FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines Maintenance Services, the marketing arm of American's maintenance organization, and the Transport Workers Union (TWU), representing the airline's maintenance workers, have set an aggressive goal of obtaining
For the past three years, American and the TWU have been working together as business partners to transform the airline's maintenance organization from a cost center to a profit center. Using the principles of Continuous Improvement, the maintenance team has increased productivity and efficiencies, reduced costs, and significantly optimized operations. Thus, American has been able to successfully compete for customers' maintenance requirements.
The maintenance organization's transition to becoming "Best in Class" in all maintenance, repair and overhaul processes at its line and base maintenance facilities has created opportunities for American to competitively bid for a wide variety of maintenance and engineering services for other airlines, aircraft leasing companies, and individual aircraft owners. By doing so, American is using its maintenance operation to generate substantial customer revenue. In 2006, American generated almost
"American's long-term vision is to transform its maintenance organization into a world-class Maintenance, Overhaul and Repair (MRO) business that offers our customers a one-stop shop for most of their maintenance requirements, beit airframe, component, engine overhaul, engineering services or line maintenance," said Bob Reding, American's Senior Vice President - Technical Operations. "We will continue this momentum by investing in technology, process improvements, and increasing our productivity while continuing to reduce overall costs for our customers. The Continuous Improvement processes embraced by our entire M&E organization will allow us to offer a comprehensivearray of competitive technical services to continue growing our customer contracts."
Obtaining
Each of these organizations created Breakthrough Goals that were designed to reduce costs and generate revenue, while at the same time encouraging employees to find innovative ways to streamline operations.
"We offer what other vendors can't -- comprehensive on-site service and an extremely talented and driven workforce. We can repair most parts on-site," said John Conley, AA System Coordinator and International Representative, TWU. "Given the immense knowledge of our team, American can reduce out-of-service times, returning the aircraft, engine or component to the customer quicker, allowing them to either start producing revenue earlier with the aircraft or reducing the cost of inventory for engines or components. In any case, doing business with American Airlines Maintenance Services means competitive prices at the highest quality with the best turn times in the industry."
Tulsa Breakthrough Goal
In March 2005, a joint labor/management team at American's largest maintenance facility in Tulsa announced a "Breakthrough Goal" to generate
Tulsa surpassed its aggressive breakthrough goal by reaching more than
"It truly took a joint effort to achieve this goal, but we always knew we would reach it because we made the decision not to let others decide our future," said Dennis Burchette President of TWU Local 514. "This is only the first step. We must continue down the path we are on and keep working to improve our future."
Tulsa recently obtained a four-year,
In addition, thanks to the
"By making an investment in American Airlines, Tulsa made a huge investment in itself," said Carmine Romano, American's Vice President - Tulsa Maintenance and Engineering Base. "The Vision 2025 funds have allowed us to keep work in-house, and help make us competitive enough to secure lucrative customer work. The progress we have made in Tulsa would not have been possible without the Vision 2025 funds."
Kansas City Breakthrough Goal
On Feb. 9, 2006, a joint team of management and labor leaders from the Kansas City maintenance and engineering base announced a Breakthrough Goal to generate
Their goal of transforming the base -- which employs about 900 people -- will be achieved through American's successful Continuous Improvement Process that is designed to reduce costs and generate new customer maintenance, contract-driven revenues.
As of December 2006, Kansas City was at
The second phase of the project will involve the "superhangers," which are used for widebody aircraft. The renovations will include updating the hangars and its shops. This work will start in 2007.
Fort Worth Alliance Base Breakthrough Goal
A team of management and Transport Workers Union Local 567 members employed at American's Alliance maintenance base in Fort Worth, including TAESL, set a breakthrough goal on May 11, 2006, to obtain
As of December 2006, the Alliance base had achieved
Line Maintenance Breakthrough Goal
In August 2006, a joint team of management and TWU represented members from American's line maintenance bases set a breakthrough goal to obtain
The goal will be reached through cost reductions, additional customer work, improved dependability through reducing delay hours, and reducing the amount of spare aircraft for maintenance needs. The group chartered several teams on topics that are critical to achieving the goal of
American Maintenance Services offers a full line of airframe, engine and component, and line maintenance services, customizing those services to meet the specific needs of the client. American's MRO business has 62 different customers located in North and South America. Services are provided by all three of American's overhaul bases in Tulsa, Okla.; Fort Worth, Texas; Kansas City, Mo.; and at line maintenance locations in Dallas/Fort Worth, St. Louis, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other cities in the central and western United States, plus Latin America and Europe .
SOURCE American Airlines, Inc.
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