Originally Posted by
gloopy
While many think an APA/USAPA tie up would be a huge cluster, I think it would be far better for AA and USAir than either's present trajectory. USAPA would be swiftly and easily done away with and the new SLI would be quickly implimented and the combined airline would get on with things. APA facing Ch 11 or worse and USAPA pits deep in an unwinnable quagmire, an AA/USAir tie up may be the best and maybe even only way out for both.
If they can fight off the scope grab 88 seater fantasy it would be a huge win for them and everyone else. I'd call management's bluff on that too by the way. There is no way they will scuttle a deal of this magnititude that they would otherwise do over 88 seaters going to the cut throats or not. The amount of savings is just inconsequential compared to the big picture. For pilot jobs and the common type pressures of 130+ seaters such a bone headed, myopic stratedgy would eventually result in, I'd go all in and risk 1113 or even Ch 7 over something management doesn't have the stones to do if it came down to it over that issue.
That's probably the winning argument in the end. I've been trying to think today (before reading this APA publication) what it was that Parker could have said to APA that would have won them over to his point of view in the light of getting into the Airways SLI mess. It seems like there are some encouraging things in here for the AA pilots, but it also looks like a lot of over-promising too (ie. 100% furlough guarantee?!). If I'm APA, I don't believe half of this stuff, but then I come back to what else am I left with? Standalone AA makes little sense to me now that there are a couple of mega carriers out there.
Anyway, this letter sounds like APA is holding Parker's water. Or should I say koolaid. Maybe it's a different flavor than they've had for a very long time. And maybe that's all it takes. Again though, koolaid or not, how else do they avoid getting slaughtered in this bankruptcy?