Local,state leaders pack Chamber press conference to support American Airlines' Tulsa operations

1.4.2012
A record-setting number of partners have united with the Tulsa Metro Chamber in announcing a unified effort to retain American Airlines’ operations in Tulsa.

Dozens of individuals and groups, including business leaders, elected officials, numerous state and local government representatives and area chambers of commerce, packed a press conference Jan. 3 at the Tulsa Metro Chamber offices, voicing their unwavering support both for American’s local operations and the region’s vital aerospace sector.

“It takes a region and a state that is supportive of business and that promotes a business-friendly climate to ensure that our area companies are given every opportunity to succeed,” Tulsa Metro Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal said while addressing the impressive crowd that gathered at the press conference. “This tremendous show of support, exhibited by the numerous representatives here today from across multiple sectors, is evidence that our region and our state are willing to do whatever is in their power to help business thrive.”

Governor Mary Fallin, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, City of Tulsa, Tulsa Metro Chamber, Tulsa County, area municipalities, Transport Workers Union of American #514, Oklahoma AFL-CIO, Oklahoma’s federal delegation, the regional legislative delegation and regional chambers of commerce have pledged support to American Airlines MRO-Tulsa as the reorganization progresses. Many more throughout northeastern Oklahoma and the state also have voiced their support.

The numerous groups and individuals said their goal is to find the best outcome for northeastern Oklahoma, and the region’s strong aerospace industry, which represents more than 100 businesses and 30,000 employees. The aerospace industry also has a great economic impact, statewide.

Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce Dave Lopez stated: “The aerospace industry in our state includes more than 1,000 aerospace companies and jobs for more than 100,000 Oklahomans. But it's also important to remember that those aerospace jobs are people. In addition to the economic impact, the human impact on friends and neighbors also compel us to work together to work with American Airlines to achieve the best outcome possible for everyone affected.”

The Chamber’s Tulsa’s Future initiative acknowledges the importance of the aerospace sector to growing and retaining existing jobs in our region. The industry impacts scores of businesses and thousands of jobs throughout our region.

“American Airlines, with more than 6,500 employees and a major maintenance and repair base in Tulsa, is a vital piece of the economies of not only the region but also the state, and there must be cohesive effort across diverse sectors statewide to find a solution to keeping American’s locally-based operations and employees in the Tulsa area, said Stuart Solomon, Tulsa’s Future chair and president and COO of Public Service Company of Oklahoma. “There is phenomenal cooperation on behalf of many groups and individuals in this effort to maintain the operations of this valued business and employer.”

“Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett stated: "This is not a time for us versus them. American Airlines is an icon in Tulsa's past, present and future. We're all in this one together, and together we'll work this out for Tulsa."

Economic impact of American Airlines’ local operations (Research by Tulsa Metro Chamber Economist Bob Ball)

• The 6,555 jobs at American Airlines’ maintenance base (AA) in Tulsa support 3,675 additional jobs throughout the Tulsa-area economy.

• AA employment accounts for 1.6 percent of total employment in the Tulsa Metropolitan Statistical Area (Tulsa MSA), and 0.4 percent of total employment in Oklahoma.

• The jobs at AA support total Tulsa-MSA income of nearly $740 million and sales of $2.7 billion. By itself, AA contributes 15 percent to gross metro product, the value of all goods and services produced in the Tulsa MSA.




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