CLT Observer Wants to hear from US employees

[lgwcalling]

quote name='StuckHere' date='Mar 5 2007, 02:03 PM' post='463280']
Learn to spell (NAIVE, COULDN'T) before jumping on others. Your name "Local 12 Proud" speaks volumes about your perspective. Please throw fuel on the fire and see how long anyone here still has a job.
[/quote]

You wouldn't happen to be - by chance - sitting in a cubicle at the IT Dept. in Tempe right now, would you?

 

[local 12 proud]

Learn to spell (NAIVE, COULDN'T) before jumping on others. Your name "Local 12 Proud" speaks volumes about your perspective. Please throw fuel on the fire and see how long anyone here still has a job.

Wow another spelling teacher, is that all you got?

what does my screen name have to do with my perspective management boot licker?

you morons supply the gas and the flame, all I need to do is take cover while your (StuckHere under the desk)

 

[john john]

see how long anyone here still has a job.

This is real original US/EAST has never heard this before
A person in an official union capacity could speak on behave of there members.And since you brought up job lost this needs to be addressed by union leadership

 

[hp_fa]

Are you living under a rock. The latest court cases have shown that reporters can be compelled to give up their sources very easily.

I disagree.

The Valerie Plame outting was not a simple process to get the reporters to talk. Judith Miller went to jail and the one's who finally did testify before the grand jury had agreements with the prosecutors as to what questions and subjects were allowed and which were not.

The Barry Bonds fiasco had reporters about to go to jail until an attorney took the blame as the source of the grand jury leak. His stupid actions will cause him a felony conviction and disbarment, but the reporters were not testifying.

It is so remotely possible that a mere company policy violation of speaking with reporters would be the basis for any potential breach of confidentiality that it doesn't even bear consideration.

 

[pilot]

I think the CLT employees who lived this fiasco should respond. The only way this mismanaged company is going to change is through public (read money costing) pressure.

The truth will set you free. If an employee wants to speak to the paper they need to be truthful, and leave all emotion out of it. Just the facts. Because the facts will expose the ineptness of the people running LCC and maybe start some action to correct the problems.

Likely just wishful thinking on my part. But you never know.

pilot

 

[yvrusfa]

Hey everyone......

On this subject I would advise any US employees who might be tempted to respond to the CLT Observer on this topic should think twice!

It is a violation of company policy and grounds for dismissal (as it is BTW at most corporations) to discuss or give opinions on internal corporate issues and events with the news media. These things are supposed to go through corporate communications.
Just a friendly piece of advice from a westie... B)

I doubt most employees have any interest in seeing bad publicity for our comapny anyway, so one would hope that very few folks would contact the paper to begin with. I don't think it is helpful. I doubt anyone assumed there would be zero glitches with this big a changeover did they???
They will rectify the situation with the kiosks sooner rather than later I would guess and let's move on and make our airline better.
Ciao.

 

[StuckHere]

I doubt most employees have any interest in seeing bad publicity for our comapny anyway, so one would hope that very few folks would contact the paper to begin with.

I agree completely. Does anyone like to see the company they work for smeared through the press? I, for one, do not. If you think negative press is going to result in anything positive for you as an employee, you are gravely mistaken.

What happens when Joe Flyer decides to book on another airline because he reads that front-line employees are pissed off at management? The airline (read you and me) loses a passenger. No passengers, no revenue. No revenue, no jobs.

 

[yvrusfa]

PineyBob..

Geeez... :huh:
I was not threatening anyone by that post. I was simply reminding folks of the corporate policy.
If someone on here wants to talk to the media and possibly get caught and fired...that is their personal decision...just thought i should remind people thats' all!!

Besides, it's probably a moot point anyway and the situation appears to be abating as we see here from the Charlotte Observer:


Kiosks down again
at Charlotte/Douglas
More delays expected for evening flights
STEVE HARRISON and PETER ST. ONGE
[email protected]
JASON E. MICZEK / Special to the ObserverPassengers cram Charlotte/Douglas International Airport Monday morning.
Kiosks at center of problems Sunday
Fliers forced to wait
Slideshow | Long lines for passengers

US Airways' self-service kiosks still aren't working, though afternoon lines at Charlotte/Douglas International are much shorter than Sunday and this morning.

The airline turned on some of the kiosks around 1:30 p.m. and passengers used them successfully. But the airline still isn't confident that its computer problems are fixed, and it turned the kiosks off. The airline is urging passengers to arrive at the airport two hours before their flights.

Lines were relatively short at 4 p.m., with passengers taking 15 minutes to see a ticket agent. But the airline expects the lines to get longer this evening when for its 7 p.m. bank of departures.

Because lines were long this morning, the airline held 11 flights to allow passengers to get through the ticketing process. Each flight was held only 10-15 minutes, said Michelle Mohr, a US Airways spokesperson. The airline has no current plans to hold afternoon flights, but they will if the lines grow again, she said.

Some customers have been printing out tickets online before arriving at the airport. That system is working some of the time, but at least one customer noticed some difficulties. Steve Cormier of Palmer, Mass., tried to check in this morning for a flight from Charlotte to Hartford, Conn. The online site said he and his wife had already done so. They had to stand in the long line to clear up the confusion.

"We expect hiccups like that as we transition to the new system," Mohr said.

US Airways' international check-in counters are open today. On Sunday, those counters weren't working, sending hundreds of passengers into the domestic lines, increasing delays.

Earlier this morning, lines stretched through the passenger terminal in a repeat performance of the computer meltdown that affected thousands of passengers Sunday. By 10:30 a.m., they shortened to more reasonable levels, similar to busy weekend travel days.

Passengers are still being asked to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure.

The problem developed Sunday when US Airways switched to a different type of electronic reservation system.

The self-service kiosks at Charlotte’s airport and some other airports were not able to communicate with the mainframe computer system for US Airways. Officials of the airline said the problem developed at several airports, but it was worse in Charlotte than at other sites. Some passengers had to wait 2½ hours in line Sunday. But airline officials said most passengers eventually made their flights.

US Airways officials said Sunday night they still weren’t sure what had caused the problem. “We don’t know,†US Airways President Scott Kirby said. “It’s hard to pin down.†Kirby added, “We hope - and this isn’t a guarantee - that even if the kiosks aren’t working (today), we can check customers in in a decent amount of time.â€

By Sunday night, the self-service kiosks were working sporadically.

The problem surfaced about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, when passengers began experiencing troubles. But US Airways officials kept expecting the problem to be fixed quickly.

By 10:30 a.m., the airline was overwhelmed. Check-in lines at Charlotte/Douglas stretched from one end of the terminal to the other, and back again. US Airways passed out pieces of paper with a hastily typed message: Please go home and try to get a seat on a later flight. The airline estimated that about 500 people missed their flights, not including those who went home or who made flights that had been delayed.

“It’s a big embarrassment to us,†said Chuck Allen, US Airways director of corporate affairs. The airline Sunday waived all change fees, which are usually $100 per ticket. It also is offering customers a refund if they missed flights.

The airline has not decided if it will offer compensation to inconvenienced travelers. “We’ve been focused on fixing the problem,†Kirby said.

The kiosk malfunction is part of US Airways’ effort to become a single airline, by fully integrating the old US Airways with its merger partner, America West.

As part of the merger, the airline adopted a single reservations platform - the Shares system used by America West. US Airways had used a rival system called Sabre. The kiosk problems were mostly in the eastern U.S., where the old US Airways was dominant. Those kiosks used the old Sabre system.

In preparation for the switch, US Airways had dispatched staff from the old America West who are familiar with Shares to Charlotte and several other key airports. The airline also had additional employees scheduled to work Sunday and even more today, because Mondays are busier travel days.

It wasn’t enough in Charlotte.

One anticipated problem was that not all agents were fast on the new reservations system. US Airways had been training employees on Shares by using a computer program that mimics the new system, even while still working in Sabre. But some agents were slower on the new system.

Passengers were upset about the lines - and by the lack of information from the airline. “I don’t even know where the end of the lines is,†David Culp, a Florence, S.C., man who was trying to get to San Diego, said Sunday morning. “No one is telling us anything.â€

Trying to ease the Charlotte problems, the airline was able to turn on a handful of kiosks about 11 a.m. It also opened up some of its unusede counter space and began checking in passengers manually. An agent would review a passenger’s itinerary and issue a temporary boarding pass, allowing the passenger to get through the security checkpoint and formally check in at the gate.

By mid-afternoon, with lines more manageable with 30 to 45 minute wait times, US Airways turned off its kiosks again for more testing. Technicians were trying to make sure the software was working under all conditions - such as when passengers check in by name, flight number, of Dividend Miles account number.

IF YOU’RE FLYING TODAY:

Arrive two hours early if you have to see an agent.

Use Internet check-in at http://www.usairways.com.

Use curbside services for check-in or checking baggage.

Staff writers Steve Lyttle, Nichole Bell and Amy Rainey contributed to this article.

 

[pilot]

I agree completely. Does anyone like to see the company they work for smeared through the press? I, for one, do not. If you think negative press is going to result in anything positive for you as an employee, you are gravely mistaken.

What happens when Joe Flyer decides to book on another airline because he reads that front-line employees are pissed off at management? The airline (read you and me) loses a passenger. No passengers, no revenue. No revenue, no jobs.

You don't get it do you? Joe Flyer NEEDS to book on another carrier. LCC NEEDS to be smeared in the press. DP NEEDS to resign due to lack of leadership.

This is more than employees being pissed off at management. If LCC continues to run the way it is being run your last sentence will come true.

Changes will come ONLY when this inept group is called out for being inept. Cheerleaders like you are just enablers. Figure it out Sparky. LCC is being mismanaged. And you are helping them along.

pilot

 

[BoeingBoy]

US Airways' self-service kiosks still aren't working, though afternoon lines at Charlotte/Douglas International are much shorter than Sunday and this morning.

Disregard what I said in the other thread about the kiosks being back up......

Jim

 

[PHX-F/A]

I'm sure the reporter will verify employment status and keep people anonymous. Reporters were not born yesterday for the most part and don't want retribution to come to their sources.

It would be just like Tempe to fire someone for telling the truth. :down: to everyone who thinks that it's fair game to simply cover up and spin the problem and make it go away.

Never trust a reporter.

 

[StuckHere]

You don't get it do you? Joe Flyer NEEDS to book on another carrier. LCC NEEDS to be smeared in the press. DP NEEDS to resign due to lack of leadership.

This is more than employees being pissed off at management. If LCC continues to run the way it is being run your last sentence will come true.

Changes will come ONLY when this inept group is called out for being inept. Cheerleaders like you are just enablers. Figure it out Sparky. LCC is being mismanaged. And you are helping them along.

pilot

How exactly am I being a cheerleader? All I said is that employees will not benefit by having the company smeared through the mud. You NEED to get a clue if you think otherwise.

 

[yvrusfa]

Piney...

Understood...and thanks!

FWIW...I am not thrilled with senior mgmts' many "dropped balls" ever since they got wrapped up in the DAL deal and lost focus of the company.

I do agree with you on the happy employee mantra and I think D.P and co. could do more on that front for sure, although I will take our mgmt. any day over some others in this biz.

I would suggest that you and your FF collegues keep up the letters and critiques to mgmt. on many of these issues important to you. We don't want to lose you.
FWIW. I send letters/email to senior mgmt. on issues often and get always get responses. So at least they are listening.

 

[ClueByFour]

Are you living under a rock. The latest court cases have shown that reporters can be compelled to give up their sources very easily.

I can assure you that a US special prosecutor will get more consideration from a judge with regard to the shield rule than US suing a reporter on a hunt for a whistleblower.

Take it to the bank.

 

[ussnark]

Posted on Mon, Mar. 05, 2007

Contact us | US Airways employee?

Are you a US Airways employee? Reporter Steve Harrison would like to talk to you about the problems with the check-in kiosks.

Contact him at [email protected] or call
704-358-5160.

http://www.charlotte.com/115/story/40685.html

Why?

The cretin wants you, the employee, to do their work. They are adverse to driving themselves out to the airport and actually doing jounalistic work, like actually interviewing people and observing what is going on.

Typical of the southern entitlement mentality.