FLIGHT DEPARTMENT HOTLINE Feb. 1, 2014 Good morning, this is CA John Hale with the Flight Department Hotline for Saturday, Feb. 1 As I considered what to discuss in this week’s hotline, what immediately came to mind was Change. I’ve talked about “Change” a lot over the past few years, and I began wondering why it seemed so prominent. That’s when it struck me – change and aviation are practically synonymous. Truly, the history of our industry was built on change: pioneering new routes and navigational techniques, inventing and perfecting new technologies, developing new procedures to increase safety, or riding the waves of ever-changing business climates. Granted, some of these evolutions were bigger than others, but change, no matter how big or small, can be difficult. It’s often not until we have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight that we realize how good, how important that change really was. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait for that 20/20 hindsight to understand the value of the change that is before us right now – the merger of American and US Airways. If you have any questions, our recent financial results should clear them up rather quickly. And yet, understanding the value of this union is separate from the emotional connection we have to our individual airlines and our people. In light of our recent management announcements, I’ve been asked “why all these changes now, when we’re still two operating certificates.” The answer is because the sooner we can build a single team and get to our goal – a single operating certificate – the better it is for all of us on both a structural and an emotional level. It’s important for us to establish a united team, made up of individuals that are the best fit for the needs of our new airline. Unfortunately, that means saying goodbye to some of our friends, and I couldn’t let that happen without acknowledging the impact they’ve had on our departments, our airlines and our working environment. These individuals gave their heart and souls to their airline, working tirelessly to ensure that our people were taken care of and our operation ran as smoothly as possible. We all owe them a debt of gratitude and I can’t begin to put into words how grateful I am for all that they have done. Both American and US Airways were better airlines because of their contributions, and our new joint team will be able to build on their efforts as we work to create the new American. I also want to welcome the new members of our team. I appreciate your willingness to serve, and I look forward to working together to unite our two great carriers. There is a lot of work ahead of us, but with that work, comes great opportunity for our new, entire airline. And, isn’t that what it’s all about – opportunity? If you would like firsthand knowledge of what’s going on with the new American, I encourage you to participate in a new forum, Crew News – a conversation with CEO Doug Parker, a chance to just talk with him about what’s on your mind. He’ll hold these gatherings in Charlotte, Phoenix and DFW each quarter, and they will also be taped and posted to WINGS and Jetnet for those that are unable to attend. The first DFW event is scheduled for Feb. 21, here at the Flight Academy. You’ll find all the details on the AAPilots Events page. Doug is quite interested in hearing from you, so be sure to join in on the conversation if you can. We have two strong and independent histories, and the enthusiasm, energy and work of our entire team is what will allow us to become not simply a great airline, but the world’s best airline. My sincere appreciation to all of you for what you do each and every day for the new American. Thanks for calling in and we’ll talk again soon. ************************************************************ The current hotline can be heard on 800-967-4568
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 18:48:01 +0000
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