Bloomberg: "Enormous Labor Blunder"

[Kellerguy]

Below is a link (13 minutes) to an interesting commentary discussing AMR and other bankruptcy actions in the news. The AMR references are at the beginning and then in the last couple of minutes. You may agree or not agree with the comments, but something to think about when you wonder about the strategies followed by the union leadership and the degree to which they responsibly managed the message back to their constituents and fully vutilized the negotiating opportunity they had.

http://media.bloomberg.com/bb/avfile/vLdqqsnKHYa4.mp3

Are the unions offering rank and file either an opportunity to reestablish or reaffirm their leadership going into this battle? Is it even an option?

 

[Frank Szabo]

Below is a link (13 minutes) to an interesting commentary discussing AMR and other bankruptcy actions in the news. The AMR references are at the beginning and then in the last couple of minutes. You may agree or not agree with the comments, but something to think about when you wonder about the strategies followed by the union leadership and the degree to which they responsibly managed the message back to their constituents and fully vutilized the negotiating opportunity they had.

http://media.bloomberg.com/bb/avfile/vLdqqsnKHYa4.mp3

Are the unions offering rank and file either an opportunity to reestablish or reaffirm their leadership going into this battle? Is it even an option?

The twu has been nothing but a dues collection machine and has done nothing for its AA membership the entire time (20+ years) I've been employed by American - nothing except being surrender monkeys to ensure the collection of monthly dues to keep itself in existence.

I'd love the opportunity to "reaffirm" my faith in them.

 

[eolesen]

Don't know who the guy doing all the talking is, but he lost me when he started out by claiming that the 20 airplanes being rejected are "DC9's, the predecessor to the MD80"

 

[Kellerguy]

Don't know who the guy doing all the talking is, but he lost me when he started out by claiming that the 20 airplanes being rejected are "DC9's, the predecessor to the MD80"

Got it out right of the motion filed on bankruptcy site, meaning the actual lease would have referred to it that way. It makes sense, the MD80 was originally the DC9-80. DC for Douglas Aircraft Corp, however the designator was changed to MD after the merger with McDonnell Aircraft corporation, hence MD11 variant of DC10 and MD80, 82 etc.

From filing: "McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 MSN 49177"

http://www.amrcaseinfo.com/pdflib/53_15463.pdf

Bill Rochelle is a bankruptcy columnist and editor-at-large for Bloomberg News.

 

[eolesen]

Well, that's my point. He read something out of the filing, and tried to sound all important & edjumicated, but didn't know what the heck he was looking at...

I have no doubt he knows finance, but he sure don't know airplanes.

 

[Frank Szabo]

Don't know who the guy doing all the talking is, but he lost me when he started out by claiming that the 20 airplanes being rejected are "DC9's, the predecessor to the MD80"

That IS the model number on the plate ...

 

[FWAAA]

Yes, it is the model number on the metal plate, but read what eolesen posted:

. . . but he lost me when he started out by claiming that the 20 airplanes being rejected are "DC9's, the predecessor to the MD80"

What the know-it-all talking head could have said was "the 20 airplanes being rejected are DC-9-82s, otherwise known as MD-80s" and he wouldn't have sounded quite as ignorant. The planes being rejected are not predecessors to the MD-80, they are MD-80s.

 

[Frank Szabo]

Yes, it is the model number on the metal plate, but read what eolesen posted:



What the know-it-all talking head could have said was "the 20 airplanes being rejected are DC-9-82s, otherwise known as MD-80s" and he wouldn't have sounded quite as ignorant. The planes being rejected are not predecessors to the MD-80, they are MD-80s.

I'm not arguing at all - the plates read DC9-80, DC9-82, 83, yada, yada. No argument here - just not plain enough - and perhaps someone attempting to pick the fly #### out of the pepper ...

 

[Mach85ER]

Yes, it is the model number on the metal plate, but read what eolesen posted:



What the know-it-all talking head could have said was "the 20 airplanes being rejected are DC-9-82s, otherwise known as MD-80s" and he wouldn't have sounded quite as ignorant. The planes being rejected are not predecessors to the MD-80, they are MD-80s.

Easy mistake for those who talk from the rear hand wipe zone.

AA crew had an FAA guy doing a line check from the jumpseat. Apparently was an arrogant piece of work from the start. Amidst a long ground delay before takeoff, he was hammering the crew with his systems knowledge and the pilots lack of knowledge.

Finally the Captain turned around and asked, "Are you even Type Rated on this plane?". The FAA guy blew up at the insolent peons who dared to question his aircraft knowledge."I BEEN TYPE RATED ON THIS DC-9 FOR 25 YEARS!!!"

They were in the cockpit of an AA Fokker 100

 

[N288AA]

Don't know who the guy doing all the talking is, but he lost me when he started out by claiming that the 20 airplanes being rejected are "DC9's, the predecessor to the MD80"

Eric actually this guy is right. Can't remeber about the post Boeing merger airplanesbut the pre merger airplanes were shown to be DC-9-80,81,82....etc on the manufactures plate in the fwd entry door.

 

[FWAAA]

Eric actually this guy is right. Can't remeber about the post Boeing merger airplanesbut the pre merger airplanes were shown to be DC-9-80,81,82....etc on the manufactures plate in the fwd entry door.

That's not the part that caused eolesen's comment. I'm willing to bet that E knows that MD-80s series planes are actually DC-9-8x planes. Before anyone posts it, I'll bet he also knows that any fixed wing plane on which the President is flying is called "Air Force One."

The guy said that AA was rejecting leases on DC-9-82s that were predecessors to the MD-80 - and that's the ignorance. AA is not rejecting planes that were the predecessors to the MD-80s - AA is rejecting leases on MD-80s.

DC-9-8x is not a "predecessor" to the MD-8x series; they ARE the MD-80 series.

DC-9-10 and DC-9-30 and DC-9-40 and DC-9-50. THOSE were the predecessors to the MD-80s.

 

[kentky95]

Well, that's my point. He read something out of the filing, and tried to sound all important & edjumicated, but didn't know what the heck he was looking at...

I have no doubt he knows finance, but he sure don't know airplanes.

you are retired from AA, right? Are you concerned about losing retireee insurance? I can't see it happening, but you never know with BK.

 

[787nightmare]

Easy mistake for those who talk from the rear hand wipe zone.

AA crew had an FAA guy doing a line check from the jumpseat. Apparently was an arrogant piece of work from the start. Amidst a long ground delay before takeoff, he was hammering the crew with his systems knowledge and
the pilots lack of knowledge.

Finally the Captain turned around and asked, "Are you
even Type Rated on this plane?". The FAA guy blew up at the insolent peons who dared to question his aircraft knowledge."I BEEN TYPE RATED ON THIS DC-9 FOR 25 YEARS!!!"
They were in the cockpit of an AA Fokker 100

LOL!!...... now THAT is funny! -D

 

[eolesen]

Yes, I'm well aware that the builder's plate reflects the STC number, and not the marketing name for the airplane... That's not the point. Sounded to me like he was trying to insinuate that AA was getting rid of dinosaur vintage airplanes, i.e. the DC-9-30/40/50's that Northwest was flying up until a couple years ago.

Go listen to what he's saying yourself -- it's in the first two minutes.

 

[kirkpatrick]

I'll bet he also knows that any fixed wing plane on which the President is flying is called "Air Force One."

I don't believe it has to be fixed wing to carry that designation.

MK