Official: American Leaving STL!!

[phishn@daves]

Stl Gone!!!!!!!!
It will be official this afternoon. AA is only going to operate 40 flights a day in STL with the reduction starting in Sept. I cannot see any of the AAC carriers continuing at STL feeding only 40 flights. It will be interesting to see what happens to our(CHQ) planes if the hammer does fall. Nobody else wants the 140 type aircraft.

This is a quote from another board. Does anyone have any more info on this? Or any proof?

Take care.

 

[AAflyer]

I would wait, I have heard they would kep 200 flights a day, then 100 flights, who knows? Better to wait and see the press release.

AA

 

[phishn@daves]

Hey AAflyer, thanks for your quick response.........I wasn't sure if it was flame-bait or not when I first read it.

What a sh!tty situation for all those involved. I fly for TSA in STL so I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. Just when we got good news about UAL express flying, here come the bad news again, I guess it is cyclical!

 

[AAflyer]

Still hard to say what will happen. AA just spent a sh1t load of money to run a master shuffle with many pilots going to STL (SLT on the AA side) as well as training around 1000 FAs to go up there. I guess that would be typical AA, to spend a bunch of money and make plans then 3 months later pull out.

Should be interesting, I think we also post our second quarter results today. I bet these are being done at the same time for a reason.

good luck

AA

 

[pilotwannabe]

Below is a part of AA's press release concerning 2nd quarter results and other news. STL is going to but cut but not completely I guess.


"Between American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carriers, St. Louis will offer 207 flights a day to 68 cities after the change, which is effective Nov. 1. American will maintain its pilot and flight attendant bases there. More information on American's new hub schedule in St. Louis can be found in the fact sheet below".

Click the following link to view whole story.

http://biz.yahoo.com/news/airlines.html

 

[ERJpusher]

Here's the numbers on the "reduction" in flying out of STL:

· Total departures reduced from 417 a day to 207 a day
· Mainline jet departures reduced from 213 a day to 53 a day
· RJ departures reduced from 91 a day to 85 a day
· Prop departures reduced from 113 a day to 69 a day

It doesn't look as though RJ traffic is in any real danger... for now.

Does anyone know how this will affect the TWA guys that are still working in STL?

 

[burping_boy]

RJ departures...

If Eagle is indeed coming into St. Louis, won't RJ departures for Connection effectively be hit much harder than that? That 85 number reflects total departures INCLUDING eagle right?


Ugh...

 

[AAflyer]

Hey guys, here is the latest email received from the company.

AA


-----------------------------

Posted: 7/16/2003 11:42:05 AM
Title: SPECIAL JETWIRE FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2003

Brief: AMR ANNOUNCED IMPROVED EARNINGS, NETWORK CHANGES
-----------------------------

SPECIAL JETWIRE FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2003

PLEASE POST ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS

---AMR ANNOUNCED IMPROVED EARNINGS,
NETWORK CHANGES---
AMR Corp. today announced improved financial results for the second
quarter. Additionally, American will be making St. Louis into a smaller
hub with an enhanced focus on local traffic. The airline will also be
closing the St. Louis Reservations office as consumers continue opting for
alternative ways to book flights.

AMR Corp. reported a second-quarter net loss of $357 million before
special items, compared with a loss of $465 million before a special item
in the second quarter of 2002. These results represent a dramatic
improvement over the $1.04 billion net loss AMR recorded in this year's
first quarter.

In St. Louis, American and the AmericanConnection carriers will reduce
flight operations effective Nov. 1. The airline also said it would close
its St. Louis Reservations office on Sept. 15.

St. Louis will remain a hub, in fact, the fourth largest hub in terms of
total departures. President and CEO Gerard Arpey said that in the context
of the Turnaround Plan, American would shift most east-west connecting
traffic from St. Louis to Chicago and DFW to "fly smart." The move will
strengthen AA's two biggest hubs and concentrate St. Louis's flying on
what has been successful there, serving the local market.

Closing the St. Louis reservations office was "driven by hard economic
realities," Arpey told employees in a letter being distributed today and
currently available via Jetnet.

Additionally, AMR's Board of Directors approved the appointments of three
new vice presidents. These are not new positions, but rather vacancies
that occurred when former officers left the company. In addition to the
appointments, two current officers will transition to leading new work
groups.

Lauri Curtis is vice president-Flight Service; Danny Martinez is vice
president-Line Maintenance; and Debra Hunter Johnson is vice
president-Human Resources Operations Support. Bella Goren, currently vice
president-Customer Services Planning, replaces Curtis in Reservations; and
Marilyn Devoe, a 20-year AA veteran, succeeds Goren. "I have every
confidence that each of these individuals will do a great job in their new
roles," Arpey said. "Each has a long track record of hard work, ethical
behavior and success, and each is devoted to American and its future."

The Board also approved the annual management stock program as it has done
for more than 20 years.

Employees should see the front page of Jetnet at http://jetnet.aa.com for
the full financial news release and a letter from Arpey.

 

[G4G5]

Just a guess, nothing official but it's going to mean deeper furloughs.

AA does not want to have to re run the MOAB, the training is to costly. They are forced by sup CC of the contract to protect approx 500-600 remaining TWA captain positions.

The FO's currently winding up in STL, for the most part are the jr folks who can't hold another base. These folks will wind up getting furloughed down to the current(todays) no furlough limit (lol). Leaving approx 9900 pilots. Bummer, that's it for me.

The FO's will be replaced by the remaining 500-600 TWA captains. Approx 250-300 CA's and 250-300 fo's. While they are required to pay them as pay protected captains they are not required to have seats for them (my understanding). As long as STL is a pilot base they are locked into STL.

This will solve the new departure requirements at STL. It reduces the need to expedite any conversion of the TWA aircraft to AA ops. Remove any conflicts that may have erupted by flying mixed
crews and most importantly keep within the guidelines of the current contract.

 

[Daedalus]

Sorry to hear your pending furlough from AA, G4. This situation is made even worse by your earlier decision to pass up jetBlue back in 2000. That must be like throwing salt on the old wound when you replay that one in your mind.

Oh well, if its any consolation, most folks would have made the same choice to go with the "sure thing." Good luck finding work with Coke.

 

[Heavy Set]

I'd rather fly GVs for Coke ANY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G4G5, are you pursuing opportunities with them? If so, good luck and keep us posted.

 

[AAflyer]

G4G5,

Being the eternal optimist don't give hope yet, in Arpey's actual letter it talked about beefing up the flying inORD and DFW to better maximize the financial potential of these hubs. While I am sure there will be some reduction, more flying may actually be shifted to other bases, causing pilots to displace to other bases but maybe not the need to furlough, or as many as one would think.

Also the 2nd quarter results were positive, with the special items and security rembursment we only lost $75million and actually posted a profit in the month of June.

I realize we have a long way to go, but maybe we have reached the bottom and are slowly working our way out, while there is still a possibility of BK, I think many would have bet money we would be there now, look back at some of the post in April, or what industry experts (ha ha, I love that word ) predicted.

Hope the furloughs don't get to where you are. One pilot on the street is one too many.

AA

 

[Clownpilot]

TWA slashed, mainline cut 78% in STL

No further furloughs.

No new master shuffle.

Acccording to AA they planned for this on the original MS, so an additional one is not necessary.

They also state there will be no furloughs beyond what has already been announced.

Sounds like they knew STL was getting the big axe when they did the original Master. Had STL gone away as a hub I am sure they would have run another.

My guess is they AA got some big incentives from local govt not to totally pull out.

Looks like its still STL 'here I come'.

If the doors are locked when I get there I guess I'll come back.

 

[Goodstick]

American Connection will replace AA

Memo

To: All Trans States Airlines Employees

From: Rick Leach

Date: July 16, 2003

Re: American Airlines Announcement

As you may know by now, American Airlines announced today that effective November 1st, St. Louis will become a smaller hub. Specifically, the total departures are planned to reduce here in STL from 417 flights a day to 207 flights a day. They will be offering convenient nonstop service to the markets in greatest local demand.


While St. Louis will be a somewhat smaller hub, this has presented a great opportunity for Trans States to initiate service to markets where American has decided to reduce service. This opportunity also furthers our partnership with American as we support their changing needs in this new environment.

As part of this announcement today from American, Trans States will initially add 5 EMB-145 regional jets with an option to increase to at least 10 additional aircraft in service for American.

Trans States will initiate service on Nov. 1st to sixteen (16) new cities. We will begin new RJ AmericanConnection service from STL to : ATL,AUS,COS,DCA,CMH,DEN,EWR,IAD,MSP,ORF,PHL, BDL,MSY,PIT,RDU and RIC.

We are currently evaluating our turboprop schedule. Because STL will be a smaller hub, there obviously will be a slight reduction in the number of turboprop flights we offer from many feed markets. These changes will be announced shortly.

While this is exciting news for most of us at Trans States, please remember that it will affect some of our valued employees, as well as some long time friends at American.

This opportunity to expand our regional jet flying here in St. Louis is a direct result of the dedication and hard work of our entire organization. We appreciate everything you do that assists us in getting these new opportunities.

I know you all will have a lot of questions, and I don’t have all the answers at this point. Please check the Trans States Airlines’ website employee section sometime later this afternoon for the American Airlines press release as well as other pertinent information. I will also schedule Town Hall Meetings in the next two weeks to provide any other information I may have by then. In the meantime, please feel free to submit questions to me via e-mail at [email protected].

 

[JayDub]

I'd rather fly GVs for Coke ANY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G4G5, are you pursuing opportunities with them? If so, good luck and keep us posted.

Heavy Set
Senior Member

Registered: Nov 2002

Flown: 747, 727

Civ/Mil: Civ

Ratings: Many

Current Position: Laid off - not flying

Total Time: 12,000

Posts: 221
The Emb order is great news for Jet Blue wannabes.

It is too bad that all current Jet Blue pilots will likely not fly the new and advanced EMB-190 (due to the "one bid" rule the General talks about above). Yes, the Airbus is an amazing aircraft, but it would be great to also fly the "latest" high-tech masterpiece - I have seen pictures of the upcoming Primus flight deck - awesome! Regardless, anyone lucky enough to get on with Jet Blue should be happy enough!


__________________
Fly Safe!



Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

06-12-2003 00:02

Interesting comment Heavy Set. What's changed in a little over a month?

JayDub

 

[G4G5]

Sorry to hear your pending furlough from AA, G4. This situation is made even worse by your earlier decision to pass up jetBlue back in 2000. That must be like throwing salt on the old wound when you replay that one in your mind.

Oh well, if its any consolation, most folks would have made the same choice to go with the "sure thing." Good luck finding work with Coke.

It's the luck of the draw. At Jet Blue I'd be approx #75 on the list. If I had stayed at DAL or NWA I would have been out the door on 9/11. In retrospect the best deal would have been to stay right where I was. G5 capt.

My 3 years at AA were great and who knows what the future will bring, but to hang around and wait for the axe to fall was not something I care to do(if given the choice). Besides if I go out early then a guy jr to me can stick around a while. PLA here I come.

I'd rather fly GVs for Coke ANY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! G4G5, are you pursuing opportunities with them? If so, good luck and keep us posted.

I just got back from FSI where I had my G4 recurrent. Man did I miss that aircraft. Nothing against the MD80 but.....need I say more.

I applied to the Coke job and who knows, I meet all the requirements. As for now, if everything goes right I should have a G4 Capt job in my home town(should hear something next week), nice new G4sp. Sweet. I would rather be lucky then smart any day of the week.