bhunt

Just heard on radio AA does not have pilots for 15,000 flights in December because of computer giltch.

JHake10

Apparently AA reached out to offer pilots 150% pay and the union isn't happy since its not going through them. This shouldn't affect UA as AA already sold these tickets (fulfilling the demand). Unless AA pulls a Ryanair and starts mass cancellations I don't see anything happening.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Reading some of the comments just from first page in their thread re pilot situation at the AA forum, you'd think it was United 2012-13 (with Parker being the new Smisek):

"it's one thing after the next with these idiots (mgmt)."
"The "New" AA never ceases to amaze me..."
"This is truly just unbelievable. I feel like this is something I should be reading on The Onion..."
"Fire Dougie. One thing after another - between this and the LAX catering mishap senior management's incompetence in Q4 is shocking"
"What a joke this "airline" has become. Parker & Co. never cease to amaze."
"HAHAHA! #GoingForGreat again! Why the shareholders aren't calling for Parker's immediate termination is beyond me. He was fine over at HP/US but it seems the "New American" is too much for him to handle competently."

LangerhansCellHistiocytosis

And unions wonder why they have such a reputation and memberships are at an all time low...

milepig

If they're short pilots for 15,000 flights I don't know who will be flying those flights so, yes, I'd expect mass cancellations.

goodeats21

They aren't "short" the pilots, they just didn't schedule them for the flights. It isn't like they just fired a bunch of pilots or something.

My guess is it will take some $$ to get the pilots on the schedule, but the vast majority of the flights will operate.
I doubt it will have much (or any) impact on United fares.

Sykes

It appears that they found the glitch a few weeks after the pilots confirmed their schedules. That's a lot of time to make alternative plans, promise family that you'll be home for the holidays, etc. so my guess is that AA isn't going to have a particularly easy time filling the vacancies.

As for the impact on fares, I doubt it'll make THAT much difference, but it should make some.

WineCountryUA

To learn more or to discuss or comment on the AA situation, please join the action in Thousands of December AA flights scheduled without pilots?

Discussion here should just relate to any impact on UA or those flying UA.

WineCountryUA
UA coModerator

jsloan

And, to answer that question: This is extremely unlikely to have any effect on UA fares, as AA has announced that they intend to fly their complete schedule. Furthermore, most of these dates are over the Christmas travel period, where airfare is already high (in coach, anyway).

People aren't going to pay cancellation fees and such in order to avoid AA, and a mass book-away is really the only thing that would lead to a fare increase by the competition. In short, nothing to see here.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

Yeah, I'm pretty sure AA will get the requisite pilots and the pilots will be getting the requisite (extra) dollars. This will be a non-event for UA, aside from the fact that UA may have a relatively better 4th quarter financial result vs AA had this not happened.