Letter from Doug Parker

[PITbull]

Hey Fan, if you recall from FT, this is the original "cockroach". And airportman, I am not making light of what FA's do in an emergency. I consider USAirways (East) the best flyers in the country. Thanks to all those layoffs, they are certainly mostly senior. As for the Toronto mishap, I know everyone can have a bad day, and that Airbus products are built to minimize individual decisions in certain areas (sort of European in character), but I've never worried about a USAirways pilot running off a runway. I don't fly you guys anymore, but I miss you. PitBull, I'm getting you a subscription to the New York Times.It makes Pravda look like the National Review.

Hmm, I think you like me. B)

Hey thanks for the post above, recognizing and trusting the U employees. You never have to worry about safety concerns. U is the best of the best with safety. That, you can take to the bank. Its priceless.

 

[700UW]

I like you! But you all ready know that.

 

[deelmakur]

Hey PitBull, I have enjoyed your posts for a long time. You don't mince words. You obviously also have a sense of humor. I have been on this board since 2002, and if you see my profile, note, I am number 586 on the member list. I was actually lower, but after we all came over here from Plane Business, they had to reset the server, and when the reregistration happened, I waited a few days. Anyway, with less than 300 posts, you can see I read more than I write.

 

[PITbull]

Deel,

Well then, your senior to me! And me, I'm just mouthy. I write much, much more than I read. LOL.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Now that everyone's "kissed and made up", so to speak, and we're this far off topic.....

Ironically, the person generally acknowledged to be the first "stewardress" was hired because she was a registered nurse (hired by what is now United Airlines, by the way). So the "founding fathers" of commercial aviation were thinking about something other than "cute & bubbly" in those early years.

What's also interesting is that many airlines began with male pursers instead of "eye candy". Take a look at some of the pictures of early Pan American Clipper service and try to find a female "stewardress". This wasn't limited to just the earliest airlines. Many of the later smaller airlines, like Piedmont, originally used male pursers because part of the duties was to help load/unload baggage.

Jim

 

[FCYTravis]

I proudly wear a Roach and a Heritage pin on my lapel during every U flight. OK, so the messages are kind of mixed, but the heart's in the right place I wasn't around for the old Roach days but I firmly believe that the best way to be heard is to speak with one voice.

And I think some US East crew on an SFO-PHL red-eye Tuesday is going to get Kissed by this West Coast roach B)

Speaking of flying, I cleared three flights three days out - SFO-PHL-CLT-RDU, A321/767/733. I keep not having the upgrade problems other people are complaining about. My percentage stands at 83 percent for the year. Can't quibble with that.

 

[ExUAW]

I just want to say ... "THANKS! Doug Parker."

 

[US AIRWAYS FAN]

It's more than just Thanks Doug Parker. Without the East employees giving up so much of their pay checks. This merger would have never ever taken place. That is what attracted Doug to US in the first place. The employees at U are very loyal. With all the beatings they took from CCY and all the money CCY took off with. Many have stuck it out and kept their heads high.

US Air/Piedmont/PSA and Allegheny are a great group of people. This is what has kept me flying U. The only thing that brings the entire system down is PHL. The crown jewel that CCY use to speak of is more like a stop gap in the system when your trying to take off sitting on the tarmac for an hour.

 

[VOR]

It's more than just Thanks Doug Parker. Without the East employees giving up so much of their pay checks. This merger would have never ever taken place. That is what attracted Doug to US in the first place. The employees at U are very loyal. With all the beatings they took from CCY and all the money CCY took off with. Many have stuck it out and kept their heads high.

US Air/Piedmont/PSA and Allegheny are a great group of people. This is what has kept me flying U. The only thing that brings the entire system down is PHL. The crown jewel that CCY use to speak of is more like a stop gap in the system when your trying to take off sitting on the tarmac for an hour.

A point of clarification...yes there are lots of great US employees and with "all East employees giving up so much of their paychecks" the East folks are at the pay scale the great AWA folks have always had and where other carriers are headed. I may be mistaken but I though similar low CASMs made a US/HP merger look attractive to investors. PHY is getting lots of attention. If improvement is not made, it is not because of a lack of investment by the new US leadership team.

Doug, thanks for standing up for US!

 

[john john]

A point of clarification...yes there are lots of great US employees and with "all East employees giving up so much of their paychecks" the East folks are at the pay scale the great AWA folks have always had and where other carriers are headed. I may be mistaken but I though similar low CASMs made a US/HP merger look attractive to investors. PHY is getting lots of attention. If improvement is not made, it is not because of a lack of investment by the new US leadership team.

Doug, thanks for standing up for US!

Wrong, A point of clarification the pay scale for the great AWA agents got a $5.00+ hr raise

 

[VOR]

Wrong, A point of clarification the pay scale for the great AWA agents got a $5.00+ hr raise

That's great....anyone else getting pay raises?

 

[US AIRWAYS FAN]

No everyone on the East side got raped :down:
HP fliers and employees got a better side of the deal. I guess the east side still has a job so that is worth something.

That's great....anyone else getting pay raises?

 

[john john]

That's great....anyone else getting pay raises?

Yes the east agents just got a $1.00 hr raise TOS

 

[AIRWOMAN]

No everyone on the East side got raped :down:
HP fliers and employees got a better side of the deal. I guess the east side still has a job so that is worth something.

Not sure how you or anyone else figures that the HP flier and employees got a better deal.........guess it all depends on who you talk to and if they see it that way. Can't say as I see it that way.

 

[USA320Pilot]

ClueByFour said: "Umm, the entire point of the merger was that it would produce a profitable entity. Parker trying to spin that in such a way with this "excluding merger costs" is a joke. Only in the airline business do people think like this anymore."

USA320Pilot comments: Today J.P. Morgan airline analyst Jamie Baker said, "LCC Q2 RASM to rival that of Q1 – We believe LCC consolidated RASM can approach 20% in Q2, rivaling its Q1 gain. RASM of this magnitude suggests Q2 earnings of $2.92 (un-taxed), versus previous $2.39 and consensus $2.10 (and despite worsened fuel guidance). Un-taxed F2006 raised from $4.86 to partially-taxed $5.33 at $2.04 jet fuel, 16% RASM, and mid-range of ex-fuel guidance. 2006 EBITDAR now $1,747 million from earlier $1,629 million with EBIT margins expected to top all others ex-LUV. At 5.1x 2006E EV/EBITDAR, the cheapest name we follow, bar none, and obviously our favorite (stock pick)."

Best regards,

USA320Pilot