outsourced aircraft maintainance

[chimera]

To all of us who fly from home to get to our ship, Philadelphia's all news radio station, referring to a Wall Street Journal story, reports that Jet Blue and America West are outsourcing maintainance to El Salvador as a cost cutting measure. Air safety experts are concerned.

[Chadzbrew]

I dont think that will happen to America west. I live here in the HQ of AWA-Phoenix. I know quite a few people who work for the airlines. I asked the same question. The cost to fly the planes there would overshadow the savings. Plus when a plane touches down there has to be people on the ground to take care of issues.

[CASHIPman]

I dont think that will happen to America west. I live here in the HQ of AWA-Phoenix. I know quite a few people who work for the airlines. I asked the same question. The cost to fly the planes there would overshadow the savings. Plus when a plane touches down there has to be people on the ground to take care of issues.

Aircraft need to undergo 'heavy maintenance' or checks. C-checks and D-checks are quite extensive (and expensive) and take an aircraft out of service for a period of time. These are expensive checks and I imagine that these are the checks that are being referred to when an aircraft is sent overseas for service.

Some airlines don't have the licensed personnel to handle these types of checks so it's more cost-effective to sub-contract the work on the aircraft to another company to handle these checks.

I believe that overseas maintenance facilities must be licensed by the FAA before they can work on US registered aircraft.

[JDee]

Lou Dobbs on CNN also had the story. I wouldn't loose any sleep over it. The story just fills air time.

Do the foreign airlines bring in their planes to the USA for maintenance? Not hardly. All the European, Asian, South American airlines and others do very well utilizing their own maintenance personnel. The Japanse, Germans, etc., make excellent autos so why expect anything different for their airline repair work.

And who do you think builds all those cruise ships we all sail on??

[Budget Queen]

Lou Dobbs on CNN also had the story. I wouldn't loose any sleep over it. The story just fills air time.

Do the foreign airlines bring in their planes to the USA for maintenance? Not hardly. All the European, Asian, South American airlines and others do very well utilizing their own maintenance personnel. The Japanse, Germans, etc., make excellent autos so why expect anything different for their airline repair work.

And who do you think builds all those cruise ships we all sail on??

Really???? Tell that to my husband who works for an aircraft maintenance company- they have contracts from WORLD WIDE companies and a lot of their work is NON US. As a side, they do the work for Omni Air Charter who flys some cruise passengers. As above stated these are always the extended completely tearing apart the aircraft, no line maintenance.

[tomc]

And who do you think builds all those cruise ships we all sail on??
(a) The country that brought us macaroni and Marconi.
(b) The country that made it possible for us to have the Verrazzano Narrows and the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge.
(c) The country that gave us the idea for the "Life With Luigi" radio show.
(d) The country that gave us Popes and Gina Lolobridiga.
(e) The country that gave us Italian dressing, Italian cooking and Italian restaurants.

[TedC]

Now we know why HAL's pizza is sooooo good!

[iluvcruzin]

Outsourcing has been going on for a long time in the aircraft industry. Very few major ones do their own maintenance. American West is already doing this Chazbrew so it's nothing new. It all boils down to what is cost effective. The FAA is supposed to be involved in this process and keeping tabs.

Not that I'm a fan of outsourcing (I experienced a RIWF at GE Aircraft in the engine services division due to outsourcing), I understand the thinking from a business perspective. As far a safety.. there can be issues that arise from work done here in the US. Just because something goes outside this country doesn't mean its inferior. Hopefully the FAA will keep a watchful eye on this practice.

[Bill S]

(f) SOPHIA LOREN!!!!(how could tomc have forgotten her?????)
(g) Ferrari
(h) Maserati
(i) fettucini Alfredo (or, as referred to in our household, "heart attack on a plate)"
(j) gelato!