Former TWA Employees Press American on Severance Compensation in Israel

TWA’s former terminal at JFK, the Flight Center

Dormant complications between former Trans World Airlines employees and American Airlines are rekindling after American merged with US Airways, which currently operates flights from the United States to Israel.

The tension between the former workers and the airline began when American acquired TWA’s assets in 2001 and discontinued service to  Israel.  According to newspaper reports at the time, the move left over 75 people without jobs and pension benefits.  The situation spurred a nine-year legal battle between the former TWA employees and American, which was settled four years ago in court.

TWA operated non-stop flights from the U.S. to Israel for over a half a century before it was forced into bankruptcy.

Although the timeline is not clear, the US Airways name will cease to exist as a carrier once American obtains a single operating certificate.  The merger, along with the fact that an American Airlines-branded carrier will operate flights to Israel, has brought the issue to the surface, and the former TWA employees have gone public, claiming that they have not received the settlement that was due.

New legal action against the airline is planned, according to a statement released Monday by a group of former TWA employees.  Meir Knobel, a former TWA station manager in Israel, said that a failure on the part of American to address the outstanding issues with former employees could result in a “negative public campaign” against American.

An American Airlines spokesman declined to comment on the situation.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)