AERO2003.ORG

davetheflyer

New Member
aero2003.org

This is an anti-JO website that has surfaced recently. It was mentioned in a Washington Post article (below). Supposedly it's based on a website that helped Peoplesoft resist a takeover by Oracle Software (or possibly the other way around). If any of you have more money than you know what to do with, you can also contribute. I have been assured that it is legitimate.

November 19 is the BIG DAY. Check out the ACA websites after 2pm. There is supposed to be an unveiling of the new name and a CRJ in the new livery. If you are in the vicinity of IAD, you may even see it in person.
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By Amy Joyce
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 17, 2003; Page E02


Mesa Air Group Inc.'s hostile takeover bid of Atlantic Coast Airlines Holdings Inc. has made Atlantic's employees hostile.



A cheeky Web site, created by Atlantic Coast pilots, according to company insiders, was set up recently to show support for Atlantic's new independent, as-yet unnamed airline. But even more so to bash Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa chief executive.

The site, www.aero2003.org, which stands for "ACA Employees Repelling Ornstein," tauntingly greets Ornstein on its home page, should he visit the site: "Oh, and hello, Johnny. Glad you stopped by. You're going to lose."

The site asks for donations to help employees pay for anti-Mesa buttons and other expenses, and explains that the employees' mission is to help the company resist Mesa's bid. The site's manifesto declares "our desire to satirize Mesa and everything about it."

Ornstein, an outspoken airline executive who has garnered animosity from organized labor, has created turmoil among employees at Dulles-based Atlantic Coast. Pilots hope to fly larger jets for a new low-fare airline; larger jets mean more advancement and career opportunities. But Atlantic's plans to launch the new airline -- it is to unveil a new name and logo Wednesday -- were put in jeopardy with Ornstein's plan to swallow the company. In response, Atlantic's pilots are standing up for their company's new idea, albeit anonymously.

A longtime Atlantic pilot spoke on the condition of anonymity because he and his co-workers are afraid for their salaries, benefits and jobs if Mesa takes over.

Ornstein "bought CCAir and pretty much disassembled that," said the pilot, who has worked for Atlantic for about eight years. "There's nothing left of it. And that's what we anticipate are his intentions of ACA."

Mesa's bid to take over Atlantic came after Atlantic announced it would start a new airline and drop its longtime contract with United Airlines to run the United Express commuter service on the East Coast. Atlantic pilots are excited by the prospect of flying for an independent airline, said Doug Abbey, president of Washington-based AvStat, an airline consultancy. "It's the nature of pilots to want to fly bigger and newer and more complex or sophisticated airplanes," he said.

Mesa's pilots are paid less than Atlantic's, who are paid more than pilots at most regional airlines. Benefits at Mesa are also inferior to those at Atlantic Coast, according to the Atlantic pilot and industry experts.

"Jonathan's reputation among pilots is fairly well-known," Abbey said. "His acquisition of CCAir put a lot of people out of work."

Rick DeLisi, an Atlantic Coast spokesman, said he had no comment about the new Web site. The pilot, and a disclaimer on the site, state that Atlantic Coast management has no hand in creating the Web site. A Mesa spokesman did not return several calls seeking comments on the site.


© 2003 The Washington Post Company
 
I saw this on another website too. But they wanted us all to donate money to embark on a mission like Peoplesoft vs. Oracle.

I asked,"Huh? I thought Peoplesoft went out of business years ago!"
 
I'm still figuring out what the deal is. It has some pretty funny separated-at-birth picture of Ornstein and stuff though. I'm not donating. Since I'll be taking a pay cut for Project Independence, I'll just say that I gave at the office.
 
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