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Airline Strike Watch: British Airways and American on the Ropes
It's turning into a pretty rough month for the oneworld alliance. Founding members American Airlines and British Airways are both locked in labor disputes that threaten to escalate into full-blown airline strikes, with unions demanding benefits and managements insisting that the money just isn't there. In both cases it's pretty obvious that employees are playing a weak hand: what are they going to do, devastate the company and put themselves permanently out of work? But in both cases the unions seem intent on going right to the line of mutually assured destruction, which means lots of uncertainty for lots more time.
As if American Airlines wasn't having enough problems with their flight attendants threatening a walkout, now they've got to deal with a potential pilot strike. The money quote being run this morning is that they're "far apart" on a new contract, with the pilots asking to have their purchasing power restored to 1992 levels. The airline insists that's a no-go since their labor costs are already higher than the industry average. A federal mediator is trying to bring the two sides together, which distinguishes this dispute in no way from the negotiations between American and its flight attendants. Or between American and its ground operators. Lots of fun for everyone.
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Strike Watch: American Airlines Flight Attendants Set To Walk Out
Why should Europe have all the fun? As of this week American Airlines, Continental, United, US Airways and Southwest are all engaged in contentious contract negotiations with any number of unions. But while most of those airlines are in tussles with their pilots, American is facing a walkout by its flight attendants. Negotiations between the airline and the union broke down Wednesday, setting up the conditions for an airline strike. Union officials now need to go to federal officials and ask them to start the clock running on a 30-day waiting period. At the end of that month a full-blown strike becomes permissible. Tick tock:
The two sides are fighting over wages and other items. The union, which represents about 18,000 flight attendants, wants raises to offset pay and benefit cuts that workers accepted in 2003, when American was close to bankruptcy. The company, which lost $3.6 billion in the last two years, says it spends more per employee on flight attendants than Delta, United, Continental and US Airways and must cut labor costs.
Tags: Haiti Travel / American Airlines / MIA / PAP / Earthquakes / Airline News / → All Tags
American Airlines Resumes Regular Flights to Haiti, But Who's Going?
January 12. That was the day that Haiti suffered the devastating 7.0 earthquake and the day that American Airlines ceased their commercial flights to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti's capital, on account of the damage to the airport and the country in general. But now, over a month later, the airline is the first to resume their flights, after resuming abbreviated service last Friday.
Actually, American never stopped flying between the US and Haiti during the last month plus; instead of carrying paying passengers however, the flights continued packed with supplies and air workers.
So how much does it cost to fly there this week?
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Richard Branson is Super Pissed Over the Proposed American and British Airways Partnership
Fresh off their victory over Delta in the battle over Japan Airlines, American Airlines is shifting back into offense and turning eastward. The world's second largest airline is applying for permission to more closely cooperate with oneworld partner British Airways, the intention being to cut redundant routes and streamline costs. Everyone agrees that the venture would increase prices by a solid 15%, but nonetheless it looks like the Department of Transportation is ready to sign off on the deal.
There's a good argument to be made that American and BA are just getting priveleges that have already been extended to other airline alliances. Delta and Air France already coordinate closely under the SkyTeam umbrella, while Star Alliance has all kinds of cooperation between Continental, United, US Airways, and Lufthansa. And geez is Virgin's Richard Branson pissed over all this. He's been harping about the possibility of American/BA collusion for a while, but the most recent DOT decision sent him ballistic.
We're going to give you two paragraphs from the press release that Virgin issued almost immediately, subtly titled "BA/AA is a Kick In the Teeth For Consumers." It was impossible to choose just one, so delicious were both:
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American Eliminates Standby, Unveils Shiny New Mandatory $50 Change Fee
It was a good idea by American Airlines to drop a bunch of new fees all in one week. There's no reason to extend the frustrated coverage, which is what stretching out the announcements would have done. It's just the airlines' bad luck that the week they chose ended up being one where half the country is functionally shut down, leaving us with little to do but detail each and every one of their new charges. On Monday it was $8 blankets. Now let us introduce you to the $50 standby fee.
To be totally technical it's not so much a standby fee as much as it is the elimination of a standby option. It used to be the case that, having bought a coach seat and missed your flight, you could hang out next to the gate hoping for a flight with open seats. We always thought that was a bad idea - better to just pay the change fee and get a confirmed middle seat on what was gauranteed to be a miserable flight - but apparently some people were exploiting the "free loophole."
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So It's Come To This: American Charging $8 For Blankets
Earlier this morning, American Airlines announced that they're going to start charging $8 per blanket on any domestic flight over two hours. Ditto for any flight to Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. On domestic flights lasting two hours or less, blankets will be totally eliminated. Under the new policy passengers on those flights will be warmed by sunbeams, glitter, and the glowing thoughts of puppy kisses. Awww, puppy kisses!
Actually we kind of appreciate this change. It was only a matter of time before the very idea of mere comfort became just another opaque airline fee. In the past that's only been an implicit part of civilian aviation. The conceit has always been that coach provides a basic and decent level of comfort, and that higher booking classes are extra luxury. Now that we're tacking on $8 fees for rolls of lint that do little except provide opportunities for gross in-flight behavior—well, at least they're being honest.
Tags: Japan Airlines / JAL / American Airlines / Delta / Airlines / Airline News / Japan / Japan Travel / → All Tags
More JAL Rumors, and This Time They're In American's Favor
Remember when we told you about those rumors trickling out of Japanese media outlets, to the effect that JAL was dumping American/oneworld and embracing Delta/SkyTeam? Remember how we told you that the story made sense because, the shadiness of the sourcing aside, switching probably makes the most financial sense for the bankrupt Japanese airline? Turns out we may have called that putt a little too early:
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American Airlines is Going Cashless on Domestic and Foreign Flights
That in-flight snack box on American Airlines is pretty tempting, but if you want it to be yours you better have a credit card. American Airlines has joined the cashless cabin club as of February 1, and they’ll only be accepting plastic money for in-flight purchases. It’s credit cards only on all domestic and international flights—so no getting rid of your foreign currency on the way home.
Flight attendants will be eager to swipe any major credit cards for purchases, because now they don’t have to deal with finding change for your $20. For foreign travelers, all purchases will be converted into US currency, so we guess the currency exchange rate will be left up to the credit card gods—let’s just hope they’re having a good day.
Tags: Retro Travel / American Airlines / Airlines / First Class Travel / American Airlines in 1959 / → All Tags
In 1959, In-Flight Entertainment Included Sending Telegrams
Sit down, shut up, and buckle your seatbelt—this is the motto of modern air travel it seems, and now it's so hard to believe that flying used to be a pleasure, a privilege. There are few legacy carriers left who remember the days of airplane cocktail lounges and Mad Men-esque style, but we managed to dig up an old "Welcome Aboard a 707 Jet Flagship" pamphlet handed to passengers flying on American Airlines in 1959.
Follow along with us this week as we peek back at air travel as it was fifty-plus years ago thanks to this discovery, and unearth some real shockers.
We sure hott and holler over in-flight wifi a lot these days, but with all the of the technological advances made with regard to in-flight entertainment over the year, it's really the next logical step. But while we log on at 35,000 feet, let's take a moment to reflect on the days when you only had a choice between reading or writing a telegram, and when cigarette lighters were to be kept in your pocket on flights...
Tags: Retro Travel / American Airlines / Airlines / In-Flight Comfort / American Airlines in 1959 / → All Tags
In 1959, Passengers Were Treated as 'Intelligent, Interested, Friendly People'
Sit down, shut up, and buckle your seatbelt—this is the motto of modern air travel it seems, and now it's so hard to believe that flying used to be a pleasure, a privilege. There are few legacy carriers left who remember the days of airplane cocktail lounges and Mad Men-esque style, but we managed to dig up an old "Welcome Aboard a 707 Jet Flagship" pamphlet handed to passengers flying on American Airlines in 1959.
Follow along with us this week as we peek back at air travel as it was fifty-plus years ago thanks to this discovery, and unearth some real shockers.
Do you how desperately this country needs a Passengers' Bill of Rights? Thus far, only Jetblue has been brave enough to pony up a version of it, which allows for passengers to be treated like humans even when things don't go so well. Other airlines however have demurred, preferring to sit entire flights on the tarmac for hours during delays with no food or water, or simply denying access to information.
But back in 1959, American Airlines had the right idea with a two-paragraph rough draft of a Passengers' Bill of Rights, written by AA President C. R. Smith.
Check it out, after the jump...
Tags: Retro Travel / American Airlines / Airlines / Business Travel / American Airlines in 1959 / → All Tags
In 1959, You Could Write Your Own Airline Ticket on American
Sit down, shut up, and buckle your seatbelt—this is the motto of modern air travel it seems, and now it's so hard to believe that flying used to be a pleasure, a privilege. There are few legacy carriers left who remember the days of airplane cocktail lounges and Mad Men-esque style, but we managed to dig up an old "Welcome Aboard a 707 Jet Flagship" pamphlet handed to passengers flying on American Airlines in 1959.
Follow along with us this week as we peek back at air travel as it was fifty-plus years ago thanks to this discovery, and unearth some real shockers.
Business travelers, the second most beloved airline passengers, right after loyal First Class flyers. With their expense accounts and pressing meetings, biz travelers are manna from heaven for airlines, but it wasn't always this way. Back in the 1950s and '60s, the airlines were still trying to prove that flying was the way to go about business, versus driving or —heaven forbid—taking a train. Thus, there was a lot of "really, we're worth it" talk from American Airlines in this pamphlet. Plus, mentions of discounts if you bring your wife!
Or you could just write your own ticket, after the jump
Tags: Jersey Shore Travel / Celebrity Travel / TSA / Snooki / Jersey Shore / Diana Ross / American Airlines / → All Tags
Jersey Shore Cast Pulls a 'Robbery' On TSA Checkpoint
We fear we could get in trouble with the TSA for that headline above so lest you jump to conclusions, we want to clarify that a "robbery" in Jersey Shore-speak is a term for stealing another dude's girl. Examples: Vinny pulled a robbery on their boss Danny, by hooking up with the girl that Danny had taken out to dinner just hours earlier. Down in Atlantic City, The Situation pulled a robbery on Vinny's girl in the night club.
So robbery is really just a more macho way of saying "sloppy seconds." Except when it applies to airports. Then it means clogging up the security checkpoints and setting off the metal scanners with your Prince Albert piercings. Which is exactly what the Jersey Shore kids did at LAX on Sunday.
