Includes Studying Methods Used By US Military

Comments made at the Oklahoma Aerospace Summit in Oklahoma City Monday make it clear that, in their quest to find new efficiencies to fight rising fuel costs, airline executives are willing to look anywhere... no matter how crazy it sounds.

Specifically, The Associated Press quotes American Airlines general manager of maintenance Paul Creider as saying the airlines might learn about saving money by studying practices used by the US military.

"We do not need to fear best practices," Creider told summit attendees. "The bottom line is we've got to do things differently."

American is working with the Transport Workers Union to identify opportunities to cut costs in Tulsa, where the airline employs 7,000 people. American has bucked the trend by others airlines to outsource maintenance, and is actually looking to be a maintenance provider to other airlines.

Victor Bird, director of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, said the private aviation business is in an age of "painful transformation."

Among his predictions: "I think we will see mergers to the point that there will be only three legacy carriers."

FMI: www.aa.com