But the government would have still picked up the retirement fund even if UA had failied. As for jobs, it may take a while but you can find another job. I am a proponent of a maximum of 1 year in bankruptcy. That's it and, if you can't find funding, then you must liquidate.

I'm not a doom sayer, I'm still guardedly optimistic that CHAOS won't happen, but if it does, the hour they declare it, I'm running off to NW. Lets face it, CHAOS would be the employees getting the last laugh in against management before falling on their sword. I'm not going to stand by sitting on my miles and elite membership (albeit, Premier) while UA self-destructs for a week or so before ceasing operations completely. If it comes to CHAOS, I'm just looking to save what I have left before every other Joe Elite does the same a couple weeks later. I might be comped, I might not be, but it's worth a shot. I like UA a lot, their employees are second to none, but doing what I can the hour CHAOS hits is better than standing on the deck of the sinking Titanic.

In the words of Chancellor Palpatine in Episode II: "Do you really think it will come to war?"

I'd like to quote SEA_Tigger from another thread which has a really good point to it:
"Where were the strikes when UA laid off tens of thousands?

Where were the strikes when UA handed over more and more mainline routes to United Express which, unlike TED, does have different payscales and workrules (even if the UAX employees are still union members).

Where were the strikes when UA closed overseas locations (AKL? Some in South America?) that were covered by the union agreements?

Where were the strikes when UA last went for $2.5 billion in wage cuts?

Nowhere.

...

"To think they will now strike over something has pointless as the pension plan—something that they at least still get to keep, which is more then what many of US' employees got in their last trip through C11 and more then what the other legacy carrier's employees will probably get as PBGC implodes under the weight—is just "chicken littleing"."

I really don't think I need to say anything more - other than that if they didn't strike over such life-changing decisions like that, what makes the pension scheme, as SEA_Tigger says which they get to at least keep in one form or another (compared to those who completely lost their jobs), it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

"Difficult to see, the future is..."

The IAM can't strike unless UAL gets the contracts tossed.

Exaaaaaaactly - Homer, A Star is Burns

I think people are just getting nervous because when the whole CHAOS/strike talk started, we all think that it is not going to happen. But, when enough people talk about it, we all think that it is going to be for real and UA is going for good. But, I still hope that all these union talk is not going to be put to action. The truth is that I don't really know which airline to devote my loyalty to if UA goes away. I fly to HKG and LHR quite a bit and UA is the best in terms of convenience and service.

I am rooting for UA to survive. So, it is ENOUGH of all the United doom-sayers!

I agree that the end must not be near....the other day I heard to UA TED FA's talking about how passengers were going to start getting full cans of Pepsi on TED....they did not think there would be a strike over this work issue either... :D

Ditto

Yes I am one of those annoying AA flyers. I am also an annoying UA flyer. And if I flew 100K a year I would be an annoying UA loyalist. But since I live near IAD and only fly ~50K per year which doesn’t get me upgrades on UA, I choose to fly AA where I almost always get upgrades. It also has something to do with my frequent flights to the Caribbean. Yes the metal is not as nice on AA in most cases, but sometimes better (HNL service), and both airlines have there plusses and minuses from a service standpoint. Both have been operating in different worlds. UA has had the benefit of BK protection which has allowed it to forego some cuts in service. AA has stayed out of BK, which means it has had to cut come services (blankets/pillows to name two) and come up with ways to creatively generate additional cash, like the $250 Int upgrade co-pay. Do I like either method? No, but that is the way things work. Time will tell as to which tactic works in the long run. AA may well jump on the BK band wagon too after the success UA has had in shirking its responsibilities.

I have about 200K miles and plan to fly UA a couple times this year, so I am not a doom sayer.

What will happen to UA will happen to UA. They bring this stuff on themselves. Yes, it is like a car wreck, and all of us are on the sidelines watching because UA’s demise or success affects each and every one of us in some way. If UA fails, then getting upgrades on AA will be tougher than ever. The UA loyalists that fly UA because they like the comfort of BC/FC, and regularly upgrade, sure as heck are not going to switch to B6 or WN. They will come to CO, DL or AA; and IMHO CO and AA are the only two viable choices there.

BTW, when is UA going to come up with a BK exit plan? I know it has only been 2.5 years so we need to give them more time. Why do we coddle these billion dollar debtors and then pass BK laws to punish those who are struggling on a day to day basis. Oh yes, both fall under the concept of “leave no billionaire behind”. The hypocrisy of it all amazes me. Oh, and who is going to pick up the 28 Billion dollar debt of the PBGC? All this being orchestrated by a government that goes in debt to the tune of almost half a Trillion dollars a year. Now, I am real confident (NOT) that these UA corporate executives, our courts, and our government know what they are doing. BK is capitalisms answer to socialism IMO.

Regards,
A US Tax Payer

I just want this to end one way or the other. At this point all I hear is talk of UA or Usair and what will or could happen. I mostly fly NW, but the early in the year was going to PHL every week could not fly usair with all the talk, so I had to conect. Now I am going back to ORD and will not fly UA, for the same reasons. At least I can fly AA to ORD.

You don't need an actual strike to end the airline. While an actual act of a strike will kill an airline in a few days, constant talks and threats of strikes and the ensuing bad publicity will slowly kill an airline. It's a kind of positive feedback reaction that you do not want to have. Management makes cuts -> employees talk of a strike -> some customers get concerned and flee -> reduce revenue -> high financing costs -> management has to demand more cuts -> more talks of strikes etc. etc.

Many of us in my office have flown PS and love it. But we are not allowed on UA planes because travel department deems the airline "too risky". Why take the risk when you do not have to. UA fares are not any cheaper. From a company's perspective, these are risks they are not compensated for. Many more companies will do the same if CHAOS is initiated. As I am typing this, I read that the judge had approved the pension deal. The ball is now in AFA court to see if they are going to go CHAOS. CHAOS will not kill UA right away, but it will be the beginning of a long dying process because things could only get worse from there.

Well the lead story on CBS news radio for the past 12 hours has been UA dumping their plans and their unions in an uproar - especially now that UA wants even more cuts - so NYCFFlyer and Markie are correct in noting that a lot of people are now going to be very fearful and start booking away from UA.

So it may very well be a self-fullfilling prophecy down the road.

I still plan to head to GSO tomorrow night, and just assume I'll be coming home sometime on Sunday. ;)

This may be having an effect already, or UA is doing some pre-emptive marketing. I've seen some fare drops today on some routes that rarely have "sales" during the summer. (i.e. ORD-RNO/Tahoe)

Sunday should be fine. Even with CHAOS, you have to be really unlucky to be affected. I am flying NYC-SIN next week and I think the outbound should be ok, but anything could happen by the time I am due to fly back on Memorial Day. The way I think about it, there are way worse thing that could happen in life than getting stucked in South East Asia. :D

Happy flying everyone....hopefully on UA. :D