AA recalls starting to increase

[aa73]

Two April recall classes now... 20 in the April 2 class, 30 in the April 15 class for a total of 50 in April. Up to #1430 or so out of 2750 furloughed.

73

 

[spacecadet1]

But the bad news is that retirements have practically stopped in March. The ugly face of age 65 will become apparent soon. If you have a decent income outside this business, it may be wise to defer recall, and invest your efforts in a career where they are appreciated.

 

[Coool Hand Luke]

Well let's just hope none of them curl up in first class for a little cat nap while on duty like one of the recently recalled F/A's did.

 

[plunger]

Whats up with American? Every other major has not only recalled everyone but has been hiring for a while now. What's taking American so long? Just curious. I'm only a regional FO and don't know much about the majors.

 

[aa73]

March only had 13 early outs. April will probably have more, based on the stock market/B fund unit value from three months ago. Either way you cut it, there will probably always be some early outs every month in the near future.

73

 

[aa73]

Whats up with American? Every other major has not only recalled everyone but has been hiring for a while now. What's taking American so long? Just curious. I'm only a regional FO and don't know much about the majors.

Plunger. Allow me. AMR had the most pilots on furlough (2750.) The big difference is... Every other airline decided to take advantage of recent positive cash flows and grew, added routes, took some new deliveries (except maybe UAL.) AMR has been slowly shrinking since 2001. They have parked or sold aircraft to competitors. They have seen their NYC market share dwindle to DAL and CAL's delight. In short, AMR does not have a long term strategy of growth. They are more concerned with whacking labor upside the head and defending their yearly PUP bonuses - which are based on the stock price, which - SURPRISE! - tends to rise when routes/capacity are cut.

Case in point - AMR is sitting on over $6B in cash. They are either preparing for a pilot strike or a big a$$ merger. But growth is not part of these plans, and that is why we have been so slow in recalling pilots.

Now factor in the 143 early outs (retirements) on Feb 1. These pilots came mostly from 767 and 777 CA bid statuses. They left AA critically short on manning. As a result, AA begins canceling HIGHLY PRESTIGIOUS 767/777 int'l routes - AA's bread and butter! - over the spring and summer months, due to lack of manning. February alone saw a bunch of LHR 777 flights cancelled...

So we have an airline that is not really interested in preserving market share, instead focusing on shrinking, whacking labor and keeping the stock price up. All this while DAL announces something like 10 new int'l routes per month, while taking deliveries of new 777LRs with massive pilot hiring. AA would rather cancel routes/flights and park aircraft. Painful, I tell ya! Now you know why AA pilots have a new motto: "Won't be fooled again!" (The Who) and our new war cry.

73

 

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

Plunger. Allow me. AMR had the most pilots on furlough (2750.) The big difference is... Every other airline decided to take advantage of recent positive cash flows and grew, added routes, took some new deliveries (except maybe UAL.) AMR has been slowly shrinking since 2001. They have parked or sold aircraft to competitors. They have seen their NYC market share dwindle to DAL and CAL's delight. In short, AMR does not have a long term strategy of growth. They are more concerned with whacking labor upside the head and defending their yearly PUP bonuses - which are based on the stock price, which - SURPRISE! - tends to rise when routes/capacity are cut.

Case in point - AMR is sitting on over $6B in cash. They are either preparing for a pilot strike or a big a$$ merger. But growth is not part of these plans, and that is why we have been so slow in recalling pilots.

Now factor in the 143 early outs (retirements) on Feb 1. These pilots came mostly from 767 and 777 CA bid statuses. They left AA critically short on manning. As a result, AA begins canceling HIGHLY PRESTIGIOUS 767/777 int'l routes - AA's bread and butter! - over the spring and summer months, due to lack of manning. February alone saw a bunch of LHR 777 flights cancelled...

So we have an airline that is not really interested in preserving market share, instead focusing on shrinking, whacking labor and keeping the stock price up. All this while DAL announces something like 10 new int'l routes per month, while taking deliveries of new 777LRs with massive pilot hiring. AA would rather cancel routes/flights and park aircraft. Painful, I tell ya! Now you know why AA pilots have a new motto: "Won't be fooled again!" (The Who) and our new war cry.

73

Mgt's exclusive purpose is to maximize shareholder value by getting/keeping the stock up. AMR's management is the best in the business. The proof being that AMR did not file bankruptcy while all the others did. AMR furloughed like mad and "shrank to profitability" post 9/11, and did not default on their debts and contracts like the others.

 

[Andy]

Glad to hear the recalls are increasing. Hopefully you guys will burn through the list quickly - I imagine that you're seeing a lot of deferrals.

 

[Cpt Oveur]

Is Mark Hetterman still going into recurrent classes and saying "you pilots just don't understand how management bonuses work?" I'm sure that makes the pilot group real happy. They really do need to start added more routes. They're sitting on a ton of route authorities that they either used to serve themself or from TWA that they still have access to.

 

[FreightGod]

Well let's just hope none of them curl up in first class for a little cat nap while on duty like one of the recently recalled F/A's did

She was probably TWA. Them gals had a habit of hanging out in 1st. class seats while on duty.
The world owes them something...I guess.

 

[#1 Windmilling]

From "Won't Get Fooled Again" (The Who)

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" (air guitar to follow)

#1 W

 

[Big Slick]

Another reason the AA recalls have taken so long is that AA purchased/merged with TWA right before 9-11. The TWA guys were stapled on the bottom of the seniority list and most got furloughed. So, there is no real sense of loyalty to the furloughed guys. It is common practice for senior guys to pick up extra trips to make a few more bucks. This keeps the furloughees on the street longer.

Remember that TWA went out of business before AA bought them, so it wasn’t really a merger in the normal sense. So, the AA guys can rationalize the TWA guys being furloughed. “They are just lucky to have an airline job to be recalled to in the first place” is a common mindset.

Bottom line, APA is a house divided. The ex-TWA guys are sort of considered expendable by the senior AA guys. So, they don’t feel any guilt about them being furloughed for 8+ years.

My humble opinion.

 

[GOULET!]

Can't wait to see how the negoitations go this year for the pilot contract. Going to be one bloody battle.

 

[75M]

Remember that TWA went out of business before AA bought them, so it wasn’t really a merger in the normal sense.

Not true. TWA never missed a day of operation, and did not go out of business prior to being purchased by AA. While it was an "assett acquisition" negotiated through the bankruptcy process in January-April of 2001, the last flight on the TWA certificate was on August 31, 2004. I know, I was there.

As far as the extensive length of the furloughs, AMR ended up being pretty fat as a result of the TWA deal. They had something like 11 different fleets including F-100s. 717s and DC9s. It was painful, but lile Li' J. said, they did what they had to.

 

[Big Slick]

I know what a sensitive subject this is - I did not mean to disrespect any ex-TWA employees. I'm actually under the TWA folks, so I feel your pain. Hopefully, we will all be recalled soon.

 

[Mkubwa]

aa73,

Seems like if the AA pilot group wanted real change they'd have a plan in place to take the company private, fire the management, replace the BOD in so doing radically alter the poisoned culture of the airline.

Remember, Continental used to be a joke - full of scabs and entrenched and incompetent management. At the owners' (Bonderman [TPG]) behest, Bethune was recruited as the CEO and purged the top ranks of management and rebuilt the culture. We see where they are now.

Unfortunately, the AA pilot culture is merely a reflection of the AA management culture which is to say, "I've got mine." My crystal ball is working just fine and this is what's inside it: nothing is going to change for the better.

 

[waveflyer]

I'm sorry- no matter the reason- picking up extra flying when there are guys on furlough is a step above scabbing. I can't believe APA (who i've really respected of late) is allowing that to go on.

 

[pkober]

I agree about the picking up open time while furloughed, it is scabbing (in a sense). It happens at many airlines not just AA.

I never thought I would say this, especially being a stapled/furloughed TWA/AA'er but, I feel the APA has done more for it's furloughees than I thought. I figured they would shi+ on the TWA guys and forget about us. I haven't seen it. I may be mistaken but I believe they want longevity for ALL furloughees in this next contract. They could have easily have said all nAAtive furloughees only, but didn't.

I do agree that the APA should put pressure on it's pilots to stop picking up open time during a furlough. However, I bet some of the open time is being picked up in STL as well as other domiciles.

 

[pkober]

I agree about the picking up open time while furloughed, it is scabbing (in a sense). It happens at many airlines not just AA.

I never thought I would say this, especially being a stapled/furloughed TWA/AA'er but, I feel the APA has done more for it's furloughees than I thought. I figured they would shi+ on the TWA guys and forget about them. I haven't seen it. I may be mistaken but I believe they want longevity for ALL furloughees in this next contract. They could have easily have said all nAAtive furloughees only, but didn't.

I do agree that the APA should put pressure on it's pilots to stop picking up open time during a furlough. However, I bet some of the open time is being picked up in STL as well as other domiciles.

Unfortunately many pilots are whores.

 

[AA767AV8TOR]

Another reason the AA recalls have taken so long is that AA purchased/merged with TWA right before 9-11. The TWA guys were stapled on the bottom of the seniority list and most got furloughed.

Big Slick,

I’m not quite sure where you are getting your information, but the TWA pilots were not stapled at the bottom of our list. I routinely fly DFW to HNL, our most senior trip, with former TWA Captains.

Moreover, furloughed former TWA pilots are coming off the street straight to the left seat of an AA Super 80. This is from a 17 year AA native FO that is still throwing gear.

I’m not trying to drudge up another AA-TWA flight, but just setting the facts straight.

AA767AV8TOR