Sky Talk

F-35 program in serious disarray

Want to know why Defense Secretary Robert Gates is unhappy with Lockheed Martin and the military officials that have been overseeing the F-35 development?

From tomorrow's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the latest on troubles in the F-35 program. New government documents show that as recently as November, when senior Pentagon officials were taking a hard look at the development efforts, things were getting worse not better.

-Bob Cox

Following talks this week with TWU, American publishes its contract proposals

American Airlines and two of its bargaining units represented by the TWU met this week with a federal mediator in Tulsa with no tentative agreements reached.

Just as the Fort Worth carrier has done recently with its other union negotiations, American has posted its contract proposals on aanegotiations.com for all of the union members to look at.

Some of the highlights in its proposal for TWU's "Joint" group, which includes stock clerks,:

-Provide lump sums each of the four years of the contract for an aggregate of 10 percent over the four years, beginning date of signing. The lump sums are convertible to structural increases.

-Changing the workrules so more than 1/7 of a workgroup can work a weekend coverage shift at its maintenance overhaul bases.

-Offer 401(k) plans to new hires instead of the defined pension plan.

A few highlights in American's proposal for TWU's Technical Specialist contract include:

-Changing the hours of work to a 6 day on/3 day off work schedule with an 8.3 hour day.

-Provide lump sums each of the four years of the contract

-Offer 401(k) plans to new hires instead of the defined pension plan.

-Andrea Ahles

Delta's flight simulator technicians vote against union representation

As American Airlines continues to face multiple negotiation sessions with various union-represented employee groups, Delta Air Lines found out Thursday it will not have to negotiate with a union for its flight simulator technicians.

The National Mediation Board said that of the ninety-one flight simulator technicians eligible to vote in the union election, only 40 voted in favor of representation by the International Association of Machinists.

"We take our responsibility to do right by our people very seriously and we'll continue to do everything we can to make Delta a great place to work," said Mike Campbell, Delta's executive vice president of Human Resources and Labor Relations. "It is now time for the IAM to move forward to allow our employees in other workgroups the same opportunity to express their individual choice about union representation."

-Andrea Ahles

American's flight attendants union rallies support as it heads into a weekend of negotiations

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents American Airlines' flight attendants, is rallying support among its members as the union gets ready to sit down with management for several days of negotiations starting on Saturday.

There are three campaigns that APFA is undertaking this weekend:

-First, the union is asking all flight attendants to wear their red buttons that say "got guts" on Friday, February 26th.

-The union is also encouraging flight attendants to send the direct mail pieces sent out by American Airlines regarding the company's proposals back to American's management with the phrase, "my negotiating team speaks for me."

-Third, the union is organizing an e-mail campaign to send letters to chief executive Gerard Arpey and other American Airlines management, asking them to invest in their frontline employees.

"The company simply has not lived up to its part of the bargain," said APFA president Laura Glading. "Unless there is a dramatic change, we are poised to do whatever is necessary to get a contract flight attendants deserve."

The union has said that if there is no contract agreement reached by the end of its negotiation sessions in Washington D.C. this weekend, it will ask the National Mediation Board for "release," one of the first steps toward a possible strike. Only the NMB decides if parties should continue negotiations or break off talks and begin the process of "self-help."

-Andrea Ahles

American Eagle says First Class service will start July 2

American Eagle, the regional carrier of American Airlines, said it will begin First Class service on all of its CRJ-700 jets on July 2.

Each CRJ-700 jet will have nine First Class seats and will have "complimentary dining service."

Eagle said the service will be offered from its Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth hubs. From D/FW Airport, the first class service will be on flights to Cleveland, Milwaukee, Northwest Arkansas and Little Rock, Ark.

-Andrea Ahles

Southwest pilots don't want cockpit recorders monitored

On Wednesday, the Southwest pilots' union announced their opposition to having cockpit recorders monitored by airlines.

The union said it worries that a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation to use the recording as part of a safety program could "jeopardize voluntary reporting program integrity."

SWAPA said it is urging Senators to also oppose a proposal by Sen. Jim DeMint that would allow cockpit voice recorders data to be used for disciplinary and punitive action against pilots.

"The NTSB recommendation for CVR usage might be an honest attempt to promote safety," said SWAPA president Capt. Carl Kuwitzky. "But the DeMint proposal is a perfect example of a good intention to increase safety that has the exact opposite effect. This proposal and, unfortunately, the NTSB recommendation, are misdirected attempts at promoting safety that will surely backfire."

-Andrea Ahles 

American Airlines is a $1 milion sponsor for the North Texas Super Bowl

Although their corporate logo has popped up in North Texas Super Bowl committee literature over the past month, American Airlines is now officially a $1 million sponsor for the next big game.

The sponsorship includes a combination of cash and in-kind services, such as transportation and marketing support, for the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee. The Fort Worth-based carrier is also a primary sponsor of the committee's Century in the Making contest, in which fans are being asked to choose the top 100 football moments in North Texas.

American has been in discussions with the host committee since 2008 but only recently decided to contribute, said Billy Sanez, director of advertising, promotions and corporate communications.

"Our goal is to attract as much traffic as we can to American Airlines, and one of the key things we looked at is how we can help promote the event and leverage the business opportunities as well," said Sanez, who would not disclose the details of American's sponsorship agreement.

American is building a Web site for the contest, www.centuryinthemaking.com, which kicks off Monday. Sanez said the company will provide "cool giveaways, including trips," as part of its contest marketing efforts.

For the full story in today's Star-Telegram, look here.

-Andrea Ahles

Southwest's stock clerks reject tentative agreement

Southwest Airlines' stock clerks rejected a five-year tentative agreement that its union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airlines Division had negotiated.

"We are disappointed that our hard-working Stock Clerks rejected the tentative agreement," said Mike Van de Ven, chief operating officer at Southwest. "As always, Southwest will respect the labor negotiation process and negotiate in good faith when the bargaining process resumes."

The agreement covered 170 stock clerks at the Dallas-based airline.

This is the second time in less than a year that a Southwest workers union has rejected a tentative agreement. Southwest's pilots union rejected a tentative agreement last summer but then voted in favor of a new contract later in the year.

-Andrea Ahles

Airline passenger revenues rose 1.4 percent in January, ATA says

Passenger revenues at U.S. carriers rose 1.4 percent in January compare to the same month last year, the first time domestic airlines reported an increase in 14 months.

According to the Air Transport Association of America, there were 0.4 percent fewer travelers last month and the average price to fly one mile rose 0.6 percent.

Cargo traffic also increased 17 percent in December 2009. Last month's data is not yet available for cargo.

"The modest uptick in passenger revenue and the solid increase in cargo volumes are promising signs that air-transport demand may be at the beginning of a long-awaited recovery," said ATA chief executive James May.

-Andrea Ahles

India's Kingfisher Airlines to join Oneworld alliance

American Airlines' Oneworld alliance is adding another partner airlines.

On Tuesday morning, Oneworld announced that India's Kingfisher Airlines will join the alliance, pending approval by India's Ministry of Civil Aviation. The alliance said it should take about 18 months to bring Kingfisher into Oneworld with the airline expected to begin flying with the alliance during 2011.

According to the press release, Kingfisher will add 58 cities in India to the Oneworld network.

"Because no single airline can take every customer every place he or she wants to go it is critical for business and leisure travelers to have access to the finest collection of airline partners and networks, and that is exactly what oneworld delivers," said American chief executive Gerard Arpey.

 

Kingfisher is a relatively new airline, having launched in 2005 and only began offering international flights in 2008. The Indian carrier had 10.9 million passengers in its last fiscal year with about 27 percent of the domestic Indian air travel market.

 

-Andrea Ahles