Pending Delta Layoffs

[WorldTraveler]

'cause you can't shake someone's hand over the internet. If you really want to seal a deal or fix a problem, it's still best to show your face in person. And business travelers don't pay high fares anymore. Higher than the lowest leisure but there are many leisure passengers that are willing to pay the higher fares.

The hardest thing for me to watch with the legacy airlines is that they seem to be taking the approach of making their employees so miserable that they want to leave... but as long as they are there they are miserable and it shows to everyone around. The best thing airlines could do is give their high-priced employees one year to find a new job, then give them a pass card, and tell them to get lost. GM has apparently decided it is going to follow the airline industry model for downsizing since it has worked so well for the airlines.

Yes, DALMD88, the lowest seniority employees are often the ones that walk first because they have the least amount invested in an airline and have the most to gain by starting over soon. However, there are mid-seniority and even high seniority employees that are walking away and freezing the pension plan at DL will take away most of the incentive for the senior folks to stay - except for the pass card. Yes, it is alot harder to get hired by someone when your in your 50s and beyond, but many people are opening their own businesses anyway.

 

[RDU Jetblast]

When I left DAL in '94, I was 30. I watched a 50 y.o. coworker agonize over taking the early out during 7.0 while having a kid in college and a new mortgage. I didn't want to ever be in his shoes so I took the voluntary furlough.

My coworker left and did pretty good for himself. I know when you are on the inside looking out it is scary, but it won't kill you. I think most people will end up making less but end up being happier. You will cut fat, rearrange your budget, make sacrifices but you will be happier. And you know what? you'll never fear losing another job again because you will always be fincially prepared to weather a loss of income.

Shakin' hands to close a deal? ok, once in a while. Used to be, people traveled frequently to build relationships and close the deal. Now relationships are built online. Hence, much less travel. The country is broken into regions where regions have local technical support and sales reps. A lot of travel is being done by car when travel necessary because customer service demands that service be timely.

As for technical support? You'd be amazed at how far advanced the world is compared to aviation. Do you know that the technology to look into an aircrafts's systems while it's in flight exists and that a faulty part could be detected before the aircraft pulls to the gate? Do you know how much time that would save? But. it's not done.

My company has online corporate phone/video conferencing were over 200 people attend. Noone leaves their offices.

Ironically, families are losing touch with each other.

 

[WorldTraveler]

RDU,
you are correct about technology but I don't think airlines are in any danger of not having enough people to carry around the world. Statistics simply don't support that overall travel is declining. There is something ingrained in humans that wants to roam, even if it's not for the job. Further, the world is shrinking and is becoming more diverse so what might be lost in domestic travel is going to be replaced by an increase in the number of people going to and from their motherlands. American families may not be as strong as they once were but that doesn't mean all relationships are falling apart and it doesn't mean the rest of the world behaves the way Americans do (thank goodness). Further, there are more and more people who commute by air to work - many of them from one side of the country to the other.

 

[RDU Jetblast]

True, but the legacy carrier bussiness model was built around the business traveler and not the leisure traveller.

They're the ones who paid $600-1000.00 for coach at the drop of a hat because it was the cost of doing business. They offset the price of tickets for leisure travellers who could plan their departures. They also paid the great salaries airline employees enjoyed in the past. Business travel is declining and leisure travel, arguably, is rising hence the business model is not working. I say arguably because a lot of aircraft have been parked and not replaced.

With Fedex, UPS, DHL, fax machines and e-mail, even freight income is in decline.

Business is still with us, the need to travel is not because of technology.