skywatch

The smart money is on everyone being screwed over by everyone else. In the end, look out for yourself and your family. Because their is no "brotherhood", and ain't noone looking out for you but YOU.

jdt30

I completely agree with what you stated with this disclaimer. While looking after yourself make sure you don't become one of those selfish heroes.

JiffyLube

This law was snuck into an appropriations bill. No vote. That what stinks about it.

aa73

FliFast,

Your post was right on, and well thought out. I happen to agree with just about everything, mainly because you directed your anger in the right direction - at the unpopular union leadership we had at the time, and not necessarily at the line pilots, who had no say in the deal... yet usually it is the AA line pilots who are singled out for the misfortunes. (No, we couldn't vote out the leadership if we disagreed, because those of us who disagreed were in the minority.)

That said, I'll reiterate what could be an unfortunate consequence of this new merger law. While binding neutral arbitration is definitely the fairest way to go, if we merge with another carrier and give them DOH, the TWA pilots need to be awarded their original TWA DOH or they will end up stapled for the second time. We can only hope that an arbitrator will keep that in mind. Otherwise this can be a double edged sword.

Blue, I mean brown, skies,
73

FliFast

Jiffy,

Explain to us why a bill that protects years of service stinks. Why a bill that encourages parity stinks. Arguably, in any merger there will be winners and losers. This legislation, helps to level the losses sustained by both sides. And guess what, the merger between the APA and the TWA pilots group and the TWA Flt Attds. was the reason for the bill.

I presume it stinks because you are an American Airlines pilot ???

Thanks,

FF

ps. Just remember, after the mergers American may not be the big fish in the sea and may be a target for merger down the road.

FliFast

aa73,

I'd like to thank you for your observant response. It is refreshing to hear your take on it. We generally agree to disagree, but in this case you bring up some points that are very important to myself and my fellow TWA pilots. I am in agreement with your view.

In the event that American merges with another airline, will the TWA pilots once again get "another staple job". I can see a 2000 hire at airline "X" being placed above the stapled TWA pilots hired in the late 80's.

On a rhetorical note, do you feel any airline would want to merge with American given their track record. It seems that the names in the merger game have not included American. I'm not trying to be offensive, just a concern that American may not be included in this round of consolidation.

Thanks for your response. Sorry that this topic is as sensitive to me as my liver.

Regards,

FF

jsled

good gawd man, move on! Talk about bitterness. You never miss an opportunity to smear UAL pilots (you were one, right?) Do you think that somehow your furlough could have been avoided? What about DAL, CAL, AMR? They furloughed, too. Be happy at Brown, I sure am happy at UAL.
It is getting old. BTW, did you hear about our new TA?

aa73

Other than BA, I really can't think of anyone dying to merge with us. I think it has to do mainly with sheer size and antitrust issues.

The TWA deal was really our first acquisition that skewed our track record. EVery other merger/acquisition (other than Reno, which can be compared in size to Morris/SWA) has been handled via a combination of DOH and ratio integration (AirCal, Trans Carib.)

So yes, based on the way TWA was handled, I'd say that merging with AA would not warm fuzzies create. But overall, it was the only deal that was handled incorrectly.

Your sensitivity to the issue is understandable.

regards,
73

cargodog

It was ok to staple Reno because they were a small airline? What is the size limit that warrants fairness?

Wheels up

Hopefully NO ONE will want to merge with AA.

The TWA acquisition was an colossal blunder that badly damaged AA and TWA. On the day of the announcement the champagne corks were popping in St Louis and in the Chicago AA crew room the mood was "Oh, ******. Not again." TWA should have been allowed to sink or swim on it's own and hopefully it could have survived intact.

One can only hope that Arpey will break the cycle of acquiring other airlines, then parking their airplanes, but forcing AA employees to deal with the seniority issues. IMHO, the NW/Delta merger (a true merger not an asset acquisition like TWA) is not going to go well and there are going to be a lot of furloughs as a result. Ditto when/if UAL and U merge, not to even mention the acrimony that is going to result among the employee groups. The CEOs can blow all the sunshine up the skirts of the unions all they want, but I hope no one is stupid enough to believe it.