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Originally Posted by Xero
(Post 17268614)
SFO I think still has an FA base, but I am not sure if they announced a closure for that.
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Originally Posted by newyorkgeorge
(Post 17268658)
Does STL still have a FA base?
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Originally Posted by FWAAA
(Post 17267855)
I don't think AA flies nonstop from SFO to AUS.
Kind of strange though as it doesn't give a connection city..:confused:
Originally Posted by lbbzman
(Post 17267915)
According to the current AA PDF timetable, even SFO-AUS isn't nonstop. To answer your question, I don't see any nonstop AA-operated flights from SFO to anything other than a hub or 'cornerstone' city.
Cheers, LBBZman
Originally Posted by AAerSTL
(Post 17268611)
You can deny it all you want now, but there have been posts in the past praising SFO crews and their service (specifically regarding the now discontinued SFO-HNL route) and its clear the locals have a sense of pride in their local base and valued it somewhat. Although the DOMESTIC FA base closure has not been announced its looking increasingly likely following this announcement. Again, you can spin things however you want but it doesn't change the facts. Administrative support positions are eliminated; perhaps there is a small office in the airport housing the base that will close. Commuting crews have "crashpads" in their base city that they now no longer need, fewer crews will spend money at the airport concessions.
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I'm coming late in the game to this, but...
I'm in SFO and I'm wondering why I would want it to be a hub? Wouldn't that mean I'd pay hub fares for every flight? Also, as a mileage runner, I consider longer itineraries to be a bonus. As long as the AC stays open, I don't think I'm going to complain. |
Originally Posted by EaglesOhThree
(Post 17268476)
at what point to the SFO people just plain realize AA isn't coming back there and move their business to wherever they think the grass is greener?
The grass is not always greener on the other side just because they have more flights. |
Originally Posted by Thunderroad
(Post 17268639)
I know I'm going against the flow here, but given the recent and IMHO ongoing deterioration in UA's FF program, I might well prioritize AA over UA next year.
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Originally Posted by EaglesOhThree
(Post 17268476)
at what point to the SFO people just plain realize AA isn't coming back there and move their business to wherever they think the grass is greener?
What's getting redundant is the usual complaints we have every single time the market is mentioned-as if some would advocate a ban on mentioning any news related to it whatsoever. really.
Originally Posted by Xero
(Post 17268560)
And the benefit of flying SFO-LAX-wherever means that I'll trump anyone originating in LAX for upgrades.
-- We know that every decision AA has made so far has been beneficial to the company and to its customers, that's why they're posting record profits! :rolleyes: <sarcasm> Since switching to United/Continental and becoming a 1K/Plat, I noticed that from a frequent flyer standpoint I preferred being an EXP. UA's route network, which blows AA's out of the water in the Bay Area and almost every where else, is of course, another story. And I've been greatly satisfied with on-time departures/arrivals (of which UA has bested AA in time and time again)-and a convenient schedule across the country. So, I'm as satisfied as I can be with UA now, but AA's continuation of route cuts and deterioration of a convenient schedule makes it impossible for me to fly them. It would maybe be a different story if the network had stayed the same as it was 2 years ago. Like I said, the cuts hit home when you're trying to fly between two major cities (SFO and MSP)--and a major storm in DFW cancels your SFO-ORD segment--and AA tells you that due to the planes being 100% full, they can't get you to Minn. for 3 days and tough luck-where as on virtually every other airline, all the other flights were open. Cancelled it out, and purchased an F class ticket on DL. That's when you know it's time to go-the deteriorated network leaves little room for IRROPS and I don't want to be constantly on-edge with AA's proactive cancellations and stingyness on rebooking and compensation. Bottom line in my view: AA = below average airline (in terms of planes, IFE, on-time issues, customer experience) with a world class FFP for its top tier elites. UA = fantastic airline (superior route network even in non-hubs, E+, chan 9, DTV w/ CO, on-time) with an OK FFP that focuses a bit more on high rev. |
Special Flight Department Hotline
SPECIAL FLIGHT DEPARTMENT HOTLINE October 13, 2011 This is CA John Hale with the Flight Department Hotline for Thursday, Oct. 13. One fact of life that you and I as pilots have accepted is that while we don’t always choose the circumstances we find ourselves in, we must find the course that ensures the safe completion of our flight. No matter what position you hold on the flight deck, it is understood that you will analyze every situation and given the options ahead, you choose the best of what you’re given. That’s the reality of leadership as well, and while I’d prefer to deal with only the good news and positive situations, just as we all do in the cockpit, I must deal with them all. Today I have to inform you of the decision to close our San Francisco crew base. This decision was not made lightly and comes with much regret and only after intensive discussion and strategic analysis. Unfortunately, this difficult course of action proves to be the best in the long run for all concerned. As many of you know, the recent surge in retirements has left our manning levels to be critically short to the detriment of our schedule reliability. We were unable to achieve a bridge agreement to allow us to temporarily ease the manning crunch, so we must find another way to underwrite the reliability of our operation. That means concentrating our resources where we were need them most and marshaling our forces around our cornerstones strategy. The current economic environment also leaves us faced with making tough choices about where and how we spend our money and this closure will save significant reserve and management costs. While this is not the course we’d planned on or hoped for, we must nonetheless take the required steps to deal with the situation we now find ourselves in, adapting and finding another clear path through difficult circumstances. That’s not only the commitment we make every day on the flight deck, but also the reality of the airline business in the 21st century. Of course, we understand the impact this decision has on pilots and families, just as we have experienced many times before in the closing of pilot crew bases in Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Nashville, and San Diego. We in the Flight Department stand ready to help the pilots who are affected by the base closure to move smoothly into positions at other bases around our system. You’ve heard me say it before, but I’ll repeat it again: we are the strongest we can be when we work cooperatively and with a commitment to the ultimate goal, which is a thriving and secure American Airlines, solidly positioned for the future in a very competitive industry. Together, we’ll get through this difficult time, reinforce our airline’s resilience, and, in the process, ensure our future and that of our 70,000 coworkers. That’s all for today. |
Originally Posted by tom911
(Post 17269084)
It will be a rainy day in hell before I move my business to UA at SFO after the devaluation of their frequent flyer program for both midtier and lifetime members. I have been flying both AA and UA and will be moving all my business to AA now. As a leisure flyer I can live with the changes. Just not enough to make me abandon AA. A separate factor, for those at the 1K level at UA, is you have to "buy-up" to a higher fares to use systemwides there. I refuse to do that and have given all my systemwides away the last two years. I have not done that with AA systemwides.
The grass is not always greener on the other side just because they have more flights. If the frequent flyer program alone was my choice, I think AA would be the easiest option in terms of redemption benefits (miles for hotels) and upgrades (no fare class consideration other than Y/Bconnection trumping etc)--but I just got really tired of spending hours in ORD and DFW and dealing with proactive cancellations every time it sprinkles. As long as I get my domestic upgrade I'm usually OK with the experience thereafter. There's a few things I miss on AA-but again, I just enjoyed arriving early 95%+ of the time and sitting in a cushy leather domestic F seat or E+ seat w/ a decent BOB option along with a convenient schedule that fit my travel needs |
I'm assuming that most of the pilots will be stationed down the Coast at LAX?
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Originally Posted by demkr
(Post 17269342)
with a convenient schedule that fit my travel needs
On another note, I had no clue AA even had an SFO pilots base. They should have closed that down a while ago... can't see how it lasted this long given their strategy/cornerstone cities. |
Originally Posted by mmjaysee
(Post 17269443)
Wow, you travel 200K mostly-domestic miles a year and live near SFO? I can't believe you ever flew AA in the first place. UA definitely makes the most sense for you.
On another note, I had no clue AA even had an SFO pilots base. They should have closed that down a while ago... can't see how it lasted this long given their strategy/cornerstone cities. I had been with AA since 2006, since living in Southern Illinois (MWA/STL) back when it was a hub operation-and was mainly pretty satisfied, and didn't see any reason to change after achieving status on AA for the first time. After the last two year's consistent cuts to destinations and capacity cuts to the hubs, the picture was bleaker and I experienced more delays/cancellations/IRROPs than ever before--because of these situations that understandably are out of AA's control, I would find that getting rebooked would be a challenge since there were few flights with empty seats. That, among other issues that I had with the way AA handled certain problems I faced, made me decide it was time for a change. As I have said before there are things that I miss, but the schedule/CR1s/IRROPs operation was the make-or-break for me. AA has clearly decided that the Bay Area doesn't matter-and the many of us that have switched loyalties as a result wish them and their employees all the best |
Originally Posted by demkr
(Post 17269292)
Bottom line in my view: AA = below average airline (in terms of planes, IFE, on-time issues, customer experience) with a world class FFP for its top tier elites. UA = fantastic airline (superior route network even in non-hubs, E+, chan 9, DTV w/ CO, on-time) with an OK FFP that focuses a bit more on high rev. |
Originally Posted by Thunderroad
(Post 17269658)
I might quibble with your view a bit (e.g., I'd never call UA a fantastic airline) and add a few elements to the calculation, but basically I think you've summed up the differences quite well.
Aside from that, UA has an amazing ability to turn a plane in under 15 minutes (something AA couldn't do for the life of itself) and get the plane out to the runway as quickly as possible for takeoff. This is what the making is of a good airline. Their weaknesses compared to AA are the new FFP (which largely puts revenue before status in a lot of areas, and to AA's credit, status comes 1st in most)--and airport experience. SFO T3 is a madhouse in the morning and at UA the TSA security checkpoints have long lines -- if AA was still in T3 I don't know *how long* we'd be waiting. lol |
Originally Posted by EaglesOhThree
(Post 17268476)
at what point to the SFO people just plain realize AA isn't coming back there and move their business to wherever they think the grass is greener?
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