Management at US and UA--The Good the Bad and the Ugly

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Money can be replaced time can not - I so agree.

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> They do effect everyone differently though. The price of food has risen, a lot.

Dang ethanol!

 

[SS255]

If Parker puts the right people in the right positions, and lets them do what they think is right for the company, it has a much better chance. The key is THE RIGHT PEOPLE. NOT YES MEN... Visionaries.

You seem like a visionary, SolidCactus.

It's too bad that airline CEO's do not recruit from their customer ranks, since there are lot of bright, talented customers who post on this board.

 

[sharktooth]

I think the productivity of our workforce is increasing by the DAY … a lot of times people will come on here and complain that they “don’t give us the tools we need to do our job “ well that’s no longer the case , heck I can’t believe how many tools we now have …

Productivity ? How about NUMBER ONE IN ON TIME ARRIVALS FOR MOST OF THIS YEAR!!! Yeah go us!!! Here’s the link …

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CW..._8/ai_n25399634



Face it we’re a WINNING airline , if this oil crisis had never come about , we’d be rolling in dough and glory , we might have even been in a position to eventually take on southwest airlines , but what with their fuel hedge and all , I doubt will be able to get our CASM down to their level.

Who let Baghdad Bob onto this forum?

 

[sharktooth]

I dont know if Southwest employees read this forum... But one day I was on a Southwest flight and I started chatting with the flight attendant. I said, "This company really fascinates me. You guy's cant have a union, right?"... She said, "You wont believe this, but we're one of the MOST unionized airlines, if not the most unionized airline in America".

Ok guys, I used to be a Supervisor at UPS (Teamsters) and spent many years Managing UFCW employees. I know this is virtually impossible... So I asked her...

"What is it Southwest does differently"?

She said, "this company cares about us. Nobody would ever even consider calling "contract" on our management. The company treats us BETTER than the conditions that are in our contract. There is no need to even look at our contract.

She told me that she was at $35 an hour after 5 years, and that on Valentines Day one year, they all received cards that said "Southwest LUV'S You" and inside was a $500 check.

I met another really friendly flight attendant. She went on to explain to me that her husband is the guy in the back of the plane doing beverage service. She said, "I love this job. They work with us. My husband and I get to work on the same trip, this way we can spend time together".

I was on a US Airways Express flight, using my miles to connect to a Southwest Flight (when I SWORE I would never fly US again). There was a deadheading flight attendant across from me. I flashed her my WN boarding pass and smiled. She opened up her purse and gave me 12 drink coupons and said, "thank you" - we appreciate your business...

I've seen deadheading pilots assisting flight attendants with beverage service and snack service. You show me any hardcore union environment where something like this could EVEN take place.

It all starts with labor.

PS, please dont turn this thread labor...

Jump-seated on a SWA flight, LAS-LAX, the two year captain asked me about a US retiree last September he took on the jump-seat from PHL to PIT. The dude had just retired, his ID said so. The SWA Captain ensured the retiring US Captain had a bottle of champagne waiting for him in PIT. There is more, but I can spare you.

When the SWA captain upgraded the company asked him when he wanted a dinner with Herb and how many would attend, courtesy SWA!

I realize Doug is busy with his six-packs, but, you think a little time spent with his employees would pay dividends down the road?

 

[dexter]

Baghdad Bob Great comeback shark....your comment just made my day...great chuckle.

 

[cltrat]

Who let Baghdad Bob onto this forum?

Baghdad Bob ..lol that's priceless I think he's been reborn as Tempe Tim

 

[SolidCactus]

I just disagree with this....

I love debt....good debt.....I have more mortgages then 98% of everyone will have in 3 lifetimes...and while it is, at times, a juggling act trying to collect rents, at the end of the day, there isn't a SINGLE model that doesn't call this "smart money management."

The key is, most Americans have not a clue in terms of understanding the difference of good debt vs. bad debt.

A mortgage is, perhaps, the greatest hedge against inflation there is and ever will be. One SIMPLE example...think about it....

I agree, energy costs WILL factor into the economy....I love it. The cost of wood, bricks, mortar, all building materials...what are they going to do? That's right, they will increase....

Guess what that means for my properties??? Exactly...they just got more valuable...cost of replacement goes up....yadda, yadda, yadda....

Meanwhile, my mortgages just stay the same cost....while housing costs, replacement costs....and the costs for those looking for housing goes up.

I understand what you are saying Solid...and I understand what BeCareful is saying....I think he/she is a tool for calling me an elitist...but thats okay...here's more elitist attitude...I don't really care what he/she thinks about me. LOL

My point is this....very simply....stop buying into negatie hoopla...it goes NO WHERE.

good point, i should have said REVOLVING DEBT... mortgages are good debt as long as your debt to income ratio is kept in tact...

 

[SolidCactus]

You seem like a visionary, SolidCactus.

It's too bad that airline CEO's do not recruit from their customer ranks, since there are lot of bright, talented customers who post on this board.

thanks I do consider myself a visionary, but in the defence of all the bean counters out there, a visionary who is not balanced out by qualified operations managers, frugal bean counters, incredible sales people, and a solid team - is still bound to fail