DL plans SEA-LHR, seeks joint venture with Virgin Atlantic

[eolesen]

none of them ran a large operation based in London...

Hmm, not clear if you're referring to while they were at AA or after they left...

Cush ran STL for AA when it was still at its peak. For those who left, certainly, HP was a large operation when Parker was at the helm, as was US. Pan Am was a large operation for Plaskett. United and US Airways were both large operations for Wolf...
 

and he is from DL's largest major competitor, I suppose. But you would have to ask Richard Branson and VS' board. I didn't participate in the selection process.

I'm sure you were on the short list, which would help explain why you didn't participate, but I didn't ask why Craig was hired.

I asked how many DL execs went on to be CEO at another airline.

Hollis Harris certainly made the rounds. He represents what was probably one of the biggest mistake the Delta Board ever made -- they backed Ron Allen, and Hollis "retired". He went on be the CEO at CO, AC, and WO (in that order). He was fired by Lorenzo after CO fell back into bankruptcy in 1991, but manage a very successful turnaround at AC, and wound up being part of the investor group that brought CO out of bankruptcy as well as one of the guys behind the creation of Star Alliance.

Just imagine what DL could have been if they had promoted Hollis, and hadn't backed Allen...

When Fred Reid got passed for the CEO job, he left and went to VX. Unfortunately, he was forced out of VX about three months after their first flight, and hasn't worked in the industry since. But there's a technicality here... Before joining DL, Reid had been President of LH. Oh, and before he joined LH, he started in the airline industry at.... AA.

Did I miss anyone else?

 

[WorldTraveler]

the airline industry is a fairly insular group; there is no surprise there.

But none of the people you listed or anyone else at DL had run a large operation at LHR, including for DL's competitor.

None of it really matters, though. Craig is in, he is turning VS around, and DL and VX are working well to both of their benefits.

 

[eolesen]

So, in other words, DL doesn't have a bunch of rising stars which could easily hold their own somewhere else?

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

Did I miss anyone else?
 

 
Don Carty. 
After AA he went on to be involved in VX and PD.  I think he he was involved with AC and CP prior to AMR.  His brother Doug was definitely involved with CP, I'm not sure if he ever worked for AMR in any capacity.

 

[WorldTraveler]

So, in other words, DL doesn't have a bunch of rising stars which could easily hold their own somewhere else?

they went after AA's rising stars.... you wouldn't understand the concept but you might remember that DL did the same thing with some of AA's NYC sales 'stars'

the results have been worth it.

and DL's investor crowd on Wall Street cheers on.

 

[robbedagain]

just as they cheer on the new AA too

 

[WorldTraveler]

Indeed...and as I have noted AA's success will come to a great deal because of UA's failure

I have never said that AA can't succeed but that DL would continue to target AA's key markets including LHR

 

[eolesen]

they went after AA's rising stars.... you wouldn't understand the concept

Oh, I understand that concept completely. Every time I cash my paycheck.

VP's aren't the only talent that competitors and suppliers recruit away from AA.

 

[WorldTraveler]

perfect... then you should understand why VS went after an AA exec who had experience in the very market that VS needed to grow into... the business travel market in which AA has a strong and deep presence. didn't hurt that Craig helped implement the AA-BA JV... instead of continuing to harp "NO WAY BA" the best offensive was to steal away some of AA-BA's talent.

 

[eolesen]

Oh, yes, I do understand VS didn't have the talent in-house.

It's also pretty clear that DL has found itself in the same situation. They had to recruit the former NW guy to come run the place, since they didn't have someone already on the bench or in the bullpen.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and AA had to clean house and bring in US management.

DL's mgmt. group comes from DL and multiple airlines and many of those execs have experience outside the industry as well.

As much as you want to believe otherwise, that is fairly common in the business world.

 

[eolesen]

AA had to bring in US management like NW had to bring in DL management.

 

[WorldTraveler]

you truly didn't make that comment after posting pictures of Visine as many times as you did.

Do the two sides (or perhaps it is just two cells) in your brain even talk to each other?

AA senior mgmt. was shown the door in the AA/US merger. Period.

DL survived and DL's mgmt. team reflects a blend of people not just from original DL but from other airlines and other companies outside of the airline industry.

 

[robbedagain]

so dl survived but all the others dont count  just bec they are not the delta type or delta standard   typical

 

[eolesen]

you truly didn't make that comment after posting pictures of Visine as many times as you did.

Do the two sides (or perhaps it is just two cells) in your brain even talk to each other?

AA senior mgmt. was shown the door in the AA/US merger. Period.

Understanding sarcasm when it's obvious obviously isn't your strong point.

Some of AA's senior management was indeed shown the door. But, in your usual bizarro-world analysis, you're trying to infer the AMR Board decided to hire Doug Parker's team.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The creditors decided that course of action.

For the record, three of the nine senior corporate officers are from AA, not US.

If you want to split hairs even more (which you do by default), five of the nine senior corporate officers all got their start in the industry at AA, as both Parker and Scott Kirby came from AA before heading over to NW & HP respectively.