Thu, Oct 15, 2009
Opposes Anti-Trust Immunity For American Airlines
The Allied Pilots Association (APA) planned a two-hour
informational picket in Washington, DC Wednesday to protest
proposed anti-trust immunity in a possible deal between American
Airlines and British Airways.
The picket was slated for the U.S. Department of Transportation,
which is expected to vote later this month on an anti-trust waiver
sought by American and BA. It is the third time the two airlines
have asked for such a waiver. The union says the proposed alliance
between the two airlines would mean fewer jobs, and has strongly
urged the DOT to not grant anti-trust immunity for the deal.
In a statement announcing the picket, the APA said "Antitrust
immunity is inherently anti-competitive, harming consumer
interests. (It) is also anti-worker. Job outsourcing is a
by-product of alliances. American Airlines management has refused
to provide even industry-standard job protections for the pilots
and other employees as part of its plans. The European
Commission (EC) announced earlier this month that American
Airlines’ plans may violate rules governing restrictive
business practices. The EC is investigating the oneworld Alliance
and the Star Alliance for possible illegal conduct. If permitted to
expand their scope, immunized airline alliances may lead to
increased foreign control of U.S. airline operations, including
maintenance practices and crew training. Antitrust immunity has
implications for national security. U.S. carriers must remain ready
to be deployed as needed for Civil Reserve Air Fleet duty. That
readiness could be compromised by the type of virtual merger with
foreign carriers that American Airlines is seeking."
The Fort-Worth Star Telegram reported that American reiterated a
statement from last week indicating that it was still hopeful the
alliance would be allowed to go forward, and expressed
disappointment in the Union's opposition to the agreement.
More News
Aero Linx: International Business Aviation Council Ltd IBAC promotes the growth of business aviation, benefiting all sectors of the industry and all regions of the world. As a non->[...]
"During the annual inspection of the B-24 “Diamond Lil” this off-season, we made the determination that 'Lil' needs some new feathers. Due to weathering, the cloth-cove>[...]
Also: Bushcat Woes, Hummingbird 300 SL 4-Seat Heli Kit, Carbon Cub UL The newest Junkers is a faithful recreation that mates a 7-cylinder Verner radial engine to the airframe offer>[...]
Also: Seaplane Pilots Association, Rotax 916’s First Year, Gene Conrad After a decade and a half of struggling with the FAA and other aero-politics, G100UL is in production a>[...]
Also: Martha King Scholarship, Montaer Grows, Textron Updates Pistons, FlySto The FAA is hiring thousands of air traffic controllers, but the window to apply will only be open for >[...]