Fate of the Airbus A300's

[MCI transplant]

<_< -------Not that it means a whole lot, but there were old exTWA 880's in the California desert near L.A. for years. ------- For all I know, there many be one or two still out there!

 

[TWU informer]

<_< -------Not that it means a whole lot, but there were old exTWA 880's in the California desert near L.A. for years. ------- For all I know, there many be one or two still out there!

And we all know how profitable TWA was.

 

[boeing767mech]

<_< -------Not that it means a whole lot, but there were old exTWA 880's in the California desert near L.A. for years. ------- For all I know, there many be one or two still out there!

They where in Mojave, and they where cut up in 2000 only 7/8's(missing engines and left wing tip) and one remains intact and one cockpit.

The two other 880's in ACY where cut up in 2005

David

 

[conniegirl]

And we all know how profitable TWA was.

I'm a little puzzled by the snarky tone of that response. The thread was about aircraft parked in the desert...I reread to make certain I hadn't overlooked a mention of finances or profitability of either AA or TWA. Nope...just aircraft parked in the desert.

It would be so very nice if you'd have the courtesty to apologize for that snotty comment, which really was uncalled for....any chance?

 

[MCI transplant]

I'm a little puzzled by the snarky tone of that response. The thread was about aircraft parked in the desert...I reread to make certain I hadn't overlooked a mention of finances or profitability of either AA or TWA. Nope...just aircraft parked in the desert.

It would be so very nice if you'd have the courtesty to apologize for that snotty comment, which really was uncalled for....any chance?

<_< ------- Nope!!!------For some, exTWAer's will always have a big red "6" branded on their foreheads! No matter what!----- It seems, in all AA's wisdom, gave "all" exTWAer's a AA employee number that starts with "6", forever marking them exTWA!

 

[eolesen]

When you know a fleet type will be eliminated, you get to a point where it's cheaper to park the remaining airframes than it is to be paying for training to offset pilot attrition. That's what happened with the A300's.

Fedex wasn't interested in them for freighter conversions, and with all the MD11 and 744's on the used market & available for conversion, there wasn't interest elsewhere in Cargo World....

When they get scrapped is a matter of where metal prices are, and who is willing to pay for the airframe. Some companies buy up airframes and hoard them until metal prices go up. Others only buy up what they can currently process...

AA can't touch the leased aircraft. If they're owned and written off the books, they can be scrapped at any time.

If they're still on the books with a residual value or resale potential, I doubt AA's going to bother writing them down as long as they've got enough operating losses to guarantee avoiding income taxes...

 

[The Goose]

... snip

If they're still on the books with a residual value or resale potential, I doubt AA's going to bother writing them down as long as they've got enough operating losses to guarantee avoiding income taxes...

... or avoid the spector of appearing to have made money ...

 

[Hopeful]

<_< ------- Nope!!!------For some, exTWAer's will always have a big red "6" branded on their foreheads! No matter what!----- It seems, in all AA's wisdom, gave "all" exTWAer's a AA employee number that starts with "6", forever marking them exTWA!

What number would you expect AA to assign thousands of employees suddenly added to the payroll?
AA has its own system for assigning employee numbers. It is a sequence that probably started with 00001 decades ago.

Just as you and other ex-TWAers continually remind us that you were treated like red headed step children and how TWA was the best airline with the best people in any classification in the world since the dawn of aviation, I don't see any effort on any of YOU ex TWAers to remind us otherwise.

At AA, I work with many ex Pan AM and Eastern Airline employees who were HIRED off the street and STARTED with NOTHING and NEVER COMPLAINED and still DO NOT REMIND US THEY WERE EX PAN AM AND EASTERN!

So, if the ex TWAers want to be considered American Airline employees, then YOU ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO MAKE THAT STEP.

For those of you who survived to make it to AA, keep enjoying your TWA time accrued vacations and salaries.

How about this?....

NEXT TIME AA AWARDS AN EX TWA EMPLOYEE A 30, 35, 40 YR. SERVICE PLAQUE, ASK THE COMPANY TO deduct the 9 years you actually have at AA.

 

[kirkpatrick]

What number would you expect AA to assign thousands of employees suddenly added to the payroll?

Transplant has a point. I appreciate the company's need to assign numbers, but the "6" does mark us before anyone even has a chance to ask. I'd love to just blend in, but I'm outed before anyone even sees me. I can tell when I get on a plane that my history is known and that some have made assumptions and might expect certain behavior.

For example, I once got on an 80 for a LGA-STL turn and two of us were ex-TWA. The third acted very cool and distant, but on the leg home she opened up and told me how when she saw our numbers she was afraid we'd be mean and vindictive, but that we had been really nice and fun to work with. It would be nicer if our history were like politics or religion and would remain hidden unless revealed by other circumstances.

MK

 

[aafsc]

<_< ------- Nope!!!------For some, exTWAer's will always have a big red "6" branded on their foreheads! No matter what!----- It seems, in all AA's wisdom, gave "all" exTWAer's a AA employee number that starts with "6", forever marking them exTWA!

This is nothing but more TWA victim mentality rooted in paranoia. There are AA employees with 2002-2008 seniority dates that start with the number 6. Additionally, there are some AA employees with 2000 seniority with employee numbers that start with 5. It was easier for AA to give all the TWA employees a 6 but 6 is not only for ex-TWA. It is obvious that AA was issuing employee numbers sequentially, it is their right to assign employee numbers as they see fit. Also, don't forget you were in a subsidiary of AA, TWA llc., assigning you all 6s more than likely was the result of still being on your inferior TWA contracts. But tell us o so wise TWAers, which numbers should have AA issued to you people.

 

[TWU informer]

I'm a little puzzled by the snarky tone of that response. The thread was about aircraft parked in the desert...I reread to make certain I hadn't overlooked a mention of finances or profitability of either AA or TWA. Nope...just aircraft parked in the desert.

It would be so very nice if you'd have the courtesty to apologize for that snotty comment, which really was uncalled for....any chance?

I apologize for nothiing, the point I was making is that both TWA and AA are/were making lease payments on aircraft parked in the desert creating zero revenue. How can a typed post have a "snarky tone"? Last I checked making lease payments on aircraft parked in the desert could be directly related to profit/loss unless of course I am unaware of another one of those acconting loopholes that seem so prevelant in AMR finance.

You and the other snibllers are so sensentive to remarks about TWA that you are blind to the comparison. If you feel the need, go the EAP and get some help for your issues or get over it already. TWA nearly went BK and AA saved the employees. Now AA hires consulting firms likely made of those with the same mentality to run AA and as Arpey always says "results are dissappointing". And now management request more concessions to fund their ignorance.

 

[kirkpatrick]

I apologize for nothiing, the point I was making is that both TWA and AA are/were making lease payments on aircraft parked in the desert creating zero revenue. How can a typed post have a "snarky tone"?

Because you assumed the mere mention of TWA was a complaint or accusation against AA for something? I think the poster was merely pointing out the length of time aircraft can remain parked without being sold or chopped up. TWA's Convairs were dumped in 1975, IIRC. I flew them out of SFO before that.

I work for AA, not TWA, and am all for putting the past behind and getting on with it. But if anyone thinks I'm going to forget thirty years of my life and never mention the dreaded initials again then they have another think coming. Transplant's mention of ex-TWA Convairs falls into that category - simply a reference to history, not a dirty dig against AA, and it deserves to be treated in the context in which it was made.

MK

 

[TWU informer]

Fair Enough...Next Post

 

[FWAAA]

The AB6 fleet has been written off. From the 2009 10-K filed earlier this year:

Aircraft Charges
As part of these capacity reductions, the Company grounded its leased Airbus A300 aircraft prior to lease expiration. In 2009, the Company incurred approximately $94 million in net present value of future lease payments and lease return costs related to the grounding of the leased Airbus A300 fleet. The Company estimates that virtually all of these charges will result in future cash expenditures. Further, the Company also wrote down its owned Airbus A300 aircraft and related inventory to estimated salvage value in the fourth quarter of 2009, resulting in a non-cash expense of $20 million. All Airbus A300 aircraft are permanently retired as of December 31, 2009.

 

[Bob Owens]

"I doubt AA's going to bother writing them down as long as they've got enough operating losses to guarantee avoiding income taxes... "

Yep.

Perfectly legal accounting gimmicks that allow companies to avoid paying taxes are also used to convince workers that they cant ask for wage increases.

Thats why we should never be concerned about how much profits the company reports, or lack of , when we go for a contract.

They used those airplanes for 20 years, surely they got their money's worth out of them, then when they get rid of them they get a little bonus, a write off. That would be like if the garbageman left you a check after he took away your trash. Its nice to be a corporation where you can write the rules to suit yourselves. The politicians justify things like that in the name of economic stimulus, but in reality its nothing more than shifting the tax burden.