Bill Collins Will Stay Atop Local American Airlines Maintenance Team

July 17, 2013
Collins will be in charge of American's main maintenance base in Tulsa, its base in Dallas, as well as smaller US Airways facilities in Pittsburgh and Charlotte, N.C.

July 17--Bill Collins will remain head of the American Airlines Maintenance & Engineering Center in Tulsa after the merger with US Airways, the company announced in a newsletter to employees.

Collins, vice president of base maintenance at American, was one of 23 midlevel executives appointed to positions in the new American Airlines Group Inc., the company and US Airways told employees this week.

Collins will be in charge of American's main maintenance base in Tulsa, its base in Dallas, as well as smaller US Airways facilities in Pittsburgh and Charlotte, N.C.

He will keep the vice president of base maintenance title.

"Bill is well respected by the business community, and the decision to keep him in Tulsa shows the commitment US Airways has to the future success of the Tulsa maintenance base," said Tulsa Regional Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal.

Collins' retention is a positive sign for American's employees in Tulsa that US Airways CEO Doug Parker has a long-term plan for the maintenance and engineering base. Parker is pegged to be CEO of American Airlines after it merges with US Airways, which is expected to occur by Sept. 30.

Collins has been with American since 2010, coming to the airline from General Electric Co., a major manufacturer of aircraft engines.

He is one of four maintenance executives named in the new company.

US Airways' Paul Wroble will be in charge of line maintenance operations companywide as a vice president. Collins and Wroble will be reporting to David Seymour, the old vice president of operations at US Airways who will be the senior vice president of technical operations at the new American Airlines and will "be responsible for all aspects of the airline's technical operations, including line and base maintenance activities," the companies said.

Kyle Arnold 918-581-8380

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