Rumors rumors and more rumors

[mrivc211]

Two weeks ago, I had Jerry Atkin sitting in the back going to PHX. Hmmmm. I asked what was going on, he said ongoing discussions with US Airways. Is there something up? He said he can't say.

Today, I'm in DEN, chief pilot tells me Skywest will be making annoucnement (in the near future)about indefinete hiring beginning June 2008. 3 new bases to open. two somewhat on the east coast, and one somewhat on the west coast. He kept saying I won't have to commute to ORD anymore after this. It's just a rumor, I'll see it when I beleive it, but he was saying the sharks are circling around a certain phx based airline, and skywest has $650 million in the bank and is in a position to capitalize on it.

About United, he said 7 to 14 more 700's coming on property. He said some of them are showing up cheap on the market and SKYW wants them. (Horizon?).

Anyways, just a line guy hearing rumors!

Discuss.

[dvtpilot]

That'll be interesting for those of us at the certain Phx based airline.....


On one hand, I hope it happens.......on the other hand.....I like my 20 min commute to work.


Bastiges.


FWIW, I have not heard anything even remotely close to this yet, but with out .47 stock price, I can't say I don't see it happening. I'm just afraid of the ol' staple action. Another thing----I don't want to start a war in this thread, but when I was ORD based....I had my share of issues with the OO crews and getting rides where I wanted to go (on personal stuff, not company business by any means).

[zmiller4]

Originally Posted by dvtpilot

Another thing----I don't want to start a war in this thread, but when I was ORD based....I had my share of issues with the OO crews and getting rides where I wanted to go (on personal stuff, not company business by any means).

I'm really sorry to hear that. What type of problems are you talking abut? If any of our folks are denying you unfairly *please* PM a skywester here with the flight # and details. Our JS coordinator is a good guy.

I've had Mesa crews go WAY out of their way to get me home, and I'd be disappointed if our guys weren't returning the favor.

[DV8Pilot]

Originally Posted by zmiller4

I'm really sorry to hear that. What type of problems are you talking abut? If any of our folks are denying you unfairly *please* PM a skywester here with the flight # and details. Our JS coordinator is a good guy.

I've had Mesa crews go WAY out of their way to get me home, and I'd be disappointed if our guys weren't returning the favor.

[mrivc211]

Originally Posted by dvtpilot

That'll be interesting for those of us at the certain Phx based airline.....


On one hand, I hope it happens.......on the other hand.....I like my 20 min commute to work.


Bastiges.


FWIW, I have not heard anything even remotely close to this yet, but with out .47 stock price, I can't say I don't see it happening. I'm just afraid of the ol' staple action. Another thing----I don't want to start a war in this thread, but when I was ORD based....I had my share of issues with the OO crews and getting rides where I wanted to go (on personal stuff, not company business by any means).

wow, I'm very sorry to hear that. I'm ORD based, and I can tell you I give a ride to anyone no matter what the politcis are. I keep it out of the cockpit. Last week on my first flight of my 4 day I had 4 jumpseaters. 1 was a mesa guy, 2 united, and 1 american guy. The 3 mainline guys kept telling me to educate the mesa guy because he kept telling them that they should not have checked in 1 hour before the flight, thus they are behind him. Etc etc. When he got on, he never checked in up front. It kinda chapped my hide. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and assumed he was nonrevving. With a full flight I didn't want to make a scene. But regardless, I gave him a ride home.

ORD has a lot of new inexperienced captains. Among the many mistakes they make, as I once did, I hope denying the jumpseat is not one of them. Our company does not condone this, and any pilot caught doing it here, would be given a stern talking too, I guarantee that! It may not mean I like the pilots carrier, but I won't take it out on the guy commuting.

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by mrivc211

Two weeks ago, I had Jerry Atkin sitting in the back going to PHX. Hmmmm. I asked what was going on, he said ongoing discussions with US Airways. Is there something up? He said he can't say.

Today, I'm in DEN, chief pilot tells me Skywest will be making annoucnement (in the near future)about indefinete hiring beginning June 2008. 3 new bases to open. two somewhat on the east coast, and one somewhat on the west coast. He kept saying I won't have to commute to ORD anymore after this. It's just a rumor, I'll see it when I beleive it, but he was saying the sharks are circling around a certain phx based airline, and skywest has $650 million in the bank and is in a position to capitalize on it.

About United, he said 7 to 14 more 700's coming on property. He said some of them are showing up cheap on the market and SKYW wants them. (Horizon?).

Anyways, just a line guy hearing rumors!Discuss.

Good ole rumors... so why dont we just put it out there. Your souce bascically said you will be taking over the Mesa flying.... However I would then ask where does Mesa have a base out east? In addition USairways is already saturated with the max 900's and 86 seat AC mainline pilot group will allow (actually over i believe). So therefore you guys are in a hurry to dump 200/700's in PHX for airways? I also would wonder why RAH would not expand west and take over that flying. They are already in with Airways and i would find it hard for SKW to take over that flying. However what do I know... Honestly I do not wish for ANY of that and no one should. That would mean Mesa pilots would be out and just not good. Why undercut them and take them out?

And no offense but they also helped with the Skyway guys going.... I just dont like the thought of this... Personally I'm not a fan of putting your eggs in many baskets..... UAL/DAL/Midwest/ and now Airways?

[Cptnchia]

SkyWest and ExpressJet

So how does this play into it all?

ExpressJet rejects takeover offer from SkyWest







Reuters
Friday, April 25, 2008; 10:29 AM

NEW YORK (Reuters) - ExpressJet Holdings Inc (XJT.N) said on Friday it rejected a $181.5 million takeover bid from SkyWest Inc (SKYW.O) and has begun began a review of strategic alternatives, including talks with SkyWest for a higher price.
SkyWest offered to pay $3.50 a share for ExpressJet, representing a premium of 67.5 percent to ExpressJet's closing price of $2.09 on Thursday.
The value of the deal is based on 51.9 million shares outstanding as of March 10, according to Reuters data.
ExpressJet said it had formed a special committee of independent outside members of its board of directors to evaluate the proposal.
The committee decided the fair value of ExpressJet stock was "substantially higher" than $3.50 and that SkyWest's proposal did not deliver the value of synergies between to the two carriers to its shareholders.
The committee will now conduct a strategic review, which will include talks with SkyWest and other interested parties to evaluate a merger at a higher price, as well as talks with Continental Airlines Inc (CAL.N) for a new capacity purchase agreement.
ExpressJet began flying under its own brand last year to put a quarter of its fleet to use after former parent Continental canceled a capacity purchase agreement. ExpressJet, which flies regional service for Continental and Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), also started a chartered service.
SkyWest Inc owns SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
ExpressJet shares were up 84 cents to $2.93 in morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange. SkyWest shares were up 2 cents to $17.18 on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Jui Chakravorty; editing by John Wallace)

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by Cptnchia

SkyWest and ExpressJet

So how does this play into it all?

ExpressJet rejects takeover offer from SkyWest







Reuters
Friday, April 25, 2008; 10:29 AM

NEW YORK (Reuters) - ExpressJet Holdings Inc (XJT.N) said on Friday it rejected a $181.5 million takeover bid from SkyWest Inc (SKYW.O) and has begun began a review of strategic alternatives, including talks with SkyWest for a higher price.
SkyWest offered to pay $3.50 a share for ExpressJet, representing a premium of 67.5 percent to ExpressJet's closing price of $2.09 on Thursday.
The value of the deal is based on 51.9 million shares outstanding as of March 10, according to Reuters data.
ExpressJet said it had formed a special committee of independent outside members of its board of directors to evaluate the proposal.
The committee decided the fair value of ExpressJet stock was "substantially higher" than $3.50 and that SkyWest's proposal did not deliver the value of synergies between to the two carriers to its shareholders.
The committee will now conduct a strategic review, which will include talks with SkyWest and other interested parties to evaluate a merger at a higher price, as well as talks with Continental Airlines Inc (CAL.N) for a new capacity purchase agreement.
ExpressJet began flying under its own brand last year to put a quarter of its fleet to use after former parent Continental canceled a capacity purchase agreement. ExpressJet, which flies regional service for Continental and Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), also started a chartered service.
SkyWest Inc owns SkyWest Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines.
ExpressJet shares were up 84 cents to $2.93 in morning trade on the New York Stock Exchange. SkyWest shares were up 2 cents to $17.18 on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Jui Chakravorty; editing by John Wallace)

Now this would make more sense the Airways flying! However if he heard it from the Atikins he heard it from the horses mouth...... So I'm not doubting that is in the works... Fact of the matter is airways has ALWAYS loved SKW..... However this would give you a soutwest base and a few east coast..... so it makes sense as well...

[kellwolf]

You can't have the Airways flying, I'm hearing the rumor WE'RE getting it!

Actually, if Skywest got the flying, I'm sure the FedEx letters would be in the mailbox the next day from our management saying the pilots cost us another airline contract by not signing the low-ball pilot contract....

[Bog]

Mesa has a base in CLT. Large one. That's still considered East. Also, there's plenty of flying through the Airways hub of PHL, even though it's not a MAG base anymore. Perhaps the suggestion was referring to the JFK base (Freedom CRJ9s) which would also go away if / when MAG goes BK.

I wouldn't plan on MAG being bought out by anyone. Ornstein's pride & ego probably won't let that happen. He'll ride the ship as long as he can, blaming everyone except those truly at fault. After all, according to him, MAG's woes have always been the fault of greedy pilots, ALPA, Delta, United, America West, US Airways, the price of oil (MAG doesn't pay for fuel, so how could that be?), CORA, ATC, and the pull of the tide in Tahiti.

Watch for OO and others to buy the parts & pieces at auction.

[higney85]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

You can't have the Airways flying, I'm hearing the rumor WE'RE getting it!

Actually, if Skywest got the flying, I'm sure the FedEx letters would be in the mailbox the next day from our management saying the pilots cost us another airline contract by not signing the low-ball pilot contract....

Give me a source. Problem here is Mesa flying is more than 76 seats (No first class). Arbitration all over again/still. There is a good bid of flying to be covered across the board if Mesa does go TU. I see 50 seat flying being left for dead and only the 700/900 flying being put up for bid. I wish no harm to the Mesa guys, just looking at the big picture.

[meyers9163]

Originally Posted by Bog

Mesa has a base in CLT. Large one. That's still considered East. Also, there's plenty of flying through the Airways hub of PHL, even though it's not a MAG base anymore. Perhaps the suggestion was referring to the JFK base (Freedom CRJ9s) which would also go away if / when MAG goes BK.

I wouldn't plan on MAG being bought out by anyone. Ornstein's pride & ego probably won't let that happen. He'll ride the ship as long as he can, blaming everyone except those truly at fault. After all, according to him, MAG's woes have always been the fault of greedy pilots, ALPA, Delta, United, America West, US Airways, the price of oil (MAG doesn't pay for fuel, so how could that be?), CORA, ATC, and the pull of the tide in Tahiti.

Watch for OO and others to buy the parts & pieces at auction.

Hmm yeah I overlook Mesa and CLT..... I personally dont think its a real large one.... but you are right they do have a number of crew around there.... I also agree if Mesa does go under there with be many carriers going after the flying.... However we'll see how that goes...

Funny story is PDT/PSA (W/O) are still saying that Airways has informed them they want their 17% of the express flying to go up to 50%..... Guess we'll see if that ever happens....

[Bog]

Originally Posted by meyers9163

Funny story is PDT/PSA (W/O) are still saying that Airways has informed them they want their 17% of the express flying to go up to 50%..... Guess we'll see if that ever happens....

That would be nice. It'd give them much greater control over the level of quality offered.

[CamYZ125]

Originally Posted by meyers9163

However I would then ask where does Mesa have a base out east? I

Charlotte, as mentioned. Washington Dulles. And Chicago... is in the middle.. ha.

[wheelsup]

I don't doubt SkyWest will get US Air and CAL flying. It's a great, well run company with great people there. Should've gone there when I had the chance, oh well...shoulda woulda coulda.... I only hope AWAC can come up with a game plan here. My guess is they will sell to SkyWest sometime in the future. Although that might not be a bad thing - until SkyWest the holding company owns several carriers with different lists - can you say whipsaw?!?

[Kristie]

can someone explain to me exactly what Whipsaw is?

[Cptnchia]

Originally Posted by Kristie

can someone explain to me exactly what Whipsaw is?

??? Doug's never yelled that out while having a nightmare?

[Kristie]

he probably has, i just don't recall

I've heard the term a lot, just never gotten the full meaning of it.

[Cptnchia]

It's when management pits two work groups against each other. Usually trying to lowball each other to get the job. A backwards auction if you will.

[Kristie]

ahhh...gotcha... THANKS!

[kellwolf]

Kristie, here's a perfect example:

Pilots are in contract negotiations, and management either wants labor costs to stay low or get them even lower. So, they spin up another carrier (or BUY another one) and say "If you don't sign the deal we offer, we're gonna move your planes and jobs to this other carrier that will. We've already got stacks of applications 3 feet deep." So, now the pressure is on the original pilots group to give in or wind up on the street.

[blee256]

Originally Posted by dvtpilot

but with out .47 stock price, I can't say I don't see it happening.

Maybe I should buy some Mesa stock, I can get a Lot for 50 bucks! I was thinking about buying XJT at 1.80, I should've done it. I was looking at Yahoo for 19, now with MS bid its 29. Also contemplated buyinc Circuit City at less than 2 bucks, with blockbusers offer is over 3 dollars......I still have a chance at Rite Aid, i've had my eye on them for a month now, for the same reason.

[kellwolf]

I thought about Mesa back when I could get 100 shares for $57. I don't think it's going back up, so I'm not gonna do it.