Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Quote:
AP
American Cancels More Than 1,000 Flights
Wednesday April 9, 1:20 pm ET
By David Koenig, AP Business Writer
American Cancels More Than 1,000 More Flights, Strands Thousands of Travelers
DALLAS (AP) -- American Airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights Wednesday, more than one-third of its schedule, as it spent a second straight day inspecting the wiring on some of its jets -- the same issue that caused it to scrub hundreds of flights two weeks ago.
The nation's biggest airline had already canceled 460 flights on Tuesday, stranding thousands of travelers. Federal inspectors found problems with wiring work done two weeks ago, although the airline says passenger safety was never jeopardized.
Airline officials said the flights would have averaged more than 100 passengers, meaning that more than 100,000 travelers could have been left scrambling to book new flights.
...
Yahoo _________________ "It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it."
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
With fuel as high as it is it is a convenient time to get some needed maintenance done. I recently talked with an airline employee (middle management I think) who said they are expecting oil to be $120 in the short- and mid-term. It's pretty hard to make a profit for them under those circumstances, and then if you raise prices you hurt demand. Current demand for the services is hard wired, in fact the modern world really could not function without air travel. Why do you think people tolerate getting bumped and stuck in hubs overnight in the thousands. Sure they complain, but you can't take a bus to Khatmandu. _________________ I return to you now at the turning of the tide.
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4503 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Someone do the math and figure how much in fuel they just saved??
AP?
Interesting:
Quote:
An MD-80 burns 3,334 gallons of jet fuel on an average trip from Dallas/Fort Worth to New York's LaGuardia Airport, American says. The Boeing 737-800 burns 2,455 gallons, a savings of $2,285 with jet fuel at $2.60 a gallon.
Its like trading in that Explorer for a Focus!
SO they saved maybe a million gallons today? _________________ "Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
The airlines have long since pasted their break-even point. It’s all down hill, and out from here. All they can do is continue as long as possible, they can never recover!!
Joined: Apr 28, 2005 Posts: 3682 Location: West shore Lake Eire, MI, USA
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
frankthetank wrote:
Someone do the math and figure how much in fuel they just saved??
AP?
Interesting:
Quote:
An MD-80 burns 3,334 gallons of jet fuel on an average trip from Dallas/Fort Worth to New York's LaGuardia Airport, American says. The Boeing 737-800 burns 2,455 gallons, a savings of $2,285 with jet fuel at $2.60 a gallon.
Its like trading in that Explorer for a Focus!
SO they saved maybe a million gallons today?
2285/100 passengers is a fuel sercharge of $23.00 each for easy math purposes. How many travelers today would have gladly given that extra cash to get to their destination in a timely manner?
This did not save AA any money, what they saved in jet fuel was lost in food and lodging vouchers and then some for the passengers they could not reseat on other aircraft. _________________ Oxygen: - An intensely habit-forming accumulative toxic substance. As little
as one breath is known to produce a life-long addiction to the gas, which addiction invariably ends in death.--Isaac Asimov
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Tanada wrote:
2285/100 passengers is a fuel sercharge of $23.00 each for easy math purposes. How many travelers today would have gladly given that extra cash to get to their destination in a timely manner?
They'll spend that much in advertising just to get those customers back. These guys operate an enormously expensive infrastructure with a very thin margin. They've got buildings and airplanes to pay rent on. They've got hundreds of employees trying to get all these people rescheduled. They're paying for tickets on other airlines, motel rooms, food vouchers, etc. By the time you include all the costs, I bet canceling a flight ends up with a net loss for them of at least $200-300 per passenger. No way is this some ploy to save gas. _________________ "So while you sit and whistle Dixie with your money and your power.
I can hear the flowers a-growin in the rubble of the towers.
I hear leaders quit their lying
I hear babies quit their crying.
I hear soldiers quit their dying, one and all." - OCMS
Joined: Sep 16, 2004 Posts: 4503 Location: Southwest WI
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:05 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Believe what you want. I'll come to my own conclusion. MSM reports about some stupid torch on the day that oil hits a new record. I'm sure those wires needed to be fixed today.
Is there a shortage of aviation fuel? _________________ "Oil is going up because we use too much oil, and the capacity to replace reserves is dwindling"
-President Bush 11/07/07
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
frankthetank wrote:
MSM reports about some stupid torch on the day that oil hits a new record. I'm sure those wires needed to be fixed today.
How quickly does the price of refined product adjust to changes in crude? If there's a peak oil tie in here, it's that the airlines have been sucking wind for a long time and have been cutting corners on maintenance to save money.
And yeah. Those planes actually did need their wires fixed:
Second American plane forced down as smoke fills cabin _________________ "So while you sit and whistle Dixie with your money and your power.
I can hear the flowers a-growin in the rubble of the towers.
I hear leaders quit their lying
I hear babies quit their crying.
I hear soldiers quit their dying, one and all." - OCMS
Joined: Apr 05, 2005 Posts: 2475 Location: South of Atlanta
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Frank,
No shortage of fuel that I can see yet. Plenty of supply.
It has everything to do with the latest FAA crackdowns and what happened at Southwest. The problem here is that we wont transition to a more tightly overseen industry by the FAA without some pain. My guess is this is going to go on for a while until the system works through all the slightly questionable stuff from years of not so above board inspection and monitoring practices by both the FAA and the industry.
The issue here is how much impact one thing or another has on airline schedules. Since AMR's fleet is made up of about 1/3rd MD-80's it has a significant impact on them. It's not about saving fuel, it probably will cost them more in bad press and customer issues due to the cancellations. Standby for Delta to get whacked, unless by some miracle we complied correctly with the same issue. Somehow I doubt it. We will see.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Admitted...there is such a thing as people telling the truth. There is though some behind the scenes rhetoric, and a few folks here who think that we have already been lied out over the edge of the cliff and the narrow branch helping resist gravity is showing signs of breaking. Not to mention the fact that those corporate accountants are pretty clever, they might see a window to write down things now in a way that makes things look better in 09' just when certain conditions have to be met for some ridiculus ponzi scheme to prop up the ailing airlines.
As of yet though, no reason to believe that impending fuel shortages would curtail flights, well except that we would not be told if it were true. So I guess that leaves us paranoid and watching the flashing street lights over Washington Square at 3 AM.
Pick yer poison. Just make sure it is the blue pill. That electronic steak stills tastes just as juicy.
Also, let us admit once and for all that fossil fuels are not the future, they are the past. If the airlines really wanted to be helpful they would sue the oil companies for strangling them and invest the award in a maglev train network to replace all domestic flights. Then we could use real mass transit to get were we want to a silky smooth track of air. Using the air travel in the place it is most needed, passing over oceans effectively.
The story is the same everywhere. 'We're getting pinched, things are tight! Maybe it will go away.'
Only this aint going away people, 2008 will by far not be the worst of the energy related problems we will see. Peak oil is going to obliterate the American economy as we know it and unless we find the courage to start taking substantive action there is not a snowball's chance in hell the Union will be maintained beyond 30 years from now. People are not going to sit by in the coming decades and watch their families slowly starve. Do the calculus and I think it becomes pretty clear. Our inaction today means lives tomorrow. _________________ I return to you now at the turning of the tide.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
AirlinePilot wrote:
Frank,
No shortage of fuel that I can see yet. Plenty of supply.
It has everything to do with the latest FAA crackdowns and what happened at Southwest. The problem here is that we wont transition to a more tightly overseen industry by the FAA without some pain. My guess is this is going to go on for a while until the system works through all the slightly questionable stuff from years of not so above board inspection and monitoring practices by both the FAA and the industry.
The issue here is how much impact one thing or another has on airline schedules. Since AMR's fleet is made up of about 1/3rd MD-80's it has a significant impact on them. It's not about saving fuel, it probably will cost them more in bad press and customer issues due to the cancellations. Standby for Delta to get whacked, unless by some miracle we complied correctly with the same issue. Somehow I doubt it. We will see.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
Who knows what the real story is here. But keep in mind that the whole industry is enormously subsidized. They don't pay a penny in fuel tax. Ever. And they use a lot of fuel. And that's just the tip of it.
Like much of American so-called capitalism (need I mention those brave American risk takers over at Bear Stearns?), the whole thing is a sham. The Airlines should have been nationalized long ago, since they're being propped up by all of our money any way.
I talked to industry experts a few years ago on a local call-in program, back when crude was about $40/bbl. They swore no plane would be able to fly economically if oil reached $60. Well, here we are at, what $112? The whole thing is fishy beyond belief.
Smaller airlines are going down in droves. Two Hawaiian companies collapsed last week, Hong Kong air just went down. The industry seems to be in death throes, rattling and choking on its own vomit.
I wouldn't get on a plane these days unless I really needed to.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
dohboi wrote:
I wouldn't get on a plane these days unless I really needed to.
Thanks for reminding me, I might have a chance at a job that would require alot of flying. Although I would love the job, I am not at all looking forward to going through any major hub. Everytime I try to leave a major hub there is a delay, or a layover, or I miss my connection. If I were single it would not bother me, but sometimes I start to get the feeling I might never get home again, like they could suddenly say, 'All flights to where you are going cancelled, postponed, shot down, too expensive, no flight crew, so sorry, have you thought about hitchhiking.'
I feel bad for those who work for the airlines they have hard jobs and non-stop demands and seem to keep being cordial no matter what. I think it is an issue that the next Administration will need to address if they can. Something's gotta give and it makes sense that the airlines would feel it first. _________________ I return to you now at the turning of the tide.
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:01 pm Post subject: Re: American cancels more than 1,000 flights
I'm taking an aeroplane to a foreign land in May. I guess I just rub my rabbit's foot and hope there'll be a plane to whisk me home.
If not, I'll have to find portage on a container ship. Or a mule team through the Americas. Something.
Well I never went away on a Steam Powered Aero plane.
Well I went and stayed and damn near didn't come back again.
Didn't go very fast on a steam powered aero plane,
Oh the wheel went around, up and down, and inside and then back again.
Sittin' in a 747 just watching them clouds roll by,
Can't tell if it's sunshine or if it's rain.
Rather be sittin' in a deck chair high above Kansas City,
On a genuine old fashioned steam powered aero plane.
Well I'd like to be a pilot on a steam powered aero plane.
Well I'd pull that pilot wheel around and then back again.
Well, I'll wear a blue hat, yeah, that says Steam Powered Aero plane
With letters that go around the rim and then back again.
~John Hartford
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