Merger mess stalls US Airways plans

[phillyphlyer]

I keep this about shares, but in all honesty shares isn't a problem in the west cities and never has been. To say that it's crippling things confuses me or is an excuse. I have 15 years seniority here and it was always hard to have new hires all the time. My mind is open, I don't work full time but since east joined in, everyone keeps saying how bad things are :angry: when I go to work in the west, everyone seems pretty happy and nothing has changed much, but we do have a few bad days, but mostly good ones with how the airline runs.

I just feel frustrated :blink: by all of the negative things i always hear, it makes me want to quit, but i love my job, i love who i work with, i love the time off, i love the benefits, why can't some people see that

You must be easily confused then because we have been posting specific problems here for 4 months....Intl avail or anything Intl is impossible...it took six weeks or more to get intl avail up to speed and it still doesnt have all cities.....the standby list is so convoluted..with Sabre I could change a listing from y to f with just a few key strokes..GA1(change key)F...and that also assigns a seat...and it works first time and everytime....

The key pads don't make any sense...you never know where to look for the function you need....where is the pop-up for putting a volunteer on the standby list?....under change seats/bags???? of course...where else would it be


I spend so much time looking for the right key pad....with Sabre things were logical...most gate entries started with a G...like the standby list G*Lflt#/pall.....in you head you think Go display list flt# pull all...it just made sense.....this system doesnt make any sense and thats why you have agts with that look on their face..we know what we had and what AWA took aways from us

 

[USstew23]

I keep this about shares, but in all honesty shares isn't a problem in the west cities and never has been. To say that it's crippling things confuses me or is an excuse. I have 15 years seniority here and it was always hard to have new hires all the time. My mind is open, I don't work full time but since east joined in, everyone keeps saying how bad things are :angry: when I go to work in the west, everyone seems pretty happy and nothing has changed much, but we do have a few bad days, but mostly good ones with how the airline runs.

I just feel frustrated :blink: by all of the negative things i always hear, it makes me want to quit, but i love my job, i love who i work with, i love the time off, i love the benefits, why can't some people see that

Shares may not have been a problem for a regional airline with only 2 hubs. Maybe because of the regional nature and size no one may have ever really noticed. It's an International airline now (maybe not the biggest international carrier but it's enough) and one that not just starts and ends at PHX and LAS. It is a complex airline with the majority of its operations in the most dense and delay prone part of the country that needs a res/ops system that can handle such without alot of extra headaches. I know there are alot of people at AWA that are from other airlines but the majority are people that have only worked at AWA and may be naieve to anything outside of AWA and do not have the ability to see the big problems. Nothing against them and you have to start somewhere but in this business you need to see the bigger picture, adapt and be aware. Maybe everyone that is a lineholder and chooses where to fly and only has to show up for 45 hours a month is pretty happy but I promise you that those reserves out in PHX have HAD IT with being stepped on and the small mindedness. When you talk to those Reserves in PHX that have come from the East or even other airlines, they are actually appalled and in disbelief of how any airline could be in such shambles as much as it is. Normal at AWA is not normal anywhere else in this industry. People have to look at the big picture outside of PHX which is just a speck in the grand scheme of things. It's nice that you may only have to work 45 hours a month and may have something else to fall back on, however for those "legacy" US Airways employees that view this as their profession and rely on the income to feed their families and were kept to a very high standard that was reflected in their wage and hiring standards this is not some experiment nor is it a joke and the expectation that someone should just QUIT if they don't like it won't jive. People that have worked at "legacy" have sacrificed way too much to allow it to turn into some cheap, classless joke where everyone walks around like a stepford wife. I agree that people need to stop complaining and fight for and demand change for the better. Everyone needs to try to work together including "legacy" employees respecting AWA employees for their naievete and keep working at the standard that "legacy" hired you to and set an example for what they (AWA) may not understand. At the same time it would behoove some of the AWA employees to see through the tuff outerskin of the "legacy" employees and maybe work together to understand where they are coming from.

 

[crusher]

Bravo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now if only the Sand Castle would get the message , instead of living the delusion that they can improve shares. It will never be SABRE , the IT dept has neither the talent nor the intellect to accomplish the task. Nor should they even try , since it is doomed to fail. Take a cold objective look at each system and choose the BEST one , not the cheapest.

 

[bigbusboy]

WE need to find a way to UN-MERGE this airline and let A-West go there own way!!!!!!!

THANKYOU!!!!!!

 

[UWCactus]

I guess I have to jump here for a moment but you mention SHARES in terms of international service constantly, are you talking about the US departures or others? We don't have that many international departures on a given day in comparison to domestic departures thats for sure. So tell me, are you referring to the alliance international or the US international?'

Also.........i'm soooo tired of the bashing the west, ie,.."it's fine for a regional carrier"., that is getting so old!!! US Airways was also a regional carrier (east and northeast) with a very very small reach to Europe. Airways was NEVER on my radar for ways to go international! Never! West was big in the West, just as Airways was big in the east, cut the "regional" crap.

Only since the merger have they stretched that out a little more.

I am with many other westies at this point...why? oh why? did we do this??? Why did we take on the airline that everyone knew was in shambles and should have gone away!!!

 

[Dog Wonder]

I am with many other westies at this point...why? oh why? did we do this??? Why did we take on the airline that everyone knew was in shambles and should have gone away!!!

Because your bosses saw a big payday.

Where did you ever get the impression it was about you, any other employee, or the customers?

 

[philly rocks]

We have a major international system on the east coast, very unlike the west coast. The shares system is not capable of handling the complex re-issues and check-in requirments to handle transatlantic. We also reach into South American routes, for example Columbia connections through Miami where the shares system can't even find these cities. The west has maybe Mexico, or Asian connections on other airlines and they have the time to find connections in Phoenix while waiting for the long haul flights arrive. In the east, we are challenged with many other complex connections all over the world and our passengers cannot be serviced with this f---ed up system that would be equiv. to kindergarten class v. college.
Lets face it everyone, the management teams have read all our threads, nothing has changed it only gets worse. I feel we are going under this time. Our company will not and has not done anything in the best interest of the passenger and the employee groups so that means, THEY DON'T GIVE A RAT'S A-- !!!! So, with that said, just continue to work with the garbage,collect your paychecks and go home and forget about it !

 

[olivia]

Crusher....you are absolutely right about shares. I am totally in agreement.
We are running a big operation out here in the East.....PHL alone accounts for close to 40 pct of our revenue. Our frequent flyers are travelling to five cities in five days...and their tickets have 10 segments or more.

Try reissuing that mess...it is typing typing typing.....I used to be able to sell a seat, take a credit card....everything was prepopulated and you didn't have to keep the passenger on the line forever to do a simple transaction. I tried to book an INTL star alliance flight today......I cannot tell you how long it took. It can take over an hour to find and book the flights. You have to RETYPE AND RETYPE AND RETYPE ....

I don't care how many millions they saved dumping sabre.....they have brought a perfectly good (and last year very profitable) airline into last place DOT. And now because of their imcompetence and unwillingness to listen to the employees, have brought in outside help. It is incomprehensible to me, how they can pay themselves millions a year, make a bad decision,call in some outside consultants and try to fix the disaster they are responsible for.

 

[TheNewLowFare]

I think that would be the best thing to do. The West just had a few bad days recently, but mostly the operation runs very smooth out here, except when we get back east, then things start to fall apart it seems. Sometimes it just seems like the east people just really dont' care much about the company or the customer. I got stuck the other day in a storm in FLL and the the gate agents, baggage guys, just didn't seem to want to help anyone, we dont usually get that kind of treatment in a west city. I only fly the minimum hours (45) so i'm not always in the messes that I read about on here, but except for weather, i'm always on time.

I agre. I was just in Chicago and was talking to the east gate agent. She said, she hates working the east planes because they're always broken and always late. She prefers the west planes 'cause we're always on time. lol

 

[drifterreno]

I keep this about shares, but in all honesty shares isn't a problem in the west cities and never has been. To say that it's crippling things confuses me or is an excuse. I have 15 years seniority here and it was always hard to have new hires all the time. My mind is open, I don't work full time but since east joined in, everyone keeps saying how bad things are :angry: when I go to work in the west, everyone seems pretty happy and nothing has changed much, but we do have a few bad days, but mostly good ones with how the airline runs.

I just feel frustrated :blink: by all of the negative things i always hear, it makes me want to quit, but i love my job, i love who i work with, i love the time off, i love the benefits, why can't some people see that

You sound just like me a year ago. I feel sorry for you if you get a sup that came from the east side. Their tactics are rubbing off on the west.

 

[nostradamus]

The high seniority, low longevity people are on this right now. Remember the merger talks were started in 2003.


Captain John McIlvenna, who has served as vice chairman since May, joined
America West in 1998 and is an Airbus 320/319 pilot. Previously, he was a status
representative who served on the MEC. He also served on various pilot committees both
at America West and at his former carrier, including chairman of the Merger
Committee, chairman of the Negotiating Committee, and chairman of the Retirement
and Insurance Committee.

First Officer John Jurik has served the MEC as secretary-treasurer since
December 2004. Prior to this position, he served as vice chairman of the Membership
Committee. First Officer Jurik joined America West in 1999 and is an Airbus 320/319
pilot.

First Officer Vasin joined America West in 2004 and is Boeing 737 pilot. Prior to this position, First Officer Vasin served as the chairman of the Grievance Committee, which enforces the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement. He also served as a status representative on the MEC and as chairman of the Grievance Committee at his former carrier.

 

[nostradamus]

The high seniority, low longevity people are on this right now. Remember the merger talks were started in 2003.

Captain John McIlvenna, who has served as vice chairman since May, joined
America West in 1998 and is an Airbus 320/319 pilot. Previously, he was a status
representative who served on the MEC. He also served on various pilot committees both
at America West and at his former carrier, including chairman of the Merger
Committee, chairman of the Negotiating Committee, and chairman of the Retirement
and Insurance Committee.

First Officer John Jurik has served the MEC as secretary-treasurer since
December 2004. Prior to this position, he served as vice chairman of the Membership
Committee.
First Officer Jurik joined America West in 1999 and is an Airbus 320/319
pilot.


First Officer Vasin joined America West in 2004 and is Boeing 737 pilot. Prior to this position,
First Officer Vasin served as the chairman of the Grievance Committee, which enforces the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement. He also served as a status representative on the MEC and as chairman of the Grievance Committee at his former carrier.

These gentleman feel entitled and justify their windfall to super seniority because, as you can note their previous experiences at other airlines mention in the article above.

Of course previous experience in the airline they are fighting does not count because it does not help their cause. Hypocrites.

 

[hp_fa]

You'd have to improve to be a regional airline. Don't believe me??? Look at the DOT Stats there mr happy

Bob, don't forget that the "regional airline" (your words) was the only thing between U and liquidation. There was no one else looking at anything more then pieces via an asset sale.

 

[nostradamus]

Bob, don't forget that the "regional airline" (your words) was the only thing between U and liquidation. There was no one else looking at anything more then pieces via an asset sale.

Add articles to prove your point please.

 

[WCT]

The res system worked on the west because the agents were trained from the begining with this system, even senior employees that use to work sabre got trained for the new res. The east has way more employees working a lot more flights including International. There was no money put into training the east employees correctly or long enough. It would have been far easier to stay with sabre, and retrain the west employees. It has caused such a mess!
When I work flights in the east, the seat dups are out of control! We have always had seat problems on the West, and now I know the reason, OIK!!!!
It is real clear the company messed up big time with this one! We were working a way better airline before this res migration nightmare. This company needs to invest major money to fix the problems now!!!
And I disagree with you PineyBob that you think the westies have a stepford wives way of doing things. We have a lot of elites on the west very loyal to our airline, or what use to be AmWest, and think the east is screwed up big time too, and very unfriendly. I for one have had no issues with east employees, most of them are very professional and extremlely nice. I just think there is a lot more experience from the east side, and they are overwhelmed and dissapointed. And I don't blame them. I hope things workout with all labor groups very soon!