nwa/Delta MERGER: Save WorldPerks!
Apr 22, 2008, 9:50 pm
#91
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: NY by birth, BNA by choice - soon YXE, the SKY by virtue.
Posts: 2,420
We actually have the domain of www.saveworldperks.com available, thanks to raehl311. In the "Why Frequent Fliers Can't Trust Delta" thread, I asked the question of when we were going to register the domain in anticipation of what we now all expect DL to do...and another FTer did it!
So, is there anyone who wants to begin work on the website?
So, is there anyone who wants to begin work on the website?
Apr 22, 2008, 10:07 pm
#92
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
We actually have the domain of www.saveworldperks.com available, thanks to raehl311. In the "Why Frequent Fliers Can't Trust Delta" thread, I asked the question of when we were going to register the domain in anticipation of what we now all expect DL to do...and another FTer did it!
So, is there anyone who wants to begin work on the website?
So, is there anyone who wants to begin work on the website?
Apr 23, 2008, 10:36 pm
#93
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: bouncing around
Posts: 1,274
When traveling in the US they are subjected to:
- dangerous maintenance situations due to poor FAA oversight from cozy relationships with airlines
- dangerous safety situations due to maintenance not being performed or being performed in a sub-standard way by unskilled labor in third world countries
- dangerous safety situations due to low pilot hiring experience requirements, food stamp qualifying wages and angry captains
- dangerous safety situations and unacceptable delays due to the deteriorating ATC system which is overloaded and has not been invested or upgraded in decades
- few or no passenger rights when their flights are canceled or delayed (or their airline is suddenly added to the list of those going broke this week), causing hardship and "tent city" situations in airports
- absolutely unacceptable service from foreign call centers, long, looping lines to overloaded, often unskilled, outsourced ground personnel, keystone cops TSA checks "for the show", surly, underpaid flight attendants, etc. etc.
Please ask the US to block any mergers which would give their airlines the ability to invest in solving any of these consumer-unfriendly problems. It would be much better for these US airlines to liquidate en masse therefore opening the way for Euro airlines to mop up the mess and take over their franchises.
- dangerous maintenance situations due to poor FAA oversight from cozy relationships with airlines
- dangerous safety situations due to maintenance not being performed or being performed in a sub-standard way by unskilled labor in third world countries
- dangerous safety situations due to low pilot hiring experience requirements, food stamp qualifying wages and angry captains
- dangerous safety situations and unacceptable delays due to the deteriorating ATC system which is overloaded and has not been invested or upgraded in decades
- few or no passenger rights when their flights are canceled or delayed (or their airline is suddenly added to the list of those going broke this week), causing hardship and "tent city" situations in airports
- absolutely unacceptable service from foreign call centers, long, looping lines to overloaded, often unskilled, outsourced ground personnel, keystone cops TSA checks "for the show", surly, underpaid flight attendants, etc. etc.
Please ask the US to block any mergers which would give their airlines the ability to invest in solving any of these consumer-unfriendly problems. It would be much better for these US airlines to liquidate en masse therefore opening the way for Euro airlines to mop up the mess and take over their franchises.
Poor maintenance is due to poor management. Most US airlines are sitting on piles on cash and deferred inspections/maintenance is not due to lack of cash. Merger will keep the same management in place, and won't magically improve product, service, or safety.
The only low pilot hiring reqs is at regional airlines. Unfortunately, merger won't cause airlines to stop using them either.
Deteriorating ATC condition is a problem with US gov't. Airlines have no influence on ATC capital investment by US gov't. In fact airlines have lobbied passengers to write letter to US gov't on their behalf, further showcasing the airlines' impotence on this matter.
Few or no passenger right is because there are no passenger bill of right in the US. In EU it isn't something voluntarily put up by airlines with strong balance sheet; it is governmental regulation.
TSA checks are put in place by US gov't. Neither airlines nor passengers have influence over efficiency of TSA.
Most US airlines actually do not use foreign call centers, and interestingly those are the ones making money. One would argue that those airlines benefit from not using foreign call centers, as opposed to the other airlines are too poor to use non-foreign call centers.
If European airlines want to invest their money by buying US airlines post-Open Skies II, go right ahead. Investing money in an industry with single digit margin is horizontal integration at its worst. I'd argue that vertical integration may increase margin and reduce risk exposure in this environment of increasing fuel prices. Due to previously established alliances, purchases of alliance member will yield minimal increase in profit, since alliance members already do not compete. Purchase of non-alliance member will trigger anti-competitive review and dilute the power of potential monopoly on certain routes.
Despite the rhetoric, allowing airlines to merge will not cause any of the above problems to improve one iota. That said, merger may improve customer experience at the airport. Also DL/NW merger should not alter pricing out of most cities, as they do not compete against each other price-wise. There may also be other benefits to consumers, but the ones listed above can not and will not happen with the mergers.
Last edited by bhmlurker; Apr 23, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Apr 23, 2008, 10:54 pm
#94
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
THis thread is about taking some action to oppose this takeover/merger. For those who want to debate the merits or lack of same of the takeover itself, there is another thread.
Apr 23, 2008, 11:01 pm
#95
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
For those writing the DOJ and Congress, please mention the flim-flam engaged in by DL and NW management in their financial reports for the last quarter. Unlike other airlines, they both arbitrarily decided to write down huge amounts of ''goodwill'', created huge phony paper losses for the quarter. They are trying to use the blue smoke and powers approach to scare people, including the DOJ, into not opposing the takeover/merger. The DOJ needs to be aware that airline management is trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
And this is hardly the only place. The temporary disappearance of AF from the equation is but a temporary political ploy by the DL masters of deception.
Their phony promises not to cut employees, close hubs, etc. fall into the same category of politicized flim-flam to fool DOJ and the public.
Lets call their hands on their dishonesty.
And this is hardly the only place. The temporary disappearance of AF from the equation is but a temporary political ploy by the DL masters of deception.
Their phony promises not to cut employees, close hubs, etc. fall into the same category of politicized flim-flam to fool DOJ and the public.
Lets call their hands on their dishonesty.
Apr 27, 2008, 5:45 pm
#96
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 345
Airline passengers flying into/out of Minneapolis pay a premium for tickets (no matter what airline you fly - because NWA controls virtually all of the markets and can thus, charge a premium for tickets) and thus already subsidize the airline (Whenever I've had to fly into MSP from the west coast, the fare I've paid has been higher than it would have cost me to fly across the country to NY or BWI, or even into Chicago - this is true whether I flew NW or some other airline which required a stop en route). Additionally, the state of MN has provided significant benefits for NW (most recently post-9/11) - which means anyone who pays taxes in MN is subsidizing NW's business. It's no wonder people expect a little more out of NW - given that they've been paying a lot more for a long time.
Apr 27, 2008, 10:51 pm
#97
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,527
passenger "amenities"
Carolinian et. al.
Maybe you could try to hitch a ride on the current passenger amenities bill before Congress in the effort to save Worldperks?
here are details you could use & include your own "save the FF program" language:
I just got word from the Senate we are going to Cloture on Monday. This is good news. But there is a bad piece of news that I got and I don't know how to handle this any other way than directly. The Republican Minority leader Mitch McConnell, from Kentucky, is saying that there is a 1 in 4 chance of the bill actually going through... Huge amounts of money, soft money, have gone into the hands of the Minority Senators to find one of them that will stop the bill, also to fight our manager’s amendments. It only takes 1 Senator to stop the bill.
The ATA is calling our language "passengers amenities" as if Freedom, Water and Food are amenities like fluffy pillows. Our Rights are "Essential" not "amenities".
Anyway, we need to do a rapid fire fax campaign all across the country in order to make this work. And we need every senator to be the one’s receiving the faxes between now and Monday when Cloture happens.
Here is a copy of exactly what the airlines through the ATA are faxing to the Senators right now.
Is this something you could help with if I provide you with the letter that they could send?
Here is what I have to send to each of you as outstanding Americans and if you would please fax this letter to your Senators and if you can to all of the other Senators:
Dear Member,
After a record year of delays, passenger strandings, dismal customer service, and record cancellations, I want to thank you for standing with me over the past 15 months since our coalition was formed as we stand up against the airlines, make our voices heard, and attempt to urge our lawmakers to pass legislation that will guarantee the most basic of rights for passengers everywhere.
However, in recent weeks, it has become increasingly clear to me that we now face an even bigger challenge than customer service and strandings on the ground, and it is actually in the air. There have been a number of news reports over the last several weeks that have highlighted carriers neglecting to engage in essential maintenance inspections, resulting in some aircraft flying with cracks in their fuselage as well as thousands of MD-80’s making regular trips without having critical wiring inspected and adjusted to meet FAA specifications.
While many in the airline industry argue that we should let the free market take its course and that the commercial airlines can fix these problems on their own, we all know better. The airlines have given us empty promises before and we have had enough. It is clear that not only can the airlines not be responsible for customer service, but that they cannot even be maintain the most basic of safety standards for their aircraft. Not only that, on April 3rd, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard testimony from veteran FAA inspectors about attempts by their supervisors to silence their reports of horrible safety violations, including planes flying with cracks in their external fuselage. Not only can the airlines not police themselves, but clearly this is also a case of the fox guarding the henhouse, and Congress needs to step in before it’s too late.
Fortunately, the House of Representatives and the Senate Commerce and Finance Committees have all passed comprehensive bills that would not only reauthorize funding of the FAA, but contain important provisions to guarantee passenger rights. This same legislation contains important provisions to help to ensure safety standards for aircraft, increasing staffing and funding for the FAA, certification of foreign repair stations, fuel tank safety improvement, and procedures to decrease airline overscheduling at congested airports.
Congress has already made significant progress on this legislation, but now the full Senate must consider and pass this bill before the current taxes expire on June 30, 2008.
We all know that there is power in numbers and we are changing our name to reflect the scope of our cause: Coalition for Airline Passengers Rights, Health, and Safety. I also ask you to join me in sending a letter in to your Senator to urge them to pass a comprehensive FAA Reauthorization bill before the June 30th deadline.
Sincerely,
UNITED STATES SENATE
State Name Party Phone Fax
AK Honorable Ted Stevens Republican (202) 224-3004 (202) 224-2354
AK Honorable Lisa Murkowski Republican (202) 224-6665 (202) 224-5301
AL Honorable Jeff Sessions Republican (202) 224-4124 (202) 224-3149
AL Honorable Richard Shelby Republican (202) 224-5744 (202) 224-3416
AR Honorable Blanche Lincoln Democrat (202) 224-4843 (202) 228-1371
AR Honorable Mark Pryor Democrat (202) 224-2353 (202) 228-0908
AZ Honorable John McCain Republican (202) 224-2235 (202) 228-2862
AZ Honorable Jon Kyl Republican (202) 224-4521 (202) 224-2207
CA Honorable Barbara Boxer Democrat (202) 224-3553 (415) 956-6701
CA Honorable Dianne Feinstein Democrat (202) 224-3841 (202) 228-3954
CO Honorable Ken Salazar Democrat (202) 224-5852 (202) 228-5036
CO Honorable Wayne Allard Republican (202) 224-5941 (202) 224-6471
CT Honorable Joe Lieberman Independent (202) 224-4041 (202) 224-9750
CT Honorable Christopher Dodd Democrat (202) 224-2823 (202) 224-1083
DE Honorable Tom Carper Democrat (202) 224-2441 (202) 228-2190
DE Honorable Joseph Biden Democrat (202) 224-5042 (202) 224-0139
FL Honorable Bill Nelson Democrat (202) 224-5274 (202) 228-2183
FL Honorable Mel Martinez Republican (202) 224-3041 (202) 228-5172
GA Honorable Saxby Chambliss Republican (202) 224-3521 (202) 224-0103
GA Honorable Johnny Isakson Republican (202) 224-3643 (202) 228-0724
HI Honorable Daniel Inouye Democrat (202) 224-3934 (202) 224-6747
HI Honorable Daniel Akaka Democrat (202) 224-6361 (202) 224-2126
IA Honorable Tom Harkin Democrat (202) 224-3254 (202) 224-9369
IA Honorable Charles Grassley Republican (202) 224-3744 (202) 224-6020
ID Honorable Larry Craig Republican (202) 224-2752 (202) 228-1067
ID Honorable Mike Crapo Republican (202) 224-6142 (202) 228-1375
IL Honorable Richard Durbin Democrat (202) 224-2152 (202) 228-0400
IL Honorable Barack Obama Democrat (202) 224-2854 (202) 228-4260
IN Honorable Evan Bayh Democrat (202) 224-5623 (202) 228-1377
IN Honorable Richard Lugar Republican (202) 224-4814 (202) 228-0360
KS Honorable Sam Brownback Republican (202) 224-6521 (202) 228-1265
KS Honorable Pat Roberts Republican (202) 224-4774 (202) 224-3514
KY Honorable Mitch McConnell Republican (202) 224-2541 (202) 224-2499
KY Honorable Jim Bunning Republican (202) 224-4343 (202) 228-1373
LA Honorable David Vitter Republican (202) 224-4623 (202) 228-5061
LA Honorable Mary Landrieu Democrat (202) 224-5824 (202) 224-9735
MA Honorable Edward Kennedy Democrat (202) 224-4543 (202) 224-2417
MA Honorable John Kerry Democrat (202) 224-2742 (202) 224-8525
MD Honorable Barbara Mikulski Democrat (202) 224-4654 (202) 224-8858
MD Honorable Ben Cardin Democrat (202) 224-4524 (202) 224-1651
ME Honorable Susan Collins Republican (202) 224-2523 (202) 224-2693
ME Honorable Olympia Snowe Republican (202) 224-5344 (202) 224-1946
MI Honorable Debbie Stabenow Democrat (202) 224-4822 (202) 228-0325
MI Honorable Carl Levin Democrat (202) 224-6221 (202) 224-1388
MN Honorable Amy Klobuchar Democrat (202) 224-3244 (202) 228-2186
MN Honorable Norm Coleman Republican (202) 224-5641 (202) 224-1152
MO Honorable Kit Bond Republican (202) 224-5721 (202) 224-8149
MO Honorable Claire McCaskill Democrat (202) 224-6154 (202) 228-6326
MS Honorable Roger Wicker Republican (202) 224-6253 (202) 228-0378
MS Honorable Thad Cochran Republican (202) 224-5054 (202) 224-9450
MT Honorable Max Baucus Democrat (202) 224-2651 (202) 224-0515
MT Honorable John Tester Democrat (202) 224-2644 (202) 224-8594
NC Honorable Elizabeth Dole Republican (202) 224-6342 (202) 224-1100
NC Honorable Richard Burr Republican (202) 224-3154 (202) 228-2981
ND Honorable Byron Dorgan Democrat (202) 224-2551 (202) 224-1193
ND Honorable Kent Conrad Democrat (202) 224-2043 (202) 224-7776
NE Honorable Chuck Hagel Republican (202) 224-4224 (202) 224-5213
NE Honorable Ben Nelson Democrat (202) 224-6551 (202) 228-0012
NH Honorable John Sununu Republican (202) 224-2841 (202) 228-4131
NH Honorable Judd Gregg Republican (202) 224-3324 (202) 224-4952
NJ Honorable Frank Lautenberg Democrat (202) 224-3224 (202) 228-4054
NJ Honorable Bob Menendez Democrat (202) 224-4744 (202) 228-2197
NM Honorable Pete Domenici Republican (202) 224-6621 (202) 228-3261
NM Honorable Jeff Bingaman Democrat (202) 224-5521 (202) 224-2852
NV Honorable John Ensign Republican (202) 224-6244 (202) 228-2193
NV Honorable Harry Reid Democrat (202) 224-3542 (202) 224-7327
NY Honorable Hillary Clinton Democrat (202) 224-4451 (202) 228-0282
NY Honorable Charles Schumer Democrat (202) 224-6542 (202) 228-3027
OH Honorable George Voinovich Republican (202) 224-3353 (202) 228-1382
OH Honorable Sherrod Brown Democrat (202) 224-2315 (202) 224-6519
OK Honorable James M. Inhofe Republican (202) 224-4721 (202) 228-0380
OK Honorable Tom Coburn Republican (202) 224-5754 (202) 224-6008
OR Honorable Gordon Smith Republican (202) 224-3753 (202) 228-3997
OR Honorable Ron Wyden Democrat (202) 224-5244 (202) 228-2717
PA Honorable Robert Casey Democrat (202) 224-6324 (202) 228-0604
PA Honorable Arlen Specter Republican (202) 224-4254 (202) 228-1229
RI Honorable Jack Reed Democrat (202) 224-4642 (202) 224-4680
RI Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse Democrat (202) 224-2921 (202) 228-6362
SC Honorable Lindsey Graham Republican (202) 224-5972 (202) 224-3808
SC Honorable Jim DeMint Republican (202) 224-6121 (202) 228-5143
SD Honorable Tim Johnson Democrat (202) 224-5842 (202) 228-5765
SD Honorable John Thune Republican (202) 224-2321 (202) 228-5429
TN Honorable Lamar Alexander Republican (202) 224-4944 (202) 228-3398
TN Honorable Bob Corker Republican (202) 224-3344 (202) 228-0566
TX Honorable John Cornyn Republican (202) 224-2934 (202) 228-2856
TX Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison Republican (202) 224-5922 (202) 224-0776
UT Honorable Robert Bennett Republican (202) 224-5444 (202) 228-1168
UT Honorable Orrin Hatch Republican (202) 224-5251 (202) 224-6331
VA Honorable John Warner Republican (202) 224-2023 (202) 224-6295
VA Honorable Jim Webb Democrat (202) 224-4024 (202) 228-6363
VT Honorable Bernie Sanders Independent (202) 224-5141 (202) 228-0776
VT Honorable Patrick Leahy Democrat (202) 224-4242 (202) 224-3479
WA Honorable Maria Cantwell Democrat (202) 224-3441 (202) 228-0514
WA Honorable Patty Murray Democrat (202) 224-2621 (202) 224-0238
WI Honorable Herbert Kohl Democrat (202) 224-5653 (202) 224-9787
WI Honorable Russell Feingold Democrat (202) 224-5323 (202) 224-2725
WV Honorable John Rockefeller Democrat (202) 224-6472 (202) 224-7665
WV Honorable Robert Byrd Democrat (202) 224-3954 (202) 228-0002
WY Honorable John Barrasso Republican(202) 224-6441 (202) 224-1724
WY Honorable Michael Enzi Republican (202) 224-3424 (202) 228-0359
Dear Senator _______,
In light of recent news reports and a year of near-record airline delays, I am writing to express my support for the need to immediately move forward with a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill that contains important provisions to provide passenger rights and safety for all airline passengers.
As you well know, the past year has not been a good one for airline passengers. Passengers have been forced to endure near-record level delays, strandings, cancellations, and plunging airline customer service. While passengers have always feared being stranded on the tarmac, recent news reports of carriers neglecting to engage in essential maintenance inspections, as well as thousands of MD-80’s making regular trips without having critical wiring inspected and adjusted to meet FAA specifications, have raised new concerns about basic the basic safety of aircraft. Moreover, with recent news reports of FAA whistleblowers being silenced by supervisors, Congress clearly needs to step in.
So far, Congress has made significant strides in bringing an FAA Reauthorization bill closer to a reality. The House of Representatives, the Senate Finance Committee, and the Senate Commerce Committee have all drafted bills that include important safety provisions and guarantee necessary protections for passenger rights. With a June 30, 2008 deadline for Congress to pass comprehensive FAA Reauthorization rapidly approaching, action must be taken immediately.
Included in the bills are provisions that increase the funding and staffing levels for the FAA. Additionally, the bills include provisions that will call for plans to relieve congested airports from carriers that purposely overscheduled, contingency plans for runway incursions, fuel tank safety improvement, and improved training for inspectors.
Finally, passing a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill would mean that a national Passenger Bill of Rights would be put into law. Included in the bill of rights would be the option to deplane, airline contingency plans in the event of a tarmac stranding, and basic necessities provided.
We all know that great strides have been taken towards an FAA Reauthorization bill and we applaud Congress for hard work. But now, the job must be finished. We call upon the Senate to move forward with their bill and ensure the safety of passengers both on the ground and in the air.
Sincerely,
XXXX XXXXXX
Kate Hanni
Executive Director
CAPBOR (CPR) for the Airlines
(707) 337-0328
Maybe you could try to hitch a ride on the current passenger amenities bill before Congress in the effort to save Worldperks?
here are details you could use & include your own "save the FF program" language:
I just got word from the Senate we are going to Cloture on Monday. This is good news. But there is a bad piece of news that I got and I don't know how to handle this any other way than directly. The Republican Minority leader Mitch McConnell, from Kentucky, is saying that there is a 1 in 4 chance of the bill actually going through... Huge amounts of money, soft money, have gone into the hands of the Minority Senators to find one of them that will stop the bill, also to fight our manager’s amendments. It only takes 1 Senator to stop the bill.
The ATA is calling our language "passengers amenities" as if Freedom, Water and Food are amenities like fluffy pillows. Our Rights are "Essential" not "amenities".
Anyway, we need to do a rapid fire fax campaign all across the country in order to make this work. And we need every senator to be the one’s receiving the faxes between now and Monday when Cloture happens.
Here is a copy of exactly what the airlines through the ATA are faxing to the Senators right now.
Is this something you could help with if I provide you with the letter that they could send?
Here is what I have to send to each of you as outstanding Americans and if you would please fax this letter to your Senators and if you can to all of the other Senators:
Dear Member,
After a record year of delays, passenger strandings, dismal customer service, and record cancellations, I want to thank you for standing with me over the past 15 months since our coalition was formed as we stand up against the airlines, make our voices heard, and attempt to urge our lawmakers to pass legislation that will guarantee the most basic of rights for passengers everywhere.
However, in recent weeks, it has become increasingly clear to me that we now face an even bigger challenge than customer service and strandings on the ground, and it is actually in the air. There have been a number of news reports over the last several weeks that have highlighted carriers neglecting to engage in essential maintenance inspections, resulting in some aircraft flying with cracks in their fuselage as well as thousands of MD-80’s making regular trips without having critical wiring inspected and adjusted to meet FAA specifications.
While many in the airline industry argue that we should let the free market take its course and that the commercial airlines can fix these problems on their own, we all know better. The airlines have given us empty promises before and we have had enough. It is clear that not only can the airlines not be responsible for customer service, but that they cannot even be maintain the most basic of safety standards for their aircraft. Not only that, on April 3rd, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee heard testimony from veteran FAA inspectors about attempts by their supervisors to silence their reports of horrible safety violations, including planes flying with cracks in their external fuselage. Not only can the airlines not police themselves, but clearly this is also a case of the fox guarding the henhouse, and Congress needs to step in before it’s too late.
Fortunately, the House of Representatives and the Senate Commerce and Finance Committees have all passed comprehensive bills that would not only reauthorize funding of the FAA, but contain important provisions to guarantee passenger rights. This same legislation contains important provisions to help to ensure safety standards for aircraft, increasing staffing and funding for the FAA, certification of foreign repair stations, fuel tank safety improvement, and procedures to decrease airline overscheduling at congested airports.
Congress has already made significant progress on this legislation, but now the full Senate must consider and pass this bill before the current taxes expire on June 30, 2008.
We all know that there is power in numbers and we are changing our name to reflect the scope of our cause: Coalition for Airline Passengers Rights, Health, and Safety. I also ask you to join me in sending a letter in to your Senator to urge them to pass a comprehensive FAA Reauthorization bill before the June 30th deadline.
Sincerely,
UNITED STATES SENATE
State Name Party Phone Fax
AK Honorable Ted Stevens Republican (202) 224-3004 (202) 224-2354
AK Honorable Lisa Murkowski Republican (202) 224-6665 (202) 224-5301
AL Honorable Jeff Sessions Republican (202) 224-4124 (202) 224-3149
AL Honorable Richard Shelby Republican (202) 224-5744 (202) 224-3416
AR Honorable Blanche Lincoln Democrat (202) 224-4843 (202) 228-1371
AR Honorable Mark Pryor Democrat (202) 224-2353 (202) 228-0908
AZ Honorable John McCain Republican (202) 224-2235 (202) 228-2862
AZ Honorable Jon Kyl Republican (202) 224-4521 (202) 224-2207
CA Honorable Barbara Boxer Democrat (202) 224-3553 (415) 956-6701
CA Honorable Dianne Feinstein Democrat (202) 224-3841 (202) 228-3954
CO Honorable Ken Salazar Democrat (202) 224-5852 (202) 228-5036
CO Honorable Wayne Allard Republican (202) 224-5941 (202) 224-6471
CT Honorable Joe Lieberman Independent (202) 224-4041 (202) 224-9750
CT Honorable Christopher Dodd Democrat (202) 224-2823 (202) 224-1083
DE Honorable Tom Carper Democrat (202) 224-2441 (202) 228-2190
DE Honorable Joseph Biden Democrat (202) 224-5042 (202) 224-0139
FL Honorable Bill Nelson Democrat (202) 224-5274 (202) 228-2183
FL Honorable Mel Martinez Republican (202) 224-3041 (202) 228-5172
GA Honorable Saxby Chambliss Republican (202) 224-3521 (202) 224-0103
GA Honorable Johnny Isakson Republican (202) 224-3643 (202) 228-0724
HI Honorable Daniel Inouye Democrat (202) 224-3934 (202) 224-6747
HI Honorable Daniel Akaka Democrat (202) 224-6361 (202) 224-2126
IA Honorable Tom Harkin Democrat (202) 224-3254 (202) 224-9369
IA Honorable Charles Grassley Republican (202) 224-3744 (202) 224-6020
ID Honorable Larry Craig Republican (202) 224-2752 (202) 228-1067
ID Honorable Mike Crapo Republican (202) 224-6142 (202) 228-1375
IL Honorable Richard Durbin Democrat (202) 224-2152 (202) 228-0400
IL Honorable Barack Obama Democrat (202) 224-2854 (202) 228-4260
IN Honorable Evan Bayh Democrat (202) 224-5623 (202) 228-1377
IN Honorable Richard Lugar Republican (202) 224-4814 (202) 228-0360
KS Honorable Sam Brownback Republican (202) 224-6521 (202) 228-1265
KS Honorable Pat Roberts Republican (202) 224-4774 (202) 224-3514
KY Honorable Mitch McConnell Republican (202) 224-2541 (202) 224-2499
KY Honorable Jim Bunning Republican (202) 224-4343 (202) 228-1373
LA Honorable David Vitter Republican (202) 224-4623 (202) 228-5061
LA Honorable Mary Landrieu Democrat (202) 224-5824 (202) 224-9735
MA Honorable Edward Kennedy Democrat (202) 224-4543 (202) 224-2417
MA Honorable John Kerry Democrat (202) 224-2742 (202) 224-8525
MD Honorable Barbara Mikulski Democrat (202) 224-4654 (202) 224-8858
MD Honorable Ben Cardin Democrat (202) 224-4524 (202) 224-1651
ME Honorable Susan Collins Republican (202) 224-2523 (202) 224-2693
ME Honorable Olympia Snowe Republican (202) 224-5344 (202) 224-1946
MI Honorable Debbie Stabenow Democrat (202) 224-4822 (202) 228-0325
MI Honorable Carl Levin Democrat (202) 224-6221 (202) 224-1388
MN Honorable Amy Klobuchar Democrat (202) 224-3244 (202) 228-2186
MN Honorable Norm Coleman Republican (202) 224-5641 (202) 224-1152
MO Honorable Kit Bond Republican (202) 224-5721 (202) 224-8149
MO Honorable Claire McCaskill Democrat (202) 224-6154 (202) 228-6326
MS Honorable Roger Wicker Republican (202) 224-6253 (202) 228-0378
MS Honorable Thad Cochran Republican (202) 224-5054 (202) 224-9450
MT Honorable Max Baucus Democrat (202) 224-2651 (202) 224-0515
MT Honorable John Tester Democrat (202) 224-2644 (202) 224-8594
NC Honorable Elizabeth Dole Republican (202) 224-6342 (202) 224-1100
NC Honorable Richard Burr Republican (202) 224-3154 (202) 228-2981
ND Honorable Byron Dorgan Democrat (202) 224-2551 (202) 224-1193
ND Honorable Kent Conrad Democrat (202) 224-2043 (202) 224-7776
NE Honorable Chuck Hagel Republican (202) 224-4224 (202) 224-5213
NE Honorable Ben Nelson Democrat (202) 224-6551 (202) 228-0012
NH Honorable John Sununu Republican (202) 224-2841 (202) 228-4131
NH Honorable Judd Gregg Republican (202) 224-3324 (202) 224-4952
NJ Honorable Frank Lautenberg Democrat (202) 224-3224 (202) 228-4054
NJ Honorable Bob Menendez Democrat (202) 224-4744 (202) 228-2197
NM Honorable Pete Domenici Republican (202) 224-6621 (202) 228-3261
NM Honorable Jeff Bingaman Democrat (202) 224-5521 (202) 224-2852
NV Honorable John Ensign Republican (202) 224-6244 (202) 228-2193
NV Honorable Harry Reid Democrat (202) 224-3542 (202) 224-7327
NY Honorable Hillary Clinton Democrat (202) 224-4451 (202) 228-0282
NY Honorable Charles Schumer Democrat (202) 224-6542 (202) 228-3027
OH Honorable George Voinovich Republican (202) 224-3353 (202) 228-1382
OH Honorable Sherrod Brown Democrat (202) 224-2315 (202) 224-6519
OK Honorable James M. Inhofe Republican (202) 224-4721 (202) 228-0380
OK Honorable Tom Coburn Republican (202) 224-5754 (202) 224-6008
OR Honorable Gordon Smith Republican (202) 224-3753 (202) 228-3997
OR Honorable Ron Wyden Democrat (202) 224-5244 (202) 228-2717
PA Honorable Robert Casey Democrat (202) 224-6324 (202) 228-0604
PA Honorable Arlen Specter Republican (202) 224-4254 (202) 228-1229
RI Honorable Jack Reed Democrat (202) 224-4642 (202) 224-4680
RI Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse Democrat (202) 224-2921 (202) 228-6362
SC Honorable Lindsey Graham Republican (202) 224-5972 (202) 224-3808
SC Honorable Jim DeMint Republican (202) 224-6121 (202) 228-5143
SD Honorable Tim Johnson Democrat (202) 224-5842 (202) 228-5765
SD Honorable John Thune Republican (202) 224-2321 (202) 228-5429
TN Honorable Lamar Alexander Republican (202) 224-4944 (202) 228-3398
TN Honorable Bob Corker Republican (202) 224-3344 (202) 228-0566
TX Honorable John Cornyn Republican (202) 224-2934 (202) 228-2856
TX Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison Republican (202) 224-5922 (202) 224-0776
UT Honorable Robert Bennett Republican (202) 224-5444 (202) 228-1168
UT Honorable Orrin Hatch Republican (202) 224-5251 (202) 224-6331
VA Honorable John Warner Republican (202) 224-2023 (202) 224-6295
VA Honorable Jim Webb Democrat (202) 224-4024 (202) 228-6363
VT Honorable Bernie Sanders Independent (202) 224-5141 (202) 228-0776
VT Honorable Patrick Leahy Democrat (202) 224-4242 (202) 224-3479
WA Honorable Maria Cantwell Democrat (202) 224-3441 (202) 228-0514
WA Honorable Patty Murray Democrat (202) 224-2621 (202) 224-0238
WI Honorable Herbert Kohl Democrat (202) 224-5653 (202) 224-9787
WI Honorable Russell Feingold Democrat (202) 224-5323 (202) 224-2725
WV Honorable John Rockefeller Democrat (202) 224-6472 (202) 224-7665
WV Honorable Robert Byrd Democrat (202) 224-3954 (202) 228-0002
WY Honorable John Barrasso Republican(202) 224-6441 (202) 224-1724
WY Honorable Michael Enzi Republican (202) 224-3424 (202) 228-0359
Dear Senator _______,
In light of recent news reports and a year of near-record airline delays, I am writing to express my support for the need to immediately move forward with a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill that contains important provisions to provide passenger rights and safety for all airline passengers.
As you well know, the past year has not been a good one for airline passengers. Passengers have been forced to endure near-record level delays, strandings, cancellations, and plunging airline customer service. While passengers have always feared being stranded on the tarmac, recent news reports of carriers neglecting to engage in essential maintenance inspections, as well as thousands of MD-80’s making regular trips without having critical wiring inspected and adjusted to meet FAA specifications, have raised new concerns about basic the basic safety of aircraft. Moreover, with recent news reports of FAA whistleblowers being silenced by supervisors, Congress clearly needs to step in.
So far, Congress has made significant strides in bringing an FAA Reauthorization bill closer to a reality. The House of Representatives, the Senate Finance Committee, and the Senate Commerce Committee have all drafted bills that include important safety provisions and guarantee necessary protections for passenger rights. With a June 30, 2008 deadline for Congress to pass comprehensive FAA Reauthorization rapidly approaching, action must be taken immediately.
Included in the bills are provisions that increase the funding and staffing levels for the FAA. Additionally, the bills include provisions that will call for plans to relieve congested airports from carriers that purposely overscheduled, contingency plans for runway incursions, fuel tank safety improvement, and improved training for inspectors.
Finally, passing a comprehensive FAA reauthorization bill would mean that a national Passenger Bill of Rights would be put into law. Included in the bill of rights would be the option to deplane, airline contingency plans in the event of a tarmac stranding, and basic necessities provided.
We all know that great strides have been taken towards an FAA Reauthorization bill and we applaud Congress for hard work. But now, the job must be finished. We call upon the Senate to move forward with their bill and ensure the safety of passengers both on the ground and in the air.
Sincerely,
XXXX XXXXXX
Kate Hanni
Executive Director
CAPBOR (CPR) for the Airlines
(707) 337-0328
Apr 28, 2008, 12:03 am
#98
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: check swarm
Programs: DL DM & 2MM, SPG/Bonvoid LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, $tarbucks Titanium
Posts: 14,403
NW and DL both would have a much harder time of going it alone and staying in business under today's operating conditions, which are much different even from when they emerged from BK a year ago. The two have very complimentary route systems, and as a flyer on both airlines I think while yes, SkyMiles is slightly less attractive than WP, it is not the end of the world at all. And there will still be UA/CO (look for their merger announcement soon), AA and US to keep the market competitive.
Bottom line - do you want your WP miles to be worth something when the two merge or would you rather have WP miles that are worth nothing when/if (likely when) NW eventually would shut down without DL?
It seems that the NW fans are amazingly out of touch sometimes. Unless you plan to buy the airline personally, I think you need to leave the business decisions to MSP and ATL to run the airline in a way that maximizes revenues (not profits, there are no profits with oil at $114/bbl) and allows them to weather this storm while creating an airline that you can fly anywhere in the world without having to deal with alliance partners and partial EQMs (like on CO even).
I'm sure I'll have some major flaming shortly, but we're not talking about a Save WP thing or SSM here - it's a merger of two businesses and it amazes me that some people think they can stamp their feet and it won't happen. Who wants to change their handle to Rumplestiltskin???
Bottom line - do you want your WP miles to be worth something when the two merge or would you rather have WP miles that are worth nothing when/if (likely when) NW eventually would shut down without DL?
It seems that the NW fans are amazingly out of touch sometimes. Unless you plan to buy the airline personally, I think you need to leave the business decisions to MSP and ATL to run the airline in a way that maximizes revenues (not profits, there are no profits with oil at $114/bbl) and allows them to weather this storm while creating an airline that you can fly anywhere in the world without having to deal with alliance partners and partial EQMs (like on CO even).
I'm sure I'll have some major flaming shortly, but we're not talking about a Save WP thing or SSM here - it's a merger of two businesses and it amazes me that some people think they can stamp their feet and it won't happen. Who wants to change their handle to Rumplestiltskin???
Apr 30, 2008, 2:14 am
#99
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
Good points David! While I also agree WP is a superior program, and NW has some great people, DL is a good airline doing some good things in terms of amenities in both Y and J and branding that simply are not on NW's radar. But let's face it, DL is the acquirer. I'd rather have Anderson than Parker, Arpey or Tilton taking over the red tails. I think Anderson is more customer/employee focused than Steenland.
NW has a much better chance of staying around independent of the inept DL management.
Apr 30, 2008, 4:08 am
#100
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
For those writing the DOJ and Congress, please mention the flim-flam engaged in by DL and NW management in their financial reports for the last quarter. Unlike other airlines, they both arbitrarily decided to write down huge amounts of ''goodwill'', created huge phony paper losses for the quarter. They are trying to use the blue smoke and powers approach to scare people, including the DOJ, into not opposing the takeover/merger. The DOJ needs to be aware that airline management is trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
Write-offs of the magnitude taken by DL and NW are not taken arbitrarily and are subject to intensive review by internal management, the BOD, and the external auditors. Perhaps it might have been easy to play with the numbers in the past, but I can assure you that, in the post-Enron, SOX-driven accounting world, items of this nature are scrutinized very, very carefully. While I haven't seen the specific calculation behind the exact number, the need for the impairment seems solid to me.
And, why "goodwill"? What is up with the quotation marks? It is a standard financial term, and is simply the difference between the purchase price of a company and the fair market value of the net assets.
Perhaps you think NW is worth just as much as when the goodwill was recorded, but those buying the shares disagree with you, and when it comes to such questions, that is all that matters.
May 1, 2008, 6:38 am
#101
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
The very strange ''coincidence'' that DL and NW were the only airlines at this juncture to make massive (or any) writedowns of goodwill is the huge red flag in this caper that something is likely not on the up and up.
This is almost wholly inaccurate. Fair enough to oppose the merger, but at least make sure such opposition is based upon reasonable concerns and not upon a misunderstanding of GAAP financial statements.
Write-offs of the magnitude taken by DL and NW are not taken arbitrarily and are subject to intensive review by internal management, the BOD, and the external auditors. Perhaps it might have been easy to play with the numbers in the past, but I can assure you that, in the post-Enron, SOX-driven accounting world, items of this nature are scrutinized very, very carefully. While I haven't seen the specific calculation behind the exact number, the need for the impairment seems solid to me.
And, why "goodwill"? What is up with the quotation marks? It is a standard financial term, and is simply the difference between the purchase price of a company and the fair market value of the net assets.
Perhaps you think NW is worth just as much as when the goodwill was recorded, but those buying the shares disagree with you, and when it comes to such questions, that is all that matters.
Write-offs of the magnitude taken by DL and NW are not taken arbitrarily and are subject to intensive review by internal management, the BOD, and the external auditors. Perhaps it might have been easy to play with the numbers in the past, but I can assure you that, in the post-Enron, SOX-driven accounting world, items of this nature are scrutinized very, very carefully. While I haven't seen the specific calculation behind the exact number, the need for the impairment seems solid to me.
And, why "goodwill"? What is up with the quotation marks? It is a standard financial term, and is simply the difference between the purchase price of a company and the fair market value of the net assets.
Perhaps you think NW is worth just as much as when the goodwill was recorded, but those buying the shares disagree with you, and when it comes to such questions, that is all that matters.
May 1, 2008, 6:55 am
#102
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
When and if others announce mergers, they will have to do the same thing. No capers. No red flags. Just accounting rules.
To repeat, there is nothing at all shady about the write-downs. They are simply accounting adjustments required by GAAP. They have been approved by internal management, the BODs, and the external audit firms. If there is anything remotely questionable, then the companies will get a not-so-friendly comment letter from the SEC, and will have to have the accounting treatment approved by them.
I'm happy to disagree on matters of opinion, but this is not a case of opinion. It is a case of you not understanding the accounting rules associated with goodwill, and trying to encourage others to act on your misunderstanding.
Leave the unfounded conspiracy theories to Oliver Stone. And leave concerns about accounting to the accountants.