Document provides insight into American Airline operations

An internal American Airlines Web site, accidentally opened to public view, provides insights into how the airline is trying to save money.

The site also shows American’s concern over competition from its low-cost rival, Southwest Airlines.

Ben Edelman, a graduate student at Harvard University who opened the document, said it was a “treasure trove of documents.”

The site details American efforts to sell more meals to economy-class passengers and to cut costs in first class, where food is served at no charge.

The documents also detail American’s concerns about Southwest. One of its major headaches is the outcome of national efforts to weaken the Wright Amendment, which limits the states that airlines can serve from Dallas Love Field. That airport is Southwest’s base of operations and American recently began offering 16 daily flights from there.

In one document, a unit of AMR Corporation outlines talking points that are presumably geared for flight attendants asked about Love Field, said newspaper accounts of the incident.

The web site also showed some consumer opinions of Airline. In the trans-Atlantic market, American was among the lowest rated of the airlines.

A spokesman for American said opening the Web site to the public was an “oversight” and that steps have been taken to repair it.

Report by David Wilkening