth would more than absorb the displaced NWA pilots and there would still be new hires (recently revised upwards to 500).

I think the NWA pilots are walking away from a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. The Delta pilots' Reps seem to realize that this merger is better than the potential alternatives and have been working with management to try to get this deal done. The NWA pilots's Reps may not have been studying industry consolidation as long as their Delta counterparts and may still be at a different point on the learning curve.

Delta seems OK with walking away and reporting to the hedge funds that they gave Wall Street's merger push a good faith effort. Besides, the "synergies" Wall Street wants can be 99% achieved through partnerships and code share. It stinks for the pilots because it could easily result in whip saw where international flights are given to the lowest bidder.

Where you stand on this merger depends on your time horizon. I doubt anyone would say it is a good deal for the next 12 months. Starting with the ramped up 777 & 787 deliveries it would look like a pilots' paradise.

 

[Pilotbob3]

DOH is the only fair way to go. Plus the easiest.

 

[Andy]

Nay.

I hope nay; that'd make a UAL/CAL merge pretty much dead. If UAL were to merge, I'd want it to be with CAL, but I really DO NOT want to have to go through the pain of a merge.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

Yeah but it would get rid of Tilton

 

[captbert]

Relative seniority is the only fair and easy way to go. Anyone asking for DOH is just being greedy. If you are 50% at your current company, then you should be 50% at a merged company. We all made a decision on which company to apply and work, and depending on attrition and growth/stagnation your seniority number is what it is.

With a relative seniority merger, you then put up big tall fences to protect respective flying and bases.

 

[FDJ2]

I think the NWA pilots are walking away from an excellent opportunity. The Delta pilots may just be happy to let them walk. But, in the end, they would be better off together.

That's probably an accurate assessment of the situation as it exist today.

If we don't work out our differences this year we'll probably be revisiting this merger next year under less beneficial circumstances, with few if any contractual gains. The good news for the DAL pilots is we'll have twice as many 777s and more wide bodied flying, compared to NWA which will probably have a reduced fleet with possibly half as many 747s.