The Battle for Eastern Airlines

[airgator]

Great old school Frontline episode. It's amazing how little has changed.

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSPAM3vauw&feature=relmfu

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mya5HUDOWX0

 

[MCDU]

Thanks for posting. Great find.

M

 

[Saluki Dawg]

Should be required viewing for anyone currently in or even thinking about getting into the Airline Industry. I had to watch this Frontline in College and I'm really glad someone has finally posted this Episode on YouTube.

 

[jetjock6]

Most relevant post on FI in a long time.

 

[B-atch]

Very enlightening.. Somewhat relevant to the on-going AA BK situation.

 

[Kharma Police]

Great old school Frontline episode. It's amazing how little has changed.

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSPAM3vauw&feature=relmfu

Part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mya5HUDOWX0

Thank you for posting it. Very sad, It was like watching a Greek tragedy or a documentary about the "Titanic".....

 

[linecheck]

Thanks for posting those links. Watched them with great interest. This should be mandatory viewing for anyone presently in the industry, or considering this industry as a profession. It's truly ironic to witness history once again repeating itself, albeit in slightly modified form. Instead of one Lorenzo running an airline into the ground, we have many.

 

[ironspud]

I missed the part where Charley Bryan popped champagne when Eastern finally closed it's doors. Must have been omitted.

 

[ERfly]

I missed the part where Charley Bryan popped champagne when Eastern finally closed it's doors. Must have been omitted.

Eastern hadn't closed it's doors when that was filmed. The last part was November of 1988. The IAM hadn't even gone on strike yet.

 

[freightdogfred]

Eastern was hosed as soon as Borman inked the deal with Lorenzo. Lorenzo was brilliant in the area of high finance, and knew absolutely nothing about the airline business. In a business that by nature is highly leveraged, his scheme of selling junk bonds to finance the acquisition was doomed from the start. Men like Milliken, Lorenzo are nothing more than high level Ponzi schemers and it's a shame the good peeps at Eastern lost everything because of it. Eastern and Southwest are textbook examples of union/mgmt relationships.