Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Notwithstanding US Airways estimates that a <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2012-04-20/us-airways-takes-first-step-toward-merger-american-airlines">merger with bankrupt American Airlines</a> would create at least $1.2 billion in new value for the combined companies, American continues to pursue its own path toward restructuring, arguing last week in bankruptcy court that it needs to void the contracts of its three main employee unions. Meanwhile, some 700 flight attendants, fleet service workers and mechanics gathered in New York City on April 23 to protest what the Transport Workers Union (TWU) characterized as “an abhorrent request” to “abrogate their collective bargaining agreements.”&nbsp;


While arguing in court against AMR’s efforts to terminate its contract, Allied Pilots Association general counsel Ed James criticized management’s refusal to consider consolidation before emerging from Chapter 11. “Every analyst says consolidation has to occur,” said James.


For its part, the TWU raised the point that US Airways would keep intact TWU members’ skill level premiums and pay grades, as opposed to American’s plan to relegate employees to lower paying classifications. It also applauded US Airways’ plan to continue operations at many of the cities American wants to close.


US Airways has signed agreements with the three unions, including the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, to work collaboratively toward new collective bargaining agreements should the two airlines merge.


In a letter to employees, US Airways CEO Doug Parker emphasized the benefits consolidation has brought to US Airways and the industry at large and called a potential merger with bankrupt American “an opportunity we should not ignore.”


Parker said a merger would save 6,200 of the 13,000 jobs slated for elimination as part of American’s restructuring plans.&nbsp;


“Combining American Airlines and US Airways would create a preeminent airline with the enhanced scale and breadth required to compete more effectively and profitably,” said Parker. “Our intention would be to put our two complementary networks together, maintaining both airlines’ existing hubs and aircraft, and create an airline that could compete successfully with United, Delta and other carriers within our industry.”

US Airways, American Airlines Employees Press for Merger as AMR Goes Its Own Way

AA unions decry their company's resistance to a merger with US Airways. 

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