Wow, you are way off... a few things...
One, you work for a different airline. Yeah, whatever, same ugly livery, but you work for a different airline. It's like someone at PSA giving advice to someone at mainline- same umbrella, different company. You are talking to someone who has only worked at the "major airline" version of US Airways- most of us have been around in some shape or form to see the demise. Going from 2000 US Airways to this abomination would be a complete shock- two completely diiferent things. While the 'new' US Airways may more closely resemble your employer, keep in mind you are accustomed to it... You do not work here and know just how miserable it really is, and sadly, you don't understand why.
The patehetic $19 they are willing to pay this person in a large east coast city is a little different than your pay and the cost of living down in the desert. These people will be on a reserve system where they don't fly and are punished if they do. How on earth do you imagine, or really, have the NERVE to tell him he won't be on reserve long? 20 years isn't a long time? Hope you're ready for that combined contract, because as of now, your 21 years puts you right at the line. What a stupid thing to say.
New hires are not around the corner at East. Once the involuntary F/As are assigned or resigned, they have to recall the thousands of voluntary furloughees- all of whom are senior to anyone who was ever furloughed, so everyone from the late 90s onward will be bumped down, not up.
We did not begin 16 new destinations last year. We began two, and resumed one, to bring our total of international destinations to 19. Heathrow will bring it to 20. The company has said over and over again that South America does not fit into the current route structure, and they are right. You may see a few new international cities with the widebody arrivals which are still a few years away. PHX to Europe is very low on the priority list even then.
Not that any of that international flying means anything to you in PHX, except maybe for non-revving. The company has dragged it's feet for two years completing 7 sections of a 35 section contract. Reading posts like yours from a 21 year F/A doesn't get our hopes up. Wow, LEAD pay? Were you the only airline in the industry without it?
Furthermore, the company's decision to become the "Britney Spears" of the industry has pretty much turned off any potential merger partners. The fact that those are their words and not mine show exactly how unprofessional this company is- and it saddens me if that's something else you don't see. Once US was everyone's first pick for mergers with it's army of frequent business travelers, with a route network blanketing the busiest part of the United States, and a lucrative Shuttle on some of the busiest routes in the nation. The new US's amateur management has forced a horrible way of operating and bizarrely chintzy brand upon a business oriented route structure. It's alienated it's loyal customers, driven employee morale to unbelievable depths, become the laughingstock of the industry, and won recognition as not only the worst airline in America, but 'worldwide', according to a UK poll.
Since you don't work "here", and obviously have as little of a clue about it as your 'in-over-their-heads' management team, why don't you stick with giving advice about America West. Your post might be impressive to someone working at a fast food restaurant, not a former flight attendant of a major airline.
