Today is the last day for my employer, Continental Airlines. The merger becomes official at midnight tonight, so tomorrow, I'll be working for Untied. For now, anyway.
I'm not sure I like that. I didn't think I would be emotional at all about this, but after 23 years and 4 months, it's hard not to be, much as I'm trying to avoid it. There is supposed to be a big "celebration" tomorrow to mark the occasion, but I suspect not many of us will be celebrating.
What a long strange trip it's been....
Continental Airlines July 15, 1934 - September 30, 2010
Yeah, end of an era and portent of what commercial aviation will become. I suppose its good you still have a job instead of a downsize and liquidation, but still sucks I bet.
I felt like that when bp bought out Amoco. They said it was a merger, but Amoco disappeared pretty quickly.
This didn't seem like a merger, it felt more like a buyout.
I'm not sure how it'll be tomorrow when they fly the first of our planes with Untied painted on them in here. Not really looking forward to it.
Wow, I didn't know that Continental had been around that long!!!
It is a brutal and nasty world out there in the corporate universe....especially in aviation. Didn't spend quite so long in the game as Jaime...but I was around when big Purple sucked up Flying Tigers and spat out the pieces they didn't like......(like 747's.....).
For what it is worth, I feel for ya Jaime...that is a lot of history with one employer... I'm sure you will find the strength to carry on......if not, we are always here for moral support....
A few pictures. The first one is ship 124 in the hangar before the unveiling. She just came back from the paint shop, and if you look closely, you'll see the gold stripe between the radome and the fuselage doesn't quite line up.... :disturbed:
(http://www.fubarhill.com/temp/jaimeunited1.jpg)
This is ship 442 taxiing out on the Chicago flight this morning. Both sides of the alley were lined with Continental employees taking pictures. Not too many dry eyes...
(http://www.fubarhill.com/temp/jaimeunited3.jpg)
Sorry Jamie. I don't give that Continental tail more than a year.
We were known as bp-Amoco for about that long. I don't think any stations got branded that way. Then it was announced that there was a search on for a new name.
Lo and behold it turned out to be bp.
BTW, I was at Amoco right at 23 years.