Thanks for the backup 777...
7Q, sorry if I touched a sore nerve there, but I spoke to TAM Crews, and yes, they are afraid... Laws change, Union in, Union out, Money talks, Bull**** walks...
The reason why LAN ARG is not expanding is obvious, the national Pilots Union, and they don't care that they have hundreds of Argentinian Pilots on the street without a job, that selfish they are to protect their "market". So LAN pulled the big plug for the time being, so they will stay what they are, a joke, bad investment, you name it what you want...
The merger is approved, if you like it or not, but it's official:
LatAm Giant Is Born As TAM, LAN Merge
LAN-TAM Merger: U.S. Carriers Sweat The Fate of Alliance Partners | BNET
LAN would not hold 51%, but 73% of TAM's stock, even though non-Brazilians are not allowed to hold more than 20% of a company... (hmm, laws are funny things aren't they..?? So how did Enrique do that?!?)
I never wrote that LAN will take over the entire Long Range Ops of TAM. But be sure that LAN will take a hefty bite out of the Cake they bought, US$ 2.7 Billion (thats a lot of 0's if you ask me...!) With 73% LAN has "Operational Control", so Upper- and mid-level managers are already handing in their resignation to be replaced by Personnel in which LAN has confidence. And the easiest bite will come out of the Long Haul Ops sector...
Even if Brazilian Crews would not loose their jobs, I heard they are overpaid and under worked, so some of them might leave by them self as there will be some belt-tightening in every sector...
TAM was not in the best of the liquid sector when LAN bought them, so, lets see what the new "Presidenta do Brazil" will do about it, but rest assure, if the deal were to go sour, it would have HUGE consequences for TAM and the commercial aviation sector in Brazil, not just for the confidence in the trading system, but financially, so there are your lay-offs....
And yes, thank you, I am sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying the flight and the view
Slds
Eagle