• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home  >  American Airlines • News  >  American Airlines’ Flight Attendants Authorize Strike
American AirlinesNews

American Airlines’ Flight Attendants Authorize Strike

Matthew Klint Posted onMay 20, 2010 3 Comments

 What is it with OneWorld and strikes? First BA, now AA?

American Airlines flight attendants authorized their union leaders today to call a strike against the second-largest U.S. carrier if they are freed from further negotiations.

About 97 percent of those voting cast ballots to support a walkout, Association of Professional Flight Attendants President Laura Glading told members in a recorded message. Discussions are proceeding today between Fort Worth, Texas-based American and the group, which represents 16,550 of its active attendants.

I think they’re bluffing and I also don’t have too much sympathy for the FAs, especially after reading this:

“American has the highest labor costs of the legacy carriers,” Jim Corridore, a Standard & Poor’s equity analyst in New York, said in an interview. “I don’t see circumstances under which the company can provide a pay raise. There has to be some sort of productivity offset to any kind of pay increase.”

Ironically, that’s what happens to an airline that manages to be careful enough to avoid bankruptcy.

American has an annual labor “cost disadvantage” of $600 million, which is the difference between its labor expenses and what those costs would be under the contracts of competitors, Chief Executive Officer Gerard Armey told shareholders at the company’s annual meeting today in New York.

Other airlines, including United and Delta, lowered their labor costs during bankruptcy reorganizations.

American is trying to balance the interests of employees with its need to be competitive on a cost basis, Armey said.

Arpey, not Armey. But he’s right and I wish him success.

Previous Article 50,000 Miles for United Chase Visa
Next Article AA Flight Attendants: We are NOT the highest paid and least productive in the airline industry!

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • Bread Basket Returns In United Airlines Polaris Business Class

    September 28, 2023
  • Delta CEO SkyMiles Changes

    Delta CEO Admits Carrier Went Too Far, Too Fast With SkyMiles Changes

    September 28, 2023
  • Pathetic: Another No-Notice Delta SkyMiles Devaluation On Redemption Side

    September 27, 2023

3 Comments

  1. AS Reply
    May 22, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    It’s true that AA has not gone through bankruptcy, and so they still retain their worst contracts. However, AA also has two other major disadvantages with respect to its peers:

    1. Ancient, fuel-ineffiient planes. The MD-80s are a huge cost drag on tha airline.

    2. Lowest leverage of their global alliance. The inability to partner AA and BA across the atlantic for miles is a negative. They may not have ATI, but they could still allow reciprocal FF benefits. They don’t, their marketing alliance is broken and it costs them customers and money.

    Finally, while it has much less to do with cost structure benefits / advantages, now AA has the least valuable domestic upgrade program of its peer group.

  2. Matthew Reply
    May 23, 2010 at 7:55 am

    @AS: Excellent points. The Mad Dogs and BA/AA relationship are consternating.

  3. kd5mdk Reply
    May 23, 2010 at 9:36 pm

    The Mad Dogs should be fairly cheap as aircraft though by now. In any event, I currently like them above everyone’s 737s.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for September

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 60,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Boxing Exit Row
    “Rocky” Practices In-Flight Boxing In Exit Row September 28, 2023
  • Bread Basket Returns In United Airlines Polaris Business Class September 28, 2023
  • SkyMiles Program Modifications
    What SkyMiles Changes Will Delta Air Lines Roll Back? September 28, 2023
  • Delta CEO SkyMiles Changes
    Delta CEO Admits Carrier Went Too Far, Too Fast With SkyMiles Changes September 28, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Lufthansa Panorma Lounge Review
    Review: Lufthansa Panorama Lounge Frankfurt (FRA) September 25, 2023
  • Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport Review
    Review: Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport September 25, 2023
  • Pervert American Airlines Flight Attendant
    Update: Teenage Girl Found Hidden Camera On American Airlines Aircraft Toilet (Photo) September 18, 2023
  • Dine And Dash Shame
    Genius: Florida Restaurant Owner Shames “Dine And Dash” Customers September 6, 2023

Archives

September 2023
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« Aug    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss

Privacy Policy

© Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.