I can't speak to mechanic and other related groups from TWA at AA. I CAN speak for the flight attendants.
There's a misconception in several of the posts re: benefits "awarded" to the flight attendants. When we were furloughed as a group in 2003 we were sent out the door with a kick in our behinds. Not one other thing. The WARN letter came, we got notice, and that was that. For those posters who (incorrectly) assume, because it's now Urban Legend among the AA work-groups so it must be true, that we were 'given" retirement, or medical benefits or anything else...that's absolutely false. Our workforce did not get one thing from AA. No furlough pay (which had been the norm until John Ward made certain we didn't get it), no medical/dental, no insurance of any kind, no passes.....Nada, nothing. How many more times do the AA employees have to be told the actual fact. It seems that by simply regurgitating untruths they become fact.
Now, in truth, for those of us senior enough to retire, we receive our retirement funds from TWA which have been managed by the PBGC (Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, for those AA folk who are convinced we're draining the coffers of AA just by existing). If we were/are of certain age we get a limited amount of $ for a limited time from AA. In my case, I received a small amount of money for a three year period of time. Those three years have come and gone and I now receive nothing from AA except pass benefits. Which, I might add, I'm grateful for...so you see there is some gratitude out here irrespective of what so many of you would like to believe.
I travel AA a lot. A LOT! I use the passes because I can and because I have them. In regard to other postings here on USAviation, I see good flight attendants at AA and bad ones. I'm under no illusions that TWA cornered the market on good work ethics or friendly staff. I've never been treated rudely by an AA person and perhaps some of that is because I appreciate being able to get on an airplane and it shows. I have, however, seen a gum-chewing flight attendant standing at the boarding door showing marked indifference to those lined up in the jetway. I just came home from a Christmas trip and the only flight attendant who regularly did a walk-through in the cabin was, curiously, a TWA person. The other two 'natives" (How I dislike that terminology) did the service and disappeared for the next three hours.I seldom see anyone say "HI! Welcome Aboard" with a smile, and I must say I saw that a lot in my almost 40 years with TWA. Is that a sign that AA is inferior? Absolutely not! Just a demoralized workforce, which those of us who gave our hearts and souls to our airline can well recognize.
The thing about tough times is this....it weeds the men from the boys. I know that AA people jump defensively on the bandwagon that we must have been lousy because we "went bankrupt and had to be rescued". Actually that's NOT true (we filed for our 3rd bankruptcy on requirement by AA in order to clear ourselves from Icahn , but that's another story)....but even if it were...SO WHAT?
We mananged, with paycuts and hardships to win award after award for our on-time performance and inflight service. And, split all the hairs you want to, the fact remains that we brought some pretty valuable items to the table to AA. Equipment that "doesn't" meld with AA's was mentioned. Hmmmmm....can't tell you how many MD-80's (AA's Super 80's) I've seen in the past three years. 757's that I KNOW I worked. And...all those beautiful destinations that may noy be active now but AA will possibly fly to at sometime. Tell me when AA has ever flown Tel Aviv, or Cairo or Istanbul or Stockholm or so many others. Jump up and down and scream that you could have had those routes yourselves or that you have the rights to them...the fact remains that TWA in it's heyday was a force to be reckoned with Internationally while AA was still flying domestically in the southern states. And we brought some pretty awesome destinations in our dowry.
So, (this is long, I know but I feel it needed to be said)....let's see if in 2009 just a few TWA folk can possibly force themselves to be grateful they have a job (thanks Mark Kirkpatrick)...and a few AA people can stop for a second a try to walk a moment in someone else's moccasins. Try to imagine how YOU'D feel if YOUR airline had been swallowed up by a bunch of strangers, who kicked you when you were down (once again I'm not referring to any group other than the flight attendants), broke a fair amount of promises to you and who consider themselves to be vastly superior because they have the might and they can. I'm sure it's infuriating to have a bunch of "upstarts" marching in and demanding things when you're the victor and a powerful one at that. However, try also to imagine what it feels like to be called the "Clampet's" (the AA flight attendants terminology for us when we were flying HON)...think you might be a bit aggresive and defensive under those circumstances? Water under the bridge, you say? That sort of stuff has been flying back and forth for the past eight years and it's just about time to put it all to rest.
So, in closing......maybe we (retired, waiting for recall, working) can try to bury just a bit of the hatchet at this point.
Happy New Years everyone, and let's see if we can make 2009 a great one.
ConnieGirl