Eagle to get 22 New CRJ's
 

Special eaglewire for september 17, 2009
Special Eaglewire - September 17, 2009

SPECIAL EAGLEWIRE FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2009

Published Especially for the Employees of American Eagle

* * * * PLEASE POST ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS * * * *
September 17, 2009


Eagle and Executive Employees,


Today AMR and American Airlines made a number of important announcements, including the raising of an additional $1.3 billion in cash reserves, the restructuring of AA and Eagle schedules at several key hubs, the continuation of AA's fleet renewal, and the addition of many new international flights. Finally, Eagle announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Bombardier to exercise its options to purchase 22 new CRJ-700 aircraft. The purchase of these aircraft will be fully financed. I encourage you to go to Jetnet to read AA’s press release and a letter to employees from AMR CEO Gerard Arpey.

The combination of all of these announcements is very positive for AMR, AA and American Eagle. The improvement in AMR's cash balance as a result of the financing agreements will better enable the corporation to manage through this difficult environment and focus on doing the things necessary for intermediate and long-term success. The network changes will make the AA/AE combination more competitive in our most important markets and the addition of 22 CRJ-700s will better enable Eagle to support the AA network and make Eagle a stronger company.

The new aircraft will start arriving in June of 2010 and will be delivered in a two-class configuration, resulting in Eagle's first "First Class" cabin. Starting next spring, Eagle will also commence retrofitting our existing fleet of 25 CRJs to include a first class cabin, so that our entire fleet of 47 CRJ-700s will offer premium class service.

The schedule changes announced today will impact Eagle in a number of ways. First, our schedule in Chicago will be increased, including the shifting of most of the DFW-based CRJs to Chicago starting next spring. Schedules will be increased at JFK and MIA and reduced at BOS and RDU. AA will take over some Eagle routes. Eagle will take over some AA routes and AA and Eagle will share a number of routes for the first time. Final specific schedules are still being nailed down but many of the changes will occur in April of 2010, with the remaining changes occurring over the course of the summer of 2010. More details on the schedule changes can be found on Jetnet.


We are in the process of determining the impact these changes will have on staffing requirements for each of our work groups and will be communicating on this topic as soon as we have definitive information to share.


I believe that the schedule changes which AA has directed for Eagle -- and for AA's other regional partner, Chautauqua Airlines, which AA intends to shift from STL to ORD -- will make the AA network more successful in this extremely competitive business. I am pleased that Eagle will be playing an important role in these changes to strengthen the network and to begin detailed planning for delivery of the new CRJs. I hope you share my pride in the fact that AA has confidence in our ability to respond to these requests and to operate the new schedule safely and reliably.


Today's announcements are consistent with our Plan to Win and its three major strategies of retaining AA as a customer, preparing for growth, and aligning employee interests.


Thank you for everything you do to work safely and provide outstanding service to our customers and each other.



Sincerely,


Peter M. Bowler

President and CEO

American Eagle Airlines

Positive news is not allowed to be posted, mods please delete this forum. I dont know anything about you guys but if you have people on the street hopefully it brings them back and if not hopefully you hire.

Anyone know if these will be a net gain of airframes? Or are there plans to retire 135s/140s?

I just finished recurrent and the usual slew of management made the rounds through. Straight from the EMB managers mouth was that we will not be parking anymore EMB's.

Unfortunately, this will be seen by some as more Eagle pilots stealing jobs as if THEY made this decision. It also seems odd for an airline many also believe will be disposed of due to its economic unviability.

However, before Eagle pilots start wearing pointy hats and blowing loud noisemakers, they should consider the possibility (even probability) that these aircraft will replace smaller 37-seat EMJ's resulting in little actual fleet growth.

There's going to be lots of upset CHQ guys who live in STL that will have to start commuting to ORD.

I can't believe they're reducing STL more. It's already such a ghost town. So sad. :(

Eaglefly,

Do you know how many seats the CRJ-700 will have in the 2 class config? Is it 66 seats?

Is this going to ruffle some feathers in DFW since some 700's are moving north?

Cheers :)

CHA in ORD? seen this played out before.

Translation; More mainline flying to go to Eagle.:mad:


*edited by me

No idea on the seats. Yes, since most of the aircraft will go to ORD, it wont be good for DFW, but what will ruffle more feathers will be the inclusion of CHQ flying in ORD and is the first shot fired by AMR to set up a multiple operator per hub system to insure whipsaw capability in the future.

It was and is inevitable. Just like AA scope, AMR will find a way to act in their own best interest and they alone will be the true winners. For pilots at AMR, AA and Eagle alike, there will only be the degree of loss to measure our futures by.

I was unaware that Eagle was even allowed anymore 700's, with all the chest-thumping about how APA holds the line on scope. If anything, I hope this brings some furloughed eagle guys/gals (possible former TWA) back to work.

....at this time.

Sorry, man. Just keeping it real. :) It's good news, especially for our 71 furloughed and dozens of displaced pilots.This was the number given at previous discussions, but I've heard no word on the final configuration. You are correct about the negative impact on the DFW CRJ pilots. Many of the Captains commute, but most of the FOs do not. Since jet pay is the same for FOs, most, I suspect, will displace to the EMB.

More translation; Current Eagle flying to go to another regional.

We've always had the option for 50 CRJs, but they only exercised the option on 25. Over the years, management allowed 3 of the options to lapse, as noted in an arbitration, so the total allowed is 47.

I was excited at first when I saw this but then it settled in.

I really hope AA folks don't hold this against the AE pilot group. AMR is definitely acting in its own best interest as usual.

I really am interested to see how they plan on structuring the JFK and MIA flying. Will we see CRJs in the northeast? Will we see more jets in MIA or will it be mainly ATR's? Most important to me is what is going to happen to SJU??

This taken from another forum:

- JFK (+6 new flights): new mainline-MAD/MAN/SJO/AUS, new Eagle-CMH/STL
- MIA (+23 new flights): new Eagle-BHM/CHS/PNS/TYS

No mention of SJU.

While Im at it, here's the whole thing:

Network

- ORD (+57 new flights): new mainline-HNL/ANC/YVR, new Eagle-YYC/ABE/AVP/CRW/DAY/FAR/SUX/JAX/LEX/MDT/RAP
- JFK (+6 new flights): new mainline-MAD/MAN/SJO/AUS, new Eagle-CMH/STL
- LGA (+2 new flights)
- DFW (+17 new flights): new mainline-SAL
- LAX (+2 new flights)
- MIA (+23 new flights): new Eagle-BHM/CHS/PNS/TYS
- STL (-46 flights)
- RDU (-9 flights)
- JFK is now called a "hub" officially

This should get all the eagle guys/gals off the street, no?

The first 25 were orders right off the bat with the remaining 25 as options. An arbitrator ruled that AMR could exercise 22 of the remaining 25. Financing takes time and just a month ago or so Eagle management confirmed that the 22 options were being delayed to see what changes would occur with AA scope.

Nothing has or could have been expected to happen with regard to AA scope in the short period of time since that statement, so that should tell you something.

Which brings up another thought. 22 CRJs costs about 500 megabucks. That's a lot of money. If AMR really expected scope to change soon and if they really wanted a fleet of E170s, wouldn't they have held off buying the CRJs in order to purchase more E170s?

DFW CRJ's departures will be down to 5 per day. All the info along with the structure for every hub is in JetNet.

Looks like Eagle is going to fly from STL to both BOS and JFK. I didn't think Eagle could do that. (Hub to Hub)

Probably CHQ.

Doesn't eagle have a limit on 25 CRJs?

I wonder if Eagle is acquiring the airplanes new from Bombardier or if they will be looking to the used market.

Looking at my own selfish interests here : ). Horizon has been trying to get rid of their 17 remaining CRJ-700s with no luck. I would imagine they will be knocking on Eagle's door with this announcement.

Nope its AE. CHQ is taking over IND DTW IAH and ATL from ORD.

I just love how shifted flying is "taking over" or "stealing". At UAX, flying is shifted on a monthly basis...usually with little to no net gain or loss. I'd be willing to bet that it's the same here, just like TSA moving to MIA.

I suspect it will only replace the 37 seat 135s, and not require additional hiring. But that is just a hunch! I suspect it will bring back the 72 furloughs, however. I am happy to be at Eagle.

There is only 6-7 commuters on the CRJ in DFW. The other 50 will probably bid DFW EMB.

And the bottom 50 DFW EMJ will commute to JFK or SJU.

So would Eagle have to start hiring again or would the recalls cover this?

Hopefully this will get everyone off the street. With the new CRJs coming online there will be a need for additional staffing to cover the new flying. I would be ****ed if they don't recall everyone while they contract additional flying from CHQ.

It just doesn't make sense that AMR would sink all that money into these new planes if there's been no progress on the scope issue.

5 crews to staff a plane, 10x22=220, not sure how many on the street, but they would prob hire

Problem is, there are 32 135's left that they've been itching to park. I however am remaining tentatively hopeful. :D

Does PooWater (Chit Aqua) have their own crew lounge in ORD? I sure hope so.

I believe there are about 20 E135s left, but still I wouldnt be surprised if they parked all the remaining 135s and even some 140s

Even if they dont have one,Its not the pilots fault.

Glad to see you guys are finally not getting skrewed. I am happy for you guys, I do hope that this doesn't hurt the AA guys though.

Even if they dont have one,Its not the pilots fault.We are doing the same thing to AA.

They already have a crew base in ORD for their UAL flying(Shuttle america). Conflict of interest anyone?

It makes it easier to fix aircraft and swap crews.