AE downsizes

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Aug 20, 2002
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SPECIAL EAGLEWIRE FOR MAY 27, 2008
Published Especially for the Employees of American Eagle

* * * * PLEASE POST ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS * * * *


May 27, 2008

Eagle and Executive Employees:

I know that everyone at Eagle is anxious to understand the specific schedule, fleet and staffing changes that will result from last week’s announcement by AA of capacity cuts at both American and Eagle. Many aspects of the schedules at AA and Eagle have not yet been resolved. However, in the interest of sharing the information which we do have as quickly as possible, we are announcing a number of schedule and fleet changes that will take effect this fall.

American plans to reduce its operation in San Juan. AA’s smaller SJU schedule will require less Eagle feed and as a result, AA has asked that we reduce our schedule from 55 SJU daily departures this winter to 33. We will continue to serve the destinations we fly today from SJU, with two exceptions – Aruba (AUA) and Samana, in the Dominican Republic (AZS). AA will continue to serve AUA from JFK and MIA. Eagle frequency to our other Caribbean destinations will be reduced. Specific schedules will be published shortly.

The reduced schedule in SJU will require many fewer ATR72s than are currently based in SJU. Since the ATR72 is one of the most fuel efficient aircraft in our fleet, the ATR72s no longer required in SJU will be moved to the DFW hub, where they will be assigned primarily to fly missions currently operated with SAABs. The SAABs currently operating in DFW – as well as the SAABs flying from our LAX hub – will be retired from the Eagle fleet. Although the West Coast schedules have not been finalized, we expect that total departures in LAX will fall slightly and a number of RJs will be re-assigned from elsewhere in our system to serve markets previously served by SAABs. The precise timing of these changes is still being worked out but they are expected to take place in the September/October timeframe.

We have not yet finalized the capacity adjustments and schedule changes associated with the RJ fleet announced last week, nor do we know at this point the impact on our people.

Now that we know the turbo-prop fleet and schedule changes we will begin the process of determining how these changes will impact our staffing levels for each workgroup and station. Although we want to complete this work as quickly as possible, we need to be especially careful in light of the impact these changes will have on our people.

While we complete this work, we plan to meet with union leaders, employees and managers in an effort to find the least disruptive ways of making these changes.

I wish that these announcements and these changes were avoidable. Unfortunately, fuel prices have risen so quickly and show no signs of falling, the economy is far from strong and airline industry losses are mounting. I believe the crisis in the airline business is real and the steps American is taking to reduce its schedule and the schedule it is asking us to fly on its behalf are necessary.

Thank you for all the work you do every day to keep our airline safe and reliable. Eagle has the best people in this business. As difficult as these changes will be, I am confident that Eagle has a successful future on the other side of this difficult period.

Thank you,


Peter Bowler
President & CEO
 
Not at all unexpected that the Saab fleet goes away, but I didn't expect AT72's to head to DFW...

Here's the impact...

Code:
LAX Saab Markets:

5x FAT
3x MRY
12x SAN (plus 5 ERD)
7x SBA
3x SBP (plus 1 ERD)


DFW Saab Markets:

3x ABI (plus 4 EMJ)
6x ACT 
3x AEX
3x CLL
3x GGG
7x LAW
3x LFT
3x MLU
3x SHV (plus 6 mixed RJ)
2x SJT
7x SPS
2x TXK (plus 1 ERD)
5x TYR
 
I don't think that ending 22 flights from San Juan will be enough to cover this all.

Needless, the ATR flight out of SJU is sickly under-utilized, so maybe. However, I could also see some shaking up on the MIA side of things. Maybe ending ATR flights to JAX, for example, in favor of an all-RJ.

Will be interesting to see what planes go out to LAX - I have a hunch it might be the 135s.
 
SPECIAL EAGLEWIRE FOR MAY 27, 2008
Published Especially for the Employees of American Eagle

* * * * PLEASE POST ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS * * * *


May 27, 2008

Eagle and Executive Employees:



American plans to reduce its operation in San Juan.


Peter Bowler
President & CEO

This fully sucks. They've been telling us that we've been losing money to SJU for years. I guess it's true. It's hard to understand that when all of our flights are oversold. I thought AA announced DOMESTIC capacity cuts. I know SJU is considered domestic for non rev and passport purposes but it is international flying for crews. Taking SJU capacity down is going to severely diminish the JFK bidsheet as well as screwing all the SJU commuters. WOW.
 
Since the ATR72 is one of the most fuel efficient aircraft in our fleet, the ATR72s no longer required in SJU will be moved to the DFW hub, where they will be assigned primarily to fly missions currently operated with SAABs.
Interesting to see the ATR headed to DFW, as I thought the primary reason they were put in SJU and MIA was to avoid any potential for icing as a result of the the 1994 crash. <_<
 
I would have never guessed that SJU flying was considered part of JFK. If I were a betting man, I would have said IMA.
SJU flying hits all INTL bases. Most of the flying to and from SJU is covered by IMA and JFK though. Debbie Carvatta announced that IOR would lose one SJU flight.

Most of the caribbean 2-3 days out of JFK involve at least one leg to SJU. So, yes, this will have a dramatic impact on us.
 
Interesting to see the ATR headed to DFW, as I thought the primary reason they were put in SJU and MIA was to avoid any potential for icing as a result of the the 1994 crash. <_<
Maybe the Farmers Almanac is forecastinting Snow in SJU this winter, and warm weather in Texas. :unsure:
 
Interesting to see the ATR headed to DFW, as I thought the primary reason they were put in SJU and MIA was to avoid any potential for icing as a result of the the 1994 crash. <_<

That's why they pulled them out of ORD and pushed to go all-RJ...

Perhaps this is one of the positive effects of global warming?...