Positive step forward? How do you feel about this?

[Fly4Free]

Following are changes sought by the airline.

• Methodically tackling the long list of lingering computer bugs.


• Hiring 30 temporary customer-service employees to resolve a backlog of complaints.


• Resurrecting a program to get hundreds of early-morning flights, called "launch flights," out on time to lessen the ripple effects early flight delays and cancellations cause.


• Continuing to throw resources into its troubled Philadelphia hub, where flight delays and baggage handling remain big problems despite some progress.


• Hiring, as a pre-emptive move, extra airport customer service workers for the summer, primarily on the East Coast.


• Spreading out its summer flight schedule, especially at its Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., hubs, so there is more wiggle room in case of delays. Fewer flights will be scheduled during peak times.


• Upgrading its inflight service, from food and training for flight attendants, to a "revolutionary" seat-back entertainment system. The first improvements will debut this summer; the entertainment system will begin a trial period early next year.


• Redesigning usairways.com, with a new site debuting next year.

"It is a big ship to turn, (and) it is turning, no question," Christ said. "We will absolutely get up from this."


---------------------------------------------

My opinion: (feel free to share yours, but please be respectful.. my point isn't to cause anyone to bicker about this.. either you like it or not)

Maybe the "New" US Airways system is just a step to get something operating. Our website? Mediocre but usually it does basic functions. Our reservations system? Bah, I'm QIK/SHARES trained so I never worked with anything else, but seems like they needed to get to one system.. and based on prior posts, Dougie said they may change software in the future. Why drag out the merger? Merge first and fix later seems to be the motto. Release software/sites that meet basic needs, move on to the next issue. Seems like they are doing this on purpose to try to get the airline merged as one platform, instead of two seperate identities. This being so they can improve the company as a hole and not having to neglect one side to bring the other side to similar specs.

I come from an IT background, so I know how hard a rollout can be. You have testing, planning, backup/alternate plans, production testing, etc to do before you commit. If you commit and it doesn't work, you've just probably destroyed the company and might as well kiss it goodbye.

IT plays a critical role in any business, and hopefully Dougie and management recognize this. Their subpar pay for even IT staff turns people away.

Anyhow, back to subject on hand.. I think this may be a step forward and may help destinguish us from other airlines in our category. It's a shame that we're trying to make US Airways, a decent carrier, into a southwest airlines. People call me up, ask what airline it will be on (DUH.. LOL) and dread when I say US Airways. I can hear it in their tone.

 

[LD3]

A quote from Travis in the AZ Republican article about the FFOCUS meeting and other pax needs:


"So far, they're putting up with this," said Travis Christ, vice president of sales and marketing. "It's not too late."

 

[Art at ISP]

A quote from Travis in the AZ Republican article about the FFOCUS meeting and other pax needs:


"So far, they're putting up with this," said Travis Christ, vice president of sales and marketing. "It's not too late."

And that is where the disconnect is between them and us. We're NOT putting up with this--a recent survey of our members got 164 responses and only 8 said they are staying with US Airways. They were told we won't put up with this...plain and simple.

Money talks--and it looks like money is walking right out the door..

And to the OP's point--it is too little too late.

 

[pilot]

Not a word mentioned about improving employee morale, working conditions or pay.

In other words they continue to ignore the single most important asset of the company.

Compare what is going on here, from the employee perspective, to what is happening at DAL. That management realizes they cannot run a major airline without the backing and support of the employees. And they have committed money and perks to their most valuable assets as they exit BK.

When the Tempe braintrust address this issue things will improve. Until that point all they are doing is putting buckets under roof leaks. They are addressing the symptoms of the problem. Not the true problem.

With motivated, empowered, excited and loyal employees any problem can be overcome. If you don't believe it talk to Herb Kelleher.

He understands what makes an airline great. THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE!!!!!

pilot

 

[john john]

Just about all the changes sought by the airline are heavily passenger service involved and every one has been brought to management’s attention months ago and fell on deaf ears. It is time for management to sit down with CWA leadership and have discussions/resolutions and imputation of the unions input

Following are changes sought by the airline.

• Methodically tackling the long list of lingering computer bugs.
• Hiring 30 temporary customer-service employees to resolve a backlog of complaints.
• Resurrecting a program to get hundreds of early-morning flights, called "launch flights," out on time to lessen the ripple effects early flight delays and cancellations cause.
• Continuing to throw resources into its troubled Philadelphia hub, where flight delays and baggage handling remain big problems despite some progress.
• Hiring, as a pre-emptive move, extra airport customer service workers for the summer, primarily on the East Coast.
• Spreading out its summer flight schedule, especially at its Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., hubs, so there is more wiggle room in case of delays. Fewer flights will be scheduled during peak times.
• Redesigning usairways.com, with a new site debuting next year.

 

[LD3]

While profits are being made now, the BOD needs to look down the road. It appears that regional airline mgmt can not and will not be able to run a major, proof is in the pudding. If Doug and co cant handle whats in their own backyard, how the hell would they handle a mideast or Asia expansion. Frontline at both east and west have worked hard to make this a viable airline, too bad magmnt has not.

 

[LongTimeF/A]

if these changes were implemented?? yea things would start to improve, but I think it's just a lot more lip service...

 

[BoeingBoy]

IT plays a critical role in any business, and hopefully Dougie and management recognize this. Their subpar pay for even IT staff turns people away.

With your IT background, these two sentences should give you the answer.....

At best, Doug et al recognize the importance of IT to the success of the company and at worst they don't. Either way, they're attempting to get by "on the cheap" and the result is obvious.

That philosophy seems to permeate every decision made. Not what is the best, or even what gives the best "bang for the buck", but what is cheapest way to go.

That thinking will destroy the company if it continues.

Jim

 

[LongTimeF/A]

Here's another saying Tempe needs to familiarize(sp?) themselves with.. "put your money where your mouth is" or how about "put up, or shut up".. :blink: :blink:

 

[Awa Contract]

Settling the Labor Contracts would be the best move towards making things run better - anything else is just spitting into the wind

 

[bagchucker]

It "sounds" decent, a step in the right direction...but it is really only placing a Band-Aid over the scrapes, when on the back side there are gaping gashes that need stitches (i.e. labor contracts!). Look at it this way... Having resources to do the job and upgraded services on aircraft only go so far if the PEOPLE who offer the service or use the resources are marginally engaged in their jobs and unhappy due to managements neglect and unfairness towards them.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

They do appear to be quite accomplished when it comes to Lip Service don't they?

I could lay out a rosy picture and vision for the New US Airways too. One that would make theirs look silly.

But like they say "Actions Speak Louder than Words" and right now today their actions are SCREAMING to FF'ers "Get Off My Airline" and more and more are doing so.

"Read My Lips, NO NEW CUSTOMERS!"

 

[Fixed Wing]

• Methodically tackling the long list of lingering computer bugs.

Ok sorry but I need to comment on this.
The company claims they did plenty of tests etc. and we all know the kiosk problem.
But at this point the "computer bugs" (spin for we didn't know what we were doing) are pretty much gone and it is now the former Sabre workforce having to work with this Shares system.
The various round tables that ask employees what improvements they want to see with Shares is an example of piss poor planning.

Before migration someone should have said, " let's do a drill. let's pretend we are checking in 160 passengers going to Europe and the flight cancels. let's see if we can reroute them easily.....or let's take a look at the standby list and see if it's easy to read" (like sabre was).

These are the things that the "round tables" are identifying 6 weeks after ? !!!! Someone doesn't know the meaning of test.

 

[DrBeth]

And that is where the disconnect is between them and us. We're NOT putting up with this--a recent survey of our members got 164 responses and only 8 said they are staying with US Airways. They were told we won't put up with this...plain and simple.

Money talks--and it looks like money is walking right out the door..

And to the OP's point--it is too little too late.

Do you have plans to share the survey results with Mr. Christ and the team? Are you also surveying the 30 new FFOCUS members who joined after that article was published?

 

[The End]

Not a word mentioned about improving employee morale, working conditions or pay.

In other words they continue to ignore the single most important asset of the company.

Compare what is going on here, from the employee perspective, to what is happening at DAL. That management realizes they cannot run a major airline without the backing and support of the employees. And they have committed money and perks to their most valuable assets as they exit BK.

When the Tempe braintrust address this issue things will improve. Until that point all they are doing is putting buckets under roof leaks. They are addressing the symptoms of the problem. Not the true problem.

With motivated, empowered, excited and loyal employees any problem can be overcome. If you don't believe it talk to Herb Kelleher.

He understands what makes an airline great. THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE!!!!!

pilot

As long as the profits are comming in they could care less about the people who make it happen. Why should they? Then when the profits stop they will blame it on labor. This group hates labor and will do all they can to out source everything they can. The End