The ex-twaers didn't take a hit for anybody; they are just incensed because we did not become their "cushion". If Carty would have just let twa die completely, then that would have been a capacity reduction that would have benefitted AA and the industry as a whole. Some AA people would probably have been laid off but only for a short time because all the "nAAtive" hubs are back to where they were (or larger) before 9/11. Only STL is a fraction of what it was. The fact is that AA paid $742 million in cash, assumed about $3.5 billion in twa liabilities and all they have to show for it is some slots in the Northeast and a STL "hub" with 55-60 flights a day; an amount which AA could have easily done with it's own metal. Not only that but the cost of bringing the twaers on AA's payroll, the cost converting the twa aircraft to AA's certificate, the painting of the aircraft, and the training of the twaers cost even more. Whats more, when AA laid off the twaers they got paid unused vacation and severence using their full twa seniority at AA's far superior payrates (I know, I know some ex-twa F/As did not get severance). Right now there are about 40 ex-twa aircraft sitting in the desert that AA is still making lease payments on. Additionally, when AA took that $1.3 billion dollar write down on the impairment of it's "goodwill" asset, twa was responsible for $1.1 billion if it. twa did cost AA tremendously. If Carty would just have let twa die completely, he then could have taken the assets he wanted without the twa employees and retirees. Had he done this, AA's balance sheet would have been about $4.5 billion healthier and we would not have had to deal with the twaers' constant bitching and whining and their endless lawsuits.
