AA capacity cut 7%


Just when I thought September cuts were bad enough I read this.........

"There will be another round [of cuts] in our November schedule to bring our capacity reductions to the fourth-quarter numbers we've announced," Mr. Smith said – about 12 percent on domestic flights and 8 percent systemwide.


This part disturbed me too:

With nine of the 10 largest U.S. carriers releasing their September results so far, only Alaska Airlines Inc., with a 0.8 percent increase, and Delta Air Lines Inc., with 2 percent, have reported more traffic than a year earlier.


How is Delta increasing?
 
..don't we already know the adjusted November schedule..?


You know, this has been confusing all along. Up in Chicago there has been talk about a "November" announcement but that is in relation to the new runway opening then. Chicago still hasn't released what the capacity will be for ORD. They can add all the runways they want....they still need to find the gates. Virgin, hate them, is pushing real hard to get ORD. For all the complaining about ORD delays, it still seems to be the place to be for the rest of the world.
 
Delta is increasing because their strategy is profitability through int'l growth. AA's strategy has always been shrink to profitability - which has yet to work. Also, AA is more of an industry follower... in some instances, too late.
 
Delta's expanding because they're a bunch of idiots. They have no choice -- they told their employees "no layoffs" in order to get their buy-in for the NW deal.

Once the approvals are in, and the red-tails start getting painted blue, it's just a matter of time before the Grim Reaper shows up in a hoop skirt and starts cutting things at Deltuh.

Heck, even WN can't pass up the opportunity to move into MSP. Maybe they'll do the inevitible and move into ATL next.
 
Delta's expanding because they're a bunch of idiots. They have no choice -- they told their employees "no layoffs" in order to get their buy-in for the NW deal.

Once the approvals are in, and the red-tails start getting painted blue, it's just a matter of time before the Grim Reaper shows up in a hoop skirt and starts cutting things at Deltuh.

Heck, even WN can't pass up the opportunity to move into MSP. Maybe they'll do the inevitible and move into ATL next.
:lol: Oh wouldn't it be a KICK if WN moved into DELDA country. SHazam! Delta's expansion into every corner of Europe is going to bite them in the arse. Especially now with the economy in the tank. AA is smart to be conservative- it's they ONLY wAAy to go right now.
 
:lol: Oh wouldn't it be a KICK if WN moved into DELDA country. SHazam! Delta's expansion into every corner of Europe is going to bite them in the arse. Especially now with the economy in the tank. AA is smart to be conservative- it's they ONLY wAAy to go right now.

Southwest already announced MSP. Starts in March, initially only with flights to Chicago Midway. Date and schedules TBA.

AA will continue to grow next year out of Miami - approximately 100 Chicago-based F/A's will be transfered to Miami next year to handle this growth. Most of this growth will be with 738s.

JFK will also see international growth with the new international 757s.
 
There is some contention between IOR and IMA over what fling will or should be transfered

From Base Manager Tim Pearson

A number of factors drove the decision to issue an IMA proffer for 150 effective November 1 st . If you've been flying out of IMA for some time, you probably realize that during the winter schedule we experience a significant uptick in flying with our seasonal additions to the Caribbean and to Central and South America. Then in the summer period we decrease this peak as the seasonal flying stops for another year. The opposite is generally true for IOR which sees an increase in flying during the summer but the reverse during the winter months. Since we can't move FAs back and forth between bases every six months, we move flying around. Hence the reason we have flown one of IOR's LHR trips in summers past as a six day trip out of Miami.

This year, the increase in winter flying at IMA is more dramatic with the addition of new South American destinations and two new spots in the Caribbean. The upcoming change of equipment on the MAD trip to a 777 also requires additional headcount at the base. Conversely, the downturn in flying at IOR is greater than normal. Some of this flying is not expected to return in the near term or has been deferred - such as our recent announcement to postpone the startup of ORD PEK service. These combined factors are prompting the proffer at IMA for 150 and a reduction in force at IOR of 100.

Even with these two adjustments, IMA will be under headcount requirements for the winter period and IOR will be over. However, come the spring/summer period this overage and underage will even out. We can expect that some level of flying will need to move out of IMA to account for this temporary headcount shortage. And some level of flying will need to move into IOR where the additional flight attendant headcount exists. Of course we prefer that the non-premium flying be the flying selected for movement; i.e. Caribbean and Central America.

However, it is easier said than done. First, IOR does not have nearly as many Spanish Speakers as IMA has. Additionally, IOR has a smaller percentage of 757-qualified FAs than IMA. So, exactly what flying will be moved and to where is yet to be determined. However, both Faye Wright (who assumes my position the week after next) and I have pushed hard on crew resources to find solutions that avoid the movement of premium IMA trips, and Crew Resources is now doing an analysis of the possible options which factor in both the cost involved as well as the “quality of work lifeâ€￾ issues for those impacted. Since several bases will be impacted by the flying that is moved, crew resources will share the findings of this analysis with Flight Service headquarters and the APFA (on a national level) to get input before a final decision is made.
 
There is some contention between IOR and IMA over what fling will or should be transfered

From Base Manager Tim Pearson

And some level of flying will need to move into IOR where the additional flight attendant headcount exists. Of course we prefer that the non-premium flying be the flying selected for movement; i.e. Caribbean and Central America.

However, it is easier said than done. First, IOR does not have nearly as many Spanish Speakers as IMA has. Additionally, IOR has a smaller percentage of 757-qualified FAs than IMA.
So, exactly what flying will be moved and to where is yet to be determined. However, both Faye Wright (who assumes my position the week after next) and I have pushed hard on crew resources to find solutions that avoid the movement of premium IMA trips, and Crew Resources is now doing an analysis of the possible options which factor in both the cost involved as well as the “quality of work lifeâ€￾ issues for those impacted. Since several bases will be impacted by the flying that is moved, crew resources will share the findings of this analysis with Flight Service headquarters and the APFA (on a national level) to get input before a final decision is made.


Sounds like they are setting you guys up for IOR to get your good stuff. It will be interesting.

IOR has plenty of people who are 757 qualified.

There's no reason why Trautman couldn't fight for you guys to keep your good flying and let IOR do the caribbean stuff. If they need spanish speakers they could set it up how they did with IDF and the Salvador trip. The extra spanish speaker position could be IMA and the rest of the crew IOR.

At the very least, if they want that flying they should force train some people 757. How many FAs in the system were forced onto the TWA 757 who didn't want to be?
 
I agree, I think it is worked out more between Crew manning/planning and the base managers, and less with APFA. In Miami they forced people in to the 73 by doing a forced reserve training proffer,and then dropping a 737 turn into the MAD LHR and CDG trips. Guess how many super senior got qualified on the 737.
 
I agree, I think it is worked out more between Crew manning/planning and the base managers, and less with APFA. In Miami they forced people in to the 73 by doing a forced reserve training proffer,and then dropping a 737 turn into the MAD LHR and CDG trips. Guess how many super senior got qualified on the 737.


I just went back and read Mark's post vs. what your current base mgr said. If it is the 737 flying and not the 757 that you will get more of than there are not a lot of IOR people qualified. That still doesn't mean they have to fly your best stuff. You have plenty of 757 caribbean stuff they could get and let you keep your widebody good stuff for your own base. Debbie Carvatta's power is dangerous though. Good luck to your base manager trying to take her on. Something tells me she'll win.
 
You have plenty of 757 caribbean stuff they could get and let you keep your widebody good stuff for your own base.

MIA-Caribbean flying using 757s will start to be cut significantly next year. Routes like SXM are already switching to the 738. The new 738s have 160 seats, which is perfect capacity. The current 738s at 148 seats are a little too small.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the only 757 flying to the Caribbean from MIA in winter 2009 is SDQ/SJU/PAP/PUJ.
 

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