American Airlines, US Airways produce ‘let us compete together’ video

[Hatu]

For what it's worth:

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2013/09/american-airlines-us-airways-produce-let-us-compete-together-video.html/

 

[Barfbag]

Cutting room floor trash...

 

[ContUNITEus]

Oh Seene, Seene, Seene.... so serious... I like seeing the other Seene better... the one that doesn't give a s......

When did you start loving US again?

 

[AA-MRO.COM]

Give me my money back !

 

[Bob Owens]

If I had the time I'd like to make a counter-video. To the statement that they allowed other carriers to merge, they already allowed AA and TWA to merge, and at that time it made AA the largest carrier in the world, and what has happened since then? AA reduced it fleet size. essentially removing the entire fleet that was TWA from being available to service the needs of the American public, they introduced fees that greatly increased the cost to travel and drastically reduced the total number of people working and the pay they were getting from working. So what was the advantage to the consumer, the worker or the government by allowing AA to become the biggest carrier in the past? The Consumer lost as the cost of air travel increased and the availability of seats and service decreased, workers lost as thousands of jobs were eliminated and compensation decimated, the government lost because they had to pick up benefits for many who lost their jobs. Some may say that TWA was going to liquidate anyway, but the fact is that the merger propelled AA to the number one spot for the first time and set in motion all the things the DOJ was supposed to stop, sure it took a while but the results are undeniable. The mergers of NWA/DL and UA/CO have continued the trend that the TWA merger initiated, fewer flights, higher prices, more fees and fewer jobs. At what point will it stop? Does anyone really think that this merger wont result in more of the same? As has been pointed out already, if the two carriers merge they will have 10,000 more workers than their nearest competitor, that means more job reductions. If you listen carefully notice how the video is rife with the same ambiguous terms management always uses when they are about to screw us, terms like "Opportunity:, "more competitive", "Make us stronger", "flexibility", "potential for growth", "better for competition", etc etc. We have been through this enough to know what those terms really mean-more profits for us, less money for you". You being the consumers who will have less money in his pocket after flying and us the workers who will get paid less for getting them there. The fact is merger will lead to the things that the DOJ has brought up in their filing, higher costs for the consumer and less choice. AA aren't pushing for this merger so they can offer consumers more opportunity, more choices or a better flying experience, they are doing it so they can raise ticket prices, shed workers and make more money, that is the undeniable truth that stands out beyond all the catchwords they throw out there. This would be yet another deal that brings the industry into the state of being an oligopoly. Great for shareholders, great for the banks, bad for the consumers and its the DOJs job to protect them from that. The question isn't whether they should allow AA to merge again because since AA merged with TWA and became number one that they have allowed other carriers to merge and been displace AA from the number one spot but rather should they force United and Delta to divest and undo those mergers.

 

[robbedagain]

bob can they do that? thatd be very unprecedented but then again stranger things have happen

 

[1AA]

I won't even waste my time watching the video.

 

[MCI transplant]

If I had the time I'd like to make a counter-video. To the statement that they allowed other carriers to merge, they already allowed AA and TWA to merge, and at that time it made AA the largest carrier in the world, and what has happened since then? AA reduced it fleet size. essentially removing the entire fleet that was TWA from being available to service the needs of the American public, they introduced fees that greatly increased the cost to travel and drastically reduced the total number of people working and the pay they were getting from working. So what was the advantage to the consumer, the worker or the government by allowing AA to become the biggest carrier in the past? The Consumer lost as the cost of air travel increased and the availability of seats and service decreased, workers lost as thousands of jobs were eliminated and compensation decimated, the government lost because they had to pick up benefits for many who lost their jobs. Some may say that TWA was going to liquidate anyway, but the fact is that the merger propelled AA to the number one spot for the first time and set in motion all the things the DOJ was supposed to stop, sure it took a while but the results are undeniable. The mergers of NWA/DL and UA/CO have continued the trend that the TWA merger initiated, fewer flights, higher prices, more fees and fewer jobs. At what point will it stop? Does anyone really think that this merger wont result in more of the same? As has been pointed out already, if the two carriers merge they will have 10,000 more workers than their nearest competitor, that means more job reductions. If you listen carefully notice how the video is rife with the same ambiguous terms management always uses when they are about to screw us, terms like "Opportunity:, "more competitive", "Make us stronger", "flexibility", "potential for growth", "better for competition", etc etc. We have been through this enough to know what those terms really mean-more profits for us, less money for you". You being the consumers who will have less money in his pocket after flying and us the workers who will get paid less for getting them there. The fact is merger will lead to the things that the DOJ has brought up in their filing, higher costs for the consumer and less choice. AA aren't pushing for this merger so they can offer consumers more opportunity, more choices or a better flying experience, they are doing it so they can raise ticket prices, shed workers and make more money, that is the undeniable truth that stands out beyond all the catchwords they throw out there. This would be yet another deal that brings the industry into the state of being an oligopoly. Great for shareholders, great for the banks, bad for the consumers and its the DOJs job to protect them from that. The question isn't whether they should allow AA to merge again because since AA merged with TWA and became number one that they have allowed other carriers to merge and been displace AA from the number one spot but rather should they force United and Delta to divest and undo those mergers.

But Bobby! ------- As I've been told numerous time on this board, "AA didn't merge with TWA, it was a buyout!" ------- So which is it?

 

[ContUNITEus]

But Bobby! ------- As I've been told numerous time on this board, "AA didn't merge with TWA, it was a buyout!" ------- So which is it?

Same sh!t... What you need to concentrate is the fact that 1) a consolidation took place, 2) allowing AA to better compete, by 3) doubling in size and then slashing it in half again, 4) closing hubs, 5) laying off thousands of employees, 6) increasing passenger fares, 7) slashing employee costs, 8) reducing services and 9) introducing new fees.

In the end, a competitor was (by mutual agreement) taken out resulting in only losses of everything, except the billions in compensation that went to a few executives.

 

[MCI transplant]

Same sh!t... What you need to concentrate is the fact that 1) a consolidation took place, 2) allowing AA to better compete, by 3) doubling in size and then slashing it in half again, 4) closing hubs, 5) laying off thousands of employees, 6) increasing passenger fares, 7) slashing employee costs, 8) reducing services and 9) introducing new fees.

In the end, a competitor was (by mutual agreement) taken out resulting in only losses of everything, except the billions in compensation that went to a few executives.

No,------ Not the same sh!t! ------- Again as I've been reminded numerous times on this board! It is only a "merger" when it's advantageous to the native AAers. And when it's not, it's always called a "buyout"! ------ Now this isn't my logic, but that of a few that have reminded us ex TWAers of it from day one! We were known as AA's red headed step children for a long while. The only reason I'm even going here is to inform those at US of AA's past history. ------Now, wil history repeat itself?------ Probably not!!!