More than AA on the line...

airITguy

Newbie
Apr 22, 2003
3
0
www.usaviation.com
I am new to this forum, but have read a lot of posts of the past few days. Seems to me that at the end of the day, there is too much focus on what has happened and bad feelings. Life is NOT fair. The past is over and things will never be the same as we thought growing up through The American Dream 101.

Regardless of bad airline management or employees, world events have dictated big changes to what happens going forward. We are where we are and we need leaders to chart a course with labor on board if the airline business is to once again thrive. The definition of thrive may be one we re-write in the process.

Regardless of the ill-communicated/Ill-timed release of information about how AA senior management are/were to be compensated, I for one commend Mr. Carty for stepping up to the plate and taking the full blame on the issue. This is pretty rare. And assuming labor can get over the bad feelings -- which is where the issue seems to be -- it is in a rather unique position going forward. What it means is that Mr. Carty will have be extremely forthright and honest with labor going forward (and PROVE IT!) if he wishes to regain any confidence he might have had. I am no expert, but seems to me he should get way better marks than some in this business that have literally looted the tills and caused airline failures of the past. IMHO, this is not the case with American Airlines.

Running a world-wide multi-billion dollar company is no easy feat and tough choices have to be made - like it or not. I think this is what happened.

Like it or not, Mr. Carty is your leader and making any big changes in management right now will certainly push the Bankruptcy issue and at the end of that day it means more pain and suffering for everyone involved. I can tell you that the only ones who come out ahead in an airline bankruptcy are the ones labeled Lawyers, Accountants and Consultants. If you have an equity stake in American Airlines, chances are close to 100% that you will get nothing if a bankruptcy filing occurs. Zero. Zilch. Plus you can add the additional $500 million in labor cost reductions the DIP financing requires and that translates to a lot more pain for a lot more people.

Like I said, Life is NOT fair. It also seems there is more at stake here than just AA going bankrupt. If others follow (and my guess is they will if AA files), labor bargaining power will be decreased even more. Everyone will push to get below the low cost carriers (Southwest, Airtran, Jet Blue, etc.) costs and there will be more job losses. On the other hand if AA does NOT file, the rest (that matter) should follow
that lead. The last thing everyone needs in this COMPETITIVE airline business is for the bankruptcy lemming factor to kick in (you know, to stay competitive...).

In closing, I wish you all the best in resolving this crisis and though the cuts run deep and will be very painful for everyone involved, consider those who have no job or no hope of a job, and those who are hungry or sick. My Mother use to say, if you have your health, you have everything, without it you have nothing. The message is: if you are not healthy, get healthy if you can because you will lose the fight without it. This applies to people and companies and I think it particularly applies to American Airlines today.

We are where we are and it seems to me the best hope for a bright future is to live for the future and not dwell on the past. Good luck to all of you who have to make tough choices.
 
You know what folks. One of the most impressive statements, I have seen all day. You are 100% correct everyone needs to put this behind them and move onto a better future for EVERYONE!!!
 
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On 4/22/2003 2:52:13 PM airITguy wrote:

Like it or not, Mr. Carty is your leader

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Rumor has it that by the end of the day . . . he won''t be!

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