US Airways response to USA Today article

[Dont call me Shirley]

Anyone have access to the company's internal statement about the USA Today article? I hear it's a hoot.
I missed the original article as well. The airline is hardly mentioned, I guess what got Tempe fired up is the chart.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-09-15-airlinecomplaints15_ST2_N.htm

 

[BoeingBoy]

I think this is the article they're referring to:

Article

Since USA Today looked at 5 years of data, the gist of US' response was that people don't care about how an airline performed in customer service 3, 4, 5 years ago, they care about how it's performing today. Then the pep talk about how good US is doing in the DOT metrics now.

What US doesn't address is the occasional traveler who thinks "US is a little cheaper (or has a better schedule or whatever) but everything went wrong when I flew them 3 years ago so maybe a little extra to fly someone else is a good idea." Or the FF who got tired of all the problems 3-5 years ago and moved their business to another airline and likely won't be back.

Jim

 

[SparrowHawk]

Hester defends airlines for charging fees for checked bags and other services — a sore subject for many passengers. "We have to find a way to make our industry profitable," she says. "It's critical to find new sources of revenue. If we can't do that, we'll cease to exist."

Southwest has found otherwise, however. It posted its 37th-consecutive annual profit last year and doesn't charge additional fees for most services.

"The lack of baggage fees really helps them stand out from the crowd," says Ron Mazurek, a frequent flier in Maricopa, Ariz., who has flown about 28 round-trip flights on eight U.S. airlines this year.

But bag fees aren't the only reason he's dissatisfied with all the airlines he's flown, except Southwest. He says it's because customer service on the others "is almost non-existent."

Boyo Boyo do I have a lot to say on this topic. Problem is I've said it all before. I'm just about livid over Ms Hester's comment above as it goes directly to the point I have been making all along.

I find the "We cease to exist" comment most interesting as my first thought was "Then maybe you shouldn't exist". SW has no problem making money without bag fees and slave wages/benefits. Imean c'mon Doug Parker is supposed to be Boy Wonder of aviation how is it that Bourbon Swilling Herb Kelleher and his proteges can whip DP's assets for top to bottom?

From CASM, Customer Satisfaction, On-Time, Baggage Handling, pick the criteria and WN usually wins going away.

This is just another example of US Airways striving to be just as Mr Parker described them, "Good Enough" They play with numbers so the airline looks good, but how good is it really? What's behind those numbers?

Profit when earned at the expense of the poorest paid workforce in the majors is not good business it's exploitation. Profit attained by holding your customers in contempt is the living definition of Arrogance.

Generally speaking Exploitation, Arrogance and Contempt are not solid foundations upon which to build a stable enterprise.

 

[Travelpro72]

Sparrow that is a FANTASTIC post.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Sparrow that is a FANTASTIC post.

Thank you Travel Pro. I've been flying more lately so more on the warpath I guess.