"We keep you alive to serve this ship!"

[BoeingBoy]

It is not just better managment or practices or work groups but a combination of all three plus the factor of 30 years. it cannot be duplicated in my opinion. They only chance is an airline from scratch and as you can already tell JBLU is having some trouble trying to do that.

Not to be harsh, but REACC1 said it - copout.

Until someone really tries to adapt WN's methods, no one will know if it'll bring success or not. So far, no one has - certainly not B6 despite popular misconception. Nor PE, FL, F9, etc. And most certainly not Song, Ted, MetroJet, etc.

FWIW, I've never been one to say that we should try to become another WN, if for no other reason than I'm convinced it would be corporate suicide - we'd never survive long enough to complete the transformation. But using that as an excuse not to learn from them (it's the employees, it's the history, it's the unions, it's the fuel hedges, etc) is an even bigger mistake in my opinion.

Heck, we could learn quite a few things from other legacy carriers.

Jim

 

[luvn737s]

US did, and LCC seems to be, trying to use low wages and short staffing as a poor substitute for efficiency.

U only knows how to play defensive ball. They can only react to whatever gets thrown their way: i.e. The FAA says do this or that and they dutifully jump through hoops to comply rather than say, "No we're going to accomplish the same goal this way and this is why". An employee group unionizes and the company thinks "How can we respond to this?" And develops an advesarial relationship rather than say, "We operate with this set of principals and we will work with whomever on an equal basis. We will not allow ourselves to be bogged down by petty squabbles". A competitor decides to do something and U reacts by mirroring them regardless of cost or loss, instead of saying, "Our plan for running a profitable business does not include letting someone else dictate how we spend our money. We won't give Delta (or whoever) our purse strings."

In short, it is the epitome of the tail wagging the dog. It takes effort to build the trust and credibility to be a leader: one that the financial world, labor and the FAA will let lead and one to whom they are willing to lend their wholehearted support.

You can't win if your only goal is not to lose. I think Joe Paterno may have said that.

U should be a great U; an airline that offers substantial domestic and international connectivity to cities that can produce sufficient yield. It should be known for being dependable as well as a good value. Nothing more, nothing less.

It should not be a poor imitation of WN.

 

[REACC1]

POOF, They're gone.

 

[Phoenix]

I could not have said it better, myself.

I, too, have many questions that would, by those taking "soma", consider to be non-issues.

SOMA... Nicely done. Those who took it are forever lost and now believe anything.

For the record, Charlie Brown took Soma, Lucy did not.

 

[azfyer]

This news just in…
Big changes in store for the "New" US Airways.
Tempe based US Airways announced today in an attempt to adapt to the Southwest Airlines model of success will stop all international flying effective this fall, will retire all widebody aircraft to a fleet of only Airbus A319, A320 and perhaps A321. They will do away with all first class cabins, all meal services, including the Buy On Board option. Seat assignments will be eliminated adopting the ever so popular Cattle Car boarding process. The frequent flyer program will be changed to a plan such as Southwest's, where a flyer can get a free ticket after flying 8 segments on the "New" US Airways. They will be removed from the popular "Star Alliance" network and will no longer interline bags or tickets with any other carriers.
The biggest change will be that they will close all Hubs other than Charlotte and Phoenix. All other destinations will be on a point to point flying basis.
All of these changes will take effect in September, after the busy summer travel period in hopes of being able to make the profits that Southwest does and pay their employees even better than Southwest.

 

[USCREW]

This news just in…
Big changes in store for the "New" US Airways.
Tempe based US Airways announced today in an attempt to adapt to the Southwest Airlines model of success will stop all international flying effective this fall, will retire all widebody aircraft to a fleet of only Airbus A319, A320 and perhaps A321. They will do away with all first class cabins, all meal services, including the Buy On Board option. Seat assignments will be eliminated adopting the ever so popular Cattle Car boarding process. The frequent flyer program will be changed to a plan such as Southwest's, where a flyer can get a free ticket after flying 8 segments on the "New" US Airways. They will be removed from the popular "Star Alliance" network and will no longer interline bags or tickets with any other carriers.
The biggest change will be that they will close all Hubs other than Charlotte and Phoenix. All other destinations will be on a point to point flying basis.
All of these changes will take effect in September, after the busy summer travel period in hopes of being able to make the profits that Southwest does and pay their employees even better than Southwest.

Uh Huh... Need to adjust TV antenna...channel wBSn is whacked out again!

 

[azfyer]

HUM???
I guess that SHUT everybody up!!!!

 

[Harry Callahan]

That is kinda easy, they have always done it that way so the employees have that expectation. From the old US Airways people I hear "we cannot do with less staff or do more work we have already been cut to the bone" seems to be a common refreign but when you look at the numbers in some departments even after all the east cuts west was doing much more with less, we just alwasy did it that way too.
Doug said at the last qtrly call that our definitions of frugal are different and ultimatetly that will be the biggest merger challange. People are creatures of habit and it is hard to get more work for someone then what they have settled into. SWA culture doesn't allow for settling.
Just a made up for illistration. SWA does function A with 6 people have for 20 years, AWA did function A with 8 people, US did function a with 20 2 Bk's cut that back to 12 they think that is almost unmanagable, how do you get them to do it w/ any fewer? And that doesn't even take into account pay cuts. If you used to do X for $20 dollars and hour how do you get 2X for $12? It is a big issue? I think it is one only time can work out.

I can tell you right now where I work we are so short not a day goes by that some one is not getting hurt trying to "do more with less" I hope you are happy!

 

[Doc]

The troops are getting restless.

USAirways management need to start to consider their employees, and fairly negotiate these transition agreements.

Employees need to have an incentive in their wages in order to meet the needs of their families.

Enough sacrificing already....its time to place some 'snap backs' into all the groups wages.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA