The argument that "we have more airplanes, so we'll have more crashes" doesn't wash and is probably slowing the pace of reform at AA.
AA has had more accidents recently than anyone else. What are you going to do about it? Sweeping it under the rug by chanting the mantra that "we are the biggest and the best" will only ensure a continuation of the trend.
One of the clues to AA's problems is what dallas dude said about the elimination of monitored approaches. They were sacrificed on the alter of "standardization". AA is not the first to experience this mistaken desire to have proceedures on every airplane in the fleet be nearly identical.
Problem is, it doesn't work. Eliminating monitored approaches because one, relatively small fleet type won't work with them is absurd. Have an overall theme and standardize where possible but don't compromise safety to accomplish it.
Another problem at AA is that Flight Ops. is on the same bureaucratic level as all other departments. Bull$!t! The company is an airline. The major aspect of the business revolves around operating aircraft. Flight Ops. should be at or near the top of the pyramid.
At AA, marketing is the tail wagging the dog.
This accident was a cluster. But look at it for what it was--a failure of the Captain to COMMAND and CONTROL the flight. I always hated taking the approach and landing when it was the FO's leg if the weather was too bad. But I was much more afraid of bending metal than I was of hurting the FO's feelings. Plus, I always paid them back either with beer or extra legs.
AA earned the title of "Sky nazis" because of their attitude. It's time for them to take stock of what has happened over the past 10 years(accidents, incidents and violations, too), lose the superiority complex and figure out what they have to do to get back on track--just like every other airline did when they experienced a "bad streak".
Don't just keep brushing it under the rug...TC