PI merger

[700UW]

Colondy was not a leader of a big airline he was in over his head, mirror image, only bought PI cause of TW trying to buy US, canceling the 767 orders then having to place the order and pay $10 million more per plane for the last three, dismantling of the Florida Shuttle?

And who remembers the Colodny guarantee complete with money to call him personally so you dont vote the union in on the ramp.

Shall I go on?

 

[sbtinme]

I have thought about the 20th anniversary all this week. I was travelling, as well, and just had a minute to log in and read others' thoughts.

I was on the last PI flight into RIC on 5 AUG, 1989 and it was from LGA. It was a 737 (can't remember now what version), but immediately upon landing, the captain made a very emotional speech over the PA to the entire cabin that lasted nearly 5 minutes. He talked while we taxied about his early days with the carrier and what the airline had meant to him and his family. He talked about the unusual sense of familial bond the employees shared. He talked about Tom Davis and his incredible dream and what he had accomplished with his little airline from INT.

I was misty-eyed the whole time and, as I looked around, several of my fellow pax were dabbing their eyes. Everyone was listening intently to the captain's every word.

At the end of his speech, the captain's voice trailed off and it was obvious he was crying. We pulled into the gate at RIC and, for the first time I could ever recall, the flight deck door remained closed while the pax disembarked.

On my way out of the terminal, I walked around to the PI ticket counter and saw the sign company had just arrived and was preparing to begin removing all of the PI signage. By 5am the next morning, there was NO sign of PI and no sign that it had ever existed.

Mirror image and all that stuff.

 

[Real tired]

"The bird is dead, the color is red"..................

Remember that?

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> Ed Colodny was required to retire at age 60, as decreed by the company charter, had he stayed at the helm a few more years, it would've been a much different story

More 737s instead of 757s?

Colondy

¿Qué?

 

[JAMAKE1]

All I can say is that the PI Spirit still lives each time I pass through CLT. The agents there still possess a human kindness that I rarely see at major hub airports. In spite of all they've been through during the past 20 years, in general, they still give people the time of day...without attitude or making the customer feel like they are burdensome.

To be completely fair however, I have had similarly positive experiences connecting in PHX, but the PI Spirit does make CLT a favorite airport of mine to connect through. 😉

 

[nycbusdriver]

David Seigel actually explored changing the name of US Airways to Piedmont during his tenure as US CEO.

This should tell you all you need to know about Piedmont's reputation.

It was closer to happening then you might think.

Actually, I thought at the time, and still think, that for the character of the airline it appeared Colodny was trying to build, USAir was the best name to keep. PSA and Piedmont are names which are very regional in character, as was America West.

But they got it entirely bass ackwards. They kept the mega-carrier name, and at every opportunity used their (Colodny, Schofield, Wolf, Siegel, Parker) regional mentality to give the airline a regional character with some international routes that they execute very poorly.

 

[WCT]

All I can say is that the PI Spirit still lives each time I pass through CLT. The agents there still possess a human kindness that I rarely see at major hub airports. In spite of all they've been through during the past 20 years, in general, they still give people the time of day...without attitude or making the customer feel like they are burdensome.

To be completely fair however, I have had similarly positive experiences connecting in PHX, but the PI Spirit does make CLT a favorite airport of mine to connect through. 😉

Thank You Very Much for the great Compliment in Phoenix!!! The West spirit, and PSA still exisists and makes up a lot of great people in the West Coast!
I was too young to remember Piedmont, being from DEN, but I do remember the Old Frontier Airlines, and America West as an UM, and enjoying seeing my grandparents in Scottsdale. AlSO, United, and getting a steak dinner from PHX-DEN. Wow, those were the times!!!
SHAME America West is still getting a bad rap being US Air. 😱

 

[Pacemaker]

Actually, I thought at the time, and still think, that for the character of the airline it appeared Colodny was trying to build, USAir was the best name to keep. PSA and Piedmont are names which are very regional in character, as was America West.

But they got it entirely bass ackwards. They kept the mega-carrier name, and at every opportunity used their (Colodny, Schofield, Wolf, Siegel, Parker) regional mentality to give the airline a regional character with some international routes that they execute very poorly.

I think you're right on - this company came to a major fork in the road in the late 80's on how to handle the mergers and how to go forward and got it all exactly wrong and laid the foundation for everything that's happened since. The airline is basically a large version of Comair with Airbuses and some European routes and that's been the governing mentality the last 20 years.

 

[UPNAWAY]

You don't suppose any one in Tempe is old enough to have learned from those mistakes?

Tempe was certianly worried about culture. There was even a VP of culture. AWA had a more lean, more creative, more do whatever it takes attitude across the orginization. They tried to continue that but it is obvious the US AIR "We don't do it that way, we have done it this way for 20 years" culture has won out. In my mind the two biggest merger mistakes was keeping any Directors and above from US Airways and not changing the name. Those two things would have let people build a new airline instead of thinking they are the same company they have always been.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Then the short answer to the question is.

No.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

The "coulda, shoulda, woulda" airline. So true, so sad.

 

[tadjr]

They tried to continue that but it is obvious the US AIR "We don't do it that way, we have done it this way for 20 years" culture has won out. In my mind the two biggest merger mistakes was keeping any Directors and above from US Airways and not changing the name. Those two things would have let people build a new airline instead of thinking they are the same company they have always been.

We havent done anything the same for 20 years. I've been here 24 and it seems like the only people who are guaranteed a job are the ones who keep changing things. They keep changing things every day and not necessarily for the best. Customer Service and policies in particular, especially since the last merger.
Agree about the name change though. They shouldnt have pretended to still be US, but adapt most of the old HP policies and thought process. They should have started from scratch and then people wouldnt have expected x or y from the old days of either carrier. It's a new airline with new policies and a new outlook and approach to doing business. That way some people (fliers from the old HP and US) wouldnt have been as pissed off as they were when US decided to go the direction its gone recently.
Also another big mistake, IMO, is still basically having two separate airlines for all intents and purposes with a couple of groups mixed together. I saw the paycheck of someone who transferred in who was old HP and her check still says America West on the outside. What kind of culture building is this?

Guess I better add something to stay on topic. I miss the old Speedbird days. Someone asked me the other day why did I miss it, PI treated you like c###. At the time we were young and pay was not that great (um, kind of like US starting pay today????) but we had fun doing our job and management got their employees to work because they treated them well. (Crisp $100 Xmas card gift?) We worked hard, but we had fun too. We used to have contests between the inside and outside to see who could be finished first turning a full 727 and if we could do it in less than 30 mins. Losers had to buy coffee. Everyone worked together to get the job done no matter what because it was a matter of pride. That doesnt happen anymore because it seems like no one is held accountable and management appears to just be on a witch hunt to get rid of people for every little issue and they give out limited to no good jobs or atta boys given out.

 

[Dog Wonder]

You are right.

The PI work ethic was rewarded.

HP could care less about the front line.

Bottom line morons.

 

[AstroLounge]

Tempe was certianly worried about culture. There was even a VP of culture. AWA had a more lean, more creative, more do whatever it takes attitude across the orginization. They tried to continue that but it is obvious the US AIR "We don't do it that way, we have done it this way for 20 years" culture has won out. In my mind the two biggest merger mistakes was keeping any Directors and above from US Airways and not changing the name. Those two things would have let people build a new airline instead of thinking they are the same company they have always been.

"IF" tempe were truly concerned about CULTURE they certainly had a helluva way of proving it. (Their half arsced launch of "I make US fly" was probably one of the cheesiest, goofiest, amateurish marketing spliel of all time.) The NAME may be USAIRWAYS but the chopped up cabins/galleys, total product and SHARES is directly attributed to AWA and Team Tempe. Just because its Monday and the flavour of koolaid may have changed........THE FACTS certainly DO NOT!

 

[LD3]

I think Bob sums it clearly "coulda, shoulda, woulda". Working at the airlines used to be a privilege, now it's a gimmie..and that sucks. These young kids have no idea what it used to be like, it was family. I wonder when the last time a new hire was sent off to find a bin stretcher or prop wash..