American Airlines woes

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Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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The focus locally has been on the DR's mea culpa for raising taxes, airport charges and aviation fuel taxes. Also on the rising cost of fuel itself. All true factors.

But in the case of American Airlines, these have just worsened an already critical situation caused by an internal problem -- very high labor costs.

For years, American Airlines has been coping with its rising labor costs. While the current cost structure is unsustainable as is, and now the rising costs of fuel are forcing major changes, and thus the cuts.

Airlines such JetBlue and Air Europa, for example, do not have the additional burden of the labor costs and thus are better able to survive the high fuel costs.
 
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GRS

New member
Jan 2, 2002
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What American has done, need it to be done years ago. If the airlines don't put a pressure on both the governement and the private sector, they will keep adding taxes and higher fees for an airline to operate in the airport. Sadly, we are in for a punch in the winter season because we will see flight cancellations, not just from AA but from the other leisure airlines that fly the tourists to Dominican Destinations.

Right now, over 50% of the air fare is in taxes. Taxes that are not well spent, taxes that are unnecessary and it has been like that for a long time. Tourism is our lifeline in this economy, if it drops, we are out of business. It's time that the governement start thinking about the aviation community.
 
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Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
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It seems to have been that as fares came down, the government padded the difference with taxes.

Anyway, American (and American Eagle) publish an ad reminding Dominicans avethat they have 29 daily flights to the DR. These are 5 to NY, 10 to Miami, 12 to San Juan, 1 to Boston, 1 to St. Martin.

The airline flies to Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, and Santiago airports. It had added Samana, but that one was dropped. The DR is the country with the most airports served in the Caribbean, at least.
 
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LatinoRican

New member
Apr 11, 2004
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AA is now charging $461.80 for a round-trip flight between San Juan/Santo Domingo. That's a 40 minute flight each way. $99.00 of this amout is Dominican airport taxes. Between both, they are royally screwing Dominicans and tourists alike. Ah! And come September, AA will only fly American Eagle planes to Santo Domingo, Something's got to give! :pirate:
 
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Kyle

Silver
Jun 2, 2006
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not to mention with rising fuel costs in the US, the airfares are terrible this time of year. i guess i need to bite the bullet....
 
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Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
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It's not just tourists getting screwed, its' the dominican people themselves.

Those AA flights to the DR are always packed-and with less flights to Santiago, there will be more people trying to get on less planes. The prices will skyrocket out of control if they haven't already.

But the dominican government always sees this with an "I don't care" attitude. They will never decrease the taxes-how are they going to pay for all the jeepetas for every member of their family?:ermm:

I am curious to see what the flights for the Christmas/New Years' holidays will be like. Dominicans will just not be able to travel back home like they did in previous seasons.
 
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jalencastro

Bronze
Dec 15, 2004
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this problem is affecting every damn airline and it stinks....i just hope that nothing happens to my flight later this summer. i have had my ticket booked and confirmed from JFK-SDQ with Delta....they better not come at me later and say: SORRY, we cancelled that leg and no longer fly to DR from NY....sheesh!
 
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playacaribe2

Gold
Jan 9, 2004
10,912
2,247
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As long as by summer....

you mean before September 9th and 12th. According to today's DR1 news, those are the dates Delta will stop flying JFK-SDQ.

Looking at the bigger picture, these and the AA flight cancellations coupled with higher oil and food costs for consumers worldwide will undoubtedly affect the upcoming tourist season.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2



jalencastro said:
this problem is affecting every damn airline and it stinks....i just hope that nothing happens to my flight later this summer. i have had my ticket booked and confirmed from JFK-SDQ with Delta....they better not come at me later and say: SORRY, we cancelled that leg and no longer fly to DR from NY....sheesh!
Click to expand...
 
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POP Bad Boy

Bronze
Jun 27, 2004
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Berzin said:
I am curious to see what the flights for the Christmas/New Years' holidays will be like. Dominicans will just not be able to travel back home like they did in previous seasons.
Click to expand...

Well I can tell you this..........

I have a friend that I use the internet for to buy his ticket every December for his annual Christmas trip since I use the computer alot more than he does.

We made and paid for his reservation in March for December 2008 to January 2009.

1. His flight on AA has already been cancelled and they moved him to the ONE flight they will have per day which is 833 to Santiago at 6:00 am..(He was on 1889 ........which is being cancelled).

2. The price of a ticket on that flight now is over double what he has paid for both this year and the last 4 years...........He usually pays in the $400's and it is now over $800...........
 
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El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
2,306
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Berzin said:
It's not just tourists getting screwed, its' the dominican people themselves.

Those AA flights to the DR are always packed-and with less flights to Santiago, there will be more people trying to get on less planes. The prices will skyrocket out of control if they haven't already.

But the dominican government always sees this with an "I don't care" attitude. They will never decrease the taxes-how are they going to pay for all the jeepetas for every member of their family?:ermm:

I am curious to see what the flights for the Christmas/New Years' holidays will be like. Dominicans will just not be able to travel back home like they did in previous seasons.
Click to expand...

And you will see more mayhem when they retire their work horse, the A300. They don't have a suitable airplane to use at the moment.
 
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playacaribe2

Gold
Jan 9, 2004
10,912
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Aa.....

korejdk said:
AA's parent, AMR - the street thinks that it might go bankrupt

Hearing DealReporter note suggests the possibility exists for a AMR bankruptcy
Click to expand...

is not the only carrier in crisis. USAir, Northwest, United, Continental have all been rumored of late to be mulling deep job and route cuts to stave off potential Bankruptcy filings.

The more important question here is the impact on the DR itself. As tourism impacts such a huge portion of the Dominican economy, any cutbacks, reductions in flights or outright abandonment of routes, does not bode well for the near term. And, as if that were not enough, prices for those flights remaining will continue to move higher as well.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
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Island Treats

Member
Sep 5, 2003
179
10
18
SOSUALIVING.COM
korejdk said:
AA's parent, AMR - the street thinks that it might go bankrupt

Hearing DealReporter note suggests the possibility exists for a AMR bankruptcy
Click to expand...

AMR Pushes Back On Rumor.


Published: June 5, 2008 at 1:29 PM

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 5 (UPI) --
AMR Corp., parent to major U.S. carrier
American Airlines, denied news reports
that suggested the company was about
to file for bankruptcy.

"Any speculation about any kind of
imminent bankruptcy filing is
unfounded," AMR spokesman Andy
Backover said, the Dallas Morning
News reported.

"By any measure, we've put ourselves
in a better position to manage through
today's uncertainty," Backover said.

News of the carrier's rumored demise
came from a DealReporter story that
quoted unnamed sources saying
bidders for AMR's regional carrier
American Eagle would be cautious
based on a risk of AMR filing
bankruptcy, the News reported.

? 2008 United Press International. All
Rights Reserved.
 
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boca chica dave

New member
Sep 25, 2004
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Let's not get to parinoid folks. This is a cyclical deal. It has already weeded out a bunch of old aircraft. I really don't know what we are crying about. Compare your prices to flights 3 or 4 yrs ago. Is there really that much change in price? Ck. out flying to other destinations when you want to fly to the DR. Everyone is gripping about summer and Christmas--- well no sh--!!! whats changed. Yeah the gov't of the DR has been screwing everyone on taxes. While many of us would love to be with our families for the holidays or just go for vacation; go another time when flights are cheaper. Example: a couple of years ago I booked with Delta for Chistmas thru new years out of Tampa thru Atl in june or july.$ 341. The closest price after that was700+ a
week later it went from 830 to 9 something. use mobissimo or ck out airlines not on the networks. Use Yapta .don't forget about Spirit they were charging for bags a long time ago. they used to have flts. with a change in Ft laud. Doms like them because the planes are newer. (so I heard). This could be a really good thing. If AA releases its hold on San Juan and taxes drop for entry in the DR-- not bad . Predict that tourist card will become $20.00.
 
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korejdk

Bronze
Dec 29, 2006
647
37
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boca chica dave said:
Let's not get to parinoid folks.
Click to expand...

Far from it, I was merely sharing Wall St rumours on the subject. It won't be the first nor the last airline to go belly up. If all airlines stop flying to the DR there'll be a ferry service from Majami running in no time, that's what I love about capitalism :)
 
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korejdk

Bronze
Dec 29, 2006
647
37
0
What I fail to comprehend is the fact that they have EWR to GCM to to May 09 for $ 266 with all taxes included, 7 advance days purchase necessary for Tue, We & Sat...7 days in advance for the DR - nothing under $ 500. Go figure...
 
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Pana

New member
Feb 12, 2005
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boca chica dave said:
. Predict that tourist card will become $20.00.
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I paid $100US for my tourist Visa to Brasil back in 2006 and it's good for 5 years with multiple entries. This year will make it 6 years I have been going to DR and I have been there 25+ times let me see $10US per trip that comes out to $250US......damn I feel like robbbery has been commited against me in the DR :surprised.
 
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