DFW AIRPORT -- Hassan McDowell, a fleet services crew chief who has been with American Airlines for 14 years, believes that the airline's management is to blame for its problems.
"American is a very good company run poorly," McDowell said Wednesday, after learning of the company's plan for massive job and benefit cuts.McDowell said he's exasperated with executives he considers responsible for circumstances that drove the company into bankruptcy."I'm very upset," he said. "For about 10 years, all the labor groups have given back to American Airlines for a total of $1.4 billion a year in concessions. That was to keep American out of bankruptcy. Now, the company wants more."Anger and angst marked the mood of American workers Wednesday as they digested how the airline's planned changes might affect their lives.Another fleet service worker who gave only his first name, Danny, said the company he's been with for 15 years "has to do what it has to do to make as many people as possible able to hold their jobs."He added that everybody he works with is worried about being one of the 4,200 fleet services employees that American plans to lay off.Sammy Carr of Fort Worth, who has been an American mechanic since 2000, said he didn't know whether he would be laid off. The airline plans to shutter the Alliance Airport maintenance base where he works."You just have to wait until someone says this is what we're going to do," said Carr, 47. "We're kind of in limbo. You hope for the best but prepare for the worst."Carr said it wouldn't be the first time he has been laid off. American let him go in 2001 and in 2003, and he was laid off from Lockheed Martin twice."You stay in this industry long enough you're going to get laid off," he said. "The good thing is, I have always gone back to work within one month."First officer Christine Daniel, a 12-year American employee, was relieved that she would not be affected by the planned job cuts, "but I have friends that will be furloughed for the third time."She said proposals to increase hours and reduce sick pay and time off will hurt pilots, who cannot fly when ill, and make them spend more unpaid time away from home.Mark Hatterman, a 25-year pilot, said it's too early to get worked up over plans that include cutting 400 pilots."I've been told never to get emotional about what I'm first told," he said.Sherry Lewis hopes that her friends can find new jobs. With more than 20 years seniority, she isn't worried about being one of the 2,300 flight attendants American plans to lay off."But it won't be the same job," she said. "They want to increase the length of day and the number of days in a week we can fly. They're also changing the rate we're paid, doing away with the incentive part. And they're increasing our insurance costs."Lewis said union workers made big concessions in 2003 to keep American out of bankruptcy but "upper management kept getting their bonuses every spring."Despite the problems, Lewis remains optimistic about the company's long-term future."Five to 10 years down the road, the company will be strong," she said. "Right now, it hurts."Staff writers Susan McFarland and Bob Cox contributed to this report.Terry Evans, 817-390-7620Twitter: @NETarrantNewsHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
