Isn't UPS A Boeing Customer Too?

[MrFedEx]

As most of you are aware, FedEx has attempted to blackmail Congress into keeping their RLA exemption by threatening to cancel a 15 plane order for Boeing 777's. Simply put, Fred S had language written into his purchase contract allowing him to do this if his special RLA deal goes away.

I know UPS has chosen to take the high road in this fight, but it would seem logical for them to do the same thing by making their future Boeing purchases contingent on the elimination of the FedEx exemption.

I don't know if UPS has any orders in the Boeing pipeline, but if this is the way Smith wants to play, why not beat him at his own game?

Yes, it's playing dirty. But Smith is exerting enormous pressure behind the scenes, and he is making sure that the key Senators from Washington State (Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray) have to contend with the powerful Boeing lobby. Something to consider.

 

[raceanoncr]

I know UPS has chosen to take the high road in this fight, but it would seem logical for them to do the same thing by making their future Boeing purchases contingent on the elimination of the FedEx exemption.

I don't know if UPS has any orders in the Boeing pipeline, but if this is the way Smith wants to play, why not beat him at his own game?

Yes, it's playing dirty. But Smith is exerting enormous pressure behind the scenes, and he is making sure that the key Senators from Washington State (Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray) have to contend with the powerful Boeing lobby. Something to consider.

Very good point, MR, but MY opinion on this? It'll always come down to a matter of dollars. If I'm reading you right, you're saying that future UPS plane orders should only be Boeing? Is that right?

I don't know what a comparable Airbus would be but betting that if they are cheaper, UPS is on the bandwagon, no matter what the ramifications would be!

It's kinda like most of us. We all SAY to buy American or local but when it comes down to it, "Well, this one WAS cheaper, and I'm on a budget"! "Well, MOST of this car is made in America." "Well, the quality is better than the American counterpart." "Well, it sounds better."...and on and on.

MY take? We all talk big (me included) when it comes to shopping but I'll bet our butts are in WalMart today at some time.

 

[rod]

Very good point, MR, but MY opinion on this? It'll always come down to a matter of dollars. If I'm reading you right, you're saying that future UPS plane orders should only be Boeing? Is that right?

I don't know what a comparable Airbus would be but betting that if they are cheaper, UPS is on the bandwagon, no matter what the ramifications would be!

It's kinda like most of us. We all SAY to buy American or local but when it comes down to it, "Well, this one WAS cheaper, and I'm on a budget"! "Well, MOST of this car is made in America." "Well, the quality is better than the American counterpart." "Well, it sounds better."...and on and on.

MY take? We all talk big (me included) when it comes to shopping but I'll bet our butts are in WalMart today at some time.

Not me. I hate fighting the crowd at Wal-Mart and to be honest I haven't found their prices to be "falling" that much to justify wasting time standing in line with a bunch of overweight people with too many out of control kids. And their groceries really sucks.

 

[FedEX 4 Life]

Id rather pay a lil more at Target and get better service than go to the ghetto Walmart near me.

 

[MobileBA]

Too bad for FedEx, now we know the quality of their pilots....I have heard it said Boeing planes are made for pilots and Airbus planes are made for the sultan's kids of third world countries. I am sure the quality of pilots at Fedex is very good, maybe, Fred is looking to hire third world pilots.

 

[MrFedEx]

Very good point, MR, but MY opinion on this? It'll always come down to a matter of dollars. If I'm reading you right, you're saying that future UPS plane orders should only be Boeing? Is that right?

I don't know what a comparable Airbus would be but betting that if they are cheaper, UPS is on the bandwagon, no matter what the ramifications would be!

It's kinda like most of us. We all SAY to buy American or local but when it comes down to it, "Well, this one WAS cheaper, and I'm on a budget"! "Well, MOST of this car is made in America." "Well, the quality is better than the American counterpart." "Well, it sounds better."...and on and on.

MY take? We all talk big (me included) when it comes to shopping but I'll bet our butts are in WalMart today at some time.

I'm suggesting that UPS use similar tactics by threatening to not buy Boeing if Fred gets his way on the RLA. In short, to play the same game that FedEx is playing...in reverse. This would put pressure on politicians to ignore Smith's blackmail attempt and would force Boeing to become neutral instead of beoming a lobbyist for FedEx in order to save aircraft orders. After all, Boeing wouldn't want to piss-off a big customer (UPS) in order to accomodate another customer (FedEx), right?

Cantwell and Murray are between a rock and a hard place because Boeing is the top employer in their state. Both may vote for Smith to placate Boeing, which is exactly what Smith wants.

 

[Work right slow and safe]

some driver was telling me that fed ex is getting money from the goverment.
they also tryed to get a loan and was turned down from the banks.Has anyone heard of this ?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

some driver was telling me that fed ex is getting money from the goverment.
they also tryed to get a loan and was turned down from the banks.Has anyone heard of this ?

FedEx has not asked for a bailout.

I don't know about the loan.

 

[airbusfxr]

UPS is buying 767's at this very moment. We have several coming off the line this year.

 

[overallowed]

Doesn't fedex have a fleet of mostly Airbus planes?

 

[MrFedEx]

UPS is buying 767's at this very moment. We have several coming off the line this year.

UPS probably couldn't use them as leverage, but they certainly could use future orders. If Smith wants to be a bully, call the little **%#@'s bluff. I'm sure UPS top management would like to give him a taste of his own bitter political medicine.

 

[barnyard]

It would be best if UPS did not stoop to the level of Fed Ex. Our customers are watching and they make some of their decisions based on the actions of our CEO and yours. We are taking the high road and should stay there.

TB

 

[Pump Up The Volume]

UPS cancelled Airbus orders ( so did other airlines ) before Fed Ex started this mularkey. Just do the research.

 

[TheDick]

UPS cancelled Airbus orders ( so did other airlines ) before Fed Ex started this mularkey. Just do the research.

Maybe they cancelled so they could take over the payments Fedex started
"I'll buy that for a dollar!"

 

[MrFedEx]

UPS cancelled Airbus orders ( so did other airlines ) before Fed Ex started this mularkey. Just do the research.

FedEx and UPS both cancelled orders for the A380, which was way behind schedule. The A380 orders had nothing to do with what's going on now. Your research is faulty.

 

[airbusfxr]

We are buying 747-4 and 767 because airbus cannot give us a product we need. The only reason the A300 were acquired was because FDX had them and UPS is always trailing FDX when it comes to aviation. Remember FDX is an airline with trucks, and UPS is a trucking company with airplanes. UPS had a nurse, trucker and IE on the airplane buying team, instead of pilots, mechanics, and experts. In the 1990's we stuck small motors on the 727's instead of buying the STC from FDX to install hush kits, this wasted millions of dollars and set the airline back years. We begged for the 747-4 and management just shrugged and said "we have a nurse and trucker buying airplanes, they know best"

 

[drewed]

We are buying 747-4 and 767 because airbus cannot give us a product we need. The only reason the A300 were acquired was because FDX had them and UPS is always trailing FDX when it comes to aviation. Remember FDX is an airline with trucks, and UPS is a trucking company with airplanes. UPS had a nurse, trucker and IE on the airplane buying team, instead of pilots, mechanics, and experts. In the 1990's we stuck small motors on the 727's instead of buying the STC from FDX to install hush kits, this wasted millions of dollars and set the airline back years. We begged for the 747-4 and management just shrugged and said "we have a nurse and trucker buying airplanes, they know best"

So now we're playing catchup is it the right move to buy any 747-4 we can find even if we have to make it a conve?