Doesn''t the sale of Worldspan by AA, prove that TWA could have sold it instead? Was TWA really abo

[AAplanesareold]

If TWA was really on the verge of bankruptcy, couldn''t the sale of Worldsspan have given TWA some more breathing room?

Was TWA really about to go belly up?

 

[Hopeful]

Not according the thw TWAers! TWA had two suitors before they caved in to AA's demands!

 

[FWAAA]

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On 7/16/2003 8:34:18 AM AAplanesareold wrote:

If TWA was really on the verge of bankruptcy, couldn''t the sale of Worldsspan have given TWA some more breathing room?

Was TWA really about to go belly up?

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Sure, TWA could have sold its share of WorldSpan, at a distress price (assuming the other owners would approve, a right they had). The cash might have given TWA another several weeks of life.

The recent sale was announced months ago - and the cash just arrived. The price was higher than the sum of the parts - TWA''s share was worth far more in this sale than TWA would have received in early 2001.

TWA was broke. Even the US Bankruptcy Court agreed. Get over it already. TWA had an extra couple years of life, and unfortunately is now dead.

 

[latreal]

Not from my understanding. Somebody correct me if I''m wrong but what I understood at the time of the TWA purchase was that worldspan could only be sold to an aviation company or something like that and it had to have the approval of the other 2 worldspan owners, which were not hurting for cash at the time and it would not have happened then.

 

[FWAAA]

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On 7/16/2003 939 AM latreal wrote:

Not from my understanding. Somebody correct me if I''m wrong but what I understood at the time of the TWA purchase was that worldspan could only be sold to an aviation company or something like that and it had to have the approval of the other 2 worldspan owners, which were not hurting for cash at the time and it would not have happened then.

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Correct - it could only be bought by an airline, and that airline had to be approved by the other owners - from what I hear, they weren''t happy about AA gaining an ownership stake, but approved it (since nobody else wanted a minority interest in their CRS).

 

[FrugalFlyer]

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On 7/16/2003 8:34:18 AM AAplanesareold wrote:

If TWA was really on the verge of bankruptcy, couldn''t the sale of Worldsspan have given TWA some more breathing room?

Was TWA really about to go belly up?

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Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse
Must......Beat........Dead........Horse

 

[Hopeful]

If AA shuts down MCI and STL, the TWAers will just get them there lawyers and start sueing again!

 

[TransWorldONE]

Must......Beat........Dead........Horse


The horse might be dead, but it''s spirit is alive in the afterworld....It didn''t die of natural causes, it was killed by The dAArk side. To quote Rose Dawson in "Titanic" "I''ll never let go" and neither would you if the shoe were on the other foot.

 

[BDLDFW]

To further quote "Titanic," it''s time to throw the jewell into the sea.

 

[TransWorldONE]

To further quote "Titanic," it''s time to throw the jewell into the sea.



The hired and aquired are never going to agree on this...We know that nothing would please nAAtives more than if we just rolled over and gave up (like they expected and like they would) It won''t happen...Maybe AA''s current problems as a "Troubled Carrier" will eventually make you all stronger like it made us. Not meaning to sound nasty but, I''m sick of hearing, get over it.

 

[buzzkill]

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On 7/16/2003 12:13:51 PM L1011Ret wrote:

At the time of the offer, January 10, 2001, TWA had 157 million in cash. TWA typically lost 50-125 million in the first quarter. They had a 100 million note due January 30 which was to be rolled over. It is true that the sale of Worldspan was restricted. Bill Compton testified before the U.S. Senate that "the bankruptcy was AA''s idea." Although finances were shaky at TWA as they had been for several years there was no plan to re-enter C-11 or C-7. Typical of AA''s way of getting what they want, there was a lot of dire threats about the demise of TWA. If members of the TWA BOD are to be believed, TWA was not about to go out of business. There were two plans for restructuring, merger with American West or a financial infusion of capital from Boeing. Boeing was insisting on a change of leadership at the top of TWA before any infusion of capital. There was a lot of spin and hype by AA to make the circumstances look dire. But then that is the AA Way, create anxiety to get what you want.

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How would TWA have survived post 9/11?

 

[j7915]

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On 7/16/2003 12:25:17 PM buzzkill wrote:

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On 7/16/2003 12:13:51 PM L1011Ret wrote:


At the time of the offer, January 10, 2001, TWA had 157 million in cash. TWA typically lost 50-125 million in the first quarter. They had a 100 million note due January 30 which was to be rolled over. It is true that the sale of Worldspan was restricted. Bill Compton testified before the U.S. Senate that "the bankruptcy was AA''s idea." Although finances were shaky at TWA as they had been for several years there was no plan to re-enter C-11 or C-7. Typical of AA''s way of getting what they want, there was a lot of dire threats about the demise of TWA. If members of the TWA BOD are to be believed, TWA was not about to go out of business. There were two plans for restructuring, merger with American West or a financial infusion of capital from Boeing. Boeing was insisting on a change of leadership at the top of TWA before any infusion of capital. There was a lot of spin and hype by AA to make the circumstances look dire. But then that is the AA Way, create anxiety to get what you want.


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How would TWA have survived post 9/11?

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Impression I got from the news was that the TWA BK filing related more ot getting rid of the Karabu deal with Icahn, as well as being able to expedite the acquisition.

Another issue might be that it is simply not feasible to merge airlines, least of all for AA.

Without knowing the numbers and scheduling, I think that AA is screwing up by downsizing STL, rather than directing more traffic thru there and away from Chicago. Unless someone goes to Chicago, why fly to ORD to make connections? What STL needs from my limited experience going thru there is to concentrate more flights to gates in one terminal instead of the long jog from end to end.

 

[L1011Ret]

At the time of the offer, January 10, 2001, TWA had 157 million in cash. TWA typically lost 50-125 million in the first quarter. They had a 100 million note due January 30 which was to be rolled over. It is true that the sale of Worldspan was restricted. Bill Compton testified before the U.S. Senate that "the bankruptcy was AA''s idea." Although finances were shaky at TWA as they had been for several years there was no plan to re-enter C-11 or C-7. Typical of AA''s way of getting what they want, there was a lot of dire threats about the demise of TWA. If members of the TWA BOD are to be believed, TWA was not about to go out of business. There were two plans for restructuring, merger with American West or a financial infusion of capital from Boeing. Boeing was insisting on a change of leadership at the top of TWA before any infusion of capital. There was a lot of spin and hype by AA to make the circumstances look dire. But then that is the AA Way, create anxiety to get what you want.

 

[TransWorldONE]

How would TWA have survived post 9/11?


How would the world be if Kennedy had not been shot...who knows?

 

[L1011Ret]

I do not know how TWA would have gotten past 9/11. I believe the BOD was either planning a merger or cash and management assistance from Boeing. Would this be enough to get past 9/11? Who can say? TWA was usually cash rich at that point. I think most exTWAers question the possibility of TWA post 9/11. At that point it might have been C-11.