Research Project

[mkoffman221]

Hello, I am a history graduate student that is researching the merger of US Airways and America West. I have started writing about the histories of each and am working on the merger itself. To fully cover this topic, I would like to speak with employees (positions from Pilots to FA's, to management personnel) from either airline in an effort to see the combining of different corporate structures, cultures, and histories.

At the moment, I am finishing an internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of American history until the end of July before I head back out to the Phoenix area.

If you know of any employees in the DC area that would be willing to help with my research I would appreciate it as I would like to be able to gather opinions and information from both perspectives.

I have posted on the AirlinePilots central forum, but would also take any suggestions as to where else I can seek interested parties. Thanks.

Mitchell.

 

[ALPO NO MO]

Mitchell, good luck to you; the Air and Space Museum is one of my all time favorites. I would have loved to have been lucky and smart enough to have been an intern at such an esteemed institution.

Moderator Note: this post has been edited to remove reference to a post which has been deleted.

 

[autofixer]

Just draw some pictures: Unlike the Piedmont-USAir merger, where two buckets of honey were mixed together and the alchemists created one large bucket of "dung". The AmericaWest-USAirways merger was two buckets of "dung" mixed together and, poof! ...a larger bucket of "dung"! What an easy paper!

 

[US1YFARE]

Hello, I am a history graduate student that is researching the merger of US Airways and America West. I have started writing about the histories of each and am working on the merger itself.



.... but would also take any suggestions as to where else I can seek interested parties. Thanks.

Mitchell.

Check out the Galley Thread. That should give you a good idea about the merger!

 

[necigrad]

It might be worth it to develop a questionnaire for us to fill out. I've never done a research paper at your level, but I think you'd get far more sources to compile that way. I'd be happy to fill one out.

 

[2clippedwings]

I think a questionnaire is a good idea. Then provide a link to us here at US Aviation.
Be happy to contribute too.

 

[Richard]

A note to the membership-- this is not sanctioned by the ownership or management of USAviation.com, so proceed with caution before giving any personal information.

For the Original Poster's benefit, usually permission is required prior to making requests of this nature.

We will let this go for a while and see where it takes us.

 

[Ralph]

Ladies and Gentlemen, a flamebait post has been deleted and time off given. The original poster made a request for information on the history of the merger. If all you want to do is spew about the rightness or wrongness of the merger and the employees on the other side of the fence, call your mama. She will listen. Posting it here may earn time off.

 

[mkoffman221]

The questionnaire is a very good idea and one that I would NOT have people post on a public form. I would rather carry on discussion in a private format via email or phone call. Also, my thesis is currently to be used for educational purposes and not to be published. People that volunteer information can let me know to not use their names in the report or if they do, would be allowed a copy of my entire work to verify that I did not misuse or slander their words.

I thank you for allowing this post to contribute as trying to understand the inner workings of a corporation cannot solely be understood through annual reports, newspaper articles, and journals.

 

[freedom]

If you really want to understand us airways you need look no further than this message board ... all of our companies major events have been discussed here ... go back through the pages around the time of the merger and you'll get ALL the insight you could ever want from every angle and every side of the mix ...

 

[mkoffman221]

If you really want to understand us airways you need look no further than this message board ... all of our companies major events have been discussed here ... go back through the pages around the time of the merger and you'll get ALL the insight you could ever want from every angle and every side of the mix ...

That is an option, and one that I will probably end up doing. But as a historian, attempting to find people and talk directly would be preferred and ideal. As I dont have funding for my research, I will have to do what I can.

 

[28L_or_10R?]

This merger made me start drinking again after many years of sobriety. The depression caused by a low-hanging black cloud and the feeling that the next shoe to drop was going to land on my head was suffocating. That shoe has landed on my head many times since the merger.

I am just one bin monkey. I am sure that many others have experienced the same frustration and have found their own ways of dealing with it.

Now I am at a station where 99% of the people are as nice as pie. Finally, I have found a place in my America West/US Airways existence where I don't dread going to work. Actually, I look forward to going to work! Hooray for me. But the shoe will drop here someday and I will move on.

What gets me through it?
This little booger-head, mainly:

A furry Prozac. If you don't have one, get one. Dogs work wonders, too. Come home from a hard day's work and the little critters are happy to see you.

Tonight I have a half bottle of Merlot and some Harpoon India Pale Ale in the fridge. The cat has a tub of Krazee Kitty Catnip® I'm about to peel open. We're going to get a buzz goin'.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Just draw some pictures: Unlike the Piedmont-USAir merger, where two buckets of honey were mixed together and the alchemists created one large bucket of "dung". The AmericaWest-USAirways merger was two buckets of "dung" mixed together and, poof! ...a larger bucket of "dung"! What an easy paper!

That, sadly. is a very astute post indeed. Mitchell, good luck with your project. Sorry for the tone you sometimes see on this board. Our bark is worse than our bite.


28L: I'd be lost without my "furry Prozac"!

 

[mkoffman221]

I understand that this topic brings out a variety of emotions and feelings and this is part of what I think is important to study and research. The peoples perspective has a tendency to be overlooked when looking a history.

 

[flybynite]

It wouldn't surprise me if a grad student at Harvard isn't already writing a dissertation on how not to merge two companies and using the US/AWA merger as an example.

The Follies and Foibles of Mergers and Aquisitions.