American and Alaska

[AANOTOK]

This shouldn't send me on another "vacation" now should it. Not talking merger here!

http://industry.bnet.com/travel/10005744/alaskas-new-flights-put-american-relationship-to-the-test/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BnetBlogs+%28BNET+Blogs%29

 

[Large Grey]

I'm living in Dell country, and told some Dell VPs they ought not to plan travel on AA this summer due to potential strike by mechanics in a month or so.

 

[jimntx]

This shouldn't send me on another "vacation" now should it. Not talking merger here!

http://industry.bnet.com/travel/10005744/alaskas-new-flights-put-american-relationship-to-the-test/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BnetBlogs+%28BNET+Blogs%29

Given our current level of service at SJC, do you really think AA cares about that particular station? When I first started in 2000, SJC was going to replace SFO as our N. California hub. Shortly, after 9/11 (or WN moved in...I don't remember), we started pulling down SJC. Our customers in that part of the world were just not willing to drive down to San Jose. If they couldn't get a flight on us out of SFO, they booked on another airline.

Besides, our codeshares with Alaska are too valuable to us to let RJ service to SJC upset our relationship with them.

 

[FWAAA]

Given our current level of service at SJC, do you really think AA cares about that particular station? When I first started in 2000, SJC was going to replace SFO as our N. California hub. Shortly, after 9/11 (or WN moved in...I don't remember), we started pulling down SJC. Our customers in that part of the world were just not willing to drive down to San Jose. If they couldn't get a flight on us out of SFO, they booked on another airline.

AA made two attempts to establish a hub at SJC. The first was in the late 1980s when AA bought AirCal and then built up SJC into a formidable presence. After the recession of the early 1990s, AA scaled back the SJC operation as WN continued to expand on the west coast. AA did add the NRT flight and maintained a significant presence. Then the high-tech boom (internet bubble) came along and once again, AA built up the SJC hub into a huge operation and even added TPE and CDG on the same day in April, 2001. Gave BOSE headsets to all inaugural passengers on both flights (that they could keep, not just borrow). The collapse of the NASDAQ and the onset of the mild recession coupled with the body blow to the high-tech boom had doomed the SJC hub again. And yes, the horrific events a few months later sealed SJC's fate. Along with STL. Still, AA kept the NRT flight going until October, 2006 when it was canceled.

Now, AA's SJC operation is a mere shadow, and AA's SFO operation is not very sizable. Last stats I saw said that UA controlled half of SFO's market share and AA was in second place with about 10% or so.

It's not just people in SFO not willing to drive to SJC, as SJC is very convenient to many south bay businesses and population, it was the never ending construction nightmare outside the terminal that has hurt AA at SJC. For many years, the runways were really too short for transpacific flights and immigration and customs were handled in a ramshackle shed. Eventually the runways were lengthened and CBP is now inside the terminal. The parking and roadway construction is about complete. Unfortunately, AA has retreated from SJC and BOS. Maybe another tech boom will spark AA's interest in SJC once again, someday.

 

[eolesen]

I'm living in Dell country, and told some Dell VPs they ought not to plan travel on AA this summer due to potential strike by mechanics in a month or so.

I'm sure you'll stop them from flying just by telling them that. Really. Never mind the fact they're in a managed travel program, and will continue to fly whoever their travel department books them on....

Seriously, do you really think anyone in Washington is going to allow a strike with an unstable economy, record unemployment, record foreclosures, and a very unstable future for the ruling party heading into mid-term elections?...

You can dream, but I doubt you'll see any union representing a carrier controlling more than 10% of the domestic market being allowed to strike.

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

I'm sure you'll stop them from flying just by telling them that. Really. Never mind the fact they're in a managed travel program, and will continue to fly whoever their travel department books them on....

Seriously, do you really think anyone in Washington is going to allow a strike with an unstable economy, record unemployment, record foreclosures, and a very unstable future for the ruling party heading into mid-term elections?...

You can dream, but I doubt you'll see any union representing a carrier controlling more than 10% of the domestic market being allowed to strike.

Seriously, where do you think Washington will stop a strike?

Oh sure a PEB can delay a strike for short period, but after that, and another 30 day cooling off period the Mechanics could walk.

If you're counting on that to stop a Mechanics strike, you're the one dreaming.

 

[FWAAA]

Seriously, where do you think Washington will stop a strike?

Oh sure a PEB can delay a strike for short period, but after that, and another 30 day cooling off period the Mechanics could walk.

If you're counting on that to stop a Mechanics strike, you're the one dreaming.

Perhaps, but not as delusional as this:

I'm living in Dell country, and told some Dell VPs they ought not to plan travel on AA this summer due to potential strike by mechanics in a month or so.

The vote on the TA probably won't happen for another 6-8 weeks, and when it's voted down, the TWU must still be released to start the 30 day clock. I don't see a release happening until after Labor Day, if at all.

And that assumes that any Dell VPs were actually told anything by anyone posting here, which is probably a stretch.

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

I never spoke to that position.

To point I would say the quoted "potential strike by mechanics in a month or so" is unlikely