American Airlines

[Dupe]

Contracting out maintenance - good for the balance sheet, perhaps not for the bottom line - Valujet 592 is a cautionary tale. The company contracted out some maintenance to Sabre Tech who routinely transported hazardous materials on aircraft in violation of FAA directives. Not only did the company transport materials illegally, they were not maintained in accordance with TOs. As a result, the chemical O2 generators stored in the hold ignited and destroyed the aircraft. Might be a good lesson to review for AA...

Discussion - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ValuJet_Flight_592

I don't think the guys calling the shots at AA care much about long-term MX practices. The executive team is merely trying to cut costs and get out of bankruptcy without being bought out by another carrier. The article below describes where management's incentives (and hence priorities) are.

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2012/10/american_airlines_delays_the_airline_that_can_t_get_its_passengers_to_their_destinations_on_time_manage_its_workers_or_even_keep_its_seats_bolted_down_.html

Bottom line: don't fly AA until they're unfucked.

[Butters]

I don't think the guys calling the shots at AA care much about long-term MX practices. The executive team is merely trying to cut costs and get out of bankruptcy without being bought out by another carrier. The article below describes where management's incentives (and hence priorities) are.

http://www.slate.com...lted_down_.html

Bottom line: don't fly AA until they're unfucked.

Too late... drunk pilots tend to forget the wording in the non-disclosure agreements they sign.

[BolterKing]

Not exactly....

http://www.tulsaworl...A1_Americ848812

Better than the original number, unless you're one of the 300.

http://m.news9.com/Story.aspx?story=19573100&catId=112032

Huggy they have a huge facility there, takes up pretty much the entire east side of the field.

Edited October 11, 2012 by BolterKing

[Napoleon_Tanerite]

AMR, US Airways to merge.

In a related matter, am I the only guy who hates the new AA livery?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ap-sources-american-airlines-us-004018969.html

[TacAirCoug]

In a related matter, am I the only guy who hates the new AA livery?

Nope.

[Prosuper]

I find it interesting that the US AIR team will run the new airline with the AA CEO as chairman. My brother is a A&P line mx guy at ORD and he told me most of AA's unions worked with US Air to help make this possible. The management team and worker bees have been in a loveless marriage since the first concessions were voted for and then all the executives to huge bonus's. Over 900 acft fleet, that will be a lot of MD-80's being parked when their D check is due. I'm sure Boeing is cutting deals so they can dump the technical support for the MD-80's.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Prosuper

[TreeA10]

Throw my no vote in for the new paint job. I've seen the 737 and the 777 several times now. The large American written across the windows has a Swiss cheese look. Just for a sense of where priorities are, I offer this: American started down the paperless road using iPads to replace paper Jepps. By their own calculation, this would save $1.2 million in fuel costs. Looking at other cost savings include time to distribute the paper updates in mailboxes, time to do a page by page update, any injuries caused by heaving 30lb+ bags into awkward cockpit locations. Future savings will probably include paper, printers (WTF is up with BRAND NEW dot matrix printers???), and printer ribbons. So all of that is dependent on installing RAM mounts in the cockpits to hold the iPad. 600+ jets means 1200+ RAM mounts and this was supposed to done by December. Well, that deadline was missed. However, the new paint job rolled out to much fanfare, video, updated computer log-in screens, colorful brochures, floor to ceiling posters, and phone apps. New paint costs $80,000 per narrow body and $200,000+ for a wide body. So, which is more important? Operational advantage or pretty colors with song and dance? (This explains why TIB will not die, also.)

Looks like new management...eventually. The level of stupidity since 2003 almost killed the airline. The same stupidity was proposed going forward out of bankruptcy which would have killed the airline. And you can't fix stupid even with a Wharton Business degree.

[spaw2001]

The paint job is not just for branding. It is also in response to next gen aircraft made out of composites which are not naturally silver. I admit, I'm partial to American cause I have family legacy that works for them. Yes, they have made mistakes, but let's not forget they were the only legacy carrier to forego going bankrupt the years after 9/11. Instead, they tried to fix the problems organically while the other airlines took the "get out of jail free" card. As we have learned now, bankruptcy can be used tactically, erase debt, and allow a company to start fresh with little real consequences except to the employees. Seeing this even in American now with their new brand, merger, and massive airplane purchase...all in bankruptcy

[TreeA10]

Yes, American did forgo bankruptcy and the employees gave up a lot (something like $10 billion since) to avoid a bankruptcy in 2003. That give back was squandered.

The corporate playbook seems to be declare bankruptcy, strip pay and benefits, outsource as much flying as possible, repaint the airplanes, declare success, and the management walks out the door with millions. Horton, soon to be ex-CEO, is going to walk with almost $20 million for a couple years work. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

[Butters]

The corporate playbook seems to be declare bankruptcy, strip pay and benefits, outsource as much flying as possible, repaint the airplanes, declare success, and the management walks out the door with millions. Horton, soon to be ex-CEO, is going to walk with almost $20 million for a couple years work. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

Yup, because 51% of Americas.. (actually it was 49% if you don't count all the people who voted between 6-9 times) voted Obama back into office, this is what we get!

[hindsight2020]

Yup, because 51% of Americas.. (actually it was 49% if you don't count all the people who voted between 6-9 times) voted Obama back into office, this is what we get!

LOL WTF

Yes, American did forgo bankruptcy and the employees gave up a lot (something like $10 billion since) to avoid a bankruptcy in 2003. That give back was squandered.

The corporate playbook seems to be declare bankruptcy, strip pay and benefits, outsource as much flying as possible, repaint the airplanes, declare success, and the management walks out the door with millions. Horton, soon to be ex-CEO, is going to walk with almost $20 million for a couple years work. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

The only decent job in 121 is management fo sho'