Fleetwide Ptvs

[Light Years]

US Airways has been toying with the idea of putting PTVs into at least some of thier narrowbody seats.

Star Alliance partner Air Canada, also in the Canadian equivalent of BK, today announced a new livery, uniform, and that they will equip the entire fleet with PTVs- including the CRJs! THey will be the first non-LCC in North America to do so.

Not sure about thier new tail.

I wonder would new uniforms do anything for morale at US Airways? Not as an all at once, but a slow transition as pieces get replaced, which is already a built in cost? I know it doesn't make up for bad pay, benefits, and work rules, but it could help it making it feel like a new chapter, and new airline. Might be a good idea if they make it past the winter.

I still think if US does anything, they should do PTVs on the Airbuses and audio on the Embraers. reactivate the audio on the 737s until they are phased out. JetBlue will have LiveTV PTVs on thier Embraers.

It looks like IFE is the new amenity... it's taken the place of food service. If US survives, will they be the first US "major" to do it?

Here's a video with AC's new uniform and livery. Fast forward through the CEO talking, and Celine Dion (I'm not making this up!) is in the uniform, which is really really sharp, singing with some terribly out of tune employees. She then takes advatage of a speech in which she talks more about her new single than Air Canada. Worth a look even if only for a laugh.

Air Canada

 

[DCAflyer]

US Airways has been toying with the idea of putting PTVs into at least some of thier narrowbody seats.

Star Alliance partner Air Canada, also in the Canadian equivalent of BK, today announced a new livery, uniform, and that they will equip the entire fleet with PTVs- including the CRJs!

Not sure about thier new tail.

I wonder would new uniforms do anything for morale at US Airways? Not as an all at once, but a slow transition as pieces get replaced, which is already a built in cost? I know it doesn't make up for bad pay, benefits, and work rules, but it could help it making it feel like a new chapter, and new airline. Might be a good idea if they make it past the winter.

I still think if US does anything, they should do PTVs on the Airbuses and audio on the Embraers. reactivate the audio on the 737s until they are phased out. JetBlue will have LiveTV PTVs on thier Embraers.

It looks like IFE is the new amenity... it's taken the place of food service. If US survives, will they be the first US "major" to do it?

Here's a video with AC's new uniform and livery. Fast forward through the CEO talking, and Celine Dion (I'm not making this up!) is in the uniform, which is really really sharp, singing with some terribly out of tune employees. She then takes advatage of a speech in which she talks more about her new inglr han Air Canada. Worth a look even if only for a laugh.

Air Canada

[post="193010"][/post]​

I think pre 9/11 we had the best uniforms in the industry... back when people drycleaned their uniforms and there was a real sense of pride at US Airways. I personally don't see much point in new uniforms when people are wearing haggered looking things because they aren't taken care of... it's just a matter of time before they look bad again. I actually nonreved on a flight where the male flight attendant wasn't wearing a t-shirt and his dress shirt was worn so thin that you could see the guys nipples, piercing and all! One of the worst things that U stopped paying for was the cleaning allowance.

I also think that U absolutely has the best livery, classic, clean-looking, crisp... not overstated... not an escomo on the tail... not puke mustard paint... not a compas that people can't figure out what it is. I would hate for this management to change that and it would be downright offensive in the face of the cuts the employees were forced to take.

Just my two cents.

 

[Phoenix]

I wonder would new uniforms do anything for morale at US Airways?
Air Canada

[post="193010"][/post]​

Yeah. How about they issue us flipflops, used Levis, and a plain white t-shirt. But employees will have to provide the pack of cigs that you roll up in the sleve!

 

[Light Years]

An eskimo? I always thought that was either Keith Richards or Johnny Cash on the tail of Alaska Airlines!

The US livery is the best in the industry. It's so classy. I hope they never change it. It's sheer class. The only thing I would like to see is put the RJs in the red-top MetroJet livery (I loved that!) and the Shuttles with a white-top livery. The red, white and blue, and it would add a little variety and product differentation.

Now the uniforms. They have had the same one with only minor alterations since what, 1983? US is the only one who hasn't changed thier uniform. They now have the added shame of looking just like the TSA.

There is also no way to determine who does what. Are you a cart driver? flight attendant? security guard? maid? or just a traveler in an incredibly cheap shiny suit?

I think navy (but nicer) for crew, with red and white stripes on sleeve, gray striped tie/scarf. Gray for customer serive. A friend of mine (now at MAA) sketched it out one time- it was really nice and represented the airline well rather than being generic. He would give them the design for free! It would just be nice to look professional, rather than tacky.

Upkeep depends on the person. When I worked for US, and evenwhen I was at a commuter before that, I looked like a million bucks no matter how broke I was or whether or not the company dry cleaned it for me (most don't). It's a matter of personal pride. I always figured that I wear that outfit more than anything else I own, might as well look good in it. If you want to be treated with repect, and as a professional, by your customers and superiors, you dress like one. If you want to be treated like a cheap slob, you can dress that part too, but I certainly never did.

 

[spacewaitress]

I wonder would new uniforms do anything for morale at US Airways?

[post="193010"][/post]​

OOOHHH yeah, if they did that, I bet you'd give another 21%.

Get real!

 

[Light Years]

I didn't give 21%, I gave 100%. They have gotten the cost savings of me being furloughed for a couple of years. That's more than any pay cut.

And it couldn't hurt if its the same cost, to shed the past and freshen things up for the workforce and the public.

A little bit of pride in one's company, small as it may be can go a long way. But of course, look at who we're dealing with- this company seems to want it's employees miserable.

 

[deltawatch]

I can’t afford a new uniform or a trip to the dry cleaners at the new pay scale. A station mgr told us that he has been working on a new uniform committee . Kaki pants and golf shirts.

 

[SKY HIGH]

I can’t afford a new uniform or a trip to the dry cleaners at the new pay scale.

SKY HIGH states: Dry cleaners? Rarely!
Throw the UNIFORM PANTS into the wash machine and then, dryer. Saves you big bucks monthly!

 

[Light Years]

Dry clean occasionally, the rest of the time use Dryel or a generic variation of it. You put the items in a bag, four at a time, with the cloth, and take it out a half hour later. It does the same thing as dry cleaning. Never iron them directly, always put a sheet or pillowcase over the skirt/pants when ironing, that way they won't get shiny.

If you are crew and use the same blazer or dress on trips, it never hurts to spray a little Febreze on them before you go to bed in the hotel. They make little bottles of it that will fit in your toiletry bag.

And of course everyone knows what to do if you get a stain on your navys. Get some seltzer, and put it on one of the Maxi pads from the lav and rub (I know, it's weird). The pads don't break up like napkins do, and therefore don't leave a "paper stain" in place of the one you're trying to get rid of.

Wings and buttons on the uniform can be shined up with white toothpaste. It works just as well as jewelery cleaner. Put some on a tissue and clean them. You'll be amazed at the stuff that comes off of them.

If you ever lose the backing off your wings or pins, a pencil eraser will hold them on until you get a new one.

I also used to put a dryer sheet in my rollaboard too. Keeps things fresh.

 

[nycbusdriver]

JetBlue consistently has the highest load factors in the industry. Sure, they have a good product and nice people. But so do a lot of other carriers that can't match their load factors. What is the REAL difference? Their in-seat satellite TV service. Flying is a boring proposition, and TV is the ultimate baby-boomer distraction.

Neeleman was BRILLIANT in incorporating this service into his strategy. Now all the other carriers will eventually have to spend billions industry wide just to catch up. When that happens, I predict that JetBlue's load factors will again come out of the stratosphere and be on par with everybody else.

 

[Light Years]

The only thing I don't like about JetBlue's is that it's just regular old TV. Montel and infomercials are just as bad in the air as on the ground. Plus, they have to turn it off overwater on vertain flights.

I think the P@ssport system we have is great. You choose what you want to watch or listen to. The last time I non-reved to Europe on US, I watched a movie, a couple episodes of Sex and the City and Fraggle Rock, and listened to a couple of albums at my own pace and on my own time. Now THAT's a great product. The customers love it... in fact in some cities in Europe the in-seat TVs are associated with US Airways, it's the first thing they mention.

It would be great if they could put that in on the narrowbody Airbus fleet. AirTran has XM satelite radio, which would be worth looking into for the shorter haul fleet (the Embraers can be fitted with IFE).

Some of the oldtimers may think it's goofy, but IFE is becoming a huge part of airline's domestic product. It's been a big differentiator for customers in the international arena for awhile, and that's one thing US was smart about with the A330.

 

[nycbusdriver]

...and that's one thing US was smart about with the A330.

[post="193127"][/post]​

And that's probably going to be the first fleet to get dumped after November 12th.

 

[Light Years]

OK.

 

[Hope777]

And this ALL COSTS MONEY............Maybe we should take another 20% cut.

 

[Light Years]

Never mind then. Everything they are doing right now works so well.

I know I wouldn't fly the airline... expensive complicated fares, snarky staff, bad press, dirty planes, inconsistent service levels, first class on par with a school picnic, too many props and dodgy express carriers, no IFE and a network with comprehensive coverage of West Virginia but barely anything past the Mississippi.

Only making suggestions. You can only talk about the airline going under for so many posts.