UA/CO............ AA ?

[damajagua]

No no and no. I hope AA would not be stupid enough to go after Us Airways.
US Airways would be just another TWA. I feel that if AA really wants to get
serious about competing with Delta or the new United they might consider
buying Jetblue and thus becoming the biggest carrier at JFK.
Even if AA does not pursue this route and wish to compete AA can
embark in a major expansion of its own. With all the mergers and attention
that Delta and United are getting people forget how huge AA really is.
AA just needs a new team at the top that really means business.
Settle all the labor problems in the property and AA can compete with
the "big" guys. Why go the route of a US Airways merger.
Us Airways is a mess. They still have not even integrated US Airways
with America West. I can not even begin to wonder the headache it
would be to merge this two companies. I think 99% if not 100% of the employees
at AA would be against a merger with US Airways. And without the support of labor
I do not see this happening. Jetblue is another story. I can see it happening
in the not too far future.

 

[nbmcg01]

And ruin another good company..please AA, don't do JetBlue or Alaska any "favors". Neither company will fit the AA corporate "culture".

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

And ruin another good company..please AA, don't do JetBlue or Alaska any "favors". Neither company will fit the AA corporate "culture".

Yeah, because TWA was the greatest.

 

[Hopeful]

And ruin another good company..please AA, don't do JetBlue or Alaska any "favors". Neither company will fit the AA corporate "culture".

You want a truly unique corporate "culture?"...Go work for GOOGLE.....

Every airline, and any company, has its own culture. Some better than others, some worse. Since the TWA debacle will never be put to rest, you should have known that airline mergers have one goal......TO ELIMINATE CAPACITY.....
If anyone thinks that a merger's main purpose is to create thousands of jobs and fly to every city in every state and country.......they couldn't be more wrong.

And when capacity and cities served are cut......GUESS WHAT? EMPLOYEES ARE THE CASUALTIES...

Get used to it and get over it.
If you have been in this industry since before and at the time of deregulation, then these things should not surprise you.

The corporate communications to both Continental and United employees already warns of staffing cuts...and they just announced the deal....

MERGERS = CAPACITY CUTS = STAFF CUTS...

 

[Bob Owens]

You want a truly unique corporate "culture?"...Go work for GOOGLE.....

Every airline, and any company, has its own culture. Some better than others, some worse. Since the TWA debacle will never be put to rest, you should have known that airline mergers have one goal......TO ELIMINATE CAPACITY.....
If anyone thinks that a merger's main purpose is to create thousands of jobs and fly to every city in every state and country.......they couldn't be more wrong.

And when capacity and cities served are cut......GUESS WHAT? EMPLOYEES ARE THE CASUALTIES...

Get used to it and get over it.
If you have been in this industry since before and at the time of deregulation, then these things should not surprise you.

The corporate communications to both Continental and United employees already warns of staffing cuts...and they just announced the deal....

MERGERS = CAPACITY CUTS = STAFF CUTS...

Yes but the question is "will this actually lead to layoffs"? If so how much? We have seen where AA announced layoffs that never materialized, such as in the Summer of 2008 when they announnced that hundreds of mechanics would be laid off that fall. Later the company refused to extend the VBR to the line because "we cant afford to lose mechanics on the line".The average age at AA is 47, my guess is that its about the same at the combined UAL-CAL(UAL would probably be considerably higher). As the economy rebounds and demand increases capacity would need to be increased, current levels of capacity do not meet the needs of our country. Full planes may be good for the airlines but in a broader economic sense if people are staying home because planes are full it hurts the economy. There are people who stay home because they can not fly when they want to. Not only would the remaining carriers have to deal with normal attrition, without a source for new mechanics, but an increased exodus of mechanics who are just plain fed up.

SWA had to send some of their aircraft overseas like UAL, CAL, USAIR and Jet Blue because there wasnt enough MRO capacity in the US to do their aircraft. The MROs are the first to get hit with a shortage of mechanics. The labor costs savings of flying a plane to South America are offset by the round trip ferry flight fuel burn.

Another consideration is that the bigger the carrier the more sense it makes to bring work in house. When UAL outsourced their OH their maintenance costs went up. With both the UAL and CAL contracts open the new company may push for a sweetheart deal like we gave AA and allow the broad use of much lower paid mechanics in OH (SRPs, OSMs).

We may once again see UAL sucking mechanics out of AA.

 

[MCI transplant]

Yeah, because TWA was the greatest.

-------AMEN!!!!!

 

[Hopeful]

-------AMEN!!!!!

yeah ok...

 

[Kittyhawk]

Us Airways is a mess. They still have not even integrated US Airways
with America West. I can not even begin to wonder the headache it
would be to merge this two companies.

I view this speculated link up with USAirways as inevitable. The pressure from One World to compete with Star and Sky Team for the US market may be the driving force. Not to mention the much needed synergies that would be realized. And the ability for AA to reclaim the number 1 spot.

Granted, both AA and US have there internal issues, but this merger could solve problems on both sides. Likewise, it could create more.

 

[MCI transplant]

yeah ok...

 

[Maark767]

I view this speculated link up with USAirways as inevitable. The pressure from One World to compete with Star and Sky Team for the US market may be the driving force. Not to mention the much needed synergies that would be realized. And the ability for AA to reclaim the number 1 spot.

Granted, both AA and US have there internal issues, but this merger could solve problems on both sides. Likewise, it could create more.

Ok... DL did not want US, Ual did not want US so what makes you think AA wants them??? It's not going to happen....

 

[FWAAA]

I view this speculated link up with USAirways as inevitable. The pressure from One World to compete with Star and Sky Team for the US market may be the driving force. Not to mention the much needed synergies that would be realized. And the ability for AA to reclaim the number 1 spot.

Granted, both AA and US have there internal issues, but this merger could solve problems on both sides. Likewise, it could create more.

Yes, AA needs to merge with US, just so it can claim to be the #1 airline in the world.

And then, AA needs to rebuild the hubs at STL and SJC, so it can recall all the furloughed pilots and FAs and begin hiring off the street.

AA still won't have any more access to Japan or China or anywhere else in Asia, but it will be the largest airline in the world, with hubs at PHL, JFK, CLT, ORD, MIA, DFW, PHX, SJC, STL and LAX. And a slew of 20 year old Boeings. And a variety of Airbus, both narrow and wide. And a slight increase in the cash balance of about $1.5 billion, thanks to US' policy of keeping a very lean bank account with very little cash and marketable securities compared to DL, CO and UA.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[aafsc]

And ruin another good company..please AA, don't do JetBlue or Alaska any "favors". Neither company will fit the AA corporate "culture".

"And ruin another good company"?, TWA was already ruined long before AA arrived on the scene. Lets see, TWA out of cash and AA with a net worth of $7.3 billion. The junior people were bailing out of that "successful company" as soon as they got hired by another airline; there are many at AA. But those such as yourself had too many years there and were trapped in that doomed ship. If you and all the other TWAers had received your union seniority at AA enabling you to shoot straight to the top of the combined seniority lists, you would have been flying the best trips, be in the best bases, and have the holidays off. But you were unsuccessful and are bitter.

As far as an AA merger partner I don't think Jetblue would be a good fit for AA in terms of combining operations due to logistics, marketing, and labor.

1. Logistically Jetblue is in another terminal that is not connected to AA's. This would be a very big problem in an actual merger.

2. In terms of marketing, Jetblue has a very good following and high brand recognition, Jetblue disappearing in a merger with AA would not be a good marketing move.

3. With respect to labor, superimposing AA's higher labor costs would make jetblue an instant money loser. Also Jetblue would lose the freedom to fly where it chooses. Since Jetblue pilots are non-union ,Jetblue can today decide to purchase an A-380, set pilot pay rates and fly DFW-PEK or JFK-NRT or wherever they so desire without having to get permission from a union; as to where AA has to get permission from the APA (in the form of negotiated pay rates and work rules) to purchase the 787. AA also had to get permission from the APA in the form of some king of waiver to fly ORD-PVG or DEL.. AA also asked APA for permission, again in the form of a waiver, to fly DFW-PEK which the APA quickly denied.
And finally, there is the overall labor relations. Jetblue has among the best where AA has one of the worst.
I think the best thing to do is what they are doing now, working with each other from a scheduling standpoint while remaining separate and capitalizing off each others customer base.

As far as AA and US merging that would be terrible for AA and it's employees, but very good for US and it's employees. US is just a larger version of TWA with a greater amount of cash and no karabu. It is considerably smaller than AA (like TWA), went bankrupt multiple times(like TWA), its assets were purchased in bankruptcy(like TWA), has nothing left to borrow against(like TWA), has a very senior workforce ,US-East, (like TWA) who demands DOH at the expense of others to make up for their stagnant and perishing careers at their failed airline. The only assets AA would find valuable are the DCA slots, some LGA slots, and possibly the shuttle, everything else (PHL, CLT, PHX) would be considered by AA to be similar to STL. The value of DCA, LGA, and the shuttle is nowhere near high enough to justify the headaches and problems of dumping unwanted hubs, taking over unwanted leases on aircraft and buildings, and of course dealing with the employee problems especially the pilots and F/As. AA management sees no need to merge (especially with US) and is working on their "cornerpost plan" which will serve AA well in the future. IF US fails, then AA can pick up what it wants without planes, people, or unwanted infrastructure.

Some others have mentioned Alaska, Frontier, and Airtran. Same problem with Jetblue, AA's cost would make these would be merger partners instant money losers. However, with Airtran, AA could raise prices in ATL, (I'm sure DL wouldn't mind) which could very well make it profitable, also Airtran's young fleet is compatible with AA's and employee integration would be easier. With Alaska, it is well known that they code share with everyone and want to stay independent. As for Frontier, they have an incompatible fleet of airbuses.

 

[nbmcg01]

The comment was about AAs corporate culture, no more no less. It had nothing to do with TWA.
We were top 3 in on time, customer service and did it make any difference? Only to Bill Compton and Don Carty who hatched the rape of our company. I think all of us will agree that it would have been best to let "things" play out. My guess is TWA would have wound up with West and Alaska and it would have been a happy marriage. AA could have come in with their 777 and nosed off with another company, made promises they never intended to keep and thrown someone else a bar-b-que...Two Great Airlines-One Great Future AA's.

I would hate to see Jet Blue and Alaska suffer the same fate. I actually like Alaska and would like to see service continue.
STL made money, that was never an issue. It was more important to shore up ORD and DFW. Watching the management decisions of AA (today) is a mega case of deja vu.

 

[Ralph]

The AA/TWA argument is over. NOW. Any further posts in that train of thought on any AA forum thread will be deleted and the poster will be given a vacation.

 

[dash8roa]

(Hello everyone. I'm new here, and I'll try my best to be a good contributor)

With UA and CO practically a done deal", what's next for AA/AMR ?

I'd like to run these Ideas by everyone.
Since AA can virtually "go" anywhere they please on their own, perhaps it's time to concentrate on the old real estate "saying".......location-location-location.

First, buy Jet Blue outright. This would put an AA hammerlock on JFK once and for all. (sorry DL)
"flip" B6's terminal(most likely to DL) for a significant profit. $$$$$
Utilize B6's routes and a/c where it would be most efficient.

(Now, on to the other "corner" of the USA)

Once and for all(Finally) buy Alaska/Horizon !
SEA is a nice "locale" in my opinion, and could serve a multi-purpose.
Fence off the AS operation, as far as Pilots/F/A are concerned(+ ANC ramp). . Sea ramp is contracted out, and Customer service is run by Horizon .
AS is fleet compatable (new 737's), AND Horizons(new) Q-400's would be a nice addition to A/E, as AA expands into the old NW destinations in Montana/Washington/Idaho, and a few spots in BC Canada.
ANC traffic grows Every year. Not totally during "in season".
New NS routes................BOS/NYC/ORD/DFW/LAX----ANC
Hypothetically between Hubs/Focus cities, we're looking at 6 MAJOR league cities, (covering the continental USA) ; SEA-ORD-NYC/LAX-DFW-MIA.

Thoughts/comments ??


ps, In case anyone is curious, my first name Is LEO, and I own a Schnauzer!

leo schnauzer was a character on the old tv series "car 54 where are you?" He was played by al lewis who was grandpa on the munsters. This shows how old I am.