America West CEO says 'Hello'
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Christopher Horner /Tribune-Review
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By Michael Yeomans
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 16, 2005
For a day, Steelers' sensation Willie wasn't the most sought-out Parker in Pittsburgh.
Everybody, it seemed, wanted a piece of Doug Parker, CEO of America West Airlines. Parker spent a hectic 24 hours in the city beginning Wednesday night to pitch his vision of the new, competitive US Airways he will head once the merger of the two airlines is complete.
"We will, if all goes well, close our transaction and merge in the next two weeks, will have created the fifth-largest (U.S.) airline, with $2.5 billion in cash -- well more than any other airline that size has in cash," he said. "What that means is stability for employees, customers and communities we service, including Pittsburgh, which is an important part of the network."
Everybody -- from the omnipresent news media quizzing him on local jobs expectations; to corporate leaders pressing him for restoration of direct flights from Pittsburgh to Europe; to the politicians telling him that Pittsburgh International Airport stands ready with open runways and vacant gates to handle more connecting traffic; to the beaten-down, remaining US Airways employees who just wanted to hear that better days are ahead -- was impressed by Parker.
Even a panhandler he passed on the stroll back to his hotel room from a morning full of meetings at the Duquesne Club, Downtown, came away pleased with the encounter after Parker slipped him a $5 bill.
Asked if he was surprised by all the attention he attracted, the boyish-looking 43-year-old smiled and said he was.
"It's good. It means people are interested in US Airways," he said.
Parker didn't over-promise.
Will Pittsburgh get more than the current 210 daily flights and roughly 2,500 jobs, down from more than 500 flights and 12,000 jobs before Sept. 11, 2001?
No, Parker said, but neither is it expected to lose any. And if job reductions do become necessary, he hopes to do it through attrition or buyout packages.
F. Michael Langley, chief executive of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, which feted Parker at a dinner Wednesday night attended by a who's who of local corporate executives, said the amenable, straight-talking Parker is a "breath of fresh air in the airline industry."
Joseph R. McGrath, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he appreciated Parker's eagerness to listen at a session with local hospitality executives yesterday morning.
"I think he is very laid back and seems to take in everyone's concerns, without making promises or setting unrealistic expectations," McGrath said.
Parker held a two-hour rap session with about 40 employees in a tightly packed airport conference room later in the day.
Sitting at the head of a conference table with employees seated at the table with him and lining the periphery, Parker made a brief presentation before taking questions in shirt sleeves while sipping a Diet Dr. Pepper. Occasional outbursts of laughter and applause could be heard outside.
Parker spoke of his respect for the heritage of US Airways, which stretches back in time to airlines like Allegheny, Piedmont and Pacific Southwest that matured and eventually merged to form US Airways. He said the heritage is equally strong at America West, where some employees who have been there for its entire 22-year existence are upset at seeing the America West name disappear in favor of US Airways.
The company is showing that respect with a "heritage logo" incorporating the symbols of the three predecessor US Airways airlines and the America West logo that will be painted on the side of each plane encircling the "US" of US Airways.
Kirk Kubias, a 19-year US Airways pilot from Moon, said Parker came off as trustworthy, while at the same time acknowledging to the employee group that he has to earn their trust.
"From what I heard today, and in talking to employees from America West, he is willing to listen to ideas that come from the ground up, working with the people on the front lines to get input so we can make this the best airline it can be," he said.
Kubias said former US Airways CEO David Siegel, who left with a $4.4 million golden parachute last year after guiding the airline through its first bankruptcy in 2002, only put up a "facade" of wanting input from employees.
"And then he stabbed us in the back," he said.
Ramp worker Edward Ricci, of Mt. Lebanon, a 23-year veteran, said Parker was personable and "seems like a real nice guy."
"He comes across as more hands-on, and he seems genuinely interested in what we have to say," he said. "We've been beaten down so long, we only have one direction to go ... up."
Flight attendant Rose Filiponi, of Moon, said after emerging from the meeting that she has a "glimmer of hope."
"What else do we have left, but hope?"
Parker said he understands that US Airways' employees have all but exhausted their trust in its existing management.
"They've had a rough past few years, and they were all candid about that," he said. "But all I told them was just give (the new airline) a chance. They seemed incredibly open to that. Most importantly, they seem like they want to be part of a winning team."
Michael Yeomans can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7908.
Photo Gallery
click to enlarge
Stability for employees
Christopher Horner /Tribune-Review
Tools Print this article
E-mail this article
Subscribe to this paper
Larger / Smaller Text
By Michael Yeomans
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 16, 2005
For a day, Steelers' sensation Willie wasn't the most sought-out Parker in Pittsburgh.
Everybody, it seemed, wanted a piece of Doug Parker, CEO of America West Airlines. Parker spent a hectic 24 hours in the city beginning Wednesday night to pitch his vision of the new, competitive US Airways he will head once the merger of the two airlines is complete.
"We will, if all goes well, close our transaction and merge in the next two weeks, will have created the fifth-largest (U.S.) airline, with $2.5 billion in cash -- well more than any other airline that size has in cash," he said. "What that means is stability for employees, customers and communities we service, including Pittsburgh, which is an important part of the network."
Everybody -- from the omnipresent news media quizzing him on local jobs expectations; to corporate leaders pressing him for restoration of direct flights from Pittsburgh to Europe; to the politicians telling him that Pittsburgh International Airport stands ready with open runways and vacant gates to handle more connecting traffic; to the beaten-down, remaining US Airways employees who just wanted to hear that better days are ahead -- was impressed by Parker.
Even a panhandler he passed on the stroll back to his hotel room from a morning full of meetings at the Duquesne Club, Downtown, came away pleased with the encounter after Parker slipped him a $5 bill.
Asked if he was surprised by all the attention he attracted, the boyish-looking 43-year-old smiled and said he was.
"It's good. It means people are interested in US Airways," he said.
Parker didn't over-promise.
Will Pittsburgh get more than the current 210 daily flights and roughly 2,500 jobs, down from more than 500 flights and 12,000 jobs before Sept. 11, 2001?
No, Parker said, but neither is it expected to lose any. And if job reductions do become necessary, he hopes to do it through attrition or buyout packages.
F. Michael Langley, chief executive of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, which feted Parker at a dinner Wednesday night attended by a who's who of local corporate executives, said the amenable, straight-talking Parker is a "breath of fresh air in the airline industry."
Joseph R. McGrath, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he appreciated Parker's eagerness to listen at a session with local hospitality executives yesterday morning.
"I think he is very laid back and seems to take in everyone's concerns, without making promises or setting unrealistic expectations," McGrath said.
Parker held a two-hour rap session with about 40 employees in a tightly packed airport conference room later in the day.
Sitting at the head of a conference table with employees seated at the table with him and lining the periphery, Parker made a brief presentation before taking questions in shirt sleeves while sipping a Diet Dr. Pepper. Occasional outbursts of laughter and applause could be heard outside.
Parker spoke of his respect for the heritage of US Airways, which stretches back in time to airlines like Allegheny, Piedmont and Pacific Southwest that matured and eventually merged to form US Airways. He said the heritage is equally strong at America West, where some employees who have been there for its entire 22-year existence are upset at seeing the America West name disappear in favor of US Airways.
The company is showing that respect with a "heritage logo" incorporating the symbols of the three predecessor US Airways airlines and the America West logo that will be painted on the side of each plane encircling the "US" of US Airways.
Kirk Kubias, a 19-year US Airways pilot from Moon, said Parker came off as trustworthy, while at the same time acknowledging to the employee group that he has to earn their trust.
"From what I heard today, and in talking to employees from America West, he is willing to listen to ideas that come from the ground up, working with the people on the front lines to get input so we can make this the best airline it can be," he said.
Kubias said former US Airways CEO David Siegel, who left with a $4.4 million golden parachute last year after guiding the airline through its first bankruptcy in 2002, only put up a "facade" of wanting input from employees.
"And then he stabbed us in the back," he said.
Ramp worker Edward Ricci, of Mt. Lebanon, a 23-year veteran, said Parker was personable and "seems like a real nice guy."
"He comes across as more hands-on, and he seems genuinely interested in what we have to say," he said. "We've been beaten down so long, we only have one direction to go ... up."
Flight attendant Rose Filiponi, of Moon, said after emerging from the meeting that she has a "glimmer of hope."
"What else do we have left, but hope?"
Parker said he understands that US Airways' employees have all but exhausted their trust in its existing management.
"They've had a rough past few years, and they were all candid about that," he said. "But all I told them was just give (the new airline) a chance. They seemed incredibly open to that. Most importantly, they seem like they want to be part of a winning team."
Michael Yeomans can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7908.
