|
|
Blog Feeds
Anti-Empire
Human Rights in IrelandPromoting Human Rights in Ireland
Lockdown Skeptics
Voltaire NetworkVoltaire, international edition
|
US Troop-Transporter vulnerable to action against use of Shannon national |
miscellaneous |
news report
 Wednesday February 26, 2003 18:01 by Info Activist
 Online activism targeting share price may be effective Activism that affects American Trans Air, its parent company and, most importantly, its share price, might be effective as direct action at Shannon Airport in persuading Trans Air to follow North American Airlines and Miami Arlines and stop using Shannon to move US troops in the buildup to war on Iraq. Following the decision of North American Airlines and Miami Arlines to stop using Shannon Airport to move US military forces as part of the buildup for war on Iraq, there is currently only one airline left doing this - American Trans Air. American Trans Air Inc. (ATA) is a 30-Year old airline whose "brand of reliable, high quality air transportation serves more than 8 million passengers annually". It is the 10th largest U.S. passenger airline and concentrates on low fares and integrated tour packages. ATA is also the America's largest operator of commercial and military charters. American Trans Air Inc. is owned by ATA Holdings Corp., who also own 6 other air transport-related companies in the United States. ATA Holdings Corp. is quoted on the NASDAQ stock exchange and their share price has been under pressure in the past year, falling from around $15 to around $4.25 today. Like any public corporation, the most important thing to ATA Holdings Corp. is their share price. Averse publicity - particularly in their main market - the US is something they do not need right now. For this reason, emails and letters expressing concerns about Trans Air's use of Shannon directed to the US financial noticeboards, media and even large customers of ATA Holdings Corp. may have an impact in getting American Trans Air Inc. to follow North American Airlines and Miami Arlines and stop using Shannon to move US troops in the buildup to war. For example, activists might email American Trans Air's Public Relations office at [email protected] . Activists might also post messages on US financial noticeboards dedicated to ATA Holdings Corp, such as the one at http://messages.yahoo.com/?action=q&board=ATAH . US troop transport is only a very small part of American Trans Air's business and their use of Shannon is not even necessary for that. If problems with Shannon begin to have ANY influence on their other business they will likely move their operations as quickly as they can. For more information: American Trans Air website: http://www.ata.com/ American Trans Air investor relations info: http://www.ata.com/about_ata/inv_rel.html Financial information on ATA Holdings Corp: http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=ATAH&d=t Financial Message board for ATA Holdings Corp: http://messages.yahoo.com/?action=q&board=ATAH |
printable version
Digg this
del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Technorati
Facebook
Gab
Twitter
|
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (9 of 9)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9But where's the evidence that this sort of thing is as effective as Direct Action? So far that's what has worked at Shannon. By all means give it a shot AS WELL as going to Shannon on March 1st. But please don't do it instead of doing what has been proven to work!
I would imagine that with a falling share price (and most airlines are in a very weak position because of the fall in air travel due to the terrorism which results from the USA's support of dictatorships and anti-democratic capitalists around the world) any airline would be very nervous about losing some of its carrying capacity due to having its planes delayed and/or sabotaged.
See you on March 1st!
http://italy.indymedia.org/news/2003/02/188143.php
Disobedient they occupy the military airport of Pisa
26.2.2003
Pisa. 15,30 hours a group of disobedient has occupied the military airport of Pisa, in the within of the mobilitation against uses it of the Italian territory for the war.
The activists find themselves under the Ercules airplane and have spread one banner with written Not the Global war.
an other group has entered in the areoporto from an other part.
This airport is found to little distance from the houses and with this action the violation of the legality of these structures is wanted to be denounced that above all put to risk the emergency of the citizens in a moment in which the government (scornful of the majority that it wants the peace) is giving to full feasibility to the Armed Forces Americans on our territory.
Today it is a day of national mobilitation against the trains of the dead women and we have the demonstration that the action of disobedience to the war has obtained one large Victoria: from yesterday trains from the base of Grisignano (Vicenza do not leave).
Movement dei/le disobedient
>Following the decision of North American Airlines and Miami Arlines to stop using Shannon Airport to move US military forces as part of the buildup for war on Iraq, there is currently only one airline left doing this - American Trans Air.
<
For troops perhaps but don't forget the military cargo charters.
didn't the list also include
Evergreen, Arrow, Polar, Atlas?
a lot done, a lot more to do.
There is a lot of ambiguity about the wuthdrawal from Shannon of some of the commercial aircraft chartered to carry US troops.
Was it the commercial airlines that made the decesions (as quoted in the mainstream media) ?
Or has the order to withdraw from Shannon come from the US military ?
With the continuing protests at Shannon is the latest withdrawal of 'civilian' aircraft a deliberate tactic by US military to influence Irish opinion ?
It is claimed that direct action has caused the planes to withdraw.
I think the real sucess of direct action (so far) has been to bring Irish participation in the war system to public attention.
"World Airlines was the first troop carrier to announce it was, for a while, not using Shannon".
"For a while"
As far as I know 15 flights were diverted around the time Mary Kelly took direct action but when the peacecamp had disbanded and the Irish army had been called in things had returned to 'normal'.
In the Dail, answering oppositon questions over the handling of events at Shannon, Bertie Ahern quoted General Wald (in charge of the US military in Europe) who said he was now 'happy' to continue using Shannon.
Are World Airlines now still using Shannon ?
It's strange that when a large 'critcal mass' of people are needed to go to Shannon for the March 1st direct action to be sucessful we get the news/propagada that two more airlines are withdrawing.
For how long ?
Until the March 1st protest is over ?
Direct action has given media expoure to Shannon.
Now, what tactics can be used to permanently end the military use of Shannon ?
The March 1st protests is a start
I think it's much more likely that these two airlines have simply finished their contracts, they've flown all the troops assigned to them to the middle east. Contract completed, they 'pull out' of shannon to give bertie a break and the Irish a fright.
We are likely to see a continuing reduction in the US military use of shannon until they start ferrying body-bags in the opposite direction.
World Airlines has not returned to Shannon,put in your pipe!
Its likely that the government won't be that concerned about interference with US Military transportation of bodies and body parts in bags from Iraq to the US. Dead soldiers do not consume meals and souvineers and do not buy duty-free. Also, more can fit into a given aircraft, resulting in less aircraft needed and thus less airport traffic for Aer Rianta. Overall the transport of dead soldiers and body parts won't do as much for the economy of the Shannon airport region as the transport of live soldiers.
War is Hell.
However, on the brighter side, the transportation of wounded - particularly the horifically wounded- could well bring substantial economic benefits to Shannon. Medical services, supplies and care for the wounded would have to be available at Shannon, thus providing a welcome boost to the economy of the region and indeed, an increase in irish economic growth. If the soldiers are wounded horribly enough it is even possible that their transport could yield even greater economic benefits that the transport of live, unhurt soldiers.
This is a very impoprtant issue for jobs in the South Clare region.
If (when?) the U.S. launches a full-scale invasion and occupation of Iraq, they will have to re-supply their forces. They will need places like Shannon than as much as now. So keep up the struggle.
By the way, in my opinion, the U.S. today is as much a threat to the human race as the Third Reich ever was. In deciding what tactics are justified against U.S. imperialism and its vassals today, ask yourselves what tactics were justified against the Germans and their collaborators when they attacked and occupied Yugoslavia, Greece, etc..