If You Were Ceo Of Airways

[etops1]

i hear so much critisism on how our management is doing such a poor job in running this company. i wondered what many of you would do if you were ceo of this company. i personally would probrably do the same. try to cut costs as much as possible to return us to profitibility. one thing diferently i would do is revamp our marketing dept cause it is no good.

 

[Fatherknowsbest]

Where do I begin?

I don't believe that Dave did his homework before joining us.
He didn't realize or doesn't care about the mistrust between Management and the Unions. I don't believe that he can be successful if he doesn't close this gap. He isn't even trying on that point anymore (I don't think he ever tried very hard).

He promised to clean house - which sounded like the correct thing to do with senior management but he didn't follow thru. He said "The ones who got us in this mess aren't likely to get us out." .....big lie - no results here.

To me there are many reasons that we are in the mess we are in. Without trust there will be no longterm future IMHO.

When you go into Chapter 11 you are supposed to clean off the balance sheet, get rid of the debt, or as much of it as possible. Well, he really didn't do that either.

He did get rid of some aircraft leases and talked vendor/suppliers into taking less - but heck I could have at least done that.

He hasn't changed our deep seated problems. We are - and have been since 1989, a reactionary airline. We decide what we are going to do based on what others do.
Absolute recipe for failure! We must plot a course that works for us.

Airbus planes are disposable after a short lifespan. What kind of future do we have when all these airbii crap out?

I would have told everyone day 1 - No more layoffs period! We make it or fail with the workforce we have. There is no pride here because we count for nearly nothing and we are just waiting around for the next round of layoffs or downgrade our standard of living again while we wait to join MidAtlantic.

I emailed him 2 weeks into the job to try to point out many of these things......he didn't listen then - no reason to believe that he will now.

The man had 1 chance. He blew it. He will never succeed here. Our competitors will make sure of it.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[SpinDoc]

i hear so much critisism on how our management is doing such a poor job in running this company. i wondered what many of you would do if you were ceo of this company. i personally would probrably do the same. try to cut costs as much as possible to return us to profitibility. one thing diferently i would do is revamp our marketing dept cause it is no good.

1. Increase productivity by rolling the hubs and having flights arrive and depart at all times of the day. Connections could still be achieved, albeit some would be longer than the current 40-45 min increments.

2. Simplify the fare structure. Offer 7 fare types and cap one way fares at $399 and one way F fares at $599 (except transatlantic and caribbean). Example:

Y fare (walkup one way) $399
F fare (walkup one way) $599
B fare (7 day one way) $299
H fare (14 day one way) $199
V fare (21 day one way) $129
W fare (21 day round trip/no Sat night stay) $199
L fare (21 day round trip/Sat night stay) $159

3. Increase utilization of current aircraft to 14hrs per day

4. Change F/A and pilot scheduling to allow them to go flight to flight versus sitting in the hub
between flights

5. Add point to point service in markets where WN has the same service

6. Utilize regional partners with 50 seat jets on all off peak flights

7. Provide inflight cafe at no cost to all passengers

Anyone else have any ideas? all of these ideas except (1) and (6) do not involve cost reductions, rather they call for revenue management which will increase RASM and decrease CASM.

 

[robbedagain]

we could increase service out west and get a whole new marketing dept and reduce the number of vps just my opinion but may be that would help

 

[ual777fan]

I agree with rolling the hubs and expanding number of hours planes are flown. I would also suggest that UsAir move all of there computer systems to Linux Servers. Linux servers are the cheapest to own and operate. Many other companies are doing this and saving millions. Automation should be made a priority by rolling out self serve check-in units to all airports.

A hub in the midwest could also be a possibilty.

A dramitically simplified pricing system would also help lower cost and generate much more revenue.

I would institute performance bonuses to help lift moral and clean house in management.

 

[USAirBoyA330]

SpinDoc:

Two things jump out at me and you have some good suggestions. As for the F/A and Pilot scheduling issue...
I believe our system now is safer than separating the two groups. At United they go from one piece of equipment too another and have no idea sometimes who is up front or in the back. For security reasons I believe our system is better and when we were asked to separate in early 1990 we overwhelmingly said NO.
It's contractual.

I just found out that on some flight segments we pay more for that Buy on Board than we did with our own plated service prior to 9/11. At first, 1st class was free from the Buy on Board vendor and now they charge USAirways full price. It now cost more money than when we had all the china and plated the food ourselves.

Just my observations.

 

[SpinDoc]

SpinDoc:

Two things jump out at me and you have some good suggestions. As for the F/A and Pilot scheduling issue...
I believe our system now is safer than separating the two groups. At United they go from one piece of equipment too another and have no idea sometimes who is up front or in the back. For security reasons I believe our system is better and when we were asked to separate in early 1990 we overwhelmingly said NO.
It's contractual.

I just found out that on some flight segments we pay more for that Buy on Board than we did with our own plated service prior to 9/11. At first, 1st class was free from the Buy on Board vendor and now they charge USAirways full price. It now cost more money than when we had all the china and plated the food ourselves.

Just my observations.

A330:

So what is keeping ALPA and AFA from being proactive, reviewing their current contractural agreements and suggesting work rule changes to management that make the system more efficient? It appears that management has not asked for changes to the current structure because they can't based on current work rules. Both sides need to take an honest look at what it will take to maximize efficiency in the work schedule and they need visionary people to sit down at the table and find ways to implement efficient scheduling and work rules. There has to be a way to satisfy both sides and I think it can be done. It's not rocket science, but it will bring about the meaningful cost reductions that Dave is asking for.

 

[USAirBoyA330]

I have worked under both systems and I can tell you that this current system is MUCH MUCH safer for everyone involved. Also, ask the original Piedmont Flight Attendants who always sat around and had to wait on Pilots or vice versa. I for one like to meet and know who is in the flight deck and the pilots need to know who is in the cabin. We work together as a crew. We undergo all this crew resource management training to be effective in an emergency. I believe if we separate, it breaks down communication and we will fail to work as a team. I have 2 very good friends at United and they don't even know half the time who the pilots are or where they are coming in from nor do they care. Some things you can't put a price on and this is one of them.

 

[unit4clt]

1. Stop transferring mainline flying to Mesa. get out of the contract with Mesa if Usairways could, then give those routes, to the small communities, to the WO express carriers.....grow from within!!!

2. Apologize to the employees for the previous managements actions. (provided that Dave and his entire team are out of here, without their parachutes!!!)

3. Apologize to the communities Usairways has neglected (express cities and PIT)

4. Take Planes out of the Desert and put them back into service to these cities Usairways has neglected. Recapture our market share. Get back up to 400 aircraft as soon as possible.

5. Transfer RJ flights back to mainline....like the customer prefers!!! Stop Expressing cities!! STL,MKE,PWM,TYS,BHM,CLE and a host of others.


6. Use the RJS to open up NEW MARKETS....LIKE they are supposed to be used for!!!

7. Evalute the CBAs every year!!!!...and when possible restore wages and benefits to parity levels.


These are just a few things that should be done, it may take a while to restore Confidence in the company due to its DETERIORATED LEVELS.

 

[etops1]

so far i have read very interesting replies. there was one reply about adding more westcost service. i wouldn't do that. for what. ua does it for us with the code share . why should we go into a market that is saturated by wn. the plan to expand to the carribean latin america is what we need. its working as well. i do agree that we need to do more point to point flying. we have stared already ie:
BOS-SJU,BOS-CUN,BOS AUA (IN FEB 2004) BOS- MBJ(EFF FEB 2004) BOS-BDA, IAD-SJU,DCA-BDA,LGA-BDA,LGA-NAS,LGA-SJU,FLL-BDA TO NAME A FEW. the company also was planning to fly LGA-LAS,BOS-LAS and BOS-SFO but due to some logistical reasons is on hold. be ready to see more of this once the erj-170 enters service. these a/c will free up most of the mainline a/c to fly more intl routes. once everything is said and done the u mainline system will consist of mostly intl flying to the carribean, central america,south america and europe. with the orders of the a330-200's we will see more long haul flying. these a/c are long range a/c. also you will probrablysee more wide body flying on long haul west coast ops.
the membership in star is also going to help u in a great way as far as feed from other star members. this is not an alliance like the british airways fiasco we had before . this is far more better and more in depth. i also agree with the rolling hub system and i think management is looking at that because it is working for amr over in ord. we still have to get our unit cost down. you may wonder hoe come j-blu is entering bos and flying to florida from bos like we use to. why isntu doing that . well simple. they have a 6 cent cost which allows them to make money and grow . at 10cents which what u has we shrink. so we gotta get these costs down.

 

[Light Years]

USAirBoyA330-

I agree COMPLETLY. I had a friend, a F/A for one of the other majors who came on two days of a four day trip with me. It was a 757 trip, pretty junior crew, I'd say all but one is gone now... they couldnt get over the fact that there were six of us, that we were all from the same base, and mostly, the way we interacted with our crew and costomers. Some things that shocked her were our visits to the FD (pre 9-11), the entire crew showing up for dinner together at the layover, the fact that the flight deck crew and cabin crew stayed at the same hotel (!). (she couldnt get over our "Soda on the side" carts either! 😀)

She was really floored by the "comraderie" (HER word) of the crew, the way we took turns doing things on different legs. She said she thought the fact that we were all starting and ending together and have the time to get to know one another really showed in our comfort level, efficiency, and service. At her airline they switch from crew to crew, aircraft to aircraft and said sometimes she'd just barely see the pilots... like the way our Extra positions worked but every one was pretty much an extra.

She was talking about this FA based here wrote her up, so she wrote up this one, this one was written up by a pilot, blah blah blah- we were looking at her like she was crazy. I think our system of sticking together promotes conflict resolution and teamwork skils that are imperitive to coordinate a service in a skinny tube in the sky, and for emergencies.

 

[wings396]

Many good points listed here. We do need to get back to more Point to Point flying as both PI & AL did at merger time. I was in EWR at that time and combined we had flights to at least 15 destinations the were not Hub's. The RJ's WERE supposed to replace the props, not 1/2 the Mainline operation as they have. We have pulled the plug on way too many stations while DL and others continue to operate Real-Jets..you know Mainline type. If they can justify larger A/C, why can't we?
The first and utmost priority should be to get Morale back out of the gutter. Stop attacking our wallets everytime things don't go well. Maybe they could try to increase revenue with new markets instead of hitting our wages to boost them.
Their #1 way of boosting revenue has been to cut our wages, and it isn't working. As quoted "we are saving ourselves out of business" from a USA Today Article a few months ago.

 

[cavalier]

Many words written here when few are needed. BE HONEST. Which this team failed miserably at with blatant lies and deception. Like a thin wire bent too many times, it's broke and now needs replaced because it cannot be repaired. Like we write in work orders. SCRAP OUT BEYOND ECONOMICAL REPAIR

 

[etops1]

cavaleir . you need to quit dude . your not happy here . its not healthy. 😀
we love you any way.

 

[robbedagain]

ok I do understand about the west coast thing but why not ad say seasonal service
to places such as cody or cheyenne wyoming during the winter season?