An open letter to ex-Continental Airlines pilots and flight attendants

[boxer]

An Open Letter to Ex-Continental Flight Attendants and Pilots
17 May 2012

My Dear Colleagues from Continental Airlines,

A simple question for you: what is wrong? What is it that is truly bothering you?

I have been a steady United Airlines customer since 2004 and I grew to love the airline. I also have flown Continental Airlines going back to your SkyTeam days, when I used to receive complimentary upgrades by virtue of my Northwest Airlines Platinum Status.

Like many of you, I was skeptical about the merger. I thought life was pretty good for me as a top-tier flier on United and despite the technological limitations of United's website and the poor behavior of some pilots and flight attendants, I was very content. It bothered me to see morale so low (which I blamed on duplicitous leadership at the top), but I still found genuine and caring crew members who were proud to work for United.

Commuting regularly between Philadelphia and Southern California, I've had many an occasision to experience Houston, Newark, and even Cleveland-based legacy Continental flight attendants since Continental and United became one on 03 March. With the exception of dear Brenda on a Houston-San Jose, CA flight, every flight operated by a legacy Continental crew has made me just a little angry.

Why? Because every flight either the pilot or the purser (I know you don't even use the term purser) or sometimes both makes the following announcement: "This flight is operated by Continental pilots and flight attendants" or the even more egregious "We thank you for flying on Continental Airlines today."

This is not a slip of the tongue or an honest mistake, but a deliberately- calculated move, an odd sign of pseudo-solidarity that leaves passengers like me fuming. Such announcements display a stunning lack of professionalism and appear to me to be nothing more than a childish temper tantrum that will do nothing to bring back the name "Continental" Airlines.

Maybe I should just let it go, but the nostalgia does not even make sense to me. Look around this new airline called United. You have Continental folks running it, Continental' s SHARES PSS (passenger service system), Continental livery, the Continental website with the United label slapped over it, and really the Continental mindset of doing business. In other words, United is dead and I am quite surprised that more United F/As and pilots are not mourning the loss of their airline. Maybe they are just more professional than you are (though when UA pilots play the hat-off, hat-on game, I arrive at a different conclusion).

Continental Airlines has won out in everything but name. Business continues as usual at the former Continental hubs and I just cannot figure out why you folks must continue to refer to yourselves as from Continental.

As much as I'd love to see United and Continental continue to operate as separate airlines, what is done is done. There are many small changes in policy I do not like either, but I am dealing with them and moving forward. Surely it is not too much to ask the same out of you.

Professionalism is critical in the aviation business and I wish you good folks would start acting a little more professional. "United" is not a curse word.

Kind Regards,

Matthew, a very frequent flyer

 

[Borescope]

Boxer,
I ride on UA quite often and hear these announcement on occasion. You should go play the lottery, if your hearing this on every flight your on. I agree it's annoying and "a stunning lack of professionalism". The general public really doesn't care what you call yourself and most don't even listen to the PA announcements. They care what the cost is, the time you leave and if your going to get there on time. Of the flights I've been on in the last year (approx 75 flights) I have heard this announcement two time. It goes in one ear and out the other with 99% of the people. Play the lottery if your hearing it on all your flights, otherwise remember in any company / business 10% of the people cause 90% of the problems.

 

[xUT]

Boxer,
I ride on UA quite often and hear these announcement on occasion. You should go play the lottery, if your hearing this on every flight your on. I agree it's annoying and "a stunning lack of professionalism". The general public really doesn't care what you call yourself and most don't even listen to the PA announcements. They care what the cost is, the time you leave and if your going to get there on time. Of the flights I've been on in the last year (approx 75 flights) I have heard this announcement two time. It goes in one ear and out the other with 99% of the people. Play the lottery if your hearing it on all your flights, otherwise remember in any company / business 10% of the people cause 90% of the problems.

So true. Most coach class do not even know what airline they are flying on (code share) and don't care about the livery.
It's the price point that is the most determining factor. Heck, some people don't care if they have 3 legs on their flight as long as it is 'perceived' cheaper.
Business and First class are different. They focus on miles, perks, and service.
B) xUT

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

Maybe I should just let it go, ...

Some good advice...

 

[ContUNITEus]

Same thing happened at US Airways with America West.

It's a normal reaction. Had the name Continental been adopted, then the United Airlines employees would be doing the same. In fact, over at US Airways you had everything from "operated and owned by America West" to "the new US Airways," "runned/bought by America West" and up to "ruined by America West."

It is normal and happens during every merger.

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

Long after the DL-NW merger was completed I would hear both the crew and pilots on the DTW-HKG flight identify themselves as NW.

Not a big deal in my (revenue customer's) opinion. They worked many years for a carrier that is now gone. Old habits die hard.

Admittedly sometimes the private commentary is exaggerated (as I heard on my last UA flight to HKG) and the OP noted my observation in another thread. Actually I believe this merger is going better than I expected.

Cripes, there are numerous people on this board who still pine for the Piedmont days. If that airline was so great where are they now??

Just take care of business. Has Smisek dumped Tilton's old lovenest office downtown? Most customers don't care about that either but I'll bet there are more than a few salaries that could be paid instead of outrageous rent for a non-value added palatial office.

 

[UPNAWAY]

Welcome to the airline industry were everyone acts like 12 year olds!

 

[Calpilot]

I agree with, "what is done is done". However, you need to know that the airline has a long way to go before it is actually "one" airline. We (Continental) get just as much grief from the coustomers who complain about the United service as you get tired of hearing from us! We will get there and we will be the best!
So, just sit back and enjoy the ride.........

 

[UPNAWAY]

BTW CAL was a much better airline then United and most of the employees and public know that so there is some sense of real loss being expressed.

 

[Kev3188]

Long after the DL-NW merger was completed I would hear both the crew and pilots on the DTW-HKG flight identify themselves as NW.

Not a big deal in my (revenue customer's) opinion. They worked many years for a carrier that is now gone. Old habits die hard.

^Truth^

 

[WorldTraveler]

Long after the DL-NW merger was completed I would hear both the crew and pilots on the DTW-HKG flight identify themselves as NW.

forgive me, but I have to throw skepticism on that quote...
The DTW-HKG has always been operated by a DL 777 by PMDL pilots. The 777 is a fenced aircraft and for a couple more years only PMDL aircraft can operate it, just as the 747 is a fenced aircraft for PMNW pilots so only PMNW pilots can operate it.
Thus, there has never been a PMNW pilot as a working crewmember on a 777 flight, just as there has never been a PMDL pilot as working crewmember on a 744 flight.
.
FAs are different. Very early in the merger, DL established that the aircraft would be used throughout the system and thus would be used in whatever hub made the most sense. After a short period, all FAs were trained on all combined DL fleet types so that PMNW aircraft would be flown by PMDL FAs out of DL FA bases and vice versa.
Now that ALL FA bases are now open to the combined FA workforce, there is no such thing as a pure PMNW or PMDL base any longer.
.
NW employees did an outstanding job of integrating with DL... I believe history will show that the fear that many analysts and airline execs had about labor problems in mergers will be shown to be correct by the time this round of mergers is completed - and that the DL/NW merger will go down as one of the best large mergers in the history of aviation.
.
Time will tell whether UA will be able to successfully merge the CO operations and workforce.

 

[ContUNITEus]

About a year and a half ago or so, the way that Delta was running stuff was that aircraft would be either manned with DL or NW F/As but not a mixture. Now, this was probably due to nwa's union still being in place.

Can anyone confirm if they are now fully merged?

 

[Kev3188]

Yes.