CFO Kerr: AA focus on merger, just starting on changes (May 2015)
May 19, 2015, 11:26 am
#46
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WTAE on closure of 5 year old US OCC at Moon Township near PHL http://m.wtae.com/news/us-airways-op...state/24096910
May 19, 2015, 11:27 am
#47
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Consolidating our two operations centers into one team, adjacent to our primary flight training center and our corporate headquarters, is the right decision for our business and our customers and a necessary step on our mission to make the new American the world’s best airline," spokesman Todd Lehmacher said in an email.
May 19, 2015, 11:27 am
#48
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Probably not without some forward thinking individuals.
Am amazed that DFW is used as Hub for ANY EU/Asia flights considering that the distance would be reduced using CLT/PHX respectively.
My point, relative to this thread, was that US management are keenly sensitive with respect to on-time performance...moreso than feeding overweight American pax.
Their instinct is to cull whatever overhead it takes to make passengers happy - buttressing the fact they have studies showing that timely flights are generally the highest rated parameter relating to passenger satisfaction.
My own experience: had 8 flights connecting in DFW the past two months: 3 were diverted! and two others cancelled. In more than a decade flying US, had a couple of cancellations...there is simply no comparison.
The new crew (management) are not burdened with memories of a once great airline, so hopefully they will innovate new solutions to keep this beast afloat and make it the envy of DL/UA ^
Am amazed that DFW is used as Hub for ANY EU/Asia flights considering that the distance would be reduced using CLT/PHX respectively.
My point, relative to this thread, was that US management are keenly sensitive with respect to on-time performance...moreso than feeding overweight American pax.
Their instinct is to cull whatever overhead it takes to make passengers happy - buttressing the fact they have studies showing that timely flights are generally the highest rated parameter relating to passenger satisfaction.
My own experience: had 8 flights connecting in DFW the past two months: 3 were diverted! and two others cancelled. In more than a decade flying US, had a couple of cancellations...there is simply no comparison.
The new crew (management) are not burdened with memories of a once great airline, so hopefully they will innovate new solutions to keep this beast afloat and make it the envy of DL/UA ^
May 19, 2015, 11:32 am
#49
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CLT on a rainy afternoon is as bad as LGA and PHL. Remember airline CEOs are judged on what Wall Street demands, not FTers. Cost cutting will always trump customer amenities in the eyes of the Wall Street gods, particularly in a fungal business such as airlines.
May 19, 2015, 11:34 am
#50
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Thanks!
WHAT? Now he tells me! 
It does seem we occasionally lose sight of that here. And it is indeed in some ways a fungal business, IMO.
It does seem we occasionally lose sight of that here. And it is indeed in some ways a fungal business, IMO.
May 19, 2015, 1:40 pm
#51
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I would imagine that will change. AA is going to standardize at some point on all-MCE or not once it's single-airline. Otherwise you end up with a mess if you sub a non-MCE aircraft for an MCE one.
May 19, 2015, 7:26 pm
#52
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But AA never was the "world's best airline", has no hope or aspirations of being that. We'd sooner see ten days of Arctic temperatures and snow at PHX in August.
May 19, 2015, 8:36 pm
#53
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The Arizona Republic USA insert had a big article that said flyers are leaving American Airlines. I live in Scottsdale do I don't have much choice but I am less than thrilled with AA so far.
May 19, 2015, 9:16 pm
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I've come to view PHX as a help in adding more connection opportunities when things goes sideways with weather. I avoid it if I can, but with winter weather woes at DFW increasing, I have found it to be less stressful than checking weather every five minutes only to see banks of flights go cancelled from a smaller airport (SAT).
May 19, 2015, 10:27 pm
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Kerr was a little correct, just with a time warp. AA for a loooong time was flying the oldest fleet in the skies. In the 1970s and 80s, I was a very loyal AA flyer, then moved away from the aging aircraft. But, even before the merger, AA realized the need for new aircraft and started on a buying binge. While Wall Street wants quick bucks, long-term survival of an airline depends upon reputation, so that does matter even to the stock market technocrats. Pre-merger, I preferred AA to US. Now, it is one airline (yes, with different systems, but one airline). The New AA is still my preferred carrier to DL, UA, and Southwest. I agree with VickiSoCal; let's all hope that the new AA brings together the best of both, not the worst.
May 20, 2015, 7:56 am
#58
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I still don't buy US pre-HP as "pretty good". Agony Airways? And surviving the 2008-2009 crash with what was clearly an inferior network as the "ugly girl" wasn't a mean feat, either.
UA would have been much better off teaming with US. Despite Dougie's issues, he wouldn't have been nearly the disaster Jeff has been for UA - plus their network was a better fit than CO's IMO. On top of that, US was already in *A so it wouldn't have been a hard transition.
May 20, 2015, 7:58 am
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Doesn't surprise me. That said, it's not like the grass is much greener at UA or DL. The smaller carriers can be nice, but only if their networks work for you.
May 20, 2015, 8:13 am
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UA would have been much better off teaming with US. Despite Dougie's issues, he wouldn't have been nearly the disaster Jeff has been for UA - plus their network was a better fit than CO's IMO. On top of that, US was already in *A so it wouldn't have been a hard transition.