Who's Your Daddy?

[Travelpro72]

I disagree. While he has had some issues, Parker has manged to keep the company afloat thru some of the most difficult times this industry has seen.

So has every CEO of every other airline out there. Your point?

 

[Sandy Eggo]

Hey Marketing!

How about a new US Theme Song? Catchy and upbeat! C'mon...at least for one TV commerical! We all know that Southwest would make the most of this opportunity!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4TOR7856d4&feature=related

 

[nycbasedfa]

As a CO employee, I am completely embarassed by our CEO's comments. I have non-revved on US both domestic and also overseas to FRA & FCO. US crews & ground staff have been outstanding - honestly, between all of the major US airlines, I see very few differences from one to the other. In all cases, please know that our CEO does not reflect our views - we respect our co-workers @ US and do NOT view US as the "ugly girl". Shame on Jeff.

 

[etops1]

As a CO employee, I am completely embarassed by our CEO's comments. I have non-revved on US both domestic and also overseas to FRA & FCO. US crews & ground staff have been outstanding - honestly, between all of the major US airlines, I see very few differences from one to the other. In all cases, please know that our CEO does not reflect our views - we respect our co-workers @ US and do NOT view US as the "ugly girl". Shame on Jeff.

Thank you very Much. I must say that I have much respect for CO employees myself.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Doug is an idiot! See my other posts!

He's not an idiot. He certainly knows how to look out for Doug Parker.

I would say he's ignorant (rather than idiotic) in that he doesn't seem to have the background to actually run an airline. His focus is misplaced and misguided. I think it was Herb Kelleher who said (I am paraphrasing) that taking care of the customer is of primary importance, and it's easy to do by taking care of the employees. Happy employees make for happy customers.

Doug is interested in happy stockholders, happy Doug Parker and Happy Hour. He comes from the Frank Lorenzo school of airline tyranny and focuses entirely on the bottom line, sprinting past a $20 bill on the sidewalk to pick up a nickel in the gutter. And then patting himself on the back for grabbing that nickel.

Ignorance in this case can be easily cured by looking at the most successful companies and their corporate cultures. But one must have the desire to be cured, and know-it-all ignoramuses are not usually of that caliber.

 

[Travelpro72]

The way US is run is strictly the bottom dollar. Want glass in first class? Money Want an overall competitive product? Money Hey Doug if you want a company that will thrive and kick ass then treat your employees well along with your customers. Doug Parker is here STRICTLY for the shareholders. Absolutely 100% true. It doesn't take Stevie Wonder to see that. The sad part of it all is he along with the rest of his gang on the top floor of HQ on Rio Dorito Blvd will NEVER understand that.

 

[Sandy Eggo]

Yikes! Does this guy ever stop with the dumb bragging in the press? At least Doug has the good sense not to boast about bad driving after a party.

While driving home along an empty stretch of freeway from a dinner party at a senior executive's house outside Houston, the ultracompetitive Bethune thought he'd leave his underling, Smisek, in the dust and pulled away in his Porsche at 130 miles per hour.

When Bethune looked in his rearview mirror, he couldn't find Smisek. Then, he looked to his right. There, passing him was a Nissan Infinity. The driver rolled down his window, grinned then waved. It was Smisek.


Oh Well, you know what they say about Men with Fast Cars.....

 

[wings396]

So has every CEO of every other airline out there. Your point?

My "Point' is that he did his job as did the other CEO's making him every bit as good as they are. Secondly, he had to keep a company with much less cash on hand operating thru these times. I'm sure you can recall the issue of falling below a certain amount of cash on hand to satisfy the credit card companies, and how Parker was able to get US some breathing room on that one. He can get very creative when it comes to financing, and had he not been able to pull a few hat-tricks, US may not have survived. Most of the other airlines were in much better shape going into the economic downturn coupled with the high oil prices that were killing everybody.

 

[john john]

My "Point' is that he did his job as did the other CEO's Most of the other airlines were in much better shape going into the economic downturn coupled with the high oil prices that were killing everybody.

????????????????

 

[US1YFARE]

Oh Well, you know what they say about Men with Fast Cars.....

They attract more women....does that make United and Continental liptstick lesbians since Smisek said he is the "pretty girl"?

 

[signals]

Nero fiddles and Rome burns

 

[Art at ISP]

Why don't we all try to dig through the rhetoric, the nonsense and the rest of the noise and let's deal with the problem itself:

US is NOT an attractive merger partner to ANY other carrier in its current form, PERIOD.

Let's take a stab at an OBJECTIVE look as to why:

1. Labor issues- the pilots' labor dispute refuses to go away, with no hope of resolution in sight. The COC clause would need to also be resolved, because no airline such as AA is going to allow US be the acquiring carrier-that is a fantasy.

2. US has some of the best employees in the industry, but with just about the worst morale. This contributes to many of the customer service issues which remain pervasive at US today. In order to fix this, management needs to think of employees as ASSETS not LIABILITIES as they are currently regarded. This goes hand in hand with the next point below.

3. US has improved of late, but customer service is still significantly lacking. US policies and programs are among the least customer friendly in the industry, and the policy of charging for just about everything needs to change. While I can acknowledge that some of the standard fees such as luggage, food in coach and change fees aren't going anywhere, ridiculous programs like Choice Seats needs to be dumped. Time will tell how much their attempt to collect an extra $20-$100 per passenger for good seats will end up costing in the end. Anecdotal evidence we have gathered shows that this was the last straw for some of the few high yield business travelers left, and I know of more than a few 200K flyers who refuse to fly US again until this is reversed. US should realize they can't bite the hand that feeds them. While other carriers are improving service and recognition of loyal fliers who DO pay more and carry much more than their fair share of the financial contribution, US is content to remain penny wise and pound foolish and screw their BEST customers.

4. Identity Crisis- US, 5 years after a merger which is STILL not complete, still cannot figure out what it wants to be when it grows up...It tries to be an LCC when in fact it is anything but, and it tries to be a legacy, and fails miserably by comparison to the others. US needs to decide which it's going to be and go full speed ahead. If they want to get rid of First altogether, so be it, but then you better adjust your fares to WN levels. And if you want to play legacy in the big boys sandbox, then you better think of new amenities and services which will be necessary to woo back business travelers.

At the end of the day, none of the other airlines need US with its baggage and problems...it's worth more in pieces than it is whole--which brings up an entirely different topic, which we won't go into here.

Doug and Scott have done a decent job for shareholders and themselves, but they retain a Customer and Employee be damned attitude which is eventually going to come back and bite them big time......

My BEST to you all!

 

[Travelpro72]

Yes for keeping the lights on I throw myself before Doug and company and say, "Thank You" while kissing his ring. PLEASE! ! ! ! It is this VERY management that is responsible for the state of the airline. Actually it is the employees who have kept the lights on at this airline through BK paycuts, west employees without raises for years, etc. This team has NO IDEA how to expand and grow the company "organically". The purpose is clear why our management team is in place. It sure as HELL isn't for you and I. Every other carrier out there is courting the business flier more and more by the day. Not this cracker jack, shoe string airline. The high cost of CHEAP has turned it's ugly head and bit US right in the backside.

 

[signals]

Why don't we all try to dig through the rhetoric, the nonsense and the rest of the noise and let's deal with the problem itself:

US is NOT an attractive merger partner to ANY other carrier in its current form, PERIOD.

Let's take a stab at an OBJECTIVE look as to why:

1. Labor issues- the pilots' labor dispute refuses to go away, with no hope of resolution in sight. The COC clause would need to also be resolved, because no airline such as AA is going to allow US be the acquiring carrier-that is a fantasy.

2. US has some of the best employees in the industry, but with just about the worst morale. This contributes to many of the customer service issues which remain pervasive at US today. In order to fix this, management needs to think of employees as ASSETS not LIABILITIES as they are currently regarded. This goes hand in hand with the next point below.

3. US has improved of late, but customer service is still significantly lacking. US policies and programs are among the least customer friendly in the industry, and the policy of charging for just about everything needs to change. While I can acknowledge that some of the standard fees such as luggage, food in coach and change fees aren't going anywhere, ridiculous programs like Choice Seats needs to be dumped. Time will tell how much their attempt to collect an extra $20-$100 per passenger for good seats will end up costing in the end. Anecdotal evidence we have gathered shows that this was the last straw for some of the few high yield business travelers left, and I know of more than a few 200K flyers who refuse to fly US again until this is reversed. US should realize they can't bite the hand that feeds them. While other carriers are improving service and recognition of loyal fliers who DO pay more and carry much more than their fair share of the financial contribution, US is content to remain penny wise and pound foolish and screw their BEST customers.

4. Identity Crisis- US, 5 years after a merger which is STILL not complete, still cannot figure out what it wants to be when it grows up...It tries to be an LCC when in fact it is anything but, and it tries to be a legacy, and fails miserably by comparison to the others. US needs to decide which it's going to be and go full speed ahead. If they want to get rid of First altogether, so be it, but then you better adjust your fares to WN levels. And if you want to play legacy in the big boys sandbox, then you better think of new amenities and services which will be necessary to woo back business travelers.

At the end of the day, none of the other airlines need US with its baggage and problems...it's worth more in pieces than it is whole--which brings up an entirely different topic, which we won't go into here.

Doug and Scott have done a decent job for shareholders and themselves, but they retain a Customer and Employee be damned attitude which is eventually going to come back and bite them big time......

My BEST to you all!

Totally agree with this!

 

[Harry Callahan]

Why don't we all try to dig through the rhetoric, the nonsense and the rest of the noise and let's deal with the problem itself:

US is NOT an attractive merger partner to ANY other carrier in its current form, PERIOD.

Let's take a stab at an OBJECTIVE look as to why:

1. Labor issues- the pilots' labor dispute refuses to go away, with no hope of resolution in sight. The COC clause would need to also be resolved, because no airline such as AA is going to allow US be the acquiring carrier-that is a fantasy.

2. US has some of the best employees in the industry, but with just about the worst morale. This contributes to many of the customer service issues which remain pervasive at US today. In order to fix this, management needs to think of employees as ASSETS not LIABILITIES as they are currently regarded. This goes hand in hand with the next point below.

3. US has improved of late, but customer service is still significantly lacking. US policies and programs are among the least customer friendly in the industry, and the policy of charging for just about everything needs to change. While I can acknowledge that some of the standard fees such as luggage, food in coach and change fees aren't going anywhere, ridiculous programs like Choice Seats needs to be dumped. Time will tell how much their attempt to collect an extra $20-$100 per passenger for good seats will end up costing in the end. Anecdotal evidence we have gathered shows that this was the last straw for some of the few high yield business travelers left, and I know of more than a few 200K flyers who refuse to fly US again until this is reversed. US should realize they can't bite the hand that feeds them. While other carriers are improving service and recognition of loyal fliers who DO pay more and carry much more than their fair share of the financial contribution, US is content to remain penny wise and pound foolish and screw their BEST customers.

4. Identity Crisis- US, 5 years after a merger which is STILL not complete, still cannot figure out what it wants to be when it grows up...It tries to be an LCC when in fact it is anything but, and it tries to be a legacy, and fails miserably by comparison to the others. US needs to decide which it's going to be and go full speed ahead. If they want to get rid of First altogether, so be it, but then you better adjust your fares to WN levels. And if you want to play legacy in the big boys sandbox, then you better think of new amenities and services which will be necessary to woo back business travelers.

At the end of the day, none of the other airlines need US with its baggage and problems...it's worth more in pieces than it is whole--which brings up an entirely different topic, which we won't go into here.

Doug and Scott have done a decent job for shareholders and themselves, but they retain a Customer and Employee be damned attitude which is eventually going to come back and bite them big time......

My BEST to you all!

As usual my friend Art is right on the money. Tempe make up.