STL future

[upsilon]

I've never understood the use or meaning of the terms Hub and Focus. What is the significance or what does it mean to a City or to an Airport for it to be formally designated as a Hub or Focus City - with or without a Crew Base? Or is it a formal designation at all?

Doesn't a Hub require Spokes? ORD and DFW certainly have them (as did RDU and BNA in the past). If so, I could see why LAX, JFK and BOS are not Hubs, since there are few or no mainline Domestic 'spoke' flights. But NYC/JFK and LAX are certainly Hubs if International is included. And if MIA is a hub, I would presume it's because Caribbean is classified as Domestic.

The whole thing leaves me puzzled.

 

[jimntx]

As of now, STL is still considered a hub, albeit a small one. like a DCA with bases or a DEN or SJU without bases. IMO, I think it will be the latter.

By whom? According to the people in management I asked, STL is no longer a hub. It is a focus city with bases.

 

[eolesen]

The unofficial definition I've used is hubs carry 30% or more connecting traffic. Focus cities carry mostly O&D.

NYC, BOS, & LAX are 75% or higher O&D, with a little bit of connecting traffic thrown in for good measure.

 

[L1011Ret]

The unofficial definition I've used is hubs carry 30% or more connecting traffic. Focus cities carry mostly O&D.

NYC, BOS, & LAX are 75% or higher O&D, with a little bit of connecting traffic thrown in for good measure.

According to TWA F/As who have had Arpey on board this week, he said there would be no base closures but he was sorry this F/A who is at the very bottom of the seniority list, would be furloughed again.

 

[FA Mikey]

I am not sure how they keep DCA-I open. Its main flying was SJU. Now they would have to build lines to work or DH them to MIA. Hopefully they will offer some kind of early out so those who have had their fill can take off and for those who choose to ride it out may. So far DAL the non union carrier has come up with the best deal. CAL's and UAL's are pretty sad I will not get the response DAL got.

 

[IORFA]

Sure Arpey knows that this person would be furloughed again. AA hasn't even finished with the cuts. How can he be so sure she/he would be furloughed again? Plus, I wouldn't consider Arpey to be the bastion of truth by any means. AA hasn't even put a number on the amount of F/A's that might need to be cut. AA/APFA hasn't offered any overage leaves or partnership flying. Yet he SUPPOSEDLY told some F/A that she/he would be furloughed again? Something sounds very fishy. Maybe if Arpey had such great ability to foreshadow, AA wouldn't be in this much trouble. Sounds like somebody is throwing an ounce of truth into a huge salad of RUMOR. Never a good thing.

 

[Veritas]

According to TWA F/As who have had Arpey on board this week, he said there would be no base closures but he was sorry this F/A who is at the very bottom of the seniority list, would be furloughed again.

I heard from a friend that a recalled former TWA flight attendant quoted Arpey as saying that AA did not spend all the money on training the recalled flight attendants only to furlough them again.

 

[MCI transplant]

As of now, STL is still considered a hub, albeit a small one. BOS, LAX, JFK are considered large focus cities with international flights. If they whack STL again it can either become like a DCA with bases or a DEN or SJU without bases. IMO, I think it will be the latter.

<_< ----- aa! Reality check here! STL is no longer a "HUB"! One mainliner at 12:30 PM don't constitute a "HUB"! Same as MCI is no longer an "Overhaul Base!"------ But if you like to call it a hub, you go right ahead!

 

[jimntx]

Sure Arpey knows that this person would be furloughed again. AA hasn't even finished with the cuts. How can he be so sure she/he would be furloughed again? Plus, I wouldn't consider Arpey to be the bastion of truth by any means. AA hasn't even put a number on the amount of F/A's that might need to be cut. AA/APFA hasn't offered any overage leaves or partnership flying. Yet he SUPPOSEDLY told some F/A that she/he would be furloughed again? Something sounds very fishy. Maybe if Arpey had such great ability to foreshadow, AA wouldn't be in this much trouble. Sounds like somebody is throwing an ounce of truth into a huge salad of RUMOR. Never a good thing.

Let's not kid ourselves...as it stands right now, I'm sure the company knows within 100 f/as how many will need to be furloughed (if any). Whether or not they have shared this information with the APFA yet may have something to do with the fact that APFA headquarters leaks like a sieve. You know..."You must promise me that you won't tell anybody but we got the figures from the company today about the furloughs. Now promise! Cross your heart and hope to die. I knew I could trust you, there may be up to nnnn furloughs depending on how many overage leaves and partnerships we get. Now, don't tell anybody, I swore that I wouldn't tell anyone, and I could get in trouble for telling you."

Note I said, as it stands right now. The announcement that 40-45 S80s would be grounded was made when oil had not yet quite reached $130/bbl. I think that number will increase if oil continues to rise in price (which I think it will do). I once was told (have nothing to back it up really) that it takes 20-25 f/as to keep a S80 flying all week at maximum utilization. Do the math. At minimum 40 a/c and 20 f/as would be 800 possible furloughs. At "current" maximum, 45 a/c and 25 f/as would be 1125 possible furloughs.

I would like to believe that most of those hundreds of f/as who never fly, but won't retire would apply for overage leaves and we could stave off any furloughs for at least a year. Based on my past experience of being furloughed for 17 months because we didn't have enough people take overage leaves, I don't think it will happen. Since the ones that never fly wouldn't really be losing anything this time--like company paid medical that they don't get today--they should be willing to step up to save another f/a's job. Doubt it will happen, though.

 

[jimntx]

I am not sure how they keep DCA-I open. Its main flying was SJU. Now they would have to build lines to work or DH them to MIA. Hopefully they will offer some kind of early out so those who have had their fill can take off and for those who choose to ride it out may. So far DAL the non union carrier has come up with the best deal. CAL's and UAL's are pretty sad I will not get the response DAL got.

Well, I'm guessing that they are expecting a major fallback to DCA domestic. For July, STL had a decrease of 36 bid positions on the 75 (from April...the 36 includes cuts in May and June as well). DCA domestic has an increase of 20 bid positions on the 75 for July. For April we had 21 75 lines. For July we have 12 lines plus a pvm line.

I wouldn't count on AA offering early out packages. That would be to prevent having to furlough people. I dont' think they care since they no longer have the cost of furlough pay.

 

[BigBangTheory]

You know..."You must promise me that you won't tell anybody but we got the figures from the company today about the furloughs. Now promise! Cross your heart and hope to die. I knew I could trust you, there may be up to nnnn furloughs depending on how many overage leaves and partnerships we get. Now, don't tell anybody, I swore that I wouldn't tell anyone, and I could get in trouble for telling you."

Do you ever stop b***ching? You sound like a broken record. My advice to you...QUIT!

 

[jimntx]

Not bitching. Stating facts. Get a sense of humor. They're on sale at Wal-Mart I hear. And,why should I quit when I can continue to get your panties in a wad so easily so often? It's fun.

 

[Kev3188]

... MKE or MPL (I don't remember) have satellite F/A bases because of the number of originating and ending flights in those stations.

Really?


Hmm... Who knew?

I assume MPL= Minneapolis?

 

[BigBangTheory]

Not bitching. Stating facts. Get a sense of humor. They're on sale at Wal-Mart I hear. And,why should I quit when I can continue to get your panties in a wad so easily so often? It's fun.

Your Wal-Mart sale is a little old. I don't think you know how to get anybody's panties in a wad. Women don't like men who b**ch about everything.

 

[aafsc]

<_< ----- aa! Reality check here! STL is no longer a "HUB"! One mainliner at 12:30 PM don't constitute a "HUB"! Same as MCI is no longer an "Overhaul Base!"------ But if you like to call it a hub, you go right ahead!

I disagree. At smaller hubs it is not uncommon to have just one aircraft at the gate. The reason for this is because it was between banks. Having said that, I believe STL has about 60 mainline flights a day plus a lot of American Connection/Eagle just like SJU has now; and SJU is also considered to be a small hub.

As far as the MCI base, are you still performing work on AA and other company's aircraft? Are you still installing the winglets along with the MAUI avionics upgrades on the 757s and 767s? If you are, then I think you can call MCI a "maintenance base" instead of an "overhaul base". Overhaul usually means heavy C checks and I don't know how many (if any) are performed there.