Southwest Airlines Adopt-A-Pilot(R) Program Lands in Schools Nationwide

Southwest Airlines Adopt-A-Pilot(R) Program Lands in Schools Nationwide
Southwest Airlines' Pilots Volunteer to Share the Spirit of Learning with Thousands of Students across the United States

DALLAS, Feb. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX

Today, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced the official takeoff of its award-winning, educational and mentoring program, Adopt-A-Pilot(R). Each Spring, fifth-grade students in more than 1,400 classes across the country will "adopt" Southwest Airlines Pilots through a program that leads students through science, geography, math, writing, and other core subjects, all based in aviation-related activities. Students also will research careers, reinforce life values, and realize the importance of staying in school.

"Our pledge to our communities is the inspiration that drives the Adopt-A-Pilot(R) program. Our Employees empower the participants to learn and understand they can be all they want to be in life through education," said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President of Communication and Strategic Outreach.

US Airways Inks Deal with Sabre for Ticket Distribution

By Eric Torbenson/Reporter
etorbenson@dallasnews.com | Bio
8:31 AM on Tue., Mar. 1, 2011 | Permalink


It's been pretty quiet on the American Airlines Direct Connect vs. global distribution system model, but here's US Airways solidifying its approach to stick with Sabre and the GDS crowd:

SOUTHLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- US Airways has signed a multi-year, full content distribution and merchandising agreement with Sabre Travel Network , making all of its fares and schedules available to Sabre Connected travel agents, including its ancillaries. "US Airways recognizes the value of the Sabre global distribution system and our innovative leadership in helping airlines market and sell their products, including ancillaries, to millions of travelers worldwide," said Greg Webb, president of Sabre Travel Network. "Sabre is the world's most efficient, cost-effective travel marketplace and US Airways joins the many global airlines that understand the GDS is an important source of revenue and revenue growth." US Airways will include its initial ancillary, Choice Seats, in the Sabre GDS. US Airways' Choice Seats provides the option for travelers to purchase some of the most popular seats in the coach cabin for an additional fee. In addition to today's announced full content deal with US Airways, Sabre also has full content, long-term distribution agreements in place with other U.S. major carriers including, United Airlines, Continental Airlines and the recently merged Delta-Northwest.
American and Sabre have called a truce until June in their battle over how tickets are sold.

British Airways May Review Expansion Plans Due to Oil Spike

BA's International Airlines Group monitoring situation in Libya and Middle East, with fuel accounting for quarter of costs



Dan Milmo
guardian.co.uk, Friday 25 February 2011 08.49 GMT
Article history

The aviation powerhouse created by the merger of British Airways and Spain's Iberia has warned it may curb its expansion plans following the latest spike in the oil price.

International Airlines Group hinted it might cut back on schedules by flying aircraft less often if the latest increase in oil prices did not recede. "We are monitoring the impact of the current Middle East instability on fuel prices and have the flexibility to change our capacity plans if necessary," said IAG.

Oil prices rose to close to $120 a barrel on Thursday, but have fallen back to just over $113 a barrel.

Experts: GOP Budget Cuts Will Hurt Economic Growth

Tue. March 01, 2011

House Republicans’ plan to cut $61 billion from the federal budget could harm the economic recovery, say two independent economic analysts.

Investment firm Goldman Sachs estimates the GOP plan would reduce U.S. economic growth by up to two percent this year, while Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi says the plan would lead to the loss of 700,000 jobs by the end of 2012.

“While long-term government spending restraint is vital, and laying out a credible path toward that restraint very desirable, too much cutting too soon would be counterproductive,” says Zandi. “The economy is much improved and should continue to gain traction, but the coast is not clear; it won’t be until businesses begin hiring aggressively enough to meaningfully lower the still-high unemployment rate.

IAM Members Gain From Tanker Win

Workers across the country cheered the news of the tanker contract win. From left, John Jenkins, Gary Ottinger, Janis Tawrel and Josh Allen join the celebration on the 767 line in Everett, WA.

Tue. March 01, 2011

The news that Boeing won the U.S. Air Force contract to build a new fleet of aerial refueling tankers is a big triumph for the IAM, who has fought nearly 10 years to help bring this award to fruition. And no where is the win more evident than in Washington, Kansas and Connecticut, where 50,000 jobs - existing and future - were on the line.

At a time when aerospace workers have been hit harder with layoffs than at any other time since the Great Depression, IAM members and their communities are savoring the taste of victory.

District 751 members in Washington will build the planes. It has been an “incredible partnership,” said District 751 President Tom Wroblewski to thousands of Boeing workers who gathered on the Everett factory floor to celebrate the signing of the contract. “For 10 years, we have worked hand-in-hand on this issue – on the political front, on the shop floor - and together we made this happen.”

IAM Flight Attendants at Continental Ratify Industry Leading Agreement

Tue. March 01, 2011

The IAM announced that Flight Attendants at Continental Airlines have voted to ratify a new interim collective bargaining agreement that will raise their top base pay to $52.53 per hour while providing a no-furlough guarantee for the duration of the accord.

The contract was ratified by 68 percent of voting members, with 70 percent of the overall membership participating. The new interim agreement covers 9,300 Flight Attendants based in Houston, TX, Newark, NJ and Cleveland, OH. The 20-month contract is retroactive to January 1, 2010.

“This interim agreement provides immediate raises and important merger protections as United and Continental integrate their operations,” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “After we win representation rights for the combined Flight Attendant group, we will return to the table and negotiate long-term improvements for all 25,000 Flight Attendants.”

AFL-CIO Blog Archives for February 2011

Read the AFL-CIO blogs for February 2011.

New Poll: U.S. Public Opposes Weakening Bargaining Rights

by Tula Connell, Feb 28, 2011

The American public opposes weakening the bargaining rights of public employee unions by a margin of nearly two to one: 60 percent to 33 percent, according to a New York Times/CBS poll.

Those surveyed said they opposed, 56 percent to 37 percent, cutting the pay or benefits of public employees to reduce deficits. A majority of respondents who have no union members living in their households opposed both cuts in pay and benefits and taking away the collective bargaining rights of public employees. While a slim majority of Republicans favored taking away some bargaining rights, they were outnumbered by large majorities of Democrats and independents who said they opposed weakening them.

Attacks on Workers in States Have Energized Working People

by James Parks, Mar 1, 2011

The attacks on public employees has energized working people across the country, motivating them and helping them to believe they are going to win their struggle to keep bargaining rights in states like Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana, says Katie Kistner, vice president of AFSCME Council 40 in Wisconsin.

Kistner was one of three workers to address the AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting in Washington, D.C. today.

All the workers said the attacks also have helped unify working people. Pete Rimsans, executive director of the Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council, said a proposed a new law in the Hoosier State, which supporters misleadingly call “right to work,” brought working people together. Even though those who work in the building trades would be exempt from the proposed law, Rimsans says, everybody strongly opposed the plan.

More Than 20,000 Rally in Ohio for Public Employees

by James Parks, Mar 1, 2011

More than 20,000 people turned out for a rally outside the state Capitol in Columbus, Ohio, today as the state legislature began hearings on Gov. John Kasich’s onerous anti-worker bill known as Senate Bill 5 or S.B. 5. The bill would, among other things, take away the freedom of public employees to bargain collectively for good middle-class jobs.

Will Klatt, a student at Ohio Sate University who wants to become a teacher, said he spoke at the rally because:

all across the county workers and students are being attacked. We need a united front to win the struggle ahead. The tuition hikes many states are implementing is going to make attending college unattainable for many working class students. We need to become partners with our union brothers and sisters if we are to win the struggle ahead.