October 17, 2013 > Issue 35 Arrivals A joint merger communication for employees of the new American Creating a premier global carrier 68 Congressional Democrats Send Letter to President Obama in Support of Combination Across the country, people continue to voice their support for the new American. On Wednesday, October 16, 2013, 68 members of the House of Representatives signed a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to support the merger. Read on for the full text of the letter and accompanying press release. The signers are listed on page two – if your representative signed, we encourage you to reach out through the letter writing function on newamericanarriving.com and thank them for their support. Reps. Veasey, Pastor and Colleagues Call on Obama Administration to Settle Lawsuit with American Airlines and US Airways 68 Congressional Democrats: DOJ legal challenge puts local economies and workers at risk WASHINGTON, D.C., October 16 – Today, Representatives Marc Veasey (DTX) and Ed Pastor (D-AZ) and 66 of their Democratic colleagues sent a letter to President Barack Obama calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow American Airlines and US Airways to move forward with a merger. In the letter, they voiced concerns about the legal challenge’s economic impact on the workers, the traveling public and the numerous communities across the country that would be negatively impacted by the DOJ’s legal challenge. The new American Airlines will be headquartered in Dallas-Fort Worth and will maintain a significant corporate and operational presence in Phoenix. for our local economy, good for consumers, good for competition and should The merged airline is also expected to maintain its hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, be approved,” said Congressman Veasey (D-TX). Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., where it will continue to support and strengthen those “I’m proud to show my support for the merger of American Airlines and US communities as a major employer and active corporate citizen. Airways because it creates new economic opportunities for thousands of workers in Arizona and more choices for travelers. I hope the administration “With more than 20,000 American Airlines employees in the DFW area alone, will recognize the benefits of this combination and settle the lawsuit I have serious concerns about the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against US immediately,” said Congressman Pastor (D-AZ). Airways and American Airlines which will put the jobs of these hard working Texans and thousands of other Americans at risk. I believe this merger is good 1 [email protected] See page two for the letter. Send us your questions! [email protected] October 15, 2013 The Honorable Barack Obama President of the United States 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC Dear President Obama: As Members of Congress representing thousands of American Airlines and US Airways employees, we are writing to express our respectful disagreement with the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against the proposed merger of American Airlines and US Airways. We believe DOJ’s legal challenge puts at risk the future economic security of our constituents, tens-of-thousands of unionized workers at both airlines, and the economic well-being of communities that we represent. The proposed merger will not only increase competition, but will also increase opportunities for airline workers and the communities serviced by both American Airlines and US Airways. The combination will make both airlines a much stronger competitor against other airlines like United, Delta, and Southwest that have benefitted from recent mergers as well as a growing number of air carriers like Virgin America, JetBlue, and Spirit. The new American will provide millions of consumers’ with new choices onboard a premier global airline with a much broader network that will be a viable alternative to other large, global carriers – both domestic and foreign. In doing so, the new American will provide financial stability for its workers, vendors, suppliers and communities who all rely on a healthy airline. We are concerned that the DOJ’s lawsuit creates an atmosphere of uncertainty for our respective congressional districts and constituents. While we share your concern regarding any potential impact on consumers as consolidation in any industry is contemplated, we believe that DOJ’s concerns as outlined in the complaint filed last month are not an adequate representation of all of the facts. We urge your administration to reconsider its efforts to prevent the American and US Airways merger from going forward. It is our hope that all parties involved can reach an amicable resolution that will not jeopardize the significant economic benefits this merger provides for the employees and communities of both carriers and the constituents we represent. Thank you very much for your consideration. Sincerely, Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33) Rep. Ed Pastor (AZ-7) Rep. Alcee Hastings (FL-20) Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-5) Rep. Robert Brady (PA-1) Rep. Eddie Bernice-Johnson (TX-30) Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-5) Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15) Rep. Joe Garcia (FL-26) Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-1) Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-3) Rep. Frederica Wilson (FL-24) Rep. Chaka Fattah (PA-2) Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9) Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13) Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09) Rep. Janice Hahn (CA-44) Rep. Danny K. Davis (IL-07) Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02) Rep. Henry C. Johnson, Jr. (GA-04) Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37) Rep. David Scott (GA-13) Rep. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) 2 [email protected] Rep. Ron Barber (AZ-02) Rep. Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01) Rep. Luis Gutierrez (IL-04) Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod (CA-35) Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-17) Rep. Robert E. Andrews (NJ-01) Rep. Charlie Rangel (NY-13) Rep. Loretta Sanchez (CA-46) Rep. Gene Green (TX-29) Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) Rep. Nick Rahall (WV-03) Rep. Dan Maffei (NY-24) Rep. John Delaney (MD-06) Rep. Mike McIntyre (NC-07) Rep. Patrick Murphy (FL-18) Rep. Pete Gallego (TX-23) Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-03) Rep. Tony Cardenas (CA-29) Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-21) Rep. Filemon Vela (TX-34) Rep. Richard Neal (MA-1) Send us your questions! Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL-3) Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ-06) Rep. Bill Owens (NY-21) Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26) Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) Rep. John Barrow (GA-12) Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) Rep. Joe Crowley (NY-14) Rep. George Miller (CA-11) Rep. John Lewis (GA-05) Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-12) Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18) Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06) Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22) Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) Rep. Elijah Cummings (MD-07) Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43) Rep. Donna Christensen (VI) [email protected] More Voices Speaking Out This week, op-eds from Captain Bill Pollock, a US Airways pilot, and Bill Post, a current member of the board of directors of US Airways, appeared in USA Today and The Arizona Republic, respectively. According to Bill Post, “The new American has the overwhelming support of the employee base of both airlines — and the unions they belong to. They understand that the merger is about growth and about creating an airline capable of going head to head with the country’s largest air carriers — Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines — and a number of other fast-growing carriers. Furthermore, a better product and better network means the new American can provide their employees with better pay — this is as true in airlines as it is in any industry. I have lived and worked here long enough to know that Arizona stands to gain enormous benefits from a new American. I also know this will not happen spontaneously and we need our leadership to embrace this new opportunity. As a fellow Arizona resident and air traveler, we deserve to reap the substantial benefits this merger will provide — and the DOJ shouldn’t force us to keep things the same simply due to the fear of change.” Capt. Bill Pollock also expressed strong support saying, “Our request is simple: We want the Justice Department to reconsider its ill-conceived decision to oppose our combination with American. Just days ago, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced that his state would withdraw its participation in the Justice Department lawsuit and support the merger. The Justice Department should follow Abbott’s lead. We have earned the right to compete with United, Delta, Southwest and the numerous other airlines that keep our industry competitive by providing expanded service to our flying customers. We have done our part and stand at the horizon of an exciting, new future. Let us compete. Together.” Save the Date Tom and Doug Visiting DFW Tom and Doug will visit DFW on October 18. For those of you in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, come to the In-Transit Lounge (access is across from gate D-37) at 1:30 p.m. for a Town Hall meeting with both CEOs. For employees outside of Texas, read next week’s Arrivals for highlights. 3 [email protected] Send us your questions! [email protected] American Airlines and US Airways Think Pink This October October 15 was a PINK kind of day with employees of American and US Airways supporting the fight against breast cancer. Throughout the month of October, employees at both airlines will wear pink to raise awareness for breast cancer – and raise money to fight the deadly disease. That’s why on October 15, American and American Eagle held their BE PINK Day and US Airways its first PINK OUT, with hundreds of employees across both systems wearing pink ties/scarves and other workgroup-appropriate items to show unified support. US Airways Charlotte, customers Philadelphia, passing through Phoenix and Customer service employees from both companies show their pink pride! From left to right, Vicki Weber, American Airlines, Scott Smith, US Airways, Pat Jones, US Airways, Terri Sifuentes, American Airlines, and Doug Stamper, US Airways. Washington, D.C. were treated to Minute® Maid Pink Lemonade and pink cupcakes. At American, employees will raise money all month long for breast cancer research during the second annual “Walk While You Work” campaign, where friends and family members can sponsor the steps employees take in their day-to-day jobs. You can still sign up to participate in “Walk While You Work” at komen.org/aawalk. American and US Airways employees come together for a common cause at LAX. “We’ve done a lot in Boston to support BE PINK this year, and many of our Agents, Admirals Club Representatives and other colleagues are wearing pink ties, scarves and pins throughout the month,” said Suiky Baez, Boston Flight Service Staff Assistant, American Airlines. “I think it’s great that our US Airways colleagues are also wearing pink ties and scarves, too. Eventually, we will be merged together and it’s a great way to get both companies involved. If you can start something positive like that for an important cause, it speaks a lot about our companies and people.” So far, US Airways has raised more than $130,000 through this year’s campaign and American is working toward its fundraising target of $100,000. US Airway’s BE PINK initiatives extend around the world – all the way to Korea! 4 [email protected] Send us your questions! [email protected] In Good Company: Managers and Friends Scott Millis, Mike Pulaski and Bruce Starkey The combination of American and US Airways will bring together two sets of employees who are the best in their industry. In some cases, the friendships between American and US Airways employees have long been in place. Scott Millis (left) Manager, Operations Performance Engineering, and Bruce Starkey (right) Manager, Enroute Performance and Systems Engineering at American Airlines Mike Pulaski, Manager, Operations Engineering at US Airways Three operations engineering team members, Scott Millis, Manager, Operations Performance Engineering, American Airlines; Mike Pulaski, Manager, Operations Engineering, US Airways; and Bruce Starkey, Manager, Enroute Performance and Systems Engineering, American Airlines – have a long-standing friendship dating back to their time working together at Boeing. We spoke to them about their history and friendship in the airline industry. How did you become friends? Scott: Mike, Bruce and I were in the same group in Boeing’s Flight Operations Engineering (FLOE) organization. We sat five feet apart. Our job was to build takeoff programs and databases for airlines’ use. Bruce: Being young guys in Seattle meant always having friends to play softball, bowl, tennis, hiking, golfing, everything. It was huge fun. Mike: I have to say that our friendships are based on a strong foundation of common values and technical knowledge. Any fun stories you can share from working together? Scott: The last thing I remember about Mike before I left Boeing was him working on the database for Boeing’s latest airplane – the 737-300. Boeing was doing some new things and we weren’t exactly sure how to 5 [email protected] use some of this new data. Mike had to work hard and fast as the deadline was approaching to get it together for the launch customer – US Airways. I think the circle is complete. Bruce: Mike used to take me up flying in his Cub. I don’t know when it was built, but it was older than both of us. We had great fun doing touch and gos – flying into short fields. He taught me a lot about flying that you could never get flying a desk! Mike: We had some fun times together. I think I can recall I was correcting a couple shortcomings with the B737-300 database that Scott and I worked on as recently as this year when we retired the fleet. Anything else you’d care to add? Scott: Mike and I have daughters born on the same day in 1997. We’ve been wishing each other happy birthday for 16 years. Bruce: I started my career in 1984 sitting next to Millis and Pulaski. Now I can [hopefully] end my career sitting next to Millis and Pulaski. Mike: I have been tremendously fortunate to share my career with some brilliant engineers and wonderful friends. Without trying to sound patronizing, I place Bruce and Scott quite high on my list of both good friends and excellent engineers. The new American OE team will be the best in the industry. The future will be very bright from a combined perspective! Send us your questions! [email protected] Disclaimer Permission to use quotes neither sought nor obtained. American Airlines and US Airways do not, by their reference to or distribution of these statements, imply their endorsement of or concurrence with the opinions, conclusions or recommendations quoted above. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “continue,” “seek,” “target,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “forecast” and other similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on AMR’s and US Airways’ current objectives, beliefs and expectations, and they are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and financial position and timing of certain events to differ materially from the information in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and financial position and timing of certain events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: the lawsuit filed by the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and certain states seeking to enjoin the planned merger of AMR and US Airways on antitrust grounds and the intention of AMR and US Airways to contest such lawsuit vigorously; the challenges and costs of the proposed transaction, including integrating operations and achieving anticipated synergies; the price of, market for and potential market price volatility of common stock of the ultimate parent entity following the closing of the proposed transaction; significant liquidity requirements and substantial levels of indebtedness of the combined company following the closing; potential limitations on the use of certain tax attributes following the closing; failure of the proposed transaction to be completed; and other economic, business, competitive, and/or regulatory factors affecting the business of the combined company after the closing and the businesses of US Airways and AMR generally, including those set forth in the filings of US Airways and AMR with the SEC, especially in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of their respective annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, their current reports on Form 8-K and other SEC filings, including the registration statement and the proxy statement/prospectus related to the proposed transaction. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the statements. Neither AMR nor US Airways assumes any obligation to publicly update or supplement any forward-looking statement to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting these forward-looking statements except as required by law. Stay in the Know We’ll continue sending you updates to keep you informed. In the meantime, please visit: New Jetnet (newjetnet.aa.com) or Wings (wings.usairways.com) www.newAmericanarriving.com – a website dedicated to the new American Airlines Follow us on Twitter at @AmericanAir, @USAirways & @USemployees, and on Facebook (AmericanAirlines & US Airways) Questions: [email protected] or [email protected] 6 [email protected] Send us your questions! Arrivals October 17, 2013 ISSUE 35 Past issues available on new Jetnet and Wings [email protected]
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