The new airline thread

[SurelySerious]

Here we go...
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/08/spirit-airlines-will-defer-airbus-orders-furlough-260-pilots.html?__source=iosappshare|com.apple.UIKit.activity.Message
 
Isn't it great that the judge prevented Jet Blue's purchase of Spirit, and allowed Spirit to continue their ultra low fare model?

We can’t have two airlines combining and “reducing competition” and “raising prices.” Instead we’ll have the government artificially reduce all commercial flights into the northeast for the summer and then block a useful merger that puts one out of business.

[dream big]

8 hours ago, uhhello said:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2017/02/13/united-pilot-taken-off-flight-after-rant-election-divorce/97842988/
 

twitter got me with this today. From 2017.  Anyone know the outcome?

She won’t get fired

[ViperMan]

8 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

Here we go...

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/08/spirit-airlines-will-defer-airbus-orders-furlough-260-pilots.html?__source=iosappshare|com.apple.UIKit.activity.Message
 

Isn't it great that the judge prevented Jet Blue's purchase of Spirit, and allowed Spirit to continue their ultra low fare model?

 

7 hours ago, SurelySerious said:

We can’t have two airlines combining and “reducing competition” and “raising prices.” Instead we’ll have the government artificially reduce all commercial flights into the northeast for the summer and then block a useful merger that puts one out of business.

Spirit and JB should be allowed to sue the shit out of the Biden regime.

[SurelySerious]

Spirit and JB should be allowed to sue the shit out of the Biden regime.

Alaska/Hawaiian should be entertaining as well.

[nsplayr]

On 4/9/2024 at 1:10 AM, ViperMan said:

Spirit and JB should be allowed to sue the shit out of the Biden regime.

Yea that dastardly Ronald Reagan really played the long game on this one! The judge in that case was appointed by Reagan in 1985. I get that the Biden DOJ was arguing against the merger, but it was not them that decided the case. 
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_G._Young

FWIW I’m not a M&A expert nor an airline business expert, so I don’t really have a dog in the fight on if the merger was a good idea or not.

My hot take is that as a customer you shouldn’t fly either JetBlue nor Spirit anyways! Pay for a big boy airline ticket and you & your bags have a much better chance of arriving at your destination fairly close to your intended arrival time.

[ViperMan]

40 minutes ago, nsplayr said:

Yea that dastardly Ronald Reagan really played the long game on this one! The judge in that case was appointed by Reagan in 1985. I get that the Biden DOJ was arguing against the merger, but it was not them that decided the case. 
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_G._Young

FWIW I’m not a M&A expert nor an airline business expert, so I don’t really have a dog in the fight on if the merger was a good idea or not.

My hot take is that as a customer you shouldn’t fly either JetBlue nor Spirit anyways! Pay for a big boy airline ticket and you & your bags have a much better chance of arriving at your destination fairly close to your intended arrival time.

Ok a Reagan judge decided the case. You do understand that it was Biden's administration that brought the case right?

You understand one of the most basic features of our government and the separation of powers is that the judicial branch can't charge people? That they can't bring cases? That they can't actually direct the very power they wield? 

[nsplayr]

36 minutes ago, ViperMan said:

Ok a Reagan judge decided the case. You do understand that it was Biden's administration that brought the case right?

You understand one of the most basic features of our government and the separation of powers is that the judicial branch can't charge people? That they can't bring cases? That they can't actually direct the very power they wield? 

Yep, that why I mentioned that the Biden DOJ argued the case! Good noticing though. I guess their argument was more persuasive to a very experienced and likely a decently conservative judge than the argument made by the companies.

What were the best arguments for and against allowing the merger? At what point is the industry too consolidated? Would you be ok with, say, Delta and United merging today? How did the Delta & NW merger work out? How about American and U.S. Air? And for whom? Shareholders, managers, workers, and customers are all different constituencies.

How about McDonnell-Douglas and Boeing merging, how well did that work out?

I’m asking genuine questions, other than that last one. Like I said, I’m not an expert and have no dog in the fight of the actual JetBlue/Spirit merger, other than bad experiences flying with both of them. Interested in the thoughts of others here on the pros/cons of both historical airline mergers and possible future defense & aviation consolidation in general.

Edited April 10 by nsplayr

[ViperMan]

7 minutes ago, nsplayr said:

Yep, that why I mentioned that the Biden DOJ argued the case! Good noticing though. I guess their argument was more persuasive to a very experienced and likely a decently conservative judge than the argument made by the companies.

What were the best arguments for and against allowing the merger? At what point is the industry too consolidated? Would you be ok with, say, Delta and United merging today? How did the Delta & NW merger work out? How about American and U.S. Air? And for whom? Shareholders, managers, workers, and customers are all different constituencies.

How about McDonnell-Douglas and Boeing merging, how well did that work out?

I’m asking genuine questions, other than that last one. Like I said, I’m not an expert and have no dog in the fight of the actual JetBlue/Spirit merger, other than bad experiences flying with both of them. Interested in the thoughts of others here on the pros/cons of both historical airline mergers and possible future defense & aviation consolidation in general.

I did notice. I didn't understand the "but Republicans" refrain. Anyway.

[nsplayr]

2 minutes ago, ViperMan said:

I did notice. I didn't understand the "but Republicans" refrain. Anyway.

Democratic Admin argues one thing, companies argue another, decided in DOJ’s favor by a Republican judge. Doesn’t seem particular partisan when the Dem admin and GOP judge both agree with the same argument. That was my point on the politics.

That being said, I’m neutral on the actual case…do you have an opinion on this or other mergers that’s worth sharing?

[BashiChuni]

I’m neutral on the case as well. Doesn’t seem political surface level, but then again everything in DC is political. It sucks for the guys getting furloughed regardless:/

[AirGuardianC141747]

All very informative and interesting. So - furloughs, door plugs, wheels, engines, engine cover or something off a SWA 73 recently, further economy issues, Boeing issues and delays of certifying Max 10 and other production, etc. - quite a bit of areas need to get their s**t together. At least Brown will be hiring for those interested and a slight boost for them, but overall just a shift of business within the  $ spending world we live. Hopefully things will climb back up for everyone next year s we hopefully get past this 2024 year of many impacts and distractions. Stay safe out there.

Edited April 11 by AirGuardianC141747

[Smokin]

I haven't read up on it because I couldn't care less about Spirit, but if it is anything like the other mergers or acquisitions that the Biden admin has stopped, then it is 100% power politics to either help out influential donors or play to the unions.  Just take a look at the canceled Japanese acquisition of US Steel.  A mutually beneficial acquisition canceled because a competitor has access to the White House.

[AirGuardianC141747]

Well put! At least Japan is still able buy Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)…for now.

[ViperMan]

4 hours ago, nsplayr said:

Democratic Admin argues one thing, companies argue another, decided in DOJ’s favor by a Republican judge. Doesn’t seem particular partisan when the Dem admin and GOP judge both agree with the same argument. That was my point on the politics.

That being said, I’m neutral on the actual case…do you have an opinion on this or other mergers that’s worth sharing?

It's fine for one guy to have decided in the government's favor. I don't lament that part of our system. And one rando deciding in the government's favor doesn't make it equal parts R and D responsibility. My problem is with the administrative philosophy that leads to such decisions being made in the first place.

Personally, I don't know how the ULCCs have been able to operate for so many years. Honestly, if a business wants to sell itself to another business, I don't see how it's the government's business to stop it. This case seems similar to me as the government saying to an individual they can't sell their home to buyer X at price $Y even though they feel they can't afford the mortgage anymore. The government comes in and says no, you can't sell to party X for $Y...two months later, the business is going under (as predicted by said business), and lo and behold, it seems like the business will have to sell to multiple parties for less than $Y. I know you don't think that would be fair, and I don't see how that's a proper function for our government to play. The business isn't viable to begin with, so the legal reasoning the R judge used was bunk in the first place. And furthermore, you holding one random judge's viewpoint as an equal counter-weight to the entire executive branch's decision to pursue this case is a comically lopsided what-about-ish view of how the government works.

That was my argument. Let's not wander too far. What about that argument do you find lacking? And if it's nothing, do you think the administration should face liability for damaging the financial prospects of the owners of that business? IMO the American public is not entitled to cheap airfare. I don't see how it's any of the government's business to regulate a non-necessity.

[Danger41]

Any FedEX guys know when the iPad (10) lanyards are getting ordered? I’d like one.

[Sua Sponte]

That video was wild.

[herkbum]

Ballsy move


Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network mobile app

[Lord Ratner]

10 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

That video was wild.

?

[Sua Sponte]

3 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

?

 

[AirGuardianC141747]

Danger41 gets a definite like for that comment now that I understand. Yowza…

[Lord Ratner]

7 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

 

I will buy Ken a drink wherever I meet him for the rest of my life 😂🤣

[HuggyU2]

19 hours ago, herkbum said:

Ballsy move

Shining your ass in public will often cause you to be shown the door. 

The back door, in this case. 

Edited April 19 by HuggyU2

[SocialD]

22 minutes ago, HuggyU2 said:

Shining your ass in public will often cause you to be shown the door. 

The back door, in this case. 

 

Hopefully a 63 or 64 year old willing to fall on his sword on his way out the door a little early.  ...legends live forever! 

[Danger41]

3 hours ago, SocialD said:

 

Hopefully a 63 or 64 year old willing to fall on his sword on his way out the door a little early.  ...legends live forever! 

I think the odds of a 64 year old being unnecessarily naked and not realizing his camera and mic are on is a pretty likely scenario.

[FourFans]

4 hours ago, Danger41 said:

I think the odds of a 64 year old being unnecessarily naked and not realizing his camera and mic are on is a pretty likely scenario.

So, you've partied with some airline captains too, eh?