Letter from Doug Parker

[TheNewLowFare]

You like them so much, why don't you quit and get a job with them? Go poison the well elsewhere. We don't need you anymore.

Exactly. I don't understand this individual (He's in my ignore list, so I can't read his posts), but my guess is he's ranting and spewing negativity again.

He or she must want our company to fail because this person doesn't post anything constructive or progressive.
If someone post something positive, this person contradicts them with negativity and when someone whines about something, he/she joins in their rant. I guess misery loves company. Just put him on your ignore list.

 

[700UW]

The thread is about Doug's letter about Jetblue, not about a particular poster.

Just presenting the facts.

 

[ab320driver]

When was the last time LCC or U posted a profit?

Remember history, don't constantly re-live it. LCC has existed for all of a quarter and the trend is certainly in the right direction. TODAY, reality is starting to hit Jetblue. The concerns of the financial community are growing, and we will all see if their management is up to the task. LCC on the other hand has shown significant progress with the merger, most indications are that managements plans continue to fall into place. Hurdles remain, but many huge hurdles have been overcome. Revenue is slowly coming back, and the NATIONWIDE (and European)route structure is being integrated. All these are positive trends. 2005 surveys are largely irrelevant. This ain't your fathers Us Air...

 

[PA18]

And they are starting service to BDA. Fly to Nassau also.
Thats why we pulled out of the LGA / BDA market this year. Inventory told me we actually made money going out with 35% load factors LGA / BDA.

US is also terminating its daily BOS-SJU flight -- which is full almost every day -- next month.

SJU is not necessarily a "leisure" destination, as are the other islands. There is a huge Puerto Rican population in the Boston metro area, which could justify year-round service..

See how fast JB jumps into that market.

 

[FlyUs]

US is also terminating its daily BOS-SJU flight -- which is full almost every day -- next month.

SJU is not necessarily a "leisure" destination, as are the other islands. There is a huge Puerto Rican population in the Boston metro area, which could justify year-round service..

See how fast JB jumps into that market.

BOS-SJU will operate on the weekends begining next month. I believe flights 755 in May and 659 in June.

 

[LGA777]

US is also dropping the Sat only LGA-SJU nonstop for the busy Summer season. As we could probably fill 3 (and used to operate two full r/t's) US is ending the route. I hope it will be back in the winter. And yes the number of Puerto Rican's living in the NYC area is in the millions, and many go for summer visits, and many live nearer and find LGA more conveniant than JFK !

Regards

LGA777

 

[deelmakur]

Foolish letter. Neeleman pulled his chain, and he reacted. Now the local papers will pick it up, and JB has free promotion. Parker should have flown to CLT, held a pep rally with the troops, and not put anything in writing. For openers, as has been mentioned on this thread, B6 is a point to point carrier. They're making like FedEx and the Post Office. Neeleman just wants to strip the better business, and leave the hub connex. Besides, he's already diverting some of that from northern cities. Two things. Firstly, if US has a superior product, B6 will bail the market, just as they did in ATL, when they tried to take advantage of FL's equipment limitations, but Joe Leonard, who's nobody's fool, immediately wet leased a couple of A 320's, and plugged the transcon hole. Secondly, if US hadn't been gouging locals because they have most of the service at Douglas, there would have been no opportunity for JetBlue. Is DP really ready for prime time? This isn't a little league game.

 

[Travelpro72]

If America West could hold their own all these years against Southwest out west I'm quite sure the management running the new US can handle JetBlue or the other half croaked airline Delta that also HATED us with a passion and had it in for us for years. See how far the little TV's get them. It won't last forever. Doug still has to prove himself to some here but with due reason. We are like the beaten dog taken by a new owner afraid of the new owner petting us. A dog will shrug away and pee on the floor. I myself am following with a cautious eye. I think he knows what he is doing.

 

[etops1]

Foolish letter. Neeleman pulled his chain, and he reacted. Now the local papers will pick it up, and JB has free promotion. Parker should have flown to CLT, held a pep rally with the troops, and not put anything in writing. For openers, as has been mentioned on this thread, B6 is a point to point carrier. They're making like FedEx and the Post Office. Neeleman just wants to strip the better business, and leave the hub connex. Besides, he's already diverting some of that from northern cities. Two things. Firstly, if US has a superior product, B6 will bail the market, just as they did in ATL, when they tried to take advantage of FL's equipment limitations, but Joe Leonard, who's nobody's fool, immediately wet leased a couple of A 320's, and plugged the transcon hole. Secondly, if US hadn't been gouging locals because they have most of the service at Douglas, there would have been no opportunity for JetBlue. Is DP really ready for prime time? This isn't a little league game.

ahh ... i think parker knows exactly what he is doing. like i said before... jetblue better watch out. we ain't the same old usairways anymore.

 

[john john]

being on-time in LGA with a first class cabin, an award-winning frequent flyer program, business clubs and a global alliance, suggests that JetBlue may be looking at the wrong service standards.
Sincerely,
 
 Doug

THIS IS IT THE "BUSINESS MODEL!" Not a bunch of Express RJ’s Lets get on it

 

[deelmakur]

You are missing the point. JetBlue is a brand, and a favorable one. Because of that, customers cut them slack other carriers can't get. B6 is a point to point carrier. They don't want to compete with you. They want your higher yield business to NYC, and probably DC and Boston, before long. FedEx doesn't want to compete with the Post Office. They just want the first class mail, leaving the PO with the circulars. In the kind of clever decision making we have come to admire in commercial aviation, the Post Office has, inexplicably, allowed them to put drop boxes in their lobbies.It's another example of what I'm talking about. In marketing, the first rule is, never respond directly to a competitor. You have more customers than he does, so you simply give him a bigger impact than he could get by himself. Most big companies have official PR people. One of their jobs is to protect senior managers from themselves. Parker just did a "Bronner".That should never happen. Yes, it's a new USAirways, and I think many employees believe that. I'm not so sure about the customers. This one doesn't care for the lack of outreach. I may be a gadfly, but I was US1 from the day the program began, have over 2 million lifetime miles on US and its forebears. I just got a couple of status matches from other carriers, and included my year end summary of air travel, which I got from AMEX, in the requests. It was $42,000, of which US got the lion's share. I don't just buy tickets for myself. The first decent communication I got from those jokers was a few days ago by email, where some VP was soliciting comments about the DM program, etc. "Tell us how we're doing?", or words to that effect. One got the feeling they are finally seeing the passenger loss from what they inherited. I haven't flown the airline since early December. They'll have to eliminate a whole bunch of those pesky "transitional merger related" expenses to make up for the easy money they pissed away, being so clever. Meanwhile, I'm sure those pax in CLT and RDU will avoid jetBlue, now that they know their Airbuses are off warranty. Who would want to fly a plane just beause it has leather seats, with 32 inches of legroom, and live TV, for free, in the seat back in front of you. And, Doug, thanks for reminding us about those young employees. That youthful enthusiasm can really be a distraction, when you're used to a bunch of battleaxes, hanging around the galley (so they can be near their personal luggage in the overheads), bitching about their pay.

 

[airportman]

That youthful enthusiasm can really be a distraction, when you're used to a bunch of battleaxes, hanging around the galley (so they can be near their personal luggage in the overheads), bitching about their pay.
[/quote]


I think you need a bit of information.........


A) Those battleaxes, as you call them, Are trained professionals that prove there abilities yearly to the FAA, while we may not be young anylonger we can still save your a@# and the 200 other pax on the a/c in under 90 seconds.........<REMEMBER AIR FRANCE IN TORONTO> We can still breath life back into at 39,000 ft when no one else would be willing to touch you.

B.)Do you remember SEPTEMBER 11......We "HANG" around the galley because we are required to. YOU do realize that you can see the whole A/C from that vantage point.

C) That Personal Baggage You talk about contains Federally Mandated Items THAT MUST BE where we stow them. And We watch them because not every passenger/guest/us1,2,3,4...are honest, they go through our bags, steal from US and think its OK....THIS MY DEAR IS THE GODS HONEST TRUTH.


As to "bitching about there pay" I'll give you that one. I personally dont do it however i have one thing to say why are you listening to them....Its rude. We are humans we do talk eat pee just like everyone else. And that airplane tends to be home for 14 hrs a day, did you know that....did you know that in that 14hrs there are no planned breaks, no mealtime, no bathroom time....

So next time you fly just think for a moment.......

and if you wonder why we do things just ask, and if we can we will answer you.

thanks for listing

 

[deelmakur]

I'm married to a former F/A. The kids at JetBlue more resemble the original intent of that job, than the people who have turned it into a lifetime profession, and in the process, created a wage structure that has burdened the industry for years. I was only kidding with the "battle axe" remark (you'd have to have a death wish to say stuff like that on a website with so many employees participating). That said, a debate like this could go on forever. Like, is a 55 year woman as fit as a 26 year old, in the event of a true emergency? Who knows? I was underscoring the foolish remark by your CEO.
As for the complaining, when I rode US, I was always in First, whether purchased, or upgraded, so it was pretty hard not to hear them. I know it was tough, but if it was that bad, try something else. One thing I can tell you. When those morons who try to manage commerical aviation, tried to take the heat off themselves, by blaming pax who don't pay enough. for all their woes, and by extension, layoffs, there was a perceptible chill in the front cabin, coming from the F/A group. We frequent flyers weren't doing anything those dolts in management didn't allow. They set the fares, and the upgrade policies..not us. Yet, gone was hello Mr. And Mrs. Whatever, even though printed manifests were available. How many times I sat there as F/A's walked by, ignoring there was a coat on my lap. Sorry guys, it's not servitude...that's the gig. If you can't quit it because you like the disconnect of living two lives, there's nothing wrong with a little escapism. But I can tell you, those kids on JetBlue, and other newer carriers, provide a competent, and pleasant environment. It is quite a bit different on the established carriers.

 

[LCC_#1]

That youthful enthusiasm can really be a distraction, when you're used to a bunch of battleaxes, hanging around the galley (so they can be near their personal luggage in the overheads), bitching about their pay.
I think you need a bit of information.........
A) Those battleaxes, as you call them, Are trained professionals that prove there abilities yearly to the FAA, while we may not be young anylonger we can still save your a@# and the 200 other pax on the a/c in under 90 seconds.........<REMEMBER AIR FRANCE IN TORONTO> We can still breath life back into at 39,000 ft when no one else would be willing to touch you.

B.)Do you remember SEPTEMBER 11......We "HANG" around the galley because we are required to. YOU do realize that you can see the whole A/C from that vantage point.

C) That Personal Baggage You talk about contains Federally Mandated Items THAT MUST BE where we stow them. And We watch them because not every passenger/guest/us1,2,3,4...are honest, they go through our bags, steal from US and think its OK....THIS MY DEAR IS THE GODS HONEST TRUTH.
As to "bitching about there pay" I'll give you that one. I personally dont do it however i have one thing to say why are you listening to them....Its rude. We are humans we do talk eat pee just like everyone else. And that airplane tends to be home for 14 hrs a day, did you know that....did you know that in that 14hrs there are no planned breaks, no mealtime, no bathroom time....

So next time you fly just think for a moment.......

and if you wonder why we do things just ask, and if we can we will answer you.

thanks for listing

Here, here...and Happy Easter!!

 

[RowUnderDCA]

I have to admit to being perplexed that many 50 year olds would want to continue to be a flight attendent. Wouldn't there skills be better and more productively used in other jobs at an airline?

For example, the other thread about early outs and the resulting lack of experience and judgement in new hires in Res raises the question: wouldn't more mature flight attendents who know the airline, know the culture and have better judgment be better in those jobs? Of course, you'd have to pay them senior wages, but you'd replace them in the tube handing out cokes with new hires. Make the F/A job an entry level security/safety job with hospitality over tones.