This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@xxxxxxxxx American Pilots Offer Airline Deal March 30, 2003 By REUTERS Filed at 4:46 a.m. ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - The pilots' union at American Airlines on Sunday said it presented the cash-starved carrier with a concession deal worth $660 million a year, which will achieve the cost-savings management required. Analysts believe time is of the essence for AMR, American's parent, because of the decline in air travel since the Iraq war began. The world's largest carrier might file for bankruptcy as soon as next week, according to banking sources. The proposal from the pilots' union follows tentative accords or concessions offered by other unions. The 26,000-strong union of flight attendants on Friday offered $340 million of concessions that the union said would meet management's cost-savings targets. A pact still must be reached with 16,200 mechanics represented by the Transport Workers Union, though that union on Saturday said it had reached tentative deals for five of its eight working groups, who represent about 2,260 workers. AMR has said it needs to cut structural costs by about $4 billion a year to avoid bankruptcy. It wants its major unions to accept $1.8 billion in annual wage concessions. Yet one TWU union official has warned his members that the carrier might need another $500 million in cuts if it files for bankruptcy. ``One consideration driving our discussions is the simple fact confirmed in our (talks) with company officials that American's potential debtor-in-possession finances will demand at least half a billion more in employee concessions if the company files for bankruptcy,'' Jim Little, director of the TWU's Air Transport Division, wrote on the union's web site. ``It was also made clear that without such loans the company could not operate,'' he added. The 13,500 pilots union, in a statement, said the concessions it had offered primarily were work rule changes and across-the-board pay rate cuts. The Allied Pilots Association said it had analyzed a tentative deal reached earlier this week by United Airlines with its pilots. ``We are confident that the savings we are offering will enable American Airlines to compete both in the short- and long-term with a newly restructured United and US Airways, as well as with low-cost carriers in our industry.'' http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-transport-american.html?ex=1050035405&ei=1&en=9dfadb4669401316 HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@xxxxxxxxxxx or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@xxxxxxxxxxxx Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company