First Class, no Class?

[WCT]

Why is our First Class product gone to heck??! Most of you think America West was just a Regional Carrier, but at one time we had a real first class product. Linens, glassware, hot towels, meal service, cheese and crackers, sandwiches, salads, etc.., on all flights including under 60 minutes. What has happened? I know we have let down the East big time, but there was something called First Class for both airlines, and something to be proud of. Why don't they just call it Economy, Business Casual, or Leisure class? There is nothing classy about our product. Is there hope for something better than a big fake leather seat and free uprgrades in the future? Money, and cheapness only go so far Tempe!? You might as well just pull it out all together. <_<

 

[LCC_#1]

Why is our First Class product gone to heck??! Most of you think America West was just a Regional Carrier, but at one time we had a real first class product. Linens, glassware, hot towels, meal service, cheese and crackers, sandwiches, salads, etc.., on all flights including under 60 minutes. What has happened? I know we have let down the East big time, but there was something called First Class for both airlines, and something to be proud of. Why don't they just call it Economy, Business Casual, or Leisure class? There is nothing classy about our product. Is there hope for something better than a big fake leather seat and free uprgrades in the future? Money, and cheapness only go so far Tempe!? You might as well just pull it out all together. <_<

WCT
I have no doubt AWA had a great F/C product and many in the East forget that it WASN'T AWA that put coach BOB snacks in F/C TC flights. It wasn't AWA that started the cheapening of Envoy. AWA didn't start the deteriorating interiors of our cabins. That started with the East requiring the F/A's to "tidy" up the cabin.

What HAS upset and let people down in the East is the continual downgrading of the F/C product at a time when most are adding service. We continue to market our product as f/c but it is really coach from the '80's. To make matters worse, we charge the same for our crappy product that the others charge for a superior product..all this at a time when we are clearly making money.

What's worse is the inability of the Tempe folks to implement products in a timely manner such as the glassware issue. Their first announcement for that was well over a year ago. It is placed on West flts, but not East, causing a very inconsistant service. The customers don't care about galley or cart issues. They want what they want. We keep saying soon. East coasters are very saavy and they will be quick to label you as a fraud when you can't stick to basic decision making, which is why so many East customers have lost faith in US Airways.

I just find it hard to believe that we haven't the money to improve our f/c service when we only have between 12 and 16 seats on any given domestic a/c. Even if you have only 6 f/c customers upgraded that paid only $500 for their tickest, that still seems like MORE than enough money taken in to provide a nice service.

I keep hearing about the turn. When will it happen? I just don't beleive ANYTHING Tempe says. With this group, I wouldn't believe them if they were HQ in CCY, PIT, or CLT.

 

[GoldenRam94]

The 1st two posts in this thread show you why you will fail.

You cannot speak wihtout denigrating the other side. East vs West = Out of a Job!!!!!

 

[LCC_#1]

The 1st two posts in this thread show you why you will fail.

You cannot speak wihtout denigrating the other side. East vs West = Out of a Job!!!!!

Then you simply did not read the post and will not respond any further to your flame baiting absolute lying post.

 

[WCT]

The 1st two posts in this thread show you why you will fail.

You cannot speak wihtout denigrating the other side. East vs West = Out of a Job!!!!!

Nobody is out of a job, we are trying to make it work. I have a great respect for the East counterparts, and I believe they have our hearts in mind! I am talking about f/c, not east v.s west, so go take it elsewhere please!!!!!!!!!! :angry:

 

[john john]

Out of a Job!!!!!

Did you make this up all by yourself?
History lesson.A lot of us are aware ,BEEN THERE DONE THAT

 

[Art at ISP]

This might help clear things up for you. This is a direct quote from Doug Parker at a Town Hall meeting:

“we have said before that we're willing to take a hit on one front to make strides on another, namely first class flyer perception vs. an increase in revenue..â€￾

So while other airlines get it, these guys just go on managing by spreadsheet, and continue with their customer (and employee) be damned attitudes and policies.

As stated above, other airlines are actually improving their products, and creating programs designed to ATTRACT regular business travelers. This company consistently shows by words and actions that they could care less about the regular business traveler, and they just want to cater to the lowest common denominator.

They are obviously happy with the old HP model--be one step above WN.

What they don't realize (or don't care to) is that the CUSTOMER is not happy.....in fact regardless of what Tempe might say, elites are leaving regularly, and not looking back.

One would hope that with some new "talent" upstairs they might finally see the light of day, but as each day passes I think they just don't care.

I am not giving up the fight, though. That said, I am not giving them my dollars at this moment either. There is a consequence for poor performance, and I am not alone. It may take some time, but I truly feel the days of profits are about to come to an end.

My BEST to you all....

 

[GoldenRam94]

Then you simply did not read the post and will not respond any further to your flame baiting absolute lying post.

Wow you really got me on that one!

Just drop the allmighty attitude.

 

[LCC_#1]

Wow you really got me on that one!

Just drop the allmighty attitude.

 

[UWCactus]

The product has deteriorated over the years, but most of this started at the downturn of the industry after 9/11. Let's not forget that day and the weeks after that, especially US Airways in DCA. It was crippling. Most employees at that time wanted to stay in business and were afraid of the what the outcome could be if things continued the way they did. America West employees were VERY concerned in the months after 9/11. All food service discontinued as you might remember. Anything that cost extra money, disappeared, glassware, etc,.

How soon we forget how we all felt at that time. The airlines must do everything they can to prepare for that possible "next event" whether it be terroism, higher fuel prices, accidents/incidents, all of the unpredictables. Caution is prudent in this environment. This airline has taken too much time to make things better, but also went through a learning curve of the explosive growth post merger. Things are falling into place over the next 6 months.......I know you're heard that before, but there are lots of things being looked at and worked on as we speak.

This company values the business traveler more than Art would like to think, but there are business travelers out there, that fly under tight cost controls also, not every corporation has an open checkbook. Some do. Finding the "happy medium" is the challenge.

 

[LCC_#1]

In think guys like Art understand that, but the issue now is about value.

 

[PHL]

We can't use 9/11 as an excuse anymore. The economy has more than recovered from that economic downturn by every measure possible, just as it had spent the early 90's recovering from the recession around Desert Storm (part 1). By the late 90's, nobody was skimping on service or using the 1990-1992 recession as the reason for reduced service.

 

[UWCactus]

In think guys like Art understand that, but the issue now is about value.

Look for change in service and product October 2007 phased in over several months.

 

[sharktooth]

The product has deteriorated over the years, but most of this started at the downturn of the industry after 9/11.

Every single airline experienced the "downturn" months before 11 Sep, 01. Look it up!

Airline stocks had tanked (many losing over 30% of their value) by June - July of that year. DOW had peaked in June. I think that in July 2001 Wolf had spent about $2 billion in cash (US had that much cash?) to buy back US stock in a vain attempt to bolster the price to try to keep the UAL/US deal within financial bounds. It was August of 2001 when he finally realized it would not work, to the chagrin of Capt. "Done Deal". (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

The events of 11 Sep, 2001 simply accelerated the coming crunch, they did not precipitate it. The extended closure of DCA really put the screws to US, the only carrier to operate extensively out of there.

BTW, most of the business travelers went elsewhere (corporate charter), finding that for the same money they could have much more without the hassles.

 

[SS255]

I'm not opposed to watered-down service in F. What I am opposed to is OVER-PRICED watered-down service masquerading as real F service. If you're going to yank out the closets, smoosh the seats together, and serve a one-course meal with drinks from party cups, affix a price which is commensurate with the product!

I'm also not apposed to forking over 50% more to upgrade with miles....but only as long as the service is on par with what UA, CO, AA & DL offer.

Filthy cabins are an entirely different animal, though. No excuse for that, ever!