drychnath

ABC News: What if Airline Wires Weren't Maintained?

American Airlines went out of it's way this week to abuse the American consumer in order to make a political statement about FAA Regulations. The wiring issue at the root of this misadventure has been a known issue since a TWA flight 800 crash in 1996, and after many investigations the FAA ruled that these inspections must take place between September 2006 and March 2008, a period of 18 months.

American Airlines acted punitively against the FAA this week by reserving inspections on this issue until the very last minute, cramming every inspection into a 1 week period that has cancelled thousands of flights all at once. This was intentionally designed to inconvenience enough people at a time to make it an international news event.

American is able to effectively plan for maintenance on their planes all through the year, and this wiring inspection could have been included in any of the inspections, tune ups and other maintenance that they regularly schedule. By planning for maintenance and fitting it to a schedule they can handle without interruping passengers, they positively effect their bottom line.

It is no coincidence that they are suddenly unable to plan for a check of an easily accesible bundle of wires that is exposed whenever the plane is on the ground.

There has been speculation that people may not be able to get their money refunded for these cancelled flights due to rules set up by airlines and poltical groups, and that is no suprise either. American and other airlines have worked with with lawyers and lobbyists to make sure this would not hurt them, and American hoped to reap the benefits of this political event without losing a dime.

Some People HAVE been able to get their money refunded, the most diligent ones who were unwilling to be raked over the coals by a devious corporation abusing it's customers for political gain, but thousands of people have either been forced to sit and wait, or seek other transportation. In time lost, meetings missed, appointments with all manner of professionals delayed for these consumers, you're looking at millions of dollars in expense.

American will never be forced to foot any of that bill due to the way the airlines' political machine has engineered, and gotten enacted as legislation, limitations on legal remedy against them.

Return the favor, next time you fly, pick any airline besides American Airlines.

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EQ2: Avenger Drychnath Malcherion -AB

Everything is on a great scale upon this continent, the rivers are immense, the climate violent in heat and cold, the prospects magnificent, the thunder and lightning tremendous, the disorders incident to the country make every constitution tremble. Our own blunders here, our misconduct, our losses, our disgraces, our ruin Are On a Great Scale.
-Lord Carlisle

Osime

Having been fucked by AA (Their Plane from PDX to DFW, and their connection AmEagle to Cedar Rapids) in 2001, I go out of my way to avoid that abortion of an airline. Flew Jet Blue to NYC in 06 (best flight ever) fly Alaska or US Airways to Vegas at at least once a year, and would rather fly Southwest to DFW for business.

Oh and DFW needs to be burnt to the ground I hate that fuckin Airport.

Legate

Their stock prices are crashing down, so you can't say they aren't suffering for it.

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Ily

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Roll the dice, see if I'm getting drunk!

Sakua

Isn't there always?

Still, this is cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

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My toon is a chick rat, but I'm not.
80 Inqy - Syncope (Nektulos)
80 Illy - Lady Kuaa the Fox (Nektulos)