American To Cut 1,500 Maintenance Jobs

Nation's Largest Airline Has about 14,000 Employees In Its Maintenance Division

(AP)  American Airlines will cut 1,500 jobs in its maintenance division as it reduces its fleet of aircraft.

The nation's largest airline told employees of the cuts in memos this week.

American did not break down the cuts by location. Tami McLallen, a spokeswoman for the airline, said Friday that those decisions had not been made.

The airline has maintenance hubs in Kansas City, Tulsa, Okla., and Fort Worth, Texas, plus many smaller bases around the country. Besides maintaining American's jets, workers at the hubs also work on jets brought in by other carriers.

American has about 14,000 employees in its maintenance division, including management and support staff, and 13,000 of them are represented by the Transport Workers Union, McLallen said. About half of those workers are based in Tulsa.

The cuts include 1,300 mechanics and 200 management and support staff, she said.

The Fort Worth-based airline, part of AMR Corp., announced two weeks ago it would shed 8 percent of its work force — about 6,800 jobs — to cope with financial distress brought on by record fuel costs and a weakening economy.

The company has publicly identified only a portion of those cuts. It has said it will eliminate 900 flight attendant jobs and 200 pilot positions. The company is offering buyouts to senior employees to reduce the need for layoffs.

Chief Financial Officer Tom Horton hinted at the latest cuts when he said this week that American's maintenance organization was built for a much bigger airline than the one that will emerge after announced reductions in capacity.

American plans to cut its U.S. flying by up to 12 percent after the busy summer travel season ends.

On Wednesday, American announced it would speed up the retirement of its 34 Airbus A300 aircraft by the end of next year instead of waiting until 2012. American and its feeder carrier, American Eagle, will ground 103 planes this year.

AMR reported Wednesday that it lost $1.45 billion in the April-to-June quarter, most of it due to writing down the value of aircraft. Excluding those charges, the loss was $284 million.

AMR shares rose 18 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $7.09 in Friday morning trading.

[omnibus66]

They tried to figure out some way to outsource these jobs to India, but couldn''t come up with anything, so just dump the employees anyway.

Charges for meals, charges for checked luggage, fuel surcharges, increased fares, no legroom, never arrive on time, and really friendly TSA people to deal with.

Truly ''something special in the air''.

[whitemale08]

Just another step towards nationalizing the airlines.

I don''t know why Republicans thought a public transportation system could be deregulated in the first place.

Soon Republicans will demand Greyhound to be privatized. Now you will see us pile into coaches chaueferred by Mexican bus drivers.

Just like in 3rd world countries with chickens riding along side with passengers on the bus.

Thanks Bush and the Republicans; We always wanted to live in a 3rd world country!

[oneworldusa]

Maybe they can go to JetBlue or SouthWest. I hear they are doing well and hiring.

[underdogus71]

remember uncle Sam wants you.....

[dougmsbbs]

"Soon Republicans will demand Greyhound to be privatized"

What the heck are you talking about? They are and have always been a private company. As are all the airlines.

[dougmsbbs]

Repairs? We don''t need no stinking repairs!

[whitemale08]

What the heck are you talking about? They are and have always been a private company. As are all the airlines.


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Posted by dougmsbbs at 07:16 PM : Jul 18, 2008-

Look dude, Greyhound is so heavily subsidized like Amtrak that you might as well say they are Governement owned.

Like I said, Greyhound will have plenty of competition because the airlines that lose out from the nationalization will go into cross country bussing.

[eddom949]

Reconfigure. They fire and rehire. They''re the executives. Go executives!

[rushlimpdrug]

Less maintenance,
cheaper price, great!

Where do I buy my ticket?

Cheer up American, you''ll soon
enough meet your new chineeze owners.

[pollroller1]

I am so thankful that I don''t have to fly anymore. Now that I''m retired, I will never have to go to an airport again YIPPEE !!!!!

[wardoglrs]

"There is only one way that leads to an improvement of the standard of living for the wage-earning masses, viz., the increase in the amount of capital invested. All other methods, however popular they may be, are not only futile, but are actually detrimental to the well-being of those they allegedly want to benefit. %u2026 Public opinion believes that the improvement in the conditions of the wage earners is an achievement of the unions and of various legislative measures. %u2026 As long as these fallacies prevail upon the minds of the voters, it is vain to expect a resolute departure from the policies that are mistakenly called progressive."

[babooph]

We better get rid of those Mexicans fast -the old US middle class will want those jobs cutting grass in the gated communities & following the aged around nursing homes with a mop.

[dougmsbbs]

''We better get rid of those Mexicans fast -the old US middle class will want those jobs cutting grass in the gated communities & following the aged around nursing homes with a mop.''

This may be true where you are. But here in the rust belt, those Mexicans are taking high paying factory jobs. They can''t file to get a tax refund, but they don''t need to. Claim you have 12 kids all year, and take what you can get now.
Americans can''t say boo about it, or they are called racist.
You need to get away from the notion that only low paying jobs are going to illegals. It''s simply not true. But truth and public policy rarely have any thing to do with each other...
I have a lot of Hispanic friends, and most are just as angry as many Americans are about all the illegals.
America needs to wake up and realize that there are Hispanics and there are illegals. Being one does not mean you are both. Only then can we solve the problem.