O'reilly talking about AA flight w/10 hr wait

[deemee boosgkee]

Right now for the next hour Bill O'reilly is doing a radio piece about the AA flight last month that was stuck on the tarmac at AUS. Below is a link for a local affilate finder.

I'm listening now and he's really tearing up AA MANAGEMENT and felt sorry for the pilots and FA's. He's also calling for the AIRLINES TO BE REGULATED BY THE FEDS. So much for him being labeled a conservative!!

http://www.billoreilly.com/stationfinder

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Right now for the next hour Bill O'reilly is doing a radio piece about the AA flight last month that was stuck on the tarmac at AUS. Below is a link for a local affilate finder.

I'm listening now and he's really tearing up AA MANAGEMENT and felt sorry for the pilots and FA's. He's also calling for the AIRLINES TO BE REGULATED BY THE FEDS. So much for him being labeled a conservative!!

http://www.billoreilly.com/stationfinder

We are regulated by the feds, just not "regulated".

 

[Flyby1206]

http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/24/news/companies/airline_hearings/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote

Senators fly idea of airline re-regulation

At hearing on airline consolidation, wisdom of US Air bid for Delta is questioned, with some saying government oversight might be needed.

By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
January 24 2007: 1:44 PM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Senators grilled US Airways CEO Douglas Parker about his company's hostile bid for Delta Air Lines at a hearing on airline consolidation Wednesday, with even some Republicans suggesting there could be a need for re-regulation of airlines if a new round of mergers take place.
"I hear this from very conservative people in my state, they're asking for re-regulation of the airlines because of lack of service," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, at one point in the discussion.

Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein.

US Airways CEO Douglas Parker.
Video

More video

Airlines are finally turning a corner and expected to make money in 2007. CNN's Ali Velshi is 'Minding Your Business' (January 17) Play video




Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., also argued that smaller communities have been hurt by consolidation in the industry, and they worried that flyers in their states would face higher fares if US Air (Charts) is allowed to buy Delta (Charts).
Rockefeller said he was concerned that if the US Air-Delta deal went forward, it would prompt two more mergers between the four other large carriers - AMR Corp. (Charts) unit American Airlines and Northwest Airlines, and UAL Corp. (Charts) unit United Airlines and Continental Airlines (Charts) - with each of the resulting three carriers having more 24 percent or more of the market.
"I don't think it has to come down to that [re-regulation] but I think it is something in that order," said Rockefeller.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., also said he believes deregulation of the airline industry has been bad for smaller markets, saying it costs twice as much to fly to his home state from Washington than it does to fly to Los Angeles, which is twice as far away.
"I think the market system is best way of allocating goods and services but I think it needs a referee," he said. "It's quite possible the market would say that air service only exists between the major cities."
Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein, who spoke before a hearing room packed with Delta employees opposed to the deal, repeated his company's criticism of US Air's bid, saying that it would cause a sharp drop in competition and higher fares.
"Small communities will certainly suffer," he said. "With less competition, fares will increase."
And he questioned claims by US Air that the 2005 combination of America West and the then-bankrupt US Airways reduced fares.
"For every market where US Air lowered the fares, fares increased in four other markets," Grinstein argued. "This deal is bad for Delta people bad for the traveling public."
But Parker denied that the combined US Airways-Delta would raise fares, even in markets where they are now the only two major competitors.
Scoring a cheap airline ticket
"We understand if we try to charge people in places like Portland, Maine, higher than reasonable prices, they will end up driving to Manchester," he said in response to Snowe's questions.
And Parker argued that smaller communities are better served if there is more consolidation among the major carriers that have a network of hubs and spokes, such as US Air and Delta, because it will help them reduce costs and make the money they need to compete with lower fare carriers.
"For those [senators] who have small communities, which the low cost carriers will never serve, you should be very concerned about the health of the network carriers," Parker said. "We need to encourage an industry that allows network carriers the opportunity to be profitable and not have us in the continual cycle of coming back to you every five or six years to ask for help."
Parker said that while his airline and the other network carriers have done much to reduce cost and be more competitive with the low-fare carriers, there's no way to replicate the model of a Southwest Airlines in a hub-and-spoke network.
"I'd prefer to own Southwest Airlines (Charts) than US Airways," he said in response to one question. "For the record I don't own either."
Grinstein said he doesn't necessarily support re-regulation, although he argued that the Justice Department should and will block the US Air bid for Delta under existing law because it would reduce competition and raise fares in so many markets.
"US Airways-Delta must be rejected because they [US Air officials] are blatantly anti-competitive. They are in fact our largest competitor and I believe we are their largest," he said.
And Grinstein argued that if the deal does go through, it would necessarily lead to other mergers what would greatly consolidate the industry with less service.
"Are you better off with six network carriers or with three? Are you better off with more hubs or less hubs?" said Grinstein. "Approve this, and what you're approving sets such a low standard, how are you going to say 'no' to United and Continental, how are you going to say 'no' to American and Northwest. Say 'yes' to this and you will devolve into three carriers."
While a consumer advocate and a union official clearly weighed in against further airline mergers at the hearing, Andrew Steinberg, an assistant secretary in the Transportation Department, took a more neutral position in his testimony.
But Steinberg did argue against re-regulation as unworkable, and his answer to questions seemed to suggest support for mergers between the nation's largest airlines.
"History shows that most, though not all, mergers are not successful," he said. "I do believe size and scope in the airline industry are important, though.
"Contrary to what some have suggested, having fewer, healthier network carriers could end up with more service to those [smaller] communities," he added later in the hearing.

 

[AAflyer]

http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/24/news/companies/airline_hearings/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote

Senators fly idea of airline re-regulation

At hearing on airline consolidation, wisdom of US Air bid for Delta is questioned, with some saying government oversight might be needed.

By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
January 24 2007: 1:44 PM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Senators grilled US Airways CEO Douglas Parker about his company's hostile bid for Delta Air Lines at a hearing on airline consolidation Wednesday, with even some Republicans suggesting there could be a need for re-regulation of airlines if a new round of mergers take place.
"I hear this from very conservative people in my state, they're asking for re-regulation of the airlines because of lack of service," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, at one point in the discussion.

Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein.

US Airways CEO Douglas Parker.
Video

More video

Airlines are finally turning a corner and expected to make money in 2007. CNN's Ali Velshi is 'Minding Your Business' (January 17) Play video




Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., also argued that smaller communities have been hurt by consolidation in the industry, and they worried that flyers in their states would face higher fares if US Air (Charts) is allowed to buy Delta (Charts).
Rockefeller said he was concerned that if the US Air-Delta deal went forward, it would prompt two more mergers between the four other large carriers - AMR Corp. (Charts) unit American Airlines and Northwest Airlines, and UAL Corp. (Charts) unit United Airlines and Continental Airlines (Charts) - with each of the resulting three carriers having more 24 percent or more of the market.
"I don't think it has to come down to that [re-regulation] but I think it is something in that order," said Rockefeller.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., also said he believes deregulation of the airline industry has been bad for smaller markets, saying it costs twice as much to fly to his home state from Washington than it does to fly to Los Angeles, which is twice as far away.
"I think the market system is best way of allocating goods and services but I think it needs a referee," he said. "It's quite possible the market would say that air service only exists between the major cities."
Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein, who spoke before a hearing room packed with Delta employees opposed to the deal, repeated his company's criticism of US Air's bid, saying that it would cause a sharp drop in competition and higher fares.
"Small communities will certainly suffer," he said. "With less competition, fares will increase."
And he questioned claims by US Air that the 2005 combination of America West and the then-bankrupt US Airways reduced fares.
"For every market where US Air lowered the fares, fares increased in four other markets," Grinstein argued. "This deal is bad for Delta people bad for the traveling public."
But Parker denied that the combined US Airways-Delta would raise fares, even in markets where they are now the only two major competitors.
Scoring a cheap airline ticket
"We understand if we try to charge people in places like Portland, Maine, higher than reasonable prices, they will end up driving to Manchester," he said in response to Snowe's questions.
And Parker argued that smaller communities are better served if there is more consolidation among the major carriers that have a network of hubs and spokes, such as US Air and Delta, because it will help them reduce costs and make the money they need to compete with lower fare carriers.
"For those [senators] who have small communities, which the low cost carriers will never serve, you should be very concerned about the health of the network carriers," Parker said. "We need to encourage an industry that allows network carriers the opportunity to be profitable and not have us in the continual cycle of coming back to you every five or six years to ask for help."
Parker said that while his airline and the other network carriers have done much to reduce cost and be more competitive with the low-fare carriers, there's no way to replicate the model of a Southwest Airlines in a hub-and-spoke network.
"I'd prefer to own Southwest Airlines (Charts) than US Airways," he said in response to one question. "For the record I don't own either."
Grinstein said he doesn't necessarily support re-regulation, although he argued that the Justice Department should and will block the US Air bid for Delta under existing law because it would reduce competition and raise fares in so many markets.
"US Airways-Delta must be rejected because they [US Air officials] are blatantly anti-competitive. They are in fact our largest competitor and I believe we are their largest," he said.
And Grinstein argued that if the deal does go through, it would necessarily lead to other mergers what would greatly consolidate the industry with less service.
"Are you better off with six network carriers or with three? Are you better off with more hubs or less hubs?" said Grinstein. "Approve this, and what you're approving sets such a low standard, how are you going to say 'no' to United and Continental, how are you going to say 'no' to American and Northwest. Say 'yes' to this and you will devolve into three carriers."
While a consumer advocate and a union official clearly weighed in against further airline mergers at the hearing, Andrew Steinberg, an assistant secretary in the Transportation Department, took a more neutral position in his testimony.
But Steinberg did argue against re-regulation as unworkable, and his answer to questions seemed to suggest support for mergers between the nation's largest airlines.
"History shows that most, though not all, mergers are not successful," he said. "I do believe size and scope in the airline industry are important, though.
"Contrary to what some have suggested, having fewer, healthier network carriers could end up with more service to those [smaller] communities," he added later in the hearing.

Well if we are re-regulated will that mean retirement at 55 with a guranteed pension like our ATC buddies? Hmmmm, payraise as wel?l......Hmmmm

AAflyer

 

[720persecond]

You listen to Bill'O ?????

 

[ReverseSensing]

"I hear this from very conservative people in my state, they're asking for re-regulation of the airlines because of lack of service," said Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, at one point in the discussion.

Oh, that's rich. WTF does Uncle Ted know about conservatism? He reigns over the most socialistic, welfare-oriented, pork-barrel state in the Union.

AK has way more service than is justified, and a lot of it is paid for by us suckers in the lower 48. But I guess Stevens doesn't count Bypass Mail. Or "Life Flight" flights to ANC for Christmas shopping. What a f'ing joke.

 

[8vATE]

Right now for the next hour Bill O'reilly is doing a radio piece about the AA flight last month that was stuck on the tarmac at AUS.
I'm listening now and he's really tearing up AA MANAGEMENT and felt sorry for the pilots and FA's. He's also calling for the AIRLINES TO BE REGULATED BY THE FEDShttp://www.billoreilly.com/stationfinder

I saw the OReilley segment and don't recall that he asked for federal regulation. He also did not rail on the pilots or flight attendants. He just seemed shocked that there was no explanation from AA management.

Way to go sky Nazis!
Just like the NWA snafu years back.
There has to be accountability for such poor customer service.
We can NOT keep people hostage on airplanes for hours and hours.

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

O'reilly has never labeled him self as conservative. The pilots are idiots for sitting there for EIGHT hours. I hear that when they finally taxied to the gate the captain was whining on the PA about possibly losing his job for letting the people off for food, water and facilities.

If you are willing to sit yourself, not to mention a plane load of people, on a tarmac for EIGHT hours because you will not exercise some authority against some ground operations jackbone, you should be flying cargo thru the wee hours. After all, cargo does not bitch, eat, piss, sh1t, or have crying babies.

You cant wait for permission from the Chief Pilot or even the CEO when things like this come up. Piss poor guys. No wonder there is a "travelers bill of rights" on the horizon. Some guys just cant think outside the manual. Probably prior training.

 

[Brett Hull]

Those weird looking bus things...

I flew Southwest BHM-STL back in early December. The night before they got some sleet in STL that pretty much turned the ramp at the East Terminal into an ice rink. They had the runways clear, so our flight left on time. It was when we landed they discovered they were shutting down the ramp to attemp to de-ice it. They left us and a few other flights sitting on taxiway E between 30R and 30L for just under 4 hours until they could get us into a gate.

My question is, and I'm not blaming SWA for this: why couldn't they use those weird looking bus things, park us all where they had access to us, and get everyone off the planes and into the terminal? They were landing on 30R and departing 30L, but it was very slow; they even closed to arrivals shortly after we landed. They could have easily closed one of those runways and parked us on there for the room to maneuver the buses to us.

 

[Cobra]

O'reilly has never labeled him self as conservative. The pilots are idiots for sitting there for EIGHT hours. I hear that when they finally taxied to the gate the captain was whining on the PA about possibly losing his job for letting the people off for food, water and facilities.

If you are willing to sit yourself, not to mention a plane load of people, on a tarmac for EIGHT hours because you will not exercise some authority against some ground operations jackbone, you should be flying cargo thru the wee hours. After all, cargo does not bitch, eat, piss, sh1t, or have crying babies.

You cant wait for permission from the Chief Pilot or even the CEO when things like this come up. Piss poor guys. No wonder there is a "travelers bill of rights" on the horizon. Some guys just cant think outside the manual. Probably prior training.

O'Reilly is about as neoconish as one gets. Are you f$cking kidding me?