Travels2mch
Veteran
I'd be curious to see how many he got....I sent mine last night.Just sent Sen Specter an email voicing my support on the way he is handling Douie and USAir!!
Public Rebuke of US Airways CEO
- Thread starter linemech
- Start date
Travels2mch
Veteran
longing4piedmont
Veteran
What is his email address? I have couple things I like to share with him as well..........
trvlr64
Veteran
legacy-to-LCC
Veteran
- Feb 20, 2004
- 778
- 2
proceed with caution, PB!! i sense another hostile email from an amatuer usairways (read: HP) vp on the way if you do that...
HighFlyerMiami
Member
- Aug 22, 2005
- 51
- 0
From http://runwaygirl.blogspot.com/
Parking in a Pile: US Airways CEO Faces the Specter of Common Sense
Every now and then, when I emerge from my home office in Lancaster County, outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I catch a whiff of the Dairy Farm down the road. It’s a powerful scent, but it’s no longer entirely unpleasant. My tolerance for ####, it seems, has increased.
Why then did I find yesterday’s joint press conference of Senator Arlen Specter and US Airways CEO Doug Parker so uncomfortable to watch? Perhaps it’s because a 77-year lawmaker, who has battled a brain tumor, bypass heart surgery and Hodgen’s Disease, with somewhat halting speech was able to back Parker into a corner, and make his carefully tailored explanation for why US Airways is threatening to withdraw plans for Philadelphia-Beijing service seem, well, foul-smelling.
US Airways’ threat, by the way, is being made in response to Delta Air Lines' move next week from Philadelphia’s Terminal E to Terminal A-East, which will make more room for Southwest Airlines at Terminal E, and strip US Airways of three of 16 widebody gates at the international concourse.
It’s a deal struck by Philadelphia a couple of years ago when US Airways was floundering under its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, and made sense for the airport at the time, Parker admits. Now-profitable, the dominant carrier at Philadelphia doesn't quite see the sense anymore. In addition to its warning about Beijing, the carrier says it may have to shrink its entire international operation at Philly, and divert service to its Charlotte and Phoenix hubs.
The most-talked-about moment of the press conference came when Specter – still furious over US Airways’ planned draw-down at Pittsburgh – responded to the carrier's new Phillly threat by saying: “In talking to Mr Parker, I said to him, and I don’t use this word lightly, it sounds like extortion.â€
But for me, things turned most interesting at the end.
Asked repeatedly by Specter if US Airways – which claims to have a bevy of solutions to solve the gate problem - has ever in fact offered to give up two or three of its total 67 domestic gates to facilitate Delta’s plans, Parker hemmed and hawed and finally said: “I don’t know that we said that specifically because there are other airlines flying less domestic than we do.â€
Specter retorted: “You don’t know. That’s the answer.â€
Parking in a Pile: US Airways CEO Faces the Specter of Common Sense
Every now and then, when I emerge from my home office in Lancaster County, outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I catch a whiff of the Dairy Farm down the road. It’s a powerful scent, but it’s no longer entirely unpleasant. My tolerance for ####, it seems, has increased.
Why then did I find yesterday’s joint press conference of Senator Arlen Specter and US Airways CEO Doug Parker so uncomfortable to watch? Perhaps it’s because a 77-year lawmaker, who has battled a brain tumor, bypass heart surgery and Hodgen’s Disease, with somewhat halting speech was able to back Parker into a corner, and make his carefully tailored explanation for why US Airways is threatening to withdraw plans for Philadelphia-Beijing service seem, well, foul-smelling.
US Airways’ threat, by the way, is being made in response to Delta Air Lines' move next week from Philadelphia’s Terminal E to Terminal A-East, which will make more room for Southwest Airlines at Terminal E, and strip US Airways of three of 16 widebody gates at the international concourse.
It’s a deal struck by Philadelphia a couple of years ago when US Airways was floundering under its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, and made sense for the airport at the time, Parker admits. Now-profitable, the dominant carrier at Philadelphia doesn't quite see the sense anymore. In addition to its warning about Beijing, the carrier says it may have to shrink its entire international operation at Philly, and divert service to its Charlotte and Phoenix hubs.
The most-talked-about moment of the press conference came when Specter – still furious over US Airways’ planned draw-down at Pittsburgh – responded to the carrier's new Phillly threat by saying: “In talking to Mr Parker, I said to him, and I don’t use this word lightly, it sounds like extortion.â€
But for me, things turned most interesting at the end.
Asked repeatedly by Specter if US Airways – which claims to have a bevy of solutions to solve the gate problem - has ever in fact offered to give up two or three of its total 67 domestic gates to facilitate Delta’s plans, Parker hemmed and hawed and finally said: “I don’t know that we said that specifically because there are other airlines flying less domestic than we do.â€
Specter retorted: “You don’t know. That’s the answer.â€
songbirdstew
Senior
- Sep 10, 2003
- 478
- 51
Sickening and disgusting to the point that I almost barfed on my keyboard when Doug stated "America West SAVED USAirways!" Like we should be grateful for the crappy management that we have now AND he actually believes that Tempe DID save the East side.....give this man an insanity plea and lock him up !
On the other hand, Sen Specter got my e-mail thanking him tonight...Go Arlen GO !!!!
My favorite part of the news conference is when Parker was asked just how many Intl Gates USair has in Phl.......now seeing how Philly is the most profitable hub and it involves Intl gates...A person would assume the man in charge would know.......NOT...Had to ask Kirby!!!! 
Travels2mch
Veteran
Especially since that was the reason he was there........you'd think the stupid a$$ would have done his homework.My favorite part of the news conference is when Parker was asked just how many Intl Gates USair has in Phl.......now seeing how Philly is the most profitable hub and it involves Intl gates...A person would assume the man in charge would know.......NOT...Had to ask Kirby!!!!
songbirdstew, don't spin the words . he said that usairways was saved by consolidation. he is right . if usairways and america west would not have merged usairways would have liquidated. we all know that. and we all know that america west would have gone into bankruptcy. he never said that "america west saved usairways" now that we should be grateful ? i wouldn't go that far.
Mrs. Doubtflier
Member
- Mar 24, 2006
- 59
- 0
Watch this video more than once.... here is what I saw.
US Airways and Doug in particuliar, got set up. I like Arlen Spector alot, but it was a set up.
US Airways, under a number of CEO's, has been letting PIT know that despite all the great things PIT is , it was a goner. US Airways delayed as long as possible and put whatever it could in there (even MidAtlantic's original base) but it just was sadly unavoidable.
If the business is there as the politicians say and we are just "deserting" PIT, why aren't other airlines salivating over the gates like they are in rotten old Philly. The lawmakers may not want to admit that they can't get high interest from any airline and they are scapegoating US for all of the changes in the region and their own lack of initiative.
Quote from the meeting "Spector and Casey sent letters to Parker urging severence packages to all displaced employees" US did comply with the F/A buy out and was probably willing to discuss more.
I got the feeling that PA held out the carrot of the retention of the international gates to Doug and then snatched it back at today's meeting because...... other airlines, who are anticipating a forced reduction of JFK flights by the goverment, are making promises and getting these guys into their pockets (without them having to do anything in PIT I might add). Then accuse US of extortion.
Doug said numerous times that we had promised PHL expanded international service and want to deliver but he wanted to deal with the facts. and anyone who works here knows it IS a fact that we cannot aford to lose those gates and operate well, much less expand. Especially with Bejing, our longest flight. After that many hours on a plane you can't keep pax out on the tarmac too. Spector saying that the loss of these gates is not a big deal is just playing dumb.
A reporter asking Doug, "How do you spin your way out of that?" C'mon....what a set up by the politicos And if you don't believe that it was watch a few episodes of the West Wing.
Again, I will say that I like Spector, love PIT, but Spector's sarcasm and paternalistic prodding of Doug was pure showboating. "Well did you offer Delta domestic gates? Answer the question, did you? JSee, it is Doug's job to keep our market share in PHL, especially connections for the expanded int'l. If you tell me I must I will give them up but I am not going to offer! Spector mentions Delta too many times..... psychology and lobbyists at work! Spector made it sound like the necessity of sending int'l flights to PHX or CLT, if PHL lacks capacity, was a betrayal. Maybe because the lawmakers intent was to force US Int'l back to PIT and give Delta what they want at PHL? Hmmmmm.......
Watch it more than once......Doug did display graciousness, and yes stuttering graciousness, after being blindsided, manipulated and introduced in a disdainful and dismissive way.
And one has to ask.....why was a press conference scheduled if there was no specific positive announcement that was supposed to be made today? And the two questions were consolidation (watch the big sigh) and spin?
It was a set up. Spector even calls him Mr. Barker at one point.......
And no I am not management or a kool-aid drinker...this was just too obvious
US Airways and Doug in particuliar, got set up. I like Arlen Spector alot, but it was a set up.
US Airways, under a number of CEO's, has been letting PIT know that despite all the great things PIT is , it was a goner. US Airways delayed as long as possible and put whatever it could in there (even MidAtlantic's original base) but it just was sadly unavoidable.
If the business is there as the politicians say and we are just "deserting" PIT, why aren't other airlines salivating over the gates like they are in rotten old Philly. The lawmakers may not want to admit that they can't get high interest from any airline and they are scapegoating US for all of the changes in the region and their own lack of initiative.
Quote from the meeting "Spector and Casey sent letters to Parker urging severence packages to all displaced employees" US did comply with the F/A buy out and was probably willing to discuss more.
I got the feeling that PA held out the carrot of the retention of the international gates to Doug and then snatched it back at today's meeting because...... other airlines, who are anticipating a forced reduction of JFK flights by the goverment, are making promises and getting these guys into their pockets (without them having to do anything in PIT I might add). Then accuse US of extortion.
Doug said numerous times that we had promised PHL expanded international service and want to deliver but he wanted to deal with the facts. and anyone who works here knows it IS a fact that we cannot aford to lose those gates and operate well, much less expand. Especially with Bejing, our longest flight. After that many hours on a plane you can't keep pax out on the tarmac too. Spector saying that the loss of these gates is not a big deal is just playing dumb.
A reporter asking Doug, "How do you spin your way out of that?" C'mon....what a set up by the politicos And if you don't believe that it was watch a few episodes of the West Wing.
Again, I will say that I like Spector, love PIT, but Spector's sarcasm and paternalistic prodding of Doug was pure showboating. "Well did you offer Delta domestic gates? Answer the question, did you? JSee, it is Doug's job to keep our market share in PHL, especially connections for the expanded int'l. If you tell me I must I will give them up but I am not going to offer! Spector mentions Delta too many times..... psychology and lobbyists at work! Spector made it sound like the necessity of sending int'l flights to PHX or CLT, if PHL lacks capacity, was a betrayal. Maybe because the lawmakers intent was to force US Int'l back to PIT and give Delta what they want at PHL? Hmmmmm.......
Watch it more than once......Doug did display graciousness, and yes stuttering graciousness, after being blindsided, manipulated and introduced in a disdainful and dismissive way.
And one has to ask.....why was a press conference scheduled if there was no specific positive announcement that was supposed to be made today? And the two questions were consolidation (watch the big sigh) and spin?
It was a set up. Spector even calls him Mr. Barker at one point.......
And no I am not management or a kool-aid drinker...this was just too obvious
Dog Wonder
Veteran
If it was a setup why was Parker such a stumbling willing patsy?
He couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag.
He couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag.
