Ffocus

To Piney Bob and the rest of the FFOCUS. You guys are smart, successful, intelligent and most of all you have ba**s. What you do is nothing short remarkable. Stick around and we all may have a chance.

THANK YOU.
 
Flypg,

Thank you for your kind words. We will be sticking around....but I think the NEW US Airways has an excellent chance of becoming an industry leader with or without us.

If you combine the best employees in the industry with rational fares, and a management who is both capable of running an airline and who wants the airline to succeed, the sky's the limit. I think we will see some amazing things from the new airline, run by effective managers.

We look forward to supporting the NEW US Airways.

My best to you all....
 
PineyBob said:
I've flown on Delta and Southwest to PHL.  It *IS* possible, and actually quite easy.

Fly the Greyhound Buss with wings all you like. It is after all a free country or do I have to spell it out for you AGAIN why I don't fly SWA?

Your opinion of Southwest doesn't mean much to me when you haven't even tried them. I used to hate Southwest until I tried it, and then I realized I was full of ####.

For that matter, have you ever flown on Delta? AA? UA? NW? CO? AirTran? ATA? Just curious how extensive is your obsession with US Airways, or if it's just Southwest.

I used to like the front line folks as well, but many of the good ones are gone now.
Many of them aren't and the folks from my limited experience with HP are pretty darned customer oriented too!

I agree, they're not all gone, but it seems that management finally gotten its message through -- they aren't interested in running a successful airline. The decision to go back to a banked hub in PHL is evidence that this is just more of the same.

Redress of what?  Did US insult your mother?

No, but stick around I might insult yours! There are many issues facing business travelers AND FF'ers in general. None of us are armed and forcing you to buy into what we do or attempt to do.

The only thing management listens to is money. Switching airlines costs them money. It's pretty simple. I recommend an Econ 101 refresher course.

We have a winner!  It's just a stupid club! :up:

Perhaps stupid, perhaps not! That is in the eye of the particular person. I never in my wildest dreams thought we would get as far as we got in terms of effectiveness. But there have been instances where we have embarrassed them into action. Did we reshape an airline? I don't think so. Did we have an impact on the industry? Perhaps? Was it cause and effect that within weeks after RoachFEST that CO had a dinner for 250 of its best customers? No idea, I'm not THAT full of myself but I will tell you JS that there has been more than one instance of things like that. Things that make you go hmmmmmm????? I wonder?????

To sit idly by and do nothing seemed wrong. Beyond that I can't explain my motivations.
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Of course you have no idea how full of yourself you really are. People with bad breath don't realize how horrible it is, and many beautiful women think they're fat (anorexic). That's why you need outside observers to tell you that you are full of yourself and your stupid club is silly.
 
"To Piney Bob and the rest of the FFOCUS. You guys are smart, successful, intelligent and most of all you have ba**s. What you do is nothing short remarkable. Stick around and we all may have a chance"

Man, do I feel like a broken record. If you guys could please just post your record of achievements that I can just shut up but so far I have yet to see anything that FFOCUS has done other than tell us what great gals they are for "caring" so much. This much I can get from Oprah.
 
Dave,

If others are aware of our "record of achievement", then perhaps you should open your eyes and look yourself.

Is everything we have done tangible? NO!

Has it had an effect? We'd like to think so.

Most of what we have done is intangible, as in helping to raise morale a little amongst the troops. We have made suggestions many of which have gone unheeded by the brain trust, but some of which have worked their way into the system.

Had you been in Greentree on 7/29 you would have seen how the rank and file feels about us.

The most we could do and continue to do is buy tickets on US. That says the most.

As I assume you are doing that as well, great--you are helping as well.

You are welcome to join us at any time, or stay on your own if you wish....just let's move on OK?

Bottom line, is most people think we're making a difference. If we have even the slightest effect it's worth it.

I wish you well...
 
Art at ISP said:
...
The most we could do and continue to do is buy tickets on US. That says the most.

This just makes no sense. Even that stupid "Save Sky Miles" consisted of people who said they would leave Delta if Delta didn't rescind the changes, and some of them actually did leave. Delta rescinded some of the changes just one year later. Amazing what happens when people put their money where their mouths are.

But if you tell management, "We are not going to switch carriers no matter how badly you treat us", nothing will change. You are wasting your time. This is a business, not a government agency. Government has to be lobbied because you can't go anywhere else. Businesses can forced into change very easily -- walk with your money to another provider.
 
Their target seems to be a group of individuals working collectively, disconnected to the travelling public. Even if you get a collective, 'Huh?' from the powers that be, at least you got some sort of biological response and it might even stir the creative juices that get people on the business end of things the recognition that seems to feed their often times unwarrented egos. Like having clean cabins for instance.(who in the world would want that?)
Tangible? They know Ffocus is there. Not an easy feat.
 
Art, this is my main issue with you guys. You seem very proud of your achievements, love to get your name in the papers for your achievements and look down on us not part of your club - through your better than thou attitudes noted in almost every post, "If others are aware of our "record of achievement", then perhaps you should open your eyes and look yourself" as a simple example.

If you guys are here to only make the employees feel better, then that’s great but just say so and I'm done. I love cheerleaders more than most.

However the posts of many of your friends (if not you directly) seem to always imply your great work and elite status compared to the rest of us. Making a difference means doing something. Caring must mean more than just saying you care, No? I was just asking what these great achievements were.

I guess in a way you answered this as honestly as possible and will move on as you suggested. But to have truth in advertising you should change your mission statement to read something like "making the employees of US Airways feel better about themselves and their jobs" because "strive to implement positive change" would need to also find some fault with others - not just the management. Oh yeah, please change "US Airways' most frequent and loyal customers" because I find it slightly insulting that you guys consider yourselves more loyal then me.

Cheers!
 
PhillyDave said:
If you guys are here to only make the employees feel better, then that’s great but just say so and I'm done. I love cheerleaders more than most.

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Promise? Ok. It was so nice to see that this will be your last post of the subject of FFOCUS.

I AM ONLY HERE TO MAKE THE EMPLOYEES FEEL BETTER AND TO GET MY NAME IN THE NEWSPAPER.

Now drop it......and remember your own quote.... "I'm done"
 
Dave,

Again you miss the point. I could care less about whose name gets into the paper, and I do not consider myself better than the next guy. There are others on this board who get what we're about and understand our mission. Feel free to read the mission statement on our website if that is not clear.

To be honest, things have changed somewhat, but our primary goal is still the long term survival and GROWTH of US Airways as an ongoing concern. While we started as a passenger advocacy group, we kind of added employee advocacy at some point. I won't get into the details on here but would be delighted to run through it with you via PM or email.

We never said we had "great" achievements to report, but we have made a difference. Again, some of the ideas we have discussed with CCY have taken form in one way or another--not to say they were our idea in the first place, but we got them to look at alternatives.

When a number of clubs were closed, we contacted US management and got them to explain their reasoning. I had numerous discussions with Consumer Affairs and with Marketing regarding clubs, and they were aware of the fact that business travelers were not happy. Do you want to call the reopening of the LAX club an accomplishment? It is, but I won't claim that we had a direct influence on that, but it's possible we did.

Were we responsible for the return of hot meals to F on transcons? I doubt it but we did pound the message home to them shortly after that happened.....We made them aware of the potential revenue loss from frequent fliers defecting for that reason.

Bottom line Dave, I don't want any credit, and I don't care if my name is in the paper....but when the reporters call, I will probably talk to them...As long as things improve, then our mission is accomplished--regardless of whether or not we had anything to do with the improvement.

Finally, in no way do we think we are more loyal than the next Chairmans Preferred member...that was never said or implied. But whether you choose to join us or just remain on your own, you show your own loyalty as you see fit. We would welcome you or any other customer or employee as a member without reservation...but you must agree that the Chairmans' Preferred group does constitute US' most loyal customer group....

So I will go on saying thank you to the front line employees who continue to shine in spite of everything, and to occasionally bring them some candy and offer kind words...and I will continue to fly US Airways.

Feel free to contact me via PM if you'd like to know more...and I'd love to meet up with you in PHL some time and buy you a drink.

Best,

Art
 
PhillyDave said:
If you guys are here to only make the employees feel better, then that’s great but just say so and I'm done. I love cheerleaders more than most.

I'm only here to support the employees. I've not once had my name in the paper (in connection with FFOCUS) and intentionally keep it that way.
 
Why all the bantor back and forth on who's done what?

Yeah, Yeah, I know we all have the right to an opinion and the right to express that opinion...AND that is exactly what I am doing...expressing my God given right and for that matter government given right.

But the "Look what we have done" image a few of you are trying sooo hard to convince the rest of us of, is silly. The largest majority of people on here are business people representing corporate America...the level of debate at times is what I would expect from my 3 teenagers.

So they got some media coverage..I'd just about bet ya that there are a few of you out there in cyber land that would LOVE for the media to notice you. Maybe that's where the jealous lies. (Just a thought)

Who cares who's in a "club" and who isn't..the fact of the matter is a few people got together, formed an advocate group and things took off from there. No one at any time said that every one that flies US has to join..nor have I ever seen where it states that if you are a certain level FF that you NEED to be a member. They have left the door open for whomever wants or doesn't want to join. There are plenty, on this very board, who support a great deal of what FFOCUS does BUT they aren't members. I personally believe what they are doing IS and HAS made an impact. Lots of U employees out there that truly appreciate what this group is all about. And I can only hope that things carry over to the newly merged company and that FFOCUS is able to continue with the postive impacts they make in a few lives while out traveling. (whether it be business or pleasure) And that they are able to solidify a positive line of communication between themselves, the employees, the customers, and the management staff of the new USAirways.
 
Art, Hope all see the difference in tone between your post and the one right before it by longing4piedmont. Can you guess where many of us get that your group is arrogant?

Anyways, thanks for your insightful post. I have rarely read your musings before and have only read a steady diet of longing4piedmont, clubfoursoumenting, P Bobby, etc.

You make good points and I may even agree with some. I now honestly believe that you do not "think we are more loyal than the next Chairman's Preferred member" but there is no denying that was more than implied by actions by more than one of your group. I have personally read their ugly attacks on others.

I also hope that you take my main criticism into account that by blindly supporting front line employees and blindly damning management you are doing all a disservice. I read someplace (maybe here or FT) but somebody posted that after they visited the PHL Baggage Claim department, they felt like they should have apologized to the rude "could not give a damn" US front line employee for disturbing her. I have had similar experiences as well, more than once. If only your group would honestly look at both sides and more objectively issue praise or scorn then even I may join - or at least stop carping!

I can not believe how stupid US management has been in the past but they are not all devils. Can Lakefireld be credited for anything, how about what most who are in the know say - that his team did a good job in regards to the merger, considering the circumstance? I admire most front line employees for their great work and positive attitudes during the last few years - but they are not all saints and some should be shown the door, today.

I look forward to meeting you for a drink, I will buy since you are such a gentleman. I also look forward to meeting those like longing4piedmont, etc. but for different reasons. :ph34r:

Peace

Oh, SweetThang_2_Piney, the reason many of us care is that FFOCUS promotes itself on their web site and in their press interviews as to representing US FF, of which we are also members so we care when others speak for us. If they would just say that "FFOCUS is eight people who do this as a hobby because we enjoy it and it gives us satisfaction but we by no means speak for anybody but ourselves" then I would be the very first to wish them well. Simple really.

Oh, one more note - you seem to think that I am angry at or jealous with FFOCUS. Nothing can be less true. I. like you and them are only posting my comments and that's all. I do find the debate interesting and the childish responses silly but please believe that it does not interrupt my sleep. I see many other anti FFOCUS posters get all mad in their posts, but that ain't me. Cheers!
 
longing4piedmont said:
As I thought, you have a hard keeping your word. Trolling maybe?

PDFTT

l4pi
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For some reason your confession just did not seem all that sincere. LOL

Remember :ph34r: