Seems to me that we need some updated abbreviations for the new United; typing out what we are trying to communicate is so clumsy.

So, I humbly suggest that we adopt the following abbreviations for the new United –

UA/UAL – the combined United in its entirety

LUAL – Legacy United – fleet, practices, employees, everything

LCAL – Legacy Continental – fleet, practices, employees, everything

That is all.

I have a few prognostications that I have pulled from the vapor of various stories and threads I’ve been reading.

To make it an easier read, I’ll just do one a day.

To start, I’ll do my (former) hometown airline, UCon (now NuCon, or United as it is more commonly known).

United (combined) has already begun to re-gauge several routes and their two east coast hubs – EWR and IAD. A whole lot of big legacy UA metal is moving up to EWR and a whole bunch of CO’s snappy little 75M are going to be hauling the political worker bees across the pond on legacy UA’s routes from IAD.

This makes a whale of a lot of sense.

Rumor has it that a few of legacy UA’s 744s are going to be running from IAH – NRT, FRA, LIM, LHR – the demand is there, and UCon hasn’t had the metal to upgauge.

United is making a push at NRT and flogging the regulatory authorities hard on Tokyo Haneda, now that Delta has drawn down service there.

Here comes my prediction – United is going to be a money machine. They will have the ONLY truly global airline – something that eluded even Pan Am in their heyday. Delta has very little to Latin America, in which United is immensely strong. United’s partnership with Lufthansa’s constellation of carriers will produce enormous revenue generation, as will Lufty and United’s transpacific agreements with ANA. This is basically a kick in the groin to JAL, who is already on the ropes.

The new United, as my buddy Gailen David today noted, seems to be choosing most of legacy Continental’s operating standards going forward – which is a very good thing. With an advancing reputation for service, the right ship on the right route, and the sole opportunity for a traveler anywhere to stay online everywhere – United is going to be the next King of the Jungle.

I always love this time of year, as it brings me back into direct contact with some of my favorite people – who are also tax clients. I love catching up, and being there to make a process more comfortable and confident for my peeps.

One conversation that I look forward to all year is with a senior Continental FA who, after over 30 years of working in aluminum tubes, is still more beautiful and vivacious than most 25 year old girls.

I also love her sense of humor. Her latest was “FLIBS” — to describe the current band of pirates running UCon (my pet name for merged Continental). The acronym translates into “Frank Lorenzo in Better Suits”.

Sure, there are synergistic benefits to the combined companies. We’re already starting to see the re-gauging of EWR and IAD to more appropriate frequencies and capacities. But, no one is fooled that this wasn’t the effort and desire of the top brass and their investors (primarily JPMorgan Chase) looking to score big.

Apparently, my gal pal recently was in a room with Jeff (the merger master and progenitor) and was asked why she didn’t know who he was. Her reply was “I’ve been here over 30 years. Those guys come and go, but I’m still here. Who they are is irrelevant.”

This is a lesson that Big Corp needs to receive, 5×5. These huge companies are operated by single, human beings – who generate revenue with their efforts. Big Corp always tries to increase the amount that goes into their pockets by villainizing employees. But, when Big Corp does away with in flight services, who is it that pays the direct price? When Big Corp takes out their big salary and bonus payment and moves on to the next big thing, who is it that remains to continue the enterprise?

You want your premium customers coming back, but you are willing to force new, more restrictive wage and work rules onto your employees? Guess how well that’s going to work out for you.

All workforce populations age. The young and vigorous becomes the matured and capable. You pay them more, because of their ability to manage the unexpected and to do so smoothly and with confidence.

Given the selfish profit motivation of the Merger Managers, I can only assume that they’re looking for a way to outsource mainline pilots to a bunch of 14 year old Thai boys with XBox sets.

That way of thinking is flawed and needs to come to an end.