WELL, WELL, WELL..........TEMPE admits THEY SCREWED UP in an email to it's customers....
Behold the latest edition of the America West/US Airways Merger Update, designed for our most frequent flyers, our Preferred members. Since the last update we’ve marked some significant milestones and it’s my pleasure to share details of those with you today.
First, just a few weeks ago, we reported 2006 earnings of more than $500 million and we set aside $58.7 million for our employees to be distributed through profit sharing. As you’re likely aware, turning a profit as an airline is no small feat, especially in this world of $55+ per barrel of oil. We were one of only a small number of airlines to report a profit for 2006, and the real reward comes in our ability to share it with our employees who you know so well and who work hard to serve you every day.
The credit also largely goes to you, our best customers. As these Merger Updates have noted, the integration process hasn’t been as easy on you as we’d like nor has it been easy on our colleagues, who strive to deliver great service. On the whole, however, considering the state of the airline business when we started this merger, our customers and our employees are enjoying flight options, fares and stability that were previously far out of reach.
On another note, you certainly know by now that our proposed merger with Delta has been turned off the runway and returned to the gate. In other words, the offer is off the table. While we were excited about the potential benefits a merger would bring to Delta’s employees, customers and communities, the creditors instead chose to proceed with the Delta standalone plan for emergence from Chapter 11. At any rate, we remain confident in US Airways’ bright future, and all systems are “go†on building and running the truly fantastic airline that is US Airways.
Merger update
Here’s a rundown of the hot topics for Preferred members. We lead off with an update on the Res migration (consolidating to a single reservations system, called SHARES) which is coming soon. (Not a moment too soon, you’re probably thinking.) Then, we’ll touch on a space issue in some of our A320s. Also, you’ll find a very brief update on the website and details of just a few of the improvements already implemented or underway in PHL. We wrap up with your thoughts from ideas@usairways.com, including some examples of your sweet and sometimes stinging commentary.
So let’s get right to it.
Moving to one reservations system
The day we’ve all been waiting for, Res migration, is almost upon us. Having two Reservations systems (Sabre and SHARES) is the source of many of the frustrations that you may have encountered online, on the phone and at the airports. But the end is in sight and our IT division and EDS continue to work overtime to prepare for a cutover, now planned for March.
We are anticipating a smooth, middle-of-the-night transition with very little impact on our customers’ ability to interact with us (unless you really want to buy a ticket at 3 a.m.– that would be a problem). Since the fall we’ve also been sending thousands of Reservations and Airport staff to training on the new systems, and we’ll be overstaffed for the first several days in case we encounter any difficulties.
Surely one streamlined reservations system will be a welcome accomplishment, and again we thank you for your unending patience as we’ve sometimes clunked our way through with two systems.
A320 First Class overhead bin space (or lack thereof)
If you’ve flown in First Class on one of 20 reconfigured A320s then you know that we blew it on the overhead bins by putting everything but the kitchen sink up there (e.g. oxygen tanks, video players, survival gear) and took up space that belongs to you and your bags. We sincerely apologize and we’ve thrown that process into reverse and will be clearing the bins out ASAP. We’ve already started getting some of the equipment out and we plan to have them nearly empty no later than the early summer. It was clearly our mistake and you can take it out on us, but please don’t take it out on the flight crew; they’re on your side on this one. They’ve let us know loud and clear where we can put our “equipment.â€
usairways.com Update
During the last month we’ve been like exterminators, focusing on bugs and fixing several annoyances. Here are some highlights, with a special emphasis on features that are important to our Preferred members:
Shopping-related bugs: We fixed display errors and reduced the number of error messages encountered during the shopping process. For example, there were problems with the “multi-city†booking process. Purchase error: Some purchasers were receiving an error when they attempted to buy a ticket. The reservation was made but a step was missing that prevented the ticket from being issued. That was dumb. Retro mileage form fix: We killed a bug that prevented users from requesting retroactive mileage credit for 2007. User profile tweaks: Also gone is the frustrating bug that inadvertently logged users out without warning in the user profile/my account section. Ok, that was dumb, too.
Here are some other enhancements we’ve made.
“All in all, I’d rather be in Philadelphiaâ€
Our goal is for you to make that quote your own, so all levels of our management team have been spending a lot of time at the airport working closely with the Department of Aviation to help make that sentiment a reality. We’ve also relocated a number of our best and brightest to the City of Brotherly Love in order to help make your PHL experiences as good as any in our system.
It’s true that PHL suffered from neglect over the years as “old†US Airways struggled financially, but we’re well on our way to getting the infrastructure and people back to where they need to be.
Here are just a few examples of how we’re moving forward in PHL in an effort to make this critical link in our system a pleasure to travel.
Baggage
We’re working on adding a sixth “in-line†screening machine for the TSA behind the B/C check-in counter to help accommodate the demand placed on it today.
A CTX security machine was added in the lobby of Concourse F and the existing CTX was rearranged to provide more efficient processing. This has had a significant impact on baggage screening time by increasing capacity by 100 percent.
We’ve added staffing in the baggage service office.
The average time-to-carousel for bag deliveries and the percentage of bags delivered in 29 minutes or less has been consistently running in the 95 percent range.
Customer service
Employees have contributed to a 32 percent reduction in customer complaints year-over-year in PHL.
We have modified all departure lounges to include new and additional seating, carpeting, wall treatments and better electronic displays.
Security check points
B/C checkpoint improvement is underway, including continued monitoring of TSA staffing levels to ensure appropriate staffing is consistently applied.
A fifth X-ray unit/lane is being added at both B/C checkpoints (estimated completion before summer 2007).
Equipment
At a cost in excess of $5 million, we purchased 379 new pieces of ramp equipment, including belt loaders, push tugs and baggage carts, erasing a 31 percent deficit in the amount required to run the operation at peak times.
Staffing
We’ve reached our staffing goal and continue to work on retaining great employees.
Our PHL management team is now in place.
Comments from our Preferred members
You don’t get to be a Preferred member by being a wallflower, and sure enough you’re letting us know how you think we can improve our website and Preferred program at ideas@usairways.com. So don’t hold back, let ‘em fly!
"I, for one, am really getting weary of the emails telling me what you "are going to do"...seems to me I've heard the same "song and dance" for many months." (ed: yes we’re singin’ and dancing,’ but as you can see above, just like Emmitt Smith, we’re getting a lot better!)
"Great Letter. This will help keep customers by telling them what's going on, sharing facts and using a little humor. Good luck. We can all use it sometimes. And thanks."
"In some clubs you have a segregated area for smokers, not being a smoker that could be eliminated, but how about adding (or combine with the smoking) a similar area for cell phone users. I want to use the clubs to relax, not have to listen to load, obnoxious, useless information!"
"I have lived in the Philadelphia region for the past 25 years. I travel frequently out of PHL and have chosen every way possible to avoid checking luggage. I thought it was a fluke in early December when my luggage arrived on the belt from Puerto Rico before I did! Then on my next trip the same thing happened, so I must say that I am very impressed with the improvement at PHL!! Keep up the good work, it is long overdue!" (ed: Now we’re getting somewhere!)
Once again, I want to thank you on behalf of all of us at US Airways for being our most important, loyal flyers. Every day we strive to make all of your experiences with us as easy and pleasant as possible.
Thanks again for your support and continued patience throughout the merger. We are working hard to earn your business every day.
With Warm Regards,
H. Travis Christ
Vice President, Sales and Marketing
