As the Alliance Turns.....more AA/BA/IB drama

[frontline]

You've got it, all it is is blather!

I don't remember the pilots at UAL or Delta going apeshit when their airlines hooked up with their European partners. Maybe because they realize that bringing in revenue means a bigger pie to fight over?

I honestly don't think Hill cares about this issue one way or the other. I think it's all about finding any way he can to put pressure on the company, even if it harms his pilots long term interests. Sad.

 

[Mrs. McFly]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091013/pl_nm/...nair_alliance_2

I am hoping this is all smoke and mirrors - a way for lawmakers to be viewed as being very cautious, even though they know full well that this is not only good for business and competition, but also another life line for the carriers involved.

As for Hill, I really am beginning to think that this fellow could care less about anyone or anything but his ego. I think he desperately wants to make a name for himself by "taking on/down" the company, that he has no true regard for the thousands of employees who are depending on our retirement and benefits. His arrogance and mantra that pilots are smarter and better than everyone else grows more appalling each time this guy opens his mouth.

 

[AANOTOK]

Believe me, Mr. Hill is a very unstable man. He is the "David Koresh" or "Jim Jones" of the APA and will take his followers down a path of destruction along with many innocent, unwilling participants (employees). His ego is deadly!

 

[The Goose]

I'm beginning to wonder what the company's plans include should this alliance not be approved.

 

[FWAAA]

I would hope that Arpey has the guts to simply implement the joint business agreement anyway and let the antitrust authorities bring suit. No way would courts permit AA to be held liable for antitrust violations for conduct engaged in by the members of the other two alliances, including UA and CO plus DL and its international partners. Conduct pre-approved by the US authorities.

Dunno how it plays out in the EU.

 

[AANOTOK]

Maybe Arpey and his ilk can use what they do on the unions when they break the contract.

"Go ahead grieve it, we're gonna do it"......then the company lets an arbitrator rule on it months later.

 

[eolesen]

The other thing that AA & BA *should* do is just go ahead and implement the codewhoring and FF reciprocity pieces of this. That gives some immediate benefits. Doesn't give the pricing or scheduling coordination, but it does remove a serious roadblock for customers. I won't fly on BA without mileage and EQM/EQP accrual. I get that on IB today, however...

 

[FWAAA]

In another example of we must do something, even if it's pointless symbolism, some pilots are planning to picket in front of the DoT on Wednesday to "protest" the possibility that AA receives ATI:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-pil...ml?x=0&.v=1

I thought that pilots valued their free time. They're alwsys complaining about all that "time away from our families" yet here they are, wasting their day off hoping to make the evening news.

 

[Hopeful]

Pilots protest further....

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/American-pil...ml?x=0&.v=1

 

[FWAAA]

Arbitrator rules that AA/BA/IB joint business agreement does not violate the APA contract in any way:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Independent-...ml?x=0&.v=1

Captain Hill should probably resign his APA office after such a stunning defeat for the good of the pilot membership.

 

[Mrs. McFly]

Even the arbitrators realize that immunity would be a good thing for the company financially. Simple logic must allude Hill.

 

[Winglet]

Arbitrator rules that AA/BA/IB joint business agreement does not violate the APA contract in any way:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Independent-...ml?x=0&.v=1

Captain Hill should probably resign his APA office after such a stunning defeat for the good of the pilot membership.

If by "good of the membership" you mean throwing oneself on the mercy of the sharks at AA, ah, not a chance. Capt Hill is EXACTLY what the APA needs now and has wide support among the rank and file. The previous administrations tried cooperation with AA management and got the broomstick shoved up their butts anyway. AA has gone nuclear on the pilots and is trying to break the APA like Anderson turned Delta ALPA into his poodle.

This arbitration is no surprise. Several of the recent arbitrations have been so biased that's it's not hard to see that arbitrations are all but pre-decided.

Just will have to wait out the NMB process. Until self-help is imminent, it doesn't matter what the APA does or doesn't do.

 

[Winglet]

Even the arbitrators realize that immunity would be a good thing for the company financially. Simple logic must allude Hill.

Well, supposidy arbitrations are decided on the basis of contract language and not what's "good" for the company. Although, I think your analysis of the outcome based upon what management wants is probably the de-facto one right now.

How the European commissioners decide is maybe something different, however.

 

[FrequentFlierCA]

Hill has to be on his last legs by now. For the sake of the pilots and all AA employees, I hope this massive defeat pushes APA to eject him and his cronies from leadership.

I think the arbitrator is absolutely right about the economic benefits of the JBA. The sooner this implemented the better off AA and its employees will be.

 

[Skymess]

Hill has to be on his last legs by now. For the sake of the pilots and all AA employees, I hope this massive defeat pushes APA to eject him and his cronies from leadership.

I think the arbitrator is absolutely right about the economic benefits of the JBA. The sooner this implemented the better off AA and its employees will be.

Funny to read the parallels between our FFs and management. JBA good-union bad. :blink: