Today will be an interesting one. Fed Ex and UPS will be posting thier 3rd quarter reports and it is expected to show a loss of projected loads by UPS and Fed Ex. Fed Ex is expected to mitigate their losses, even posting some gains, due to the increase in their overseas operations. UPS does not have a large overseas operation but the slowdown was expected (Wall Street Journal) and the company has plans to deal with the economic losses.

Things are nor so bad as first feared. Fed Ex reportings are down only a little. The big boy rolls on. The expected advantage of DHL's downsizing?
Same as predicted.

Correct there trash. The company grew about 8%. The bad news it is down from it's normal high of 10%+ growth. The Commercial Appeal mentioned that the company is going after lower cost carriers and have the resources to handle lower revenues to take market share. Fed Ex is not in the habit of losing and how that may or may not affect the DHL/Polar/Atlas connection is anyone's guess, but I am betting on Fed Ex.

Dont think that Fedex is going to "cash in" on a little DHL downsizing. There will be some downsizing in the US but not so much to make a really huge difference to Fedex or UPS. Question is going to be whether the downsizing will result in Astar and ABX crews getting furloughed.

No furloughs on the Astar side.

That is always*a possibility. I know fed Ex is not furloughing. All I can tell you is what Fed Ex publishes.

Lost me there. What's a possiblility?

Hvy
That Fed Ex or UPS will not cash in on DHL downsizing. I am with layin, why advertise it is isn't going to happen?
As for furloughs, experience has taught me that everyone hires right up to the furlough date. That's why you find people furloughed while attending a new hire class. Been there, done that. As one person once said, "Watch what they do, not what they say".

I understand there. We've had our ACMI adjusted with DHL so that there will be no furloughs for 2 years from DOS, and no downsizing of our fleet unless the fleet requirements nationwide go below the number of a/c we have. There's no limit on the fleet downsizing timeline. Unless you want to count the end of the current ACMI date of 2019. We decided to go down the business path instead of the RLA this time, since our last job protections worked out so well. (Not being sarcastic or trolling here, just stating fact as it relates to our little world.)

Good to hear you are safe. Question, hvy, is most of the DHL flying to the states or other places?

Now, it's the US, some Canada and Mexico. Didn't used to be that way. We also did Europe. Now, as you know, we don't.

Thanks for responding there hvy

Pardon my question, but was there a recent recall of union leadership at Astar? Like in the last year or so? Not trying to start a flame war, just trying to verify info from another source.

I remember reading there were problems with DHL and the union. Would that have something to do with it?

There was a recall around 2 years ago. The then MEC was going down a path that the majority of the membership (myself included) did not agree with in regards to contract negotiations. No rocks thrown toward them, just differences of opinion. Luckily the majority was correct in the course of action we chose.

Wasn't sure. Upon further reflection, thought this was in the last 6 months were one or more of the MEC got recalled or replaced. Capt Earl Smith comes to mind. Was he one?

>Wasn't sure. Upon further reflection, thought this was in the last 6 months were one or more of the MEC got recalled or replaced. Capt Earl Smith comes to mind. Was he one?<

Hardly. He was one of the MEC that was installed after the recall that led us to a new agreement. He stated up front that as soon as we had an agreement, he was going to step aside. We got one, and he did. We have a new interim Captain rep. now. And that's all I'm going to say on this subject. I get uncomfortable when people start posting other people's names on the net w/o their knowledge or consent. It's bad form, in my humble opinion.

Why I asked the questions. I'm halfway up to speed on the cargo side of ALPA and if I'm having a hard time keeping up on all the players, certainly others are also. Now I have it aligned with the other info I was given.

I would agree to the posting of names of a typical "Joe Nobody" as bad form, but being part of an ALPA union airline leadership pretty much nullifies that decorum. Particularly when their actions can affect their membership, the membership of other councils and other non union carriers in general. Let alone the public releases with their names on them. When you enter into any ALPA leadership roll, you become part of the public domain whether you intended so or not.

Get the facts straight
 

"Will Polar eventually only be carrying DHL and/or the little cargo the current fly".

I don't know where you are getting your misinformation from but just to set the record straight. Polar has been, for quite some time, doing very well as far as load factor goes in the current marketplace. East bound loads have always been maxed out, westbound loads have always been historically challenged industry-wide. Since the dollar has weakened the westbound loads have increased dramatically. The current challenge is of course industry-wide, fuel costs.

Polar has been carrying DHL freight for years along with numerous other freight fowarders, that is and always has been Polars business.

DHL bought a 49% stake in Polar Air Cargo WW, not AAWW. DHL is currently contracting 8 -400s from PACWW. Atlas has again creatively found away to take more of Polars flying, i.e. Alliance Agreement. The arbitrator ruled the alliance agreement was ok the first time as long as no Polar pilot was being harmed, it then followed that furloghed Polar crewmemebers were paid to stay at home and downgraded Captains were to be paid as Captains to fly as FOs. Then Atlas management changed the call signs on the flights being flown under the alliance agreement, claimed they were no longer alliance flights, and discontinued the payment to harmed Polar crewmembers. this is now scheduled to return before the ruling arbitrator later this month. Now a new alliance agreement to fly two -400s for DHL (contracted by DHL to Polar), 20 Captain upgrades on the Polar side not going to happen, can you see where this is going again. Poor management decisions all in order to bust a union. How much is this grievance going to cost??

AAWW management has been whipping the Polar crew force off the Atlas crew force since its aquisition of Polar, all to try and force the Polar crew force to give up its superior contract and accept the Atlas slave agreement. If the Atlas MEC had stood up to the Atlas management anti-labor tactics years ago, instead of bending over for a biscuit every time management offers one or runing scared, both groups would be in a far better place by now.

AAWW management has no intention of merging, they have simply found a great way to keep labor costs in check for many years. If the merger arbitration does find the merger legal (and that is is bigt if) do you really think AAWW management is going to let an arbitrator decide its labor costs in a combined CBA?

My hat is off to the Polar MEC for taking a stand and fighting for what is right against insurmountable odds, fighting not only the bullying tactics of AAWW management, but also the scandalous tactics of a fellow pilot groups MEC.

When this is finally finished one thing will be for certain, the AACI MEC legacy will be finished. One will be working in management as a gopher and the other will be working at the Subway shop.:D

Lancerdvr,

Thanks for the completely un-biased opinion. You are a very bitter person and should seek professional help.