Suzanne L. Rubin
President
AAdvantage Loyalty Program

At American, we always do our best to provide our customers with a smooth travel experience. You may have seen recent media reports about American's operational challenges or even experienced a service disruption yourself. Whatever the circumstance, I am truly sorry for any inconvenience to you. I also want to let you know what's going on and assure you that we stand ready to help.

Prior to recent issues, American has been running an extremely good operation, with reliability measures at their best levels in many years. The recent delays are due to the increase in maintenance write-ups by our pilots, many right at the time of departure. Our maintenance teams are responding appropriately to such reports, which may cause interruptions in our schedules. I know you will agree that nothing is more important than running a safe and reliable operation. Ensuring the safety of our customers is always our highest priority.


We are taking several immediate steps to improve our service during this period. We are proactively reducing the rest of our September and October schedule by approximately one to two percent. These schedule adjustments will enable us to provide our customers with more reliable service while minimizing impact to travel plans. Additionally, we are increasing staffing of maintenance, reservations and airport personnel to offer you more flexible travel options.

Dear Mrs. Rubin,

I have been a long time customer of American Airlines, and I try to fly American whenever possible.

I am shocked that you are blaming your pilots for your failure to maintain your aircraft to safe mechanical standards.

It is a shame that management has failed to properly run a great airline. I hope that you make it for the sake of the thousands of employees who depend on their jobs for survival.

Respectfully,
M. S.

I received the same email from AA a couple of days ago, and instantly recognized the BS of putting it on an employee group that is critical for safety and operational excellence. So, I sent the following email to AA Advantage Customer Service:

I have been a significant business traveler for more than 20 years, and have nearly 4 million miles on American over the years. Similar on United, and Delta, and Northwest prior to their merger with Delta.

I hated traveling United for years because their employees were just fed up, leading up to and through their bankruptcy. Congratulations, you are now in that category.

As a Platinum for life member on Advantage program, I received the email from Suzanne L. Rubin, President for AAdvantageŽ Loyalty Program, and wish to share my perspective.

I also have years of dealing with mission critical professionals that are proud of their work. I am dismayed by the treatment AA has given their Flight Attendents, Mechanics, and frontline CS personnel, but especially Pilots, leading up to and in this Bankruptcy.

Do not believe you can send an email and have all your customers believe that the recent operational problem stems from "maintenance write-ups by our pilots, many right at the time of departure. Our maintenance teams are responding appropriately to such reports, which may cause interruptions in our schedules". Many of us know better, and I certainly hope that AA does not believe that! The root cause is the treatment AA has given it's Pilots, and other critical employees, for years, but especially during this bankruptcy.

Fair treatment and honest negotiating goes a long way to happy satisfied employees - the only way to have happy and satisfied customers.

So, for what it is worth, there are customers flying with you that both recognize and support your importance to AA and to successful business travel. Keep up the efforts to fight against a system that is stacked against you, but that CAN NOT succeed without you. Stay united!