american airlines

Tag Archives for american airlines.

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker Spends ‘All Of His Time’ On Government Subsidies

by Gary Leff on August 30, 2020

Aug 30 2020

In a meaningful sense U.S. airlines are no longer private businesses, they’re vassals of the state. And that’s not surprising. While the largest carriers have given only a small potential ownership stake to the U.S. government in the form of warrants in exchange for subsidies this year, they’ve been effectively converted from commercial enterprises working to satisfy customers into political creatures working to satisfy “the powers that be,” as American Airlines CEO Doug Parker calls them.

Speaking to a group of American Airlines pilots at the end of last week, a recording of which was reviewed by View From The Wing, Parker said lobbying in DC is “frankly where I’ve been spending all of my time.”

American Airlines Backs Off Illegal Plan To Stop Serving Joplin, Missouri And Sioux City, Iowa

by Gary Leff on August 29, 2020

Aug 29 2020

On August 20th American Airlines announced plans to drop air service to 15 cities unless the government forked over another $6 billion in subsidies. The cities were spread across 14 states (28 Senators!) and many of the airports slated to lose service October 7 are represented by members of the House Transportation Committee.

However the plan was too clever by half. No one at American Airlines realized the problems dropping service to 3 of the cities on the list, and just as I’ve predicted they are now backtracking.

The Game Theory Of A Weak American Airlines Flight Attendants Union

by Gary Leff on August 29, 2020

Aug 29 2020

Furloughs shrink the union budget, but non-paying union members can’t vote. Taking the newest hires out of the equation protects old guard union leadership. The union was already weakened, having squandered its cash, and has been downright docile during the Covid crisis. But the company has lost all of its leverage by furloughing flight attendants, rather than holding out the potential to minimize furloughs in exchange for a concessionary contract.

Is The New Chemical American Airlines Plans To Spray Planes With Toxic?

by Gary Leff on August 27, 2020

Aug 27 2020

One scientist argues “if the disinfectant remains potent enough to kill the virus, it could also affect passengers.” It’s not clear to me that’s how the science works. Soap is potent enough to kill the virus.

Nonetheless concerns are being raised about the safety of the chemical American plans to use to disinfect aircraft.

American Airlines Is Actually Shedding 47% Of Its Flight Attendants – Far More Than WARN’ed

by Gary Leff on August 26, 2020

Aug 26 2020

American wanted to shed its flight attendant workforce by 12,600 (or 47% of flight attendants). They couldn’t have done that right away because they only sent out 9950 WARN Act notices. Leaves and voluntary quits did not – as promised – trade off with threatened layoffs, but were used to increase the number of flight attendants who won’t be working for the airline October 1.

American Airlines Will Furlough 17,162 Employees On October 1, According To Internal Company Memo

by Gary Leff on August 25, 2020

Aug 25 2020

In the fourth quarter, after CARES Act payroll restrictions lift and airlines can furlough employees, American Airlines plans to operate less than 50% 2019 flying and just 25% of international. They simply have too many people for so few flights, because there isn’t nearly as much demand for air travel.

The airline has calculated that they need 40,000 fewer employees compared to a year ago in order to operate this fall. And they’ve worked out the number of furloughs to take place October 1, detailing them by work group.

EPA Approves Chemical To Disinfect American Airlines Planes, But Only For Flights Departing Texas

by Gary Leff on August 24, 2020

Aug 24 2020

Since American Airlines only performs electrostatic spraying every 7 days a persistent chemical application is needed (in contrast to other airlines striving to spray between every flight). SurfaceWise 2 will kill viruses for at least a week.

The EPA has approved use of the chemical – but only for application in Texas airports and for flights departing Texas.

American Airlines Goes After ‘Hidden City Ticketing’: New Revenue-Raising Initiative?

by Gary Leff on August 22, 2020

Aug 22 2020

Right now airlines will take any money they can, and employees may be looking for metrics and wins to justify their jobs, so it doesn’t surprise me – whether corporate policy or individual initiative – to see the airline going after violations that can extract incremental revenue, and to do it in a way that maximizes likelihood of payment.

Today American Airlines Loses One Of The Industry’s Great Communicators

by Gary Leff on August 21, 2020

Aug 21 2020

Regular readers might imagine that I’m not the most popular guy at American Airlines, and certainly not the most popular in Corporate Communications. And despite all our ups and downs one person I’ve come to respect a great deal is Ross Feinstein who leaves the airline this week. There are two things about Ross that make him an outstanding communications professional.

Ross Feinstein will be missed at American Airlines. Selfishly I hope his next role is in the travel industry. For his sake, I hope it isn’t.

American’s Plan To Drop Service To Sioux City, Iowa And Joplin, Missouri Is Illegal

by Gary Leff on August 20, 2020

Aug 20 2020

American Airlines announced this morning that unless the government gives them another round of CARES Act payroll support, they will drop service to 15 cities October 7.

Except they cannot legally leave two of the cities without giving advance advance notice to the Department of Transportation, which they have not done.