United Continental Holdings, Inc. (UAL)

Open Skies proponents blame American, Delta, United for ‘misleading’ job loss claims

The United States' Open Skies agreements create and support more than 16.6 million U.S. jobs in the manufacturing, airline, tourism and hospitality industries, as well as in local economies near airports, according to a fact sheet released today by the U.S. Airlines for Open Skies Coalition. The coalition also addresses what the group calls “disingenuous and misleading” claims of job loss by legacy carriers Fort Worth-based American Airlines (AAL), Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines (DAL) and Chicago-based United Airlines (UAL). “When they discontinue a flight, the legacy carriers do not retire the plane and fire the crew,” a news release from the coalition says.