AA would simply reorganize under a pre-pak scenario and actually come out quite lean and competitive, shedding their future pension obligations, getting competitive pay rates, loose scope and PBS. Of course, a lot of employees might quit, but AA would probably then GROW in size once the executives had a labor cost structure they believe they could compete agressively with.
The way AA probabaly sees it, is they'd probably shed those angry employees that didn't want to stay anyway and then one thing is absolutely for certain - AA would be INUNDATED with applications for all job catagories from thousands of people looking for jobs or better jobs.
I see little downside for AMR's plans and little chance of success for current AA mainline labor. Once the house falls down at AA, every other high cost mainline carrier not in competitive line with AA will have to ultimately match AA's labor cost structure or be at a competitive disadvantage.
Both ALPA and the APA failed to recognize the signifigance of the RJ and still are in denial to what's ultimately coming.
I wish things were different, but the boulder is rolling downhill and picking up speed and there's no stopping it now.