Where is USAPA's support for the merger? It seems APA is looking out for their pilots. It appears USAPA is looking out for ...........USAPA.
An Open Letter to
Texas Attorney General
and Gubernatorial
Candidate Greg Abbott
from the 10,000 Pilots
of American Airlines
Dear Mr. Abbott,
Your candidate website states that “Greg Abbott is fighting for Texas
families and values.” Unfortunately, that just doesn’t square with the
announcement that the state of Texas has joined a lawsuit in federal court
challenging the pending merger of American Airlines and US Airways.
Fort Worth has been the proud home of American Airlines for more than
30 years. Throughout much of that period, the airline’s Dallas-Fort Worth
hub has served as a powerful economic engine for the region.
American Airlines has struggled in recent years in the face of competition
with two much larger megacarriers — Delta-Northwest and United-
Continental — whose mergers were blessed by the Department of Justice.
Nevertheless, American Airlines remains the largest employer in North
Texas, directly employing tens of thousands of hard-working, middle-class
Texans and indirectly supporting many more jobs and businesses.
The merger with US Airways would enable American Airlines to address
network and revenue deficiencies and exit Chapter 11 restructuring on a
level playing field with United and Delta. A reinvigorated American Airlines
would then offer business and international travelers a viable alternative to
those carriers, providing an important competitive counterbalance.
So, we have to ask: Are you opposed to having a leading global carrier
headquartered in Fort Worth? Considering everything at stake — including
the large number of jobs and the tax revenues they generate — that doesn’t
make any sense.
If American Airlines and US Airways are not permitted to merge, American
Airlines would emerge from bankruptcy as a standalone airline in a weak
competitive position. The airline could then be forced to shed less profitable
routes, affecting the very same markets in rural Texas that you voice concern
about in opposing the merger.
As for the notion that American Airlines and US Airways “compete directly
on thousands of heavily traveled nonstop and connecting routes,” that’s not
even close to accurate. The two airlines compete directly on a total of 12
nonstop routes. Their route networks are highly complementary with very
little overlap — much more so than in any other recent airline merger.
For the sake of American Airlines, its many Texas-based workers and the
economic well-being of this great state, we hope you’ll reconsider your
position.
The Allied Pilots Association, representing the 10,000 pilots of American
Airlines, is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
