British Airways CEO praises DL, CEO

[Kev3188]

Here's a couple tea-in-the-ocean examples we've heard in public forums by senior (as in not station) mgmt. Paraphrasing:

"You need to be praying for RA. If anything happens to him, this company won't continue on the path it's on. He also prays for you every night."

By a separate person:

"Anderson is truly the only reason why we're where we're at today. If not for him, none of this would be possible."

Friends across the system (pro and anti labor alike, FWIW) say they're hearing similar.

Lots of dog whistle messaging in company communications to boot. You can also see how the photos of him are taking on a folksy, almost paternal tone as well.

Note: Lest someone try to dismiss this as a cynical rant from one of "those union guys," my vote for most indispensable member of the CLT is still Hauenstein, followed closely by Halter (and now Jacobsen).

Call it tin foil hat-y if you want, but I think they're trying to re-image him in the sort of venerated style of Woolman...

 

[WorldTraveler]

who said those first two things?
 
I do agree with you on what various members of DL's senior leadership has done, esp. Hauenstein.   

 

[Kev3188]

People multiple levels above me in the food chain.

 

[WorldTraveler]

I'd like to see something showing how and when that was communicated.

Anyone who understands DL at all knows he has some very capable people right below him.... I don't know too many people who would argue that they aren't just as responsible if not more so than Anderson is...
he is capable but no one including BA's CEO believes it is a one man show.

I'm sure the problem isn't that your tin foil hat has some faulty receptors.

 

[Kev3188]

Of course you would. You also know that you're gonna either have to take my word for it that it's occurring or not. Your choice, and either is fine by me...

 

[topDawg]

Walsh acknowledged the competition from Delta, though it came with admiration for Delta CEO Richard Anderson, who has earned praise for leading Delta through its merger with Northwest and restoring stability to the carrier.

"I think he has done an incredible job with Delta," Walsh says. "I like his style. I like his attitude. I like the focus that he has brought to Delta.

"He does things that the rest of us would never think about," Walsh says, pointing to "the acquisition of Trainer the oil refinery" outside Philadelphia.

That "was something that I don't think anybody else would have thought about. It shows that the guy is brave with his decision making. (Anderson) is probably is the star of the U.S. industry at the moment, if not the global industry


http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/03/10/british-airways-us-growth-airline-mergers/6258877/

he also says that the DL partnership with Virgin Atlantic will make them a less emotional and more rational competitor.

He is one of the best, but IMO Parker is a hell of a CEO. 
 

Seems the majority of the article is about the new AA and not DL.

uhh.....
 

I've said it before, but this whole cult of personality surrounding Anderson is getting to be a bit much. I wonder how long it'll be before every station has a large portrait of him smiling down on them?

im waiting on it myself. 
 

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me...

...And of course at Woolman's desk, just for added effect...

which is such a face slap. 
 

Here's a couple tea-in-the-ocean examples we've heard in public forums by senior (as in not station) mgmt. Paraphrasing:

"You need to be praying for RA. If anything happens to him, this company won't continue on the path it's on. He also prays for you every night."

By a separate person:

"Anderson is truly the only reason why we're where we're at today. If not for him, none of this would be possible."

Friends across the system (pro and anti labor alike, FWIW) say they're hearing similar.

Lots of dog whistle messaging in company communications to boot. You can also see how the photos of him are taking on a folksy, almost paternal tone as well.

Note: Lest someone try to dismiss this as a cynical rant from one of "those union guys," my vote for most indispensable member of the CLT is still Hauenstein, followed closely by Halter (and now Jacobsen).

Call it tin foil hat-y if you want, but I think they're trying to re-image him in the sort of venerated style of Woolman...

agreed. Halter or Hauenstei are who i want to replace Anderson
 

I'd like to see something showing how and when that was communicated.

Anyone who understands DL at all knows he has some very capable people right below him.... I don't know too many people who would argue that they aren't just as responsible if not more so than Anderson is...
he is capable but no one including BA's CEO believes it is a one man show.

I'm sure the problem isn't that your tin foil hat has some faulty receptors.

Who? 
the only one that I would take is Hauenstein.....Ed and Gil scare the hell right out of me.  

 

[WorldTraveler]

Hauenstein is good because he knows what he does well and doesn't try to be more than that.
 
Part of being a great leader is recognizing talented people and surrounding yourself with them.
 
Anderson has plenty of talents of his own but he also surrounds himself with very competent people who do their jobs very well. 
 
No good company is all about one person. 

 

[topDawg]

Hauenstein is good because he knows what he does well and doesn't try to be more than that.
 
Part of being a great leader is recognizing talented people and surrounding yourself with them.
 
Anderson has plenty of talents of his own but he also surrounds himself with very competent people who do their jobs very well. 
 
No good company is all about one person. 

Hauenstein isn't someone who came with Anderson. He is the only good guy left from GG's team. 
 
If Anderson leaves I vote we go pull Jim away from Red Hat. They are a lot alike IMO. 
It was Jim's idea to mod the 763s to be able to fly across the pacific, for example.  
 
 
and you still didn't answer my question......

 

[WorldTraveler]

Jim was very good but he was a business generalist who was able to figure out how to come up with the big wins in order to look like he has accomplished a lot.
 
But DL had a whole lot of big ticket items that it needed to do in order to turn the business around and thus things like getting the widebodies out of Florida and in better revenue managing have had enormous impact but DL knew it had to do that stuff anyway.
 
Jim was great but he may or may not have the depth of knowledge in the airline industry to know where the business is going and what DL needs to do make sure DL succeeds in that environment.
 
Strategically, DL's strength - and Anderson demonstrates he gets it - is that DL is at the cutting edge of change and is often forcing others to adapt to where DL is taking the industry.
 
When you are the leader and force others to follow, the benefit is all yours.

 

[topDawg]

Jim was very good but he was a business generalist who was able to figure out how to come up with the big wins in order to look like he has accomplished a lot.
 
But DL had a whole lot of big ticket items that it needed to do in order to turn the business around and thus things like getting the widebodies out of Florida and in better revenue managing have had enormous impact but DL knew it had to do that stuff anyway.
 
Jim was great but he may or may not have the depth of knowledge in the airline industry to know where the business is going and what DL needs to do make sure DL succeeds in that environment.
 
Strategically, DL's strength - and Anderson demonstrates he gets it - is that DL is at the cutting edge of change and is often forcing others to adapt to where DL is taking the industry.
 
When you are the leader and force others to follow, the benefit is all yours.

That has nothing to do with. 
 
Jim wanted to grow Delta without Northwest. Pretty much every move Anderson gets credit for, Jim came up with the idea. (more M90s, a 100 seaters, less 50 seaters, 767 to Asia, building up the west coast. etc) That is all the plan set for the stand alone company. All from Jim and Gerry. 
 
 
and I like Anderson okay, but I still believe Jim should have gotten the job. 

 

[WorldTraveler]

and most of those things actually came from Hauenstein....

 

[topDawg]

and most of those things actually came from Hauenstein....

Not at all. 
 
and really with RA, Hauenstein has his hands tied behind his back. Anderson loves the outsource model. If he could he would have Delta flying to just the big 4 or 5 markets in Europe (AMS/CDG/LHR/FCO/FRA) and hand the rest of that flying over to AF/KL/AZ. Thankfully the pilots have it in their contract to stop this. 
 
but even then, Delta is well below its minimum flying level across the Atlantic. It should be fun to see what they get to give to pilots to make it right. (hopefully the pilots hold strong and force them to build the TATL network back to what is was.)  

 

[WorldTraveler]

there is no evidence that DL would limit flying as much as you think they do.  DL doesn't need to fly a dozen summer seasonal routes to Europe... in fact it creates a lot of extra complications of having flights that require an airplane and crew for half a year. 
 
DL is a lower cost producer than AF/KL/AZ.  DL wouldn't make near as much money if they outsourced their flying like you think they would.
 
DL is below minimums because AZ had to be included in the JV.  AZ isn't long for the world unless it can figure out how to survive on its own without continual cash infusions.  DL will stay engaged in Italy because DL has the greatest opportunity to expand if/when AZ fails or AF says they've had enough. 
 
The TATL network that once existed can't exist with $3/gal jet fuel and current fare levels outside of a few months per year.  The economics just don't work for huge TATL networks.
 
Add in Emirates and Norwegian and the treat to US carrier networks is even larger. 
 
There is a reason why both DL and ALPA recognize the need to fight together on those issues. 

 

[topDawg]

DL is below minimums because AZ had to be included in the JV.  AZ isn't long for the world unless it can figure out how to survive on its own without continual cash infusions.  DL will stay engaged in Italy because DL has the greatest opportunity to expand if/when AZ fails or AF says they've had enough. 

no it isn't. Its because Delta has cut a ton of capacity to Europe and told the union it was due to lie-flat mods. (which is why this year is the first year they should be in compliance.) 
 
and pretty much the rest of this is Blah blah, delta made an agreement, can't hold up to it and should be able to back out, cost jobs, lower QOL etc..........because they are Delta. 
 
Shouldn't have agreed to it if they can't do it. Sorry. 
 
Also, you want evidence, check out the NW TATL network pre-merger. It is cute how you expect and trust people who have done so much outsourcing at another carrier. Bet you would trust Lorenzo too eh?

 

[WorldTraveler]

so wait, if DL cut a bunch of capacity due to mods but they should be back in compliance this year then they really aren't out of compliance, are they? 
 
no one said that DL should be free to make an agreement and then break it but the pilots themselves understand it is because of Alitalia.
 
Since AZ is still in the JV and the fleet mods will be done by this year, then DL either has to be in compliance or pay some type of penalty unless ALPA agrees to waive compliance for something else they believe is more valuable to their members. 
 
I don't need to look at the NW network pre-merger.  I can look at the DL network.
 
I can also look at DL's earnings statements as well as those of every other airline and realize that fuel now costs $3/gal plus - far more than it cost NW or DL or anyone else on a sustained basis.
 
No union can force any company to continue to operate where the company can't make money.  They just won't do it.
 
For someone who says you understand the business of aviation, it should be no problem recognizing that the union either better agree with the company to some other standard that matches the current state of the business or the company will cut where it needs to, regardless of what the union wants.
 
I want to see market driven restrictions on mgmt. to protect jobs.  But I can absolutely assure you that comparing a pre-merger network to today and saying "you should be flying that" will never work.  never.