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US Airways Takes Key Step In Taking Over American Airlines
US Airways has reached an agreement to merge with American Airlines after entering collective bargaining pacts with three of the company's labor unions. The deal was largely expected after American Airlines' parent company, AMR, entered bankruptcy and US Airways expressed interest. (finance.yahoo.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I just cannot imagine how absolutely awful the combined airline will be. I'm sure the distillation of the worst customer service of each company will be presented to the travelling public in some disgustingly rude espresso of service.
From a 2.4mm AAL flier -- DITTO :(
US can reach a deal with AA's unions, but it still can't reach deals with the pilots' or FAs' unions from the American West merger over 5 years ago. US is still operating two airlines, with separate planes, crews, contracts, and seniority lists: "east" from the pre-merger US Airways and "west" from America West.
American is the stronger brand, has more FFs, and will be the brand that survives. Same as when AW took over USAir. Pretty remarkable accomplishment, from a corporate perspective. Delta/NW learned a lot from how US and AW merged (what not to do). Now maybe the USAir unions and management will learn from the Delta/NW merger. It makes sense that United, AA and Delta will remain the big 3 for years to come. Alaska is next (probably combine with Delta, my guess).
US AFA flight attendants just voted down a contract... I don't think the US pilots still have a contract, either. I just think a US/AA merger will be an unmitigated disaster. The fools in Tempe know how to run a LCC. They don't know how to run an international airline. I can just see Tempe trained people running the show in Hong Kong or Shanghi...
You are seeing that now with the continental and united merger(buy out). United doesn't know how to keep the former continental customers happy.
I used to work in AW Labor Relations, and just to clarify, where you say you don't think the pilots still have a contract ... the contracts don't expire - they become "amendable".
Who says that the AB fleet is not fuel efficient? Some posters are correct in saying that the 737 fleet at Cactus will disappear soon, to be replaced by new AB's coming as we speak. As one 737 goes, a brand new AB come in.