AA - AE E 175 routes - strong ORD focus

[WorldTraveler]

Here is a good summary of AA's deployment of the E175 from ORD with significant numbers of flights from ORD to top markets, including to many DL and UA hubs, and WN focus/large cities.

http://airlineroute.net/2013/09/18/aa-e75-w13/

Existing Embraer E175 routes (frequencies listed below is effective 21NOV13)
Chicago – Albuquerque 12 weekly
Chicago – Kansas City 2 of 7 daily
Chicago – Minneapolis 3 of 8 daily
Chicago – New Orleans 3 daily
Chicago – Pittsburgh 4 of 7 daily
Chicago – Toronto 4 of 7 daily
Chicago – Washington Reagan 4 of 9 daily operated by E175

Effective 01OCT13 (frequencies listed below is effective 21NOV13)
Chicago – Houston 1 of 4 daily (No E175 operation from 19NOV13 to 05MAR14)
Chicago – Newark 5 of 7 daily
Chicago – Philadelphia 4-5 of 7 daily
Chicago – Salt Lake City 1 of 2 daily
Chicago – San Antonio 2 of 3 daily

Effective 21NOV13
Chicago – Atlanta 2 of 7 daily
Chicago – Denver 1 of 4 daily
Chicago – Hartford 2 of 4 daily

Effective 19DEC13
Chicago – Detroit 2 of 9 daily
Chicago – Hayden 1 daily

Effective 08JAN14
Chicago – El Paso 2 daily

Effective 12FEB14
Chicago – Buffalo 2 of 4 daily (3 daily on Day 6)
Chicago – St. Louis 3 of 8 daily

 

[Kev3188]

Anyone know if the E75 counts toward a station's flight threshold?

Since it's the TWUATD, I'm guessing not, but I'm hoping to be surprised...

 

[wings396]

Anyone know if the E75 counts toward a station's flight threshold?

Since it's the TWUATD, I'm guessing not, but I'm hoping to be surprised...

Based on how they are handled at US, I doubt it. On the Fleet side the smallest A/C that qualifies is the EMB 190, which are flown by Mainline crews. As I have said several times, the CSA group at US does have the scope language that enables them to work the EMB-170's along with some even smaller Express A/C. On a side note, the CSA group at US which is represented by the CWA currently holds the above wing work in over 20 stations that have lost Fleet jobs.
I would like to add that the ground handling of the 170's in a few stations is performed by Mainline FSA's along with a blend of Mainline flights, but the work isn't guaranteed to the Fleet group as part of their CBA. One example that comes to mind is a situation that took place in PIT last year. The Republic flights that were operated with the 170's were taken away from the Mainline FSA group, and contracted to a vendor, but the CSA group continued to handle the gate functions for these flights. Just another prime example of Piss Poor scope language on the part of the IAM.

 

[Kev3188]

I've looked at the CBA posted on the "TWUBKfacts" site, and it address "departures," and the number required, but nothing specific beyond that

'Course I didn't not see anything specific either, so...

(shrugs)

 

[FWAAA]

Anyone know if the E75 counts toward a station's flight threshold?

Since it's the TWUATD, I'm guessing not, but I'm hoping to be surprised...

I've looked at the CBA posted on the "TWUBKfacts" site, and it address "departures," and the number required, but nothing specific beyond that

'Course I didn't not see anything specific either, so...

(shrugs)

I assume you're looking at this language from the AA fleet contract scope clause:

The Company will continue to assign American Airlines TWU represented employees in classifications designated by the Company to all stations wherein such TWU represented employees are assigned currently with 5475 and above annual departures and will staff new cities (those not currently staffed by the TWU) at or above 7300 annual departures. The Company will also re-staff former TWU staffed cities that have been de-staffed once those cities reach 7300 and above annual departures.

Those numbers refer to mainline departures, and these E175s don't count toward those numbers.

While there may be some exceptions, it appears to me that many of these E175 flights are replacing CRJ700 2-class flights from ORD. That will, in turn, free up some CRJ700s to replace 44 and 50 seat ERJ140s and ERJ145s around the AA network. There are quite a few medium-sized midwest spokes that were served by several daily 64-66 seat SuperATRs but were downgauged to 50-seat ERJ145s in 1998-1999 as the RJ-craze took over and the ATRs were relegated to SJU/MIA/DFW.

 

[Kev3188]

I assume you're looking at this language from the AA fleet contract scope clause:



Those numbers refer to mainline departures, and these E175s don't count toward those numbers.

That's exactly where I was looking, and while I too assume that "departures" is to solely mean mainline flights/aircraft, there's nothing specific there (hence my " I didn't not not see it" comment.).

Do you know of somewhere else in the CBA that more distinctly states only mainline aircraft shall count toward establishing/maintaining the flight threshold?

Otherwise, with such vague language, someone could easily make the assumption that it includes *all* (AA/AE/AX) flying out of a given city. Or maybe only Super 80's... Or only WB's... and so on...

Might be a fun one to grieve? The company would likely claim Past Practice, but still...

 

[bigjets]

Will AA ORD shrink its operation?

 

[jimntx]

AA mainline at ORD is either shrinking or they ain't carrying much connecting traffic out of ORD. When I fly into ORD and have to read out the connecting gate information, it seems like about 90% of the connections are to International or AE. And 90% of those are AE.

 

[FWAAA]

Will AA ORD shrink its operation?

I doubt it, but anything is possible. According to AA, AA and its regional affiliates carry about 37% of the total passengers at ORD. UA has about 41% of the market, so the rest is carried by DL, US, B6, VX, NK and the others.

AA has spent the last dozen years slowly shrinking at ORD, and now that its costs are less than they were, now is the time for AA to attempt to grow in Chicago. Low cost airlines tend to grow and higher cost airlines tend to shrink.

Will AA be successful in its attempt to expand at ORD? I have no idea. I assume that others will predict doom and gloom for AA, but AA's plan isn't to shrink further in Chicago.