Ignition Override: Thanks for your comments. One error, though, and it is a very popular misconception: Ozark pilots, numbering 500+ or so flying only DC-9/MD80s, were NOT stapled. They were ALL given their DATE-OF-HIRE, for pay and bidding purposes. They were also restricted from bidding B-747/767/L1011 as Captain for a short while, for obvious reasons, and then allowed to bid 16% of the Captain bids until the last OZ pilot could hold Wide-Body Captain. This TWA/OZ merger did NOT result in the overwhelming furlough of more than half of the OZ pilots, nor the loss of any seats/bids/routes or domiciles they brought to the marraige. AA has taken EVERYTHING TWA brought for themselves, and furloughed 65% of TWA's employees. Not in any way, shape or form comparable to TWA/OZ.
About AA pilots being amazed at purchasing TWA, if it was'nt for that buyout, over 2000 of AA's pilots would have been laid-off; right now, only 386 out of 11,200 have been. They should count their lucky stars AA bought TWA, or thousands of their employees would be on the street.