http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/789363.html
quote:
American shifting 777 work from Alliance to Tulsa
By TREBOR BANSTETTER
tbanstetter@star-telegram.com
American Airlines will shift maintenance work on its Boeing 777 airplanes from Alliance Airport in Fort Worth to a base in Tulsa as the carrier downsizes its fleet.
The move could mean significant job cuts at Alliance. However, airline officials stressed that their plan to re-allocate maintenance resources is ongoing, and further changes might reduce the number of furloughs at the Fort Worth base.
"Our plan isn't complete at this point," said spokesman John Hotard. "We really won't know until it all shakes out."
American is in the process of cutting its workforce. Officials have said that up to 6,800 jobs might be lost as it downsizes this fall, including 1,300 mechanics and maintenance workers.
The airline, which recently reported a $1.4 billion loss due mainly to higher fuel costs, is cutting its domestic flight capacity by about 8 percent after Labor Day to cut expenses. Hundreds of older, less fuel-efficient planes like the A300 and MD-80 will be grounded as the airline shrinks.
In a letter sent Friday to employees, Fred Cleveland, American's vice president of base maintenance, said that "we anticipate reductions at all three bases."
American plans to transfer its 777 work to Tulsa to replace that base's Airbus A300 maintenance line. The A300 is being completely phased out of American's fleet by the end of 2009.
Meanwhile, the Fort Worth base will see some additional work on Being 767 aircraft. Those planes had previously been brought to Alliance for repairs, but mechanics there will also being doing regular maintenance checks on the aircraft.
American will also integrate its maintenance for MD-80 airplanes owned by Allegiant Airlines, which it services under an outside contract. American is reducing its own MD-80 fleet, so mechanics will now work on planes from both airlines on a single maintenance line.
That will help "fill the gap resulting from the MD-80 capacity reduction," Cleveland wrote.
2 years ago we got told by A/A that $4.3 million in 3rd penny money for a couple of temporary hangers would bring 500 jobs. Now A/A get a $10 million single hanger and will not even come close to adding 500 jobs because of it....
Adding work, but cutting jobs. Quoted in your cited article:
quote:
In a letter sent Friday to employees, Fred Cleveland, American's vice president of base maintenance, said that "we anticipate reductions at all three bases."
The added work should mitigate losses. I hope so anyway. But I doubt the addition of work will mean the addition of jobs.
I'd argue adding jobs in Tulsa would be a good move. As the labor is cheaper than Dallas. But they probably don't care what I have to say.
AA has offered qualified employees a "bridge to retirement", in effect an early-out package. It's not much, but to some on the verge of retirement, it's enough incentive to go early. Those retirements have to be figured into the reduction in force as well.
I heard a rumor today that as many as 250 net additional jobs could wind up in Tulsa over this mess? Not sure if its accurate but we were discussing it at wokr today. THen I heard the same thing from another friend of mine tonight. ANyone heard anything else on this?
quote:
Originally posted by OUGrad05
I heard a rumor today that as many as 250 net additional jobs could wind up in Tulsa over this mess? Not sure if its accurate but we were discussing it at wokr today. THen I heard the same thing from another friend of mine tonight. ANyone heard anything else on this?
If so, that's good news indeed. Aside from the fact that these beautiful triple sevens will be coming in and out of here on a regular basis. They are pretty large aircraft. The extended range are only 8 feet shorter than a 747, but the typical 777 is about 210 feet long compared to 250 feet for the 747.
My concern rolls to runway length and takeoff run at MTOW (maximum takeoff weight). Will AA ever have to test them this way? The run on just the regular (not ER) version of this aircraft is 8200 feet. The longest runway at TUL is 9999 feet. If they are doing maintenance on the ER version, then the takeoff run at MTOW is about 11000 feet. [:O]
quote:
Originally posted by Hoss
quote:
Originally posted by OUGrad05
I heard a rumor today that as many as 250 net additional jobs could wind up in Tulsa over this mess? Not sure if its accurate but we were discussing it at wokr today. THen I heard the same thing from another friend of mine tonight. ANyone heard anything else on this?
If so, that's good news indeed. Aside from the fact that these beautiful triple sevens will be coming in and out of here on a regular basis. They are pretty large aircraft. The extended range are only 8 feet shorter than a 747, but the typical 777 is about 210 feet long compared to 250 feet for the 747.
My concern rolls to runway length and takeoff run at MTOW (maximum takeoff weight). Will AA ever have to test them this way? The run on just the regular (not ER) version of this aircraft is 8200 feet. The longest runway at TUL is 9999 feet. If they are doing maintenance on the ER version, then the takeoff run at MTOW is about 11000 feet. [:O]
How short is the east-west runway they will have to use when the other is being re built?
quote:
Originally posted by MDepr2007
quote:
Originally posted by Hoss
quote:
Originally posted by OUGrad05
I heard a rumor today that as many as 250 net additional jobs could wind up in Tulsa over this mess? Not sure if its accurate but we were discussing it at wokr today. THen I heard the same thing from another friend of mine tonight. ANyone heard anything else on this?
If so, that's good news indeed. Aside from the fact that these beautiful triple sevens will be coming in and out of here on a regular basis. They are pretty large aircraft. The extended range are only 8 feet shorter than a 747, but the typical 777 is about 210 feet long compared to 250 feet for the 747.
My concern rolls to runway length and takeoff run at MTOW (maximum takeoff weight). Will AA ever have to test them this way? The run on just the regular (not ER) version of this aircraft is 8200 feet. The longest runway at TUL is 9999 feet. If they are doing maintenance on the ER version, then the takeoff run at MTOW is about 11000 feet. [:O]
How short is the east-west runway they will have to use when the other is being re built?
shorter than that...7600 feet.
I'm impressed by your aircraft knowledge.
I had not heard the 250 job rumor (though i admit I'm not in the loop). A thorough search yielded the below link article from yesterday:
quote:
The Associated Press reports American's Tulsa, OK maintenance base will now handle the bulk of 777 maintenance work, at the expense of jobs at its base at Fort Worth's Alliance Airport (FTW). The new duties will help ease the sting from the loss of Tulsa jobs tied to maintaining Airbus A300s, which American plans to retire from its fleet by the end of the year.
It's not a complete wash, however. Tulsa is also the major maintenance depot for American's erstwhile fleet of McDonnell-Douglas MD-81 and MD-82 airliners... another type the carrier is moving to replace as quickly as possible, due to their high fuel consumption relative to newer planes.
Fleetwide cutbacks will likely spell trouble for all three of American's US maintenance bases, said spokesman John Hotard. The airline is presently sorting out where to cut jobs from among American's facilities in Fort Worth, Tulsa, and Kansas City, MO.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=3acec558-3790-4bd2-ad64-0f99d40d3878
John Hotard is the PR spokesmen for American Airlines, he says it will likely spell trouble for everyone. I'm not trying to burst bubbles or shout doom and gloom, but don't get your hopes up.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
I'm impressed by your aircraft knowledge.
I had not heard the 250 job rumor (though i admit I'm not in the loop). A thorough search yielded the below link article from yesterday:
quote:
The Associated Press reports American's Tulsa, OK maintenance base will now handle the bulk of 777 maintenance work, at the expense of jobs at its base at Fort Worth's Alliance Airport (FTW). The new duties will help ease the sting from the loss of Tulsa jobs tied to maintaining Airbus A300s, which American plans to retire from its fleet by the end of the year.
It's not a complete wash, however. Tulsa is also the major maintenance depot for American's erstwhile fleet of McDonnell-Douglas MD-81 and MD-82 airliners... another type the carrier is moving to replace as quickly as possible, due to their high fuel consumption relative to newer planes.
Fleetwide cutbacks will likely spell trouble for all three of American's US maintenance bases, said spokesman John Hotard. The airline is presently sorting out where to cut jobs from among American's facilities in Fort Worth, Tulsa, and Kansas City, MO.
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=3acec558-3790-4bd2-ad64-0f99d40d3878
John Hotard is the PR spokesmen for American Airlines, he says it will likely spell trouble for everyone. I'm not trying to burst bubbles or shout doom and gloom, but don't get your hopes up.
I'm not in the loop either. Just some number that got tossed around by a few folks yesterday so I figured I'd see if the board had heard the same thing.
Perhaps Mazzios over reacted to the early news of the massive layoffs at AA.
I wonder why Mazzios closed their North Sheridan location at Sheridan and Pine? It seemed to be very busy with aircraft industry folks during the lunch hours.
White River Fish Market stays packed during lunch time as well as Bill & Ruths along that same corridor.
Anyone know of Mazzios decision to close that location?
I travel to the Dallas/Ft Worth area a couple of times a month. When AA was asking for the tax relief and the additional tax deal here, they were bragging in the newspaper in Texas of how well they were doing. I thought that was interesting to read the differing headlines of the papers.
American is moving 600 of 900 jobs at the Kansas City base to Tulsa. It's all of KCs 757 work and some of the 767 work.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/747039.html
quote:
Originally posted by swake
American is moving 600 of 900 jobs at the Kansas City base to Tulsa. It's all of KCs 757 work and some of the 767 work.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/747039.html
You have misstated what the linked article said. The 600 jobs are being "eliminated", not moved to Tulsa. The work is being moved to Tulsa, not the jobs. As others have posted above, this new work will replace work that is being lost by the retirement of other aircraft that is currently serviced in Tulsa.
quote:
Originally posted by MDepr2007
2 years ago we got told by A/A that $4.3 million in 3rd penny money for a couple of temporary hangers would bring 500 jobs. Now A/A get a $10 million single hanger and will not even come close to adding 500 jobs because of it....
AA received approximately $22 million in Corporate Welfare, courtesy of Tulsa County taxpayers through 2003's Vision 2025.
quote:
AA received approximately $22 million in Corporate Welfare, courtesy of Tulsa County taxpayers through 2003's Vision 2025.
While I am usually opposed to corporate welfare, if you boil down the numbers you stated then every man, woman, and child in the county paid roughly $38.60 to AA as part of Vision 2025 ($22 million/569,933 - the estimated population of the county in 2003 = $38.60). I imagine the economic impact of even the lowest paid AA employee is far greater than forty bucks. I certainly consider this to be a good and sound investment.
quote:
Originally posted by tshane250
quote:
AA received approximately $22 million in Corporate Welfare, courtesy of Tulsa County taxpayers through 2003's Vision 2025.
While I am usually opposed to corporate welfare, if you boil down the numbers you stated then every man, woman, and child in the county paid roughly $38.60 to AA as part of Vision 2025 ($22 million/569,933 - the estimated population of the county in 2003 = $38.60). I imagine the economic impact of even the lowest paid AA employee is far greater than forty bucks. I certainly consider this to be a good and sound investment.
Ah, don't pay attention to him FB; he's only making sense...[:O]
quote:
Originally posted by tshane250
quote:
AA received approximately $22 million in Corporate Welfare, courtesy of Tulsa County taxpayers through 2003's Vision 2025.
While I am usually opposed to corporate welfare, if you boil down the numbers you stated then every man, woman, and child in the county paid roughly $38.60 to AA as part of Vision 2025 ($22 million/569,933 - the estimated population of the county in 2003 = $38.60). I imagine the economic impact of even the lowest paid AA employee is far greater than forty bucks. I certainly consider this to be a good and sound investment.
Interesting analysis.
However, it is the INCREMENTAL increase in employment that matters with a public investment.
Hasn't local AA employment actually FALLEN since 2003's Vision 2025 gift?
By the way, that $38.00 per person includes our children, too.
Taking our children's candy money away to give it to American Airlines?
Just what I LOVE about Corporate Welfare. It's about the Children: Cavity Prevention Program.
Really.
American Airlines wasn't leaving Tulsa anyway.
We're their aircraft heavy maintenance center, and have been since 1946. Too big of investment in physical infrastructure and personnel. The mechanics are HERE..............
K.C. maintenance base came about from AA's acquisition of TWA. Much smaller operation.
I sure miss old TWA. Especially their Tea.
TWA_T.
[;)]
FB, I am not disagreeing with you. I do not like the idea of corporate welfare, but it seems in today's economy it is expected, which is a shame. There should definitely be strings attached though, IMO.