american airlines is bankrupt

[Rreemo]

I used to fly them all the time for business....put the boycott up on that shitty airline a long time ago. They have full flights b/c they are constantly cancelling the unfull ones and rolling people over (everything is on their terms, not their customers). And they've bled those junky assed Super-80's way longer than they should have....hell, over half of those were old TWA planes and they were wore out back then.

It got to a point for me that I had some sort of issue on basically every flight with them, and I finally gave them the finger....fuck that dirtbag airline, you treat your customers and employees like shit, and guess what's going to happen?!

Doesn't help how crappy they treated my Dad before he retired either.

I did promise some co-workers that I'd throw a party one day when they eventually filed....I guess I'll be buying a keg for that celebration soon!

[aggie97]

Something else that may throw a wrench in the mess....

I got a memo yesterday that the USPS has changed it's policy which conflicts with most government purchasing rules.

As of today, we are no longer to purchase "full fare" refundable tickets and are NOT to use "government fare" tickets as they are usually $100's more than the best economy fare. This has always been a means to not get screwed for cancellations and change fees.

Well, I imagine most government agencies are going to follow suit soon which is going to hurt the airlines a BUNCH! Not that a lot of government employees travel a lot, but I know my $710 ticket this week could have been had for about $275 had I purchased the "best available" fare instead of unrestricted refundable.

good that they are cutting costs....bad for the airlines.

[mikeb]

I fly every week, and have for the past 3 years.

I usually fly southwest but i chose AA one time because their schedule was way better than southwest's that time..... what a mistake...... boarding process is a clusterfuck, had to pay fees for bags, had to pay $7 for a bag of peanuts.... rude airline attendants yelling at us...... old dirty plane.....

Southwest has some flaws, but flying with them is FAR more pleasant than flying with AA. Seems that AA has forgotten the customer.... and seems that AA's management has forgotten AA's employees too, stuffing their pockets and not giving raises to the people that make the airline work.

[line-em-up]

...

Absolutely not. I am no longer in the airline industry. I was laid off from Delta in 2002. I had no desire to seek out another airline job due to what goes on with managment, and all the pissing and moaning from the guys I worked with. I now maintain and fly a privately owned helicopter, and on the side I maintain about a dozen other helicopters.

I'm still in the trenches, just different trenches. I took my own advice years ago, and found a niche in the industry I really enjoy.

P.S.- The guys that were laid off with me, and soon afterward, now realize how good the airline job actually was, and they really had nothing to gripe about.

That's cool. It sounds like you've done very good for yourself. Sounds like a fun job.

[jw33]

I fly every week, and have for the past 3 years.

I usually fly southwest but i chose AA one time because their schedule was way better than southwest's that time..... what a mistake...... boarding process is a clusterfuck, had to pay fees for bags, had to pay $7 for a bag of peanuts.... rude airline attendants yelling at us...... old dirty plane.....

Southwest has some flaws, but flying with them is FAR more pleasant than flying with AA. Seems that AA has forgotten the customer.... and seems that AA's management has forgotten AA's employees too, stuffing their pockets and not giving raises to the people that make the airline work.

Imagine if SWA didn't have to deal with the Wright Amendment?

[mikeb]

Imagine if SWA didn't have to deal with the Wright Amendment?

Yeah, but it's not really a big deal. I have to stop in Austin/San Antonio/Albuquerque/Houston, kick a few people off, get a few people on, and then i'm back on the way. Because of the wright amendment my SWA flights are about an hour longer than a direct AA flight, but I don't have the AA hassle.

The Wright amendment goes away in 2014.

[Bassics]

Do you like the idea that one person hasn't had a raise in 22 years and another at the same company get a $27K/year raise?

an·ec·dot·al (nk-dtl)
adj.
1. also an·ec·dot·ic (-dtk) or an·ec·dot·i·cal (--kl) Of, characterized by, or full of anecdotes.
2. Based on casual observations or indications rather than rigorous or scientific analysis

[Bassics]

I honestly don't see how ANY airline can make a profit with fuel, maintenance, acquisition, and personnel costs.

I dunno, they shrugged the whole TSA thing onto the taxpayers...

[Vertnut]

Not to get into details, but my business just lost 15k owed to us by AA this morning when they decided to file. Sucks total ass, but what can ya do?

And THIS is the real problem. There are are hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses that are affected by this chapter 11. Many are just not big enough to absorb a hit like that, and it travels down the line to the people that THEY owe. The irony is that most of the businesses your size are probably non-union shops, so the union even affects THOSE jobs, too.

[ceyko]

It's a shame to see a large airline called American Airlines fail...multiple times. Especially since they are based out of here. We just need to let these companies die though and let new, fresher companies start-up or others fill the void.

I'm just tired of the government bailing out companies. Especially when a lot of companies seem poorly run. I've never seen the government bail out my family who are all small business owners. ('cept for me) They just do whatever has to be done to make the company/life work. On occasion they shutdown, do a regular job until business picks up again. That's the way it should be when you have company. No more taxpayer safety nets.

[T.J.]

And THIS is the real problem. There are are hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses that are affected by this chapter 11. Many are just not big enough to absorb a hit like that, and it travels down the line to the people that THEY owe. The irony is that most of the businesses your size are probably non-union shops, so the union even affects THOSE jobs, too.

Well said, couldn't agree more

[2011GT]

It's a shame to see a large airline called American Airlines fail...multiple times. Especially since they are based out of here. We just need to let these companies die though and let new, fresher companies start-up or others fill the void.

I'm just tired of the government bailing out companies. Especially when a lot of companies seem poorly run. I've never seen the government bail out my family who are all small business owners. ('cept for me) They just do whatever has to be done to make the company/life work. On occasion they shutdown, do a regular job until business picks up again. That's the way it should be when you have company. No more taxpayer safety nets.

If your company had over 80,000 employees it would get bailed out also. Its going to cost us (the tax payers) regardless if its through bankruptcy or 80,000 more people on unemployment.

[AdamLX]

I have no issues with AA, love flying with them. Where was all the outrage when most other airlines did the same thing years ago after 9/11?

Besides, I thought everyone here flew private?

[2011GT]

And THIS is the real problem. There are are hundreds, if not thousands, of small businesses that are affected by this chapter 11. Many are just not big enough to absorb a hit like that, and it travels down the line to the people that THEY owe. The irony is that most of the businesses your size are probably non-union shops, so the union even affects THOSE jobs, too.

Can you explain why its the unions fault? 8 years ago AA unions voted in huge concessions to keep AA from having to file bankruptcy. AA and its employees were proud to have gone through the worst time in aviation history and not file unlike 90% of the other carriers did. AA is also the ONLY USA based airline that doesn't send any of its maintenance overseas. That's rare these days. Who knows what's going to happen after the restructuring. I just hope they keep all the maintenance here in the good ol' US of A.

[ELVIS]

Besides, I thought everyone here flew private?

i just have 91coupemike drive me, that red car is faster than most planes anyway.

god bless.