American Airlines

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If US Airways succeeds in its attempt to merge with American Airlines to become what could be the world's biggest airline, it probably would not have a major impact on Boston-area travelers. The combined airline would carry as many as a quarter of all passengers out of Boston - second only to JetBlue Airways. But since US Airways and American currently compete only on one route out of Boston - to New York - analysts don't expect a merger to significantly decrease the number of flights the airlines offer out of Logan International Airport.

The parent company of American Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday, seeking relief from crushing debt caused by high fuel prices and expensive labor contracts that its competitors shed years ago. The company also replaced its CEO, and the incoming leader said American would probably cut its flight schedule "modestly" while it reorganizes. He did not give specifics. American said its frequent-flier program would be unaffected. AMR Corp., which owns American, was the only major U.S. airline company that did not file for bankruptcy protection after the Sept.

In an unusual move that could prefigure a serious bid for its bankrupt rival, US Airways said Friday that it had reached an agreement with the three main labor unions at American Airlines to support a merger. Doug Parker, the chief executive of US Airways, said in a statement that a combination with American Airlines "represents a unique opportunity we should not ignore. " Both airlines have trailed their bigger rivals Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, which have expanded through big mergers that followed their own bankruptcy reorganizations.

FORT WORTH - American Airlines said yesterday it is raising its fees on checked bags for passengers buying tickets starting Feb. 1. The company said it is raising the charge for the first checked bag to $25 from $20 on flights in the United States, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands. The fees apply to passengers on the company’s American Airlines, American Eagle, and American Connection flights. A second checked bag will cost $35, up from $30. American Airlines last hiked its checked bag fees in July, when the price of the first bag rose $5 to $20 and the price of the second bag rose...

DALLAS — American Airlines’ flight attendants union told its members it will reject any offer of arbitration in contract talks with the carrier, which could move the group closer to a strike. The latest talks between the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and AMR Corp.’s American, ended Friday without an agreement. The union, which represents 16,550 active-duty workers, expects the National Mediation Board to review this week its request to declare the talks deadlocked.

DETROIT - A judge ruled yesterday in favor of American Airlines in a lawsuit by five men of Iraqi descent who claimed their nationality caused a captain to cancel a flight to Chicago in 2007. Captain John Plummer’s decision to return to the gate in San Diego was not “arbitrary and capricious,’’ a key legal standard in the case, US District Judge Paul Borman said. “The fact that the individuals who engaged in the suspicious conduct were of Middle Eastern/Iraqi descent does not support the conclusion that the decision to return to the gate was race-based rather than...

The chief financial officer of American Airlines and its parent, AMR Corp., is joining the board of clothing retailer Gap Inc. Gap said Friday that Bella Goren will become its 11th director on Aug. 15. She will serve on Gap's audit and finance committee. Goren, 51, has spent 25 years at American and AMR, including stints running the airline's Pacific division and as senior vice president of customer-relationship marketing.

DALLAS - Because of job-sharing and other steps, American Airlines won't have to furlough 500 flight attendants. Two weeks ago, American said it planned to cut 500 flight attendants because it is flying less than it did a year ago. Yesterday, the company and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants said furloughs won't be needed because so many workers signed up job-sharing and voluntary leaves. The good news is temporary, however. The furloughs were to be on top of 13,000 jobs that American still wants to eliminate under a reorganization.

ST. LOUIS -- American Airlines is recalling about 600 flight attendants on furlough, effective Nov. 17, in part due to a projected increase in international flights in December. "That means we'll need about 300 more flight attendants over our planned levels," said Tim Wagner, a spokesman for Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corp. , American's corporate parent. "In addition, we've had a little bit more than planned attrition of flight attendants who are retiring. " The recalled attendants will be based at Lambert Airport in St. Louis as well as in...

The parent company of American Airlines says it lost $1.66 billion in the first quarter, mostly on costs related to its bankruptcy restructuring. AMR Corp. said Thursday that excluding bankruptcy costs and other special items, it would have lost $248 million, compared to a loss of $405 million a year ago. American, the nation's No. 3 airline behind United and Delta, boosted revenue by 9.1 percent, to $6.04 billion. Revenue for each mile that passengers fly, a closely watched number in the airline business, grew 10.3 percent, much faster than at Southwest Airlines.

Airline performance improved last year, according to an annual report. Here are the rankings for two of the measures: On-time performance Industry average is 80% on-time 1. Hawaiian Airlines, 92.8 2. Alaska Airlines, 88.2 3. AirTran Airways, 84.4 4. Mesa Airlines, 83.7 5. Delta Air Lines, 82.3 6. Southwest Airlines, 81.3 7. United Airlines, 80.2 8. US Airways, 79.8 9. SkyWest Airlines, 79.3 ...

Pinnacle Airlines Corp., a regional carrier that flies under contract for Delta, United and US Airways, has filed for bankruptcy protection to deal with its mounting debt. The Memphis, Tenn.-based airline said late Sunday its current business model isn't sustainable. It had tried for months to combine its operating subsidiaries to save money and recover from lost business as major airlines cutback on flying in response to higher fuel costs. In its filing Sunday, it lists $1.42 billion in debt and $1.54 billion in assets.

DALLAS - American Airlines asked a federal bankruptcy judge Tuesday to break its labor contracts and impose cost-cutting terms on workers, a move aimed to pressure unions to accept concessions. Thomas W. Horton, the chief executive of American parent AMR Corp., said the company was trying to speed the bankruptcy-reorganization process and avoid the chance that American could be sold or broken up. AMR's mounting losses and rising oil prices are adding pressure to act quickly, Horton said.

American Eagle, which operates feeder flights for American Airlines, said Wednesday that it wants to cut annual labor costs by $75 million and could shed 500 or more jobs over time. CEO Daniel Garton said that with greater productivity, Eagle could get by with fewer workers, and jobs could be eliminated through layoffs or attrition. Garton cited 500 jobs, but Eagle spokesman Bruce Hicks said later it could be up to 600 jobs, or nearly 5 percent of the airline's workforce.