Kudos Everybody!

[Barbell]

article

Highlights include:

"Even on a underperforming airline, such as US Airways, which scored a 57 on the latest Michigan rating - nine points below the industry average - there are bright spots. In recent weeks, I have heard from US Airways customers who say that since the combination with America West, employees of the merged airline are making a fresh start. Complaints are being resolved more quickly. Service is being rendered with a smile instead of a snarl...

Perhaps, he adds, this is a fitting time of year for business travelers to complain a little less and meet these beleaguered employees halfway."

Looks to me like things are turning in our favor slowly, but surely. And a question for our pilots that I noticed from the article:

"I have spoken with several frequent fliers who received personal notes from United pilots thanking them for their business. To those business travelers, a note is as meaningful as attentive service or an on-time landing."

What's the feasability of doing the same on US to add a little polish to either our F or Preferred products?

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP>If you turn it into a "Corporate Policy" you diminish the value of it IMO. <SNIP>

Excellent point.

When complete strangers start calling you by your name, no matter how respectfully, you are being sold something. Let’s also throw in the idea that some pax just want to be anonymous.

 

[bofie]

A nice handwritten note thanking me for my continued loyalty would be a very nice gesture. no need to mention my name in the note. Something like:

Just wanted to say thank you for your continued loyalty to US Airways.
Sincerely

Mr Sky Pilot

Or Mr Pilot could offer to make up for the missing rollover with an aerobatic rollover of his own! 😀

 

[PHL]

A few years ago I was on a 757 early AM flight from PHL to LAX. Only about 12 people in the F cabin(back when the 757's had 24 seats). While still on the ground at the gate, the F/A came through the cabin, one by one, and asked some of us to go to the Cockpit because the "Captain would like to speak to" us. When she came to me, I went up and met the Captain who gave a warm welcome and Thank You for coninued support (I was a Gold at the time) in flying USAirways. This had to be around 2000 and the Captain was a younger fellow with an Irish last name. Blonde hair, too, if I recall. Due to his age, I wonder if he's still flying for US. Too bad, because he was a very nice employee who made clear that he recognized where is bread was buttered.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

Speaking strictly for myself and not FFOCUS I think these little touchs can make a huge difference with a BUT thrown in.

If you turn it into a "Corporate Policy" you diminish the value of it IMO. Provide each aircraft with appropriate stationary and allow each flight crew to use it's descretion would be the way to go. That way it's genuine and sincere.

Of course, I find a note from the pilot to be servile, obsequious, creepy and just something else I'll have to find a trash recepticle for which to dump it.

 

[Art at ISP]

I once had a similar experience to PHL on a PHL-LAS flight also on a 757 before they pulled most of the F seats. We were about 2/3 of the way there, and the captain came out to me and asked if I was Mr. Art, and I said yes, and he said that he had seen me on a few of his other flights, and he just wanted to say thank you for my loyalty and my business. I thanked him for his kind words and also let him know that the reason I kept flying US was due to the people.

We had a brief chat, and he went back to the flight deck to finish the flight. This is an experience which has stayed with me for a long long time--it was a very kind gesture, and was very much appreciated.

The gentleman's name was Captain Kleid, if I am not mistaken-I hope he's still flying.

And he was right--I had flown with him about 2 or 3 times in the month leading up to that LAS flight.

This is an example of why we stay...

Truly--Kudos to all, and to all Happy Holidays!!

 

[PhxMama]

Art, I really think I want to work for you! Your compassion and thoughtfulness know no bounds! If you dont mind me asking(mod, I know its not pc) what do you do for a living? The fact that you remembered the kindness of that pilot show once again how important YOU are to what we do. And as always THANK YOU for flying US!

 

[RowUnderDCA]

Ok, I'll concede that a personal touch subsequent to personally recognizing someone is not creepy and nice. I'm not that much of a hardass.

 

[Art at ISP]

Row,

You're just too funny....I knew all along you're not a harda$$.

Mama, thank you for your kind words.

I hope all have a happy healthy and safe holiday.

Art

 

[Bambi]

Art, I really think I want to work for you! Your compassion and thoughtfulness know no bounds! If you dont mind me asking(mod, I know its not pc) what do you do for a living? The fact that you remembered the kindness of that pilot show once again how important YOU are to what we do. And as always THANK YOU for flying US!

Well, I looked up the FFOCUS logo ART uses...found an article that brought tears to my eye....I will post it separate from this...Read on...Thank you "ART"! WOW! Didn't know FFlyers were this awesome! Knew they were great...but I had never heard of this group till I found this one article...and...please tell your FFOCUS friends to bombard the company to offer our agents who were laidoff at GREENTREE a generous offer to COME HOME TO "US"!!!!!!!!

 

[Bambi]

Airliner agents sent packing
By Thomas Olson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 29, 2005
The 281 flight reservations agents remaining at US Airways' call center in Green Tree will be departing -- along with customers' phone calls -- when the airline closes it late today.
The switchboard will shut down at 6 p.m. at the call center, which has been located in Green Tree since 1970. At that point, customer calls will be routed to US Airways' reservations center in Winston-Salem, N.C., or to one of three contractor locations in Mexico City, San Salvador or Manila, said union officials.
About 133 reservations agents will be furloughed, said the airline. That is out of nearly 800 who worked there before US Airways started phasing down the operation in early May. The first of the two buildings in Green Tree that US Airways occupied was emptied out in early June.
Another 93 agents had elected to take early retirement since the airline said last January it would shutter the facility. Twenty-two others who are nonunion, management-administrative workers will either transfer or take early retirement, said airline spokesman David Castelveter.
"Most of the longest-serving reservations center employees left this past year," said Chris Fox, president of Communications Workers of America Local 13302, Green Tree, which represents the agents, and also about 300 workers at Pittsburgh International Airport. About one-third of the agents have served at least 20 years, said Fox, herself a 37-year veteran of the company.
A job buyout was accepted by 536 reservations agents -- $20,000 for a full-timer, $12,500 for a part-timer -- from US Airways early this year before it announced a deal to merge with America West Airlines in May. Another 33 workers accepted a transfer to the bankrupt carrier's call center in Winston-Salem.
In an unusual show of appreciation, about 10 frequent fliers from around the Mid-Atlantic plan to visit the Green Tree center today. They are among the 300 members of a grass-roots group, FFOCUS, for "Frequent Fliers Organized and Committed to US Airways' Success."
"At the end of the day, it's the people who take care of us," said Robert Johnson, FFOCUS' founder who resides in Mystic Island, N.J.
"That's why we're coming out there and on our own nickel," said Johnson, who racked up a half-million frequent-flier miles last year on US Airways as a corporate sales trainer for an office products company in New York. "The way they've been treated, somebody needs to say, 'thank you.'"
The call center dates back to the early 1960s, when it was located Downtown under the old Allegheny Airlines, Fox said. The operation moved to the airport in the late 1960s.
To mark the Green Tree center's closure, workers plan to hold a party tonight at the Holiday Inn in Green Tree.
Those furloughed will receive a week's pay for each year of service, up to 15 years. They will get between $360 and $10,200. In addition, the furloughed workers would have recall rights for four years, Fox said.
America West Airlines CEO Doug Parker said in May that collective bargaining would have to determine recall rights but that he preferred no one furloughed before the merger closed would "bump an active employee out of a job." America West spokesman Phil Gee said yesterday it was not yet clear what bidding rights former Green Tree workers would have for new agent jobs.

 

[a320av8r]

"Friday, July 29, 2005 "

And?...

 

[Bambi]

"Friday, July 29, 2005 "

And?...

Did you read my post b4 the article? And?....

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

Bob is right.

I hope Doug Parker sees the value in restoring the Greentree call center and eliminating the overseas contracted call centers. They are an embarassment to US.