Thrust From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 2673 posts, RR: 11 Posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 2496 times:
I can only think of one situation which would describe the worst decision made in aviation history. That would be way way back in the late 1940s when C.R. Smith decided to sell American Overseas Airlines to Pan Am, deeming them as a waste of money. This killed international service for AA for the next two decades. My second vote for the worst aviation decision in history was the selling of TWA's LHR routes to AA (ORD-LHR, JFK-LHR, PHL-LHR, LAX-LHR, BOS-LHR). This cut off $500 million of their revenue and nearly bankrupted them. What are your votes for the worst airline business conduct in aviation history?
September11 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 3623 posts, RR: 23 Reply 2, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 2455 times:
airline deregulation in early 80's by the Reagan administration
Thrust From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 2673 posts, RR: 11 Reply 6, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2399 times:
I actually have another to add to this. The postmaster's decision in the 1930s to turn the mail-hauling responsibility over to the military. The army proved to be terrible at the job. Within several months, plane crash frequencies more than doubled. The mail responsibility was handed back to the airlines, who were forced to change their names.
Planespotting From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3438 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2389 times:
September 11
Actually, the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 was signed into law by Jimmy Carter. The Reagan administration had nothing to do with the initial deregulation of the airlines.
Ltbewr From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12337 posts, RR: 12 Reply 9, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 5 days ago) and read 2373 times:
The failure of USA airlines the government and our citizens to have real security as to passanger airlines operations in place long before 9/11. The managers and officers at most USA airlines didn't want the higher costs or have their customers inconvenienced by stricter security measures. They gave major contributions to politicans in the government and pressured air safety and security regulators to make sure they didn't pass stricter security laws or rules. The politicans also didn't want to pick off the people who voted for them by putting into place stricter security either. All this despite the proof of the benefits of stricter security in Europe and elsewhere since the 1980's due to their local and international terror threats. It was only after 9/11 that the all parties here within the USA realized they all had made the wrong decision. Those decisions have lead to threats as to the continued existance of some airlines, the deaths of thousands of humans on 9/11, our policies as to Iraq and a big change in attitude to security in the USA. I would suggest that had their been stricter policies as to security the chances that the events of 9/11 happening could have been substantually reduced.
Monorail From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 624 posts, RR: 5 Reply 10, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2341 times:
I would have to agree with TWA selling the LHR routes. After all, think about where they and AA would be today if TWA kept those routes and AA was not in LHR.
Thrust From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 2673 posts, RR: 11 Reply 11, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2333 times:
Monorail, first off, almost any aircraft would look good in the last full TWA colors So sad they are gone. AA would be nowhere in my opinion without those LHR routes. That was the beginning of their rise to international prominence. I believe TWA never would have sold those routes had Icahn not been in control.
Thrust From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 2673 posts, RR: 11 Reply 12, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 2303 times:
Anybody else wanna comment on the worst aviation decisions you believe have ever been made?
767-332ER From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 2030 posts, RR: 12 Reply 13, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 2291 times:
September 11, yes, just like Planespotting said, the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 was proposed by Kennedy/Kahn and was passed by the Carter administration.
Now to answer to the post, I am doing a project and study of analysis of the Tenerife disaster and I couldn't agree anymore with what was said that one of the worst moves ever made in aviation was Capt. Van Zanten's eagerness to leave Tenerife to go to Las Palmas.
I also will say that the PATCO's (air traffic controllers in early 80's) decision to strike was pretty bad...they all found themselves without a job. I think the AFA's move to strike now is also one for the books.
Regards
Twinjets...if one fails, work the other one twice as hard!!!
Justplanesmart From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 694 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 2272 times:
Since Thrust seems to be looking for airline business decisions specifically:
"What are your votes for the worst airline business conduct in aviation history?" I will leave out politics, human errors,and the like, and focus on that.
My vote? Braniff shutting down completely after their bankruptcy filing in 1982. At the time, the airline's executives probably thought it was the honorable thing to do. However, as other carriers have shown since, it is possible to keep flying while reorganizing, thereby keeping a loyal customer base (which Braniff certainly had at the time). Who knows if that might have kept the Flying Colors around for many more years.
AZjetgeek From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 235 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 2259 times:
I have two decisions that date back to the Reagan administration of the 1980's: (1) Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole allowed Texas Air's Frank Lorenzo to buy out Eastern Airlines; (2) Dole's failure to block Carl Icahn from buying out TWA.
Perhaps it was the Reagan administration's attitude toward organized labor that motivated Ms. Dole to allow the infamous "union buster" Lorenzo to acquire Eastern. Perhaps it was that administration's intense love of big business that inspired Dole to allow Icahn's buyout of TWA.
A candidate for a third foul-up by the Reagan administration was allowing PeoplExpress to buy out Frontier in the early 80's. This move doomed two airlines, whereas the government could have blocked the buyout and only one airline (Frontier) would have bit the dust.
AZjetgeek From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 235 posts, RR: 2 Reply 17, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 2196 times:
Bicoastal, your opposition to unions in aviation amuses and disturbs me. Were it not for unions, airline management could force pilots to fly twice as many hours as they do per month, thus placing thousands of passengers at risk. They would do the same to mechanics and flight attendants, which would, in turn jeopardize the lives of passengers.
I realize that the unions have reputations for squeezing as much money out of airline management as they can, but folks like you fail to recognize that the working conditions in those contracts protect the passengers in ways the average customer fails to understand or consider.
ALPA and PATCO are largely responsible for many of the safety measures currently in place at most airports, at least in the United States. ALPA is largely responsible for forcing airlines and aircraft manufacturers to install more accurate navigational equipment aboard the aircraft they fly.
Before you condemn airline employee unions, think about who is responsible for your safety and comfort. It certainly isn't the airline executives.
Monorail From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 624 posts, RR: 5 Reply 19, posted (8 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 14 hours ago) and read 2151 times:
Lockheed closing the L-1011 line
Well, maybe that qualifies as more disappointing than 'worst'
Lamedianaranja From Venezuela, joined Nov 2004, 1246 posts, RR: 23 Reply 22, posted (8 years 6 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2090 times:
The sale of VIASA, Venezuelan airlines, to Iberia instead of to KLM, the other bidder. This was a complex political decision which lead to their shameful bankruptcy eventually.
Thrust From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 2673 posts, RR: 11 Reply 24, posted (8 years 6 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 2035 times:
Actually, it was better that AA bought TWA out in the long run anyway. TWA would've been destroyed by 9-11 anyway. AA saved TWA from almost certain death. STL would have lost almost everything, including the routes it still has. TWA was on the verge of death when AA bought them out.
Fly one thing; Fly it well
25 Thrust: I also agree that Icahn should never have been allowed to touch TWA. At the same time, neither should've Lorenzo. TWA chose the lesser of two evils, I
26 EZEIZA: not the worst decision in history, but the captain was not too bright when he decided to attempt take off from AEP on LAPA 5 years ago despite warning
27 AireuropeUK733: I agree - retiring Concorde at least 10 years too early!! Mike
28 Vatveng: Piedmont Airlines selling out to USAir. Should've been the other way around.
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So sad they are gone. AA would be nowhere in my opinion without those LHR routes. That was the beginning of their rise to international prominence. I believe TWA never would have sold those routes had Icahn not been in control. 
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