FOCUS Meeting in PHX on 7/16/08

[aredeeyou22]

Thanks for the response Tad. However, that makes even less sense. Folks have been more or less trained to get a seat assignment when the book a flight, in part to avoid the HK list when the oversell occurs. Now you are going to have seat map BINGO going on in the 24 hours before flight. That is just as bad IMO

What's the big deal? You book a seat via the website, and when u check in , you are able to purchase a better seat, after the elites have chosen their seats. Why such drama?

 

[etops1]

thanks for the update. usacrew. i couldn't make it as i was in dub on a trip. in man now getting ready to fly back to phl. see ya.

 

[as the prop turns]

What is really sad is every decision, EVERY ONE, they have made has been the wrong one. Instead of wasting time trying to screw the pax and employees, all they need to do is go back to Airline 101. This is by far the most unethical and immoral group of executives I have ever seen.

 

[WCT]

What is really sad is every decision, EVERY ONE, they have made has been the wrong one. Instead of wasting time trying to screw the pax and employees, all they need to do is go back to Airline 101. This is by far the most unethical and immoral group of executives I have ever seen.

Airline 101 doens't work anymore. Either does the "OLD" model US Airways once capitlized ON! Sorry, look at AA, UA, and others, no one is safe in this environment! Unfortunetly, we are in survival mode, and paying more is the REALITY. Our most Elites are obviously leaving, so we are talking the general public. Ma and Kettles are the next generation of US customers, and build a FF program off that, and hope we retain the majority of old HP vff's, and customers!?? Please Fly US?! :blink:

 

[as the prop turns]

Airline 101 doens't work anymore. Either does the "OLD" model US Airways once capitlized ON! Sorry, look at AA, UA, and others, no one is safe in this environment! Unfortunetly, we are in survival mode, and paying more is the REALITY. Our most Elites are obviously leaving, so we are talking the general public. Ma and Kettles are the next generation of US customers, and build a FF program off that, and hope we retain the majority of old HP vff's, and customers!?? Please Fly US?! :blink:

AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WORKING? Nope, I respectfully disagree. Fuel prices, no one has control over, unless loop holes are closed, etc. USAir has been and was known as the "businessman's airline. It is a known fact that it is the USAir side of the mess that is keeping the airline afloat. Unless we go back to the basics, get back our Elite's and business flyers, we are done.
Believe me when I tell you, the ma and pa kettles are going to be priced out of the market. Those that can afford to fly will and those who were paying Greyhound fares will be back on Greyhound. It is coming full circle. We are going back to the days of the 60's. 70's and early 80's. Only those who can afford to fly will. Mark my words. This will happen.

 

[WCT]

AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WORKING? Nope, I respectfully disagree. Fuel prices, no one has control over, unless loop holes are closed, etc. USAir has been and was known as the "businessman's airline. It is a known fact that it is the USAir side of the mess that is keeping the airline afloat. Unless we go back to the basics, get back our Elite's and business flyers, we are done.
Believe me when I tell you, the ma and pa kettles are going to be priced out of the market. Those that can afford to fly will and those who were paying Greyhound fares will be back on Greyhound. It is coming full circle. We are going back to the days of the 60's. 70's and early 80's. Only those who can afford to fly will. Mark my words. This will happen.

US Air doesn't exist. Your side is MY SIDE honey!
Afloat?? US Airways works both ways, East and West. Get over the Piedmont, and Allegheny ages.
They were great companies, that contributed to this Airline.
PSA people can understand OUR crisis, and struggles on the West! Southwest is always one knock away.
ISOM already stated CLT, PHL, and YES , PHX are the money HUBS for this company!
Fine with me, if we go back to those that can AFFORD travel.

 

[as the prop turns]

US Air doesn't exist. Your side is MY SIDE honey!
Afloat?? US Airways works both ways, East and West. Get over the Piedmont, and Allegheny ages.
They were great companies, that contributed to this Airline.
PSA people can understand OUR crisis, and struggles on the West! Southwest is always one knock away.
ISOM already stated CLT, PHL, and YES , PHX are the money HUBS for this company!
Fine with me, if we go back to those that can AFFORD travel.

I know that you have had tremendous struggles. I have spent HOURS speaking with HP employees and my heart sincerely goes out to you. Here is were we run into trouble, however. USAir was well on its way to becoming a major global player. (Airline of the years twice; the European communities pick for best international carrier.) Our competitors were AA, DL, CO, UA, LH, BA, AF just to name a few. HP ONLY worries about WN. No, I will not forget about USAir/Piedmont. Exceedingly well trained employees, true professionals, we are well educated in our business and respected. Now we have the revolving ghetto door, thanks to Tempe. The laughing stock of the industry where we were once one of the best. Yes, we "originals" are very bitter because we had tremendous pride in our company. I have 27 years with USAir and never in my life did I think I would ever see anything like this.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> Sorry, look at AA, UA, and others, no one is safe in this environment!

The OAs are not doing what US is. Why do you think they are offering status matches to former US FFs?


This post is double ROT-13 encrypted to abate the snoops in Tempe.

 

[WCT]

As the Prop Turns, the East loves to hate American Western Airlines. But we, and all old PSA people know how to give good ole Western Hospiltality!! MMM, got that right!! Yee ha!!! Don't mess with the West! Whatch gona say bout that!??

 

[nycbusdriver]

Fine with me, if we go back to those that can AFFORD travel.

You either are not paying attention, or you just don't get it.

Those that can afford to travel at prices commensurate with fuel costs are the business travelers. US Airways has been alienating that segment of customer since the merger was announced. It almost seems that they are making a concerted effort to drive them away to make room for the leisure travelers.

Let me make it simpler so that even you might understand.

We will NOT get those that can afford to travel. We are a leisure market carrier, and when the leisure market cannot afford our fares THERE WILL BE NO PASSENGERS to fill our seats.

Get it? :angry:

 

[N965VJ]

Speaking of depending on leisure travelers, why is US pulling back in LAS? (rhetorical question)


This post is double ROT-13 encrypted to abate the snoops in Tempe.

 

[WCT]

You either are not paying attention, or you just don't get it.

Those that can afford to travel at prices commensurate with fuel costs are the business travelers. US Airways has been alienating that segment of customer since the merger was announced. It almost seems that they are making a concerted effort to drive them away to make room for the leisure travelers.

Let me make it simpler so that even you might understand.

We will NOT get those that can afford to travel. We are a leisure market carrier, and when the leisure market cannot afford our fares THERE WILL BE NO PASSENGERS to fill our seats.

Get it? :angry:

If you would read the whole thread, instead of responding with such animosity, hello! I was quouting, responding to As the prop turns post about travel going back to the old days! How bout some good ole American Western hospitlality! Yee ha! Welcome aboard! We can tell you are an Western crew! Great smiles, laughs, and like your job!

 

[Iheartflying]

You either are not paying attention, or you just don't get it.

Those that can afford to travel at prices commensurate with fuel costs are the business travelers. US Airways has been alienating that segment of customer since the merger was announced. It almost seems that they are making a concerted effort to drive them away to make room for the leisure travelers.

Let me make it simpler so that even you might understand.

We will NOT get those that can afford to travel. We are a leisure market carrier, and when the leisure market cannot afford our fares THERE WILL BE NO PASSENGERS to fill our seats.

Get it? :angry:

Prime example of that is Spirit Airlines. They are a leisure market only airline. They are cutting their workforce by half.

 

[jupper]

Speaking of depending on leisure travelers, why is US pulling back in LAS? (rhetorical question)

I don't have any numbers, but during irrops, aren't those midnight flights "handy" ?

When I ran into irrops in June on my CLT-PHX flight (misconnect onto PHX-YVR), I was able to at least get into YVR because I could go PHX-LAS-SEA-YVR (AC flight on that last one at 6am)... Dunno if that cost more then just putting me up for a night (I doubt I would have liked that!)...

 

[Art at ISP]

The OAs are not doing what US is. Why do you think they are offering status matches to former US FFs?


This post is double ROT-13 encrypted to abate the snoops in Tempe.

965, You are right on the money. The other airlines are actively pursuing US elites, and the numbers of matches and challenges being completed are surprising even to me, who helped arrange them. You are also correct that not one other airline has gone as far as US has to alienate their bread and butter customers, those who fly OFTEN and pay the MOST for air travel.

Also it is correct that just about EVERY decision made by Tempe has been the wrong one. Save a penny spend a dollar. If it had not been for the attitudes of management (we have Doug and Scott on tape making disparaging comments about Chairmans Preferred and other elite travelers), and the misguided moves which further alienate customers and devalue the DM program, I would have probably NEVER considered trying WN which I did two weeks ago.

There are other ways to survive in this environment rather than nickel and diming your customers. The labor issues which currently exist here are unique to US Airways, and in my opinion are the biggest threat to the survival of the company at this time. ALL airlines have the fuel issues, but only US has the added costs and inefficiencies caused by a splintered labor force, and I just don't see a solution on the horizon.

It is true--Airline 101 is not the same it was years ago. But this management team keeps trying to put bandaids on a hemorrhaging stab wound. Even though the fundamentals have changed, they need to get back to basics and RUN AN AIRLINE efficiently and as cost effectively as possible. They need to STOP penalizing their customers for their inability to do so--we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore.

I found it very interesting that Robert Isom actually acknowledged that there is a problem with FF's leaving in the Focus meeting, and that they were going to have to revisit that. The question is HOW will they revisit? My guess is they say they will and won't. Tempe has absolutely NO credibility with me or most of my FF colleagues any more.

Here's a news flash for Mr. Isom--If you want to know why we're leaving (as if you don't already), you just NEED TO ASK US.
Although they think differently, Tempe does not know everything. We offered to help MANY times, and I sat across a table from Travis and Elise and offered HARD evidence of what was happening, but they weren't biting. They told me numerous times they wanted me to help start a new Customer Advisory Board, but it never happened. You can offer FREE market research only so many times and then it becomes moot if they keep rejecting it.

The bottom line here is that massive change will be needed in order for this company to SURVIVE, let alone prosper. And it needs to happen NOW--not tomorrow or next week, but NOW.

I see a tremendous amount of B(#*$& and Moaning on here, but no one seems to care enough to want to make the changes needed to survive. If all this negative energy (from customers, employees, and especially MANAGEMENT) were channeled into working TOGETHER to make changes that all sides could live with, there would be a chance, but as long as it's Tempe vs. Customer and Tempe vs. Labor, I am sorry, this place is doomed...........

Maybe it's just too late.........