AA Spring

Talk about a long time comin'...  The passengers and employees of American Airlines have been patient enough to wait for the renaissance of our company.  That patience has been rewarded with the impending merger of American Airlines and US Airways, resulting in the evolution of an icon.  With the anticipated government approval of this venture, American Airlines will be the largest airline in the world. Again. Elvis has entered the building.

I recently met Tom Horton, the CEO of AMR (the parent company of American Airlines).  He asked me how it felt out there, on the line.  I told him that the conversation was (finally) changing.  Instead of rehashing the contract, stagnation and morale issues, people were now focused on the new branding, new uniforms, new airplanes and, best of all, new-hires. When we start worrying about uniform fabrics, things have to be looking up.  And looking up, they are.  This year, we will see the addition to the fleet of sixty new aircraft.  New, as in brand new, cup holders and new-car smell included. We are adding new destinations, routes and frequencies.  And, yes, we are adding new people.  The new flight attendants are hitting the line as I write this.  The recalled-from-furlough pilots have been in the training pipeline since the beginning of the year. We anticipate having new-hire pilots on board later this year.

And what a time to become a pilot.  Because we haven't hired a pilot in over eleven years (much like every other airline), we have a pilot seniority list that has become older (more experienced) while marching unabatedly towards the FAA mandatory retirement age of 65.  In short, the pilots that are hired at the new American Airlines will enjoy the seniority progression that happens only once in a generation.  In fact, the pilot shortage that has been forecast for the last ten years has arrived.  While we anticipate a large number of applicants when the recruitment doors finally open, the pool will be drained quickly and new methods will have to be crafted to generate the quality "joiner" that this airline deserves.  These people will enjoy career progression and an industry-leading contract that is the result of negotiations complicated by bankruptcy, lawyers, frustration, stagnation and the ailing-but-improving economy.  I look forward to seeing them in the cockpit before chestnuts are, once again, roasting on an open fire.

This wasn't easy and it wasn't without cost.  Many people at AMR lost their jobs.  Many people had to accept compromised retirement and wage packages.  Accusations of corporate greed are spoken out loud and with great disdain.  With all of that, we are still here.  This airline is stronger, with an improved trajectory.  Strong airlines make good neighbors and provide more convenient and safer travel.  You want your airline to be healthy.  Airfares remain reasonable, especially when you consider that they are lower now than they were thirty years ago (adjusted for inflation). More than ever, the world is at your doorstep.

Our passengers are embracing the new American Airlines.  We intend to honor that with a reinvigorated commitment to everything you should expect from your airline, in a word: integrity.