American Airlines Inching Towards Exiting Bankruptcy

A couple of news stories from the last day or so on American Airlines’ plans to exit bankruptcy:

First, a piece that originally announced that US Airways had agreed to sign a non-disclosure agreement with AMR to discuss the merger in more formal terms, then was corrected to say they’re considering signing it.

Interesting point here is that American’s pilots’ union would rather talk to US Airways then AMR, saying, “In an email to members Monday night, the U.S. Airline Pilots Association said the airline’s board “had approved signing a non-disclosure agreement.” But in a correction issued Tuesday, USAPA spokesman James Ray said that did not occur. “US Airways has in fact been asked by AMR, as a sign of good faith, to cease union negotiations and behave as if the NDA has already been signed,” Ray said. “US Airways has agreed to honor that request.”

I really think the pilots’ union should be focusing on getting a contract negotiated with their current employers, not dithering around with an airline that may never employ them.

Then, this piece by the Wall Street Journal about AMR working on exit financing as well as potentially enough cash to stand alone and consider being the acquiring airline in a US Airways/American Airlines tie-up.  I’m definitely morein favor of a merger if AA survives as the airline in charge.

Finally, the union chief for the pilots’ union is saying he’d really like a contract with American.  Duh.

He also holds out that the flight attendants (who have already ratified a new contract with AA) are more pissed at AA then the pilots.  Yes, those same pilots who soundly rejected a new contract and continue to try and negotiate a better deal with US Airways.

Feh.