Originally Posted by
Mason32
Since AMR's plan is to cease using the American Connection brand, and make all contractors fly as American Eagle, they need a name change. AMR also still plans to dump Eagle so they can go it alone. They will need a different name to bid flying from US, DL, UA, B6 and others.
Yes.
Originally Posted by
Mason32
Supposedly Skywest and their xJ subsidiary have already been awarded an ASA to fly as American Eagle, in Eagles colors.
Supposedly they have already begun operations.
Originally Posted by
Mason32
A new low for the regional industry. Not only will they impersonate mainlines; now they'll impersonate other regionals.
??? Nothing has changed, regionals will bid and fly anything which pays enough and the choice of branding is up to the mainline partner. "American Egale" never was a unique identity, it was just express branding which was created and owned by AMR.
Originally Posted by
Mason32
Actually, this is the foot in the door for them to outsource mainline brands to other operators. If all it takes is a corporate name change to outsource the brand we're all in trouble. AMR us saying the Eagle brand is theirs to use and license as they see fit; just like they license it for t-shirts and baseball hats. So, next they will create AMR Air and AMR ground services. They can transfer all employees to one of the two companies. Now none of the employees work for AA; and AA becomes a brand they can license. So, places like Skywest and Republic will fly A320's and 73's with American Airlines on the side... and a small Operated By logo near the door.
Utter BS. All it takes to outsource mainline flying is scope relaxation.
You seem to have a very confused perception of what a brandname or trademark is...hint: it doesn't guarantee stable, lucrative, lifetime employment for labor.
Originally Posted by
Mason32
Everybody complains if commuters getting jets 25 years ago being the camel nose into the tent. Well, here is the next greatest threat. The brand isn't ours; it's theirs. Our contracts all say flying on behalf of the company, not all flying on behalf of the AA brand.
Here is the next greatest nothing...this is what happens to senior regional labor groups, it's their normal lifecycle.
If you don't like your scope language, change it. But it's going to be legally difficult for the company to "re-interpret" existing contractual language after years of compliance.
Originally Posted by
Mason32
APA hasn't addressed it, and the Eagle ALPA union isn't fighting it even though its happening to them first. The major pilot unions need to realize this is where the next threat to our jobs will come from. Yep, you can do all flying on behalf of the company; but your company is AMR flight Services staffing company; not American Airlines.
Look at all the AA stations where all the staff has been layed off and offered their same jobs at AMR Eagle Ground Services. It's headed our way next.
There's nothing to fight, other than to get the best scope you can. Nothing is going to stop airlines from outsourcing ground labor if that saves them money...those folks are relatively easy to replace.
Pilots (and to a lesser extent mechanics) are a riskier proposition...its takes so long to train them (I'm just talking FAR/OPSPEC mandated company training) that I doubt any mainline would really outsource it's mainline pilot group (threaten to, yes). If they outsource all of their pilots to one company, now that company has them by the cajones, and the pilot group has the outsource company by the stones. Nothing would be any different, except there would be a middle-man skimming off the profits.
The thing to watch out for is outsourcing of mainline international flying to "codeshare" partners, not to regional pilots.