...And the beatings at AA continue... 19 more aircraft.. GONE!

[AAslag]

AA is smart. Evil, viscious, inhumane, despicable--but smart.

It doesn't take a genius to figure that the post-9/11 recovery won't last forever. Things will slow down in the next several years. Why start building up your airline while you are still losing money and the economy is going to slow?

The next downturn, there won't be any ATSB money and no two-time veterans of Ch. 11... TC

I didn't know that "evil" was to be capitalized. Chris will be sitting proud in his lair!

 

[AA717driver]

With "Evil" being a proper name and all...TC

 

[COpilot]

Rumor on our comapny board, has a friend of a friend at AA saying that there is some deal with the TWA F/A's; if they are out for 5yrs, then AA is off the hook for their retirement.

Perhaps someone from AA has some info on this corporate angle as the reason to reducing the MD80 fleet at this time?

 

[Vastly Underemp]

Just an aside.....

I was walking thru ORD 2 days ago, in civvies, behind a native F/A that had a bag tag that read "another victim of corporAAte greed." I asked her about the tag and she started prattling about loss of wage and work rules, etc. So I said "perhaps now you feel a little of what the TWA F/A's went through, but then again you still have a job." She just got a nasty F. U. look on her face and stalked off. It felt good........

 

[AA717driver]

AA ended the quarter with 4.8B in cash and temporarily parked 27 MD-82's that are still under lease. They are certainly in "shape" to take on the obligation of covering that 757 flying with MD-80s that they are already paying for.

This is all just management games. The 757 press release is just AMR pi$$ing on APA's shoes for the PUP arbitration win. Same with the temporary parking of the MD80's. (24 others needing AD compliance will soon be appearing at a liquor store near you... )

They are desperately short of pilots but won't/can't spin up until the fall. The new VP of manpower/planning is a decent guy who will listen to reason (unlike his predecessor). There's just no sense in recalling in the summer.

AA is looking for RR 757's. Shhhh!

AA has some serious issues (other than Centerpork being controlled by a bunch of middle-management pogues...) that will need to be addressed. The good old days or labor v. management pi$$ing on each other has got to stop. Otherwise, they might as well file and get it over with.

Word on the street is that pension reform legislation is moving through the back rooms in Congress and will ease the pain of the airlines--except AA. Plan Freeze and no lump may soon be the hot topic in the crew rooms. TC

 

[Double Shot]

Maybe AA is getting ready to aquire Northwest Pacific operation. That could explain the cash.

 

[AAflyer]

Double,

Where did you hear this? On our union message board one of our pilots had a NW jumpseater on his flight. He said the rumor du jour was that NW would sell domestic ops to DAL, and Pacific ops to AA. Have you heard anything.

Sounds a little wild personally,

AA

 

[Mach92]

Just an aside.....

I was walking thru ORD 2 days ago, in civvies, behind a native F/A that had a bag tag that read "another victim of corporAAte greed." I asked her about the tag and she started prattling about loss of wage and work rules, etc. So I said "perhaps now you feel a little of what the TWA F/A's went through, but then again you still have a job." She just got a nasty F. U. look on her face and stalked off. It felt good........

I love it!

 

[Double Shot]

It makes a perfect fit for AA buying Northwest Pacific operations. Thats the area of the world were you guys lack. So to me it makes sense. If it is going to be UAL/CAL in a merger then AA and Nortwest Pacific routes would be the next logical step. IMO. The only thing better would be AA / CAL merged but that would most likely never happen.

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

As a NWA pilot this would be the final blow to our careers. Being AAssimilated would end the majority of our jobs just like the TWA pilots. That being said, and never have seen it in writing alot of NWA pilots are under the impression that the pacific division is non transferable. I would think the Japanese would do everything possible to block it. With NWA they have a known quantity(a very mediocre airline) which allows JAL and ANA to have less competition on the high yield pax. With AA(even though I have not been impressed with the cabin service to/from NRT) there is a perceived better quality. If there has to be a merger I would like to see CAL or DAL. At least being ALPO we might get a more fair shake. We gave up alot but kept most of our merger/fragmentation language. Truthfully I have no idea what NWAs plan is or whether there is a future here. We are bankrupt but are taking accelerated deliveries of A330s and I believe the order for the 787 was the largest order of widebody a/c ever for NW(18 firm/50 options) probably just locked up production spots to sell to other carriers. Sorry for the long post.

No voter

 

[Uniform Shop]

The only thing better would be AA / CAL merged but that would most likely never happen.

I would hate to think of where I would end up on that list. Stapled twice by the same company. That would be a new record. :beer: