Tuesday, February 19, 2008
NWA/Delta Merger....
Supposedly, the boards of both airlines will meet tomorrow, and approve the deal. The two pilot's unions have reportedly reached an agreement on how to merge the two groups.
Had hizzoner the guv with state legislator leaders from both parties on the news today, presenting a stoic "We're gonna see that Minnesota doesn't get screwed like a cheap whore in this deal!" and giving us brave looks.
Had hizzoner the guv with state legislator leaders from both parties on the news today, presenting a stoic "We're gonna see that Minnesota doesn't get screwed like a cheap whore in this deal!" and giving us brave looks.
Reality suggests that they, like the management of both airlines, know there isn't a damn thing they can do about it. The most they can do is demand that the new Delta make an immediate payment on bailout loans the state gave NWA a few years ago, with the proviso that the hqtrs stay in the twin cities. But hizzoner is already talking about "adjustments" in the contracts as long as the new Delta keeps a hub here. But you know what? I'm not so certain the new Delta will do that. At one time, I thought the hub was safe, but let's face it. Companies merge so they can both grow the businesses, and cut costs to make Wall Street happy. And employees are costs.
I now believe that, eventually, the new Delta will hold a press conference in about a year, and announce "We truly regret this decision, but due to recent changes in the business climate/fuel costs/employee costs, whatever whipping boy we need, we'll be closing down the MPLS hub, and eliminating most jobs. Seeya Twin Cities! It' been real!!" They'll then get back in their jet and head back to Atlanta.
And why not, when they'll have both Chicago and Detroit, both much bigger markets, to concentrate on and use for major hubs.
There's no reason for them to stay here. The headquarters will be long gone, they'll shut the reservations office on the iron range down, they don't do heavy maintenance here anymore. Hell, what's left?
I'll tell you what. Flyover land. That's what.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Now
Now. NOW, the deadbeat state gummint people, including the legislators and the right honorable guv/McCain veep wannabe himself are starting to get nervous about what's going on with this merger deal going down between Northworst and Delta and the major hemorrhage of well paying jobs it will entail. Don't even mention all the sweetheart loans, terminal rental fees and percentages of terminal shop and restaurant rental income the airline has received over the past several years. All of this, I might add, on top of the loss of the Ford plant in St. Paul, and the loss of the Macy's divisional headquarters in Mpls.
A bit late for them to getting off their dead butts in my opinion. That nag got out of the barn way back on August 19. 2006, when the NWA executives started going through the maintenance department with a bloody meat cleaver, and essentially fired thousands of trained, seasoned, and experienced mechanics, and the state idiots sat around and did absolutely nothing.
Not a damn thing. They just let those people rot on the picket line. (The pilots and Flight Attendants didn't help by crossing the picket line. If they'd honored that line, the NWA brass would have folded like a jackknife.)
And, because there hasn't been a mega-merger yet that shrub's administrations hasn't anointed, can you guess what they're going to be able to do now?
Yep, not a damn thing.
“If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms.”
Ret Gen Colin Powell
A bit late for them to getting off their dead butts in my opinion. That nag got out of the barn way back on August 19. 2006, when the NWA executives started going through the maintenance department with a bloody meat cleaver, and essentially fired thousands of trained, seasoned, and experienced mechanics, and the state idiots sat around and did absolutely nothing.
Not a damn thing. They just let those people rot on the picket line. (The pilots and Flight Attendants didn't help by crossing the picket line. If they'd honored that line, the NWA brass would have folded like a jackknife.)
And, because there hasn't been a mega-merger yet that shrub's administrations hasn't anointed, can you guess what they're going to be able to do now?
Yep, not a damn thing.
“If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It's an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms.”
Ret Gen Colin Powell
