PIT Post-Gazette: Pilots' Union Sues US Airways

[JBM]

This ought to add more grist to the mill regarding whether US Airways can/should pull off a buyout/merger with Delta. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the union representing US Airways and America West pilots has filed suit against US Airways for its plan to merge the two carriers' reservation system under the US Airways banner. The union claims this would effectively eliminate the America West designator.

They claim that is in violation of an agreement the airline made with the two pilots groups, that the airlines would remain separate until the company reached a single pilots union contract.

US Airways contends the merger is a long way from being final, that America West aircraft would continue to operate with America West tail numbers and crews, and vice versa.

The story adds:

Pilots from both carriers have been fighting for raises and better benefits ever since as the company works to combine operations. But US Airways chief Doug Parker has refused to do more than raise the generally lower-paid US Airways pilots to the current America West contract.

See http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07060/766001-100.stm

[Kairho]

Originally Posted by JBM

This ought to add more grist to the mill regarding whether US Airways can/should pull off a buyout/merger with Delta.

This part doesn't really apply since that trick was terminated early last month.

[JBM]

Originally Posted by Kairho

This part doesn't really apply since that trick was terminated early last month.

I understand what you mean, but I respectfully differ. When US Airways raised eyebrows with its offer to purchase Delta, a lot of people (yours truly included) wondered how they could pull that off when they still had a lot of work to do to complete the America West - US Airways amalgamation. This latest story underscores the point.

[Kairho]

My reference was to the implication that the US/DL deal was still active ... which it is not. I agree with the problems associated with the HP/US integration.