PTO's NWA Scab Career...

[groundcontrol]

All the people want are peanuts and pillows finman.
They don't care about useless numbers.
Is that too much to ask for when shelling out a lot of $$$$ for a seat on one of your buckets?
peanuts and pillows, finman, peanuts and pillows............

 

[finman]

yeah another question:

how can you prove that they paid of the feds to get number one? also
do these stats include america west flts?

You completely missed my point. US isn't paying the feds anything. It is costly to have an inflated scheduled block time because crews are paid the greater of scheduled or actual block time on each segment. As such, having a higher BO is essentially "buying" a good arrival statistic.

Yes, this does include AmWest flights.

Yes, one . Did US also pad their first quarter profit?

Nope. They sure didn't. I have nothing against USAir, I hope they do well. There's nothing wrong with buying good arrival statistics; it's a pretty smart move if it coincides with a period of time where the public if very concious of the statistics. Hell, NWA did the same thing during the strike in order to maintain tolerable arrival stats during that period. It is just something that people should be made aware of when they are comparing the true operating reliability of an airline.

 

[finman]

According to this article, Scab Air is dead last with the flying public. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/conte...25/b3989048.htm
"Customers may understand why they're being pummeled, but that doesn't make them any happier about it. Of the seven biggest airlines, Northwest fell more than any other in the Michigan customer satisfaction ranking, dropping it to LAST. Northwest also came in at the bottom in 2005's J.D. Power & Associates consumer satisfaction poll on 11 airlines. David Lawson, chief financial officer of Lawson Enterprises Inc., a marketing firm in Ambler, Pa., flies on a commercial airline three or four times a month. "If at all possible," he says, "I don't fly Northwest. I just have found a lack of interest in the customer."
"Northwest has good reason to try to charge more for less. With jet fuel prices at record highs, the bankrupt airline lost an average of $85 million a week in the first quarter, twice as much as a year earlier. Even after forcing deep pay cuts from its pilots and other unionized employees, the Eagan (Minn.)-based airline is expected to lose $900 million in 2006, which would be the sixth consecutive year of red ink."

You're dusting this 2005 customer survey off again, eh? I don't know how relevant this really is anymore, or how relevant it was in the first place.

As far as $900M loss in 2006, I'd be OK with that. That would mean a $200M profit in the 2nd-4th quarter combined, since we lost $1.1B in Q1. That sounds like a pretty good "turn-around" to me.

 

[Hackman]

You're dusting this 2005 customer survey off again, eh? I don't know how relevant this really is anymore, or how relevant it was in the first place.

As far as $900M loss in 2006, I'd be OK with that. That would mean a $200M profit in the 2nd-4th quarter combined, since we lost $1.1B in Q1. That sounds like a pretty good "turn-around" to me.

Business Week thinks its still relevant, or they wouldn't have published the article. Of course Scab Air management doesn't think so, which is no surprise.

We will have to wait and see what the 2006 survey says, that is if Scab Air is still flying. I don't see a whole lot of improvement, and neither do many others in the industry.

 

[PurduePete]

...It is costly to have an inflated scheduled block time because crews are paid the greater of scheduled or actual block time on each segment. As such, having a higher BO is essentially "buying" a good arrival statistic.

...There's nothing wrong with buying good arrival statistics; it's a pretty smart move if it coincides with a period of time where the public if very concious of the statistics. Hell, NWA did the same thing during the strike in order to maintain tolerable arrival stats during that period. It is just something that people should be made aware of when they are comparing the true operating reliability of an airline.

So, if I can understand your pretzel logic, once NW is able to complete its pillaging of the flight crew contracts, it would become feasable to again inflate the block times to give NW a boost in the all-important on-time rankings? I mean, if you admit that the company padded the stats (lied) during the first few weeks (months?) of the strike just to make the public think that things were "normal", what's to keep them from doing it again if it would cost them less?

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I didn't know that deception or fraud makes for "smart" business operations...(BTW, is admitting that NW fudged the numbers what you meant when you said "...something that people should be made aware of when they are comparing the true operating reliability of an airline"?)

 

[700UW]

Depace has nothing to with AMFA.

 

[finman]

So, if I can understand your pretzel logic, once NW is able to complete its pillaging of the flight crew contracts, it would become feasable to again inflate the block times to give NW a boost in the all-important on-time rankings? I mean, if you admit that the company padded the stats (lied) during the first few weeks (months?) of the strike just to make the public think that things were "normal", what's to keep them from doing it again if it would cost them less?

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I didn't know that deception or fraud makes for "smart" business operations...(BTW, is admitting that NW fudged the numbers what you meant when you said "...something that people should be made aware of when they are comparing the true operating reliability of an airline"?)

Its not "lying" or "deception" to set up your schedule so that you have a planned B0 at 65% rather than 60%. It's just picking a different point on the block time distribution curve. Every airline has their own BO target which they think will help them achieve an acceptable DOT A14 target with limited incremental crew costs. Obviously, if a No.1 on-time ranking actually converted into significant revenue gains, there would be a lot more airlines with higher BO. The customer just wants to know how often he/she will arrive according to schedule, so the A14 measure is the most appropriate from a customer standpoint. I doubt they care that the scheduled flight time is a couple minutes longer than another airline.

Yes, if crew costs decrease and the importance of on-time rankings increases, then naturally the scheduled block times will inch up as airlines jockey for those top positions. In the end, a consistently high ranking will be the result of a high DO, which is the true operating reliability measure of an airline. The BO can only buy short term A14 ranking gains, as the rest of the herd will quickly adjust their BO if they see their rank drop lower than they'd like.

 

[local 12 proud]

So, if I can understand your pretzel logic, once NW is able to complete its pillaging of the flight crew contracts, it would become feasable to again inflate the block times to give NW a boost in the all-important on-time rankings? I mean, if you admit that the company padded the stats (lied) during the first few weeks (months?) of the strike just to make the public think that things were "normal", what's to keep them from doing it again if it would cost them less?

Forgive me for my ignorance, but I didn't know that deception or fraud makes for "smart" business operations...(BTW, is admitting that NW fudged the numbers what you meant when you said "...something that people should be made aware of when they are comparing the true operating reliability of an airline"?)

Well 'PurduePete' If you expect to get a Logical honest answer from 'finny ole boy' you can forget it, he's a bean counter by trade who delights in the manipulation of numbers. He also congratulated our ex-resident SCAB on doing a superb job of violating FAR part 45. when he illegally serviced an unserviceable lav and pencil whipped the Log Book by doing so all in the name of getting a plane off the gate. If you look up Finman in the dictionary, Im almost certain you will see a picture of the Ex- Iraqi misinformation minister 'Baghdad Bob'! :down:

 

[local 12 proud]

Good luck to you PTO. You've been entertaining on this board, and have been part of a vital key to the successful turnaround NWA is making. With you and your fellow mechanics, NWA is now in second place in DOT on-time rankings, and would have been No. 1 if US Airways didn't pad their scheduled block times to the extent they do. This success is a testament to the competence and work ethic of mechanics like yourself.

If (when)at the end of the day, NWA emerges as a profitable airline, the 30K+ remaining employees will certainly owe a debt of gratitude to you guys for offering your services and helping us through this.

ROTFLMFAO Yes indeed 'finny ole boy', that SUPER SCAB did a superb job alright. you call a two day engine change that normally takes 4 hours a successful turnaround? you would'nt know the difference because your a cubicle zombie, bean counting, nail bender who thinks violating the Federal Aviation Regulations in order to get the plane out on time is how did you say?...ummmm oh yes "being creative". Aviation Maintenance is not Akin to you remodelling your Bathroom 'nail bender', your logic is a hazzard to the travelling public, flight crews, and innocents on the ground. You are indeed a candidate for submitting the ID-10T Form, now go do the right thing!

 

[finman]

Well 'PurduePete' If you expect to get a Logical honest answer from 'finny ole boy' you can forget it, he's a bean counter by trade who delights in the manipulation of numbers. He also congratulated our ex-resident SCAB on doing a superb job of violating FAR part 45. when he illegally serviced an unserviceable lav and pencil whipped the Log Book by doing so all in the name of getting a plane off the gate. If you look up Finman in the dictionary, Im almost certain you will see a picture of the Ex- Iraqi misinformation minister 'Baghdad Bob'! :down:

I see once again you're unwilling to actually discuss the topic at hand and provide any sort of compelling responses. Name calling is so much easier, isn't it?

You're still hung up on the "blue juice" thing? You just can't let these irrelevant, immaterial things go, can you? I guess they serve your purpose, which is to deflect the conversation to something other than discussion item, which you obviously don't know enough about to make an intelligent comment on.

ROTFLMFAO Yes indeed 'finny ole boy', that SUPER SCAB did a superb job alright. you call a two day engine change that normally takes 4 hours a successful turnaround? you would'nt know the difference because your a cubicle zombie, bean counting, nail bender who thinks violating the Federal Aviation Regulations in order to get the plane out on time is how did you say?...ummmm oh yes "being creative". Aviation Maintenance is not Akin to you remodelling your Bathroom 'nail bender', your logic is a hazzard to the travelling public, flight crews, and innocents on the ground. You are indeed a candidate for submitting the ID-10T Form, now go do the right thing!

Case in point. You're on quite a roll. You must have been the shining star on your high school debate team.

 

[local 12 proud]

I see once again you're unwilling to actually discuss the topic at hand and provide any sort of compelling responses. Name calling is so much easier, isn't it?

You're still hung up on the "blue juice" thing? You just can't let these irrelevant, immaterial things go, can you? I guess they serve your purpose, which is to deflect the conversation to something other than discussion item, which you obviously don't know enough about to make an intelligent comment on.

compelling response to what? your a management stooge who hates Unions and has shown thru your many biased post that you have '0' respect for the striking mechanics.

You sir are a total embecile whom is also very dangerous with a total disregard for the safety of the passengers, flight crews, or innocent bystander on the ground that happens to get pummled by aircraft debris. You call pencil whipping a Log Book irrelevant, immaterial to this topic? You are one brainwashed wacko more so than PTO!

 

[finman]

[quote name='Hackman' date='Jun 26 2006, 07:50 PM'
With the massively reduced flight schedule, pissed off employee's (non-scab) and moronic management, your beloved shell of an airline is well on its way to a long dirt nap.

[/quote]
The flight schedule for 2006 is only down about 8-9% from 2004, so I'd hardly call that a "massively" reduced schedule.

 

[Don Smith]

Its not "lying" or "deception" to set up your schedule so that you have a planned B0 at 65% rather than 60%. It's just picking a different point on the block time distribution curve. ..... The BO can only buy short term A14 ranking gains, as the rest of the herd will quickly adjust their BO if they see their rank drop lower than they'd like.

I skipped all of the middle stuff...I kept reading the same line three times...ZZzzz. I do see what you're trying to say Beanie but here is a stat that is never published. How many travellers actually look up the stats before laying out the $330 (minimum) RT fare? None, zero, 00. Mom and Pop don't give a hoot. They want to drive to Madison airport (or wherever) get on the plane and land at the beach, or the grandkids place. They care about the price and getting there. The same for the business traveller. With no choice in carriers he just wants to GET THERE. Thanks for the info however...I needed a nap.

 

[local 12 proud]

Case in point. You're on quite a roll. You must have been the shining star on your high school debate team.

...And you must have been the Teachers pet, now go brew that coffee bootlicker!

 

[finman]

compelling response to what? your a management stooge who hates Unions and has shown thru your many biased post that you have '0' respect for the striking mechanics.

You sir are a total imbecile who is very dangerous with total disregard for the safety of the passengers, flight crews, or innocent bystander on the ground who happens to get pummled by aircraft debris. You call pencil whipping a Log Book irrelevant, immaterial to this topic? You are one brainwashed wacko more so than PTO!

I don't know if I've ever given my personal opinion of striking members. I don't know if I necessarily have an opinion of them. The economics of the situation are fairly obvious, and I try to point them out where it seems appropriate. I'll leave the union stuff to you guys; that's the arena you play in.

You've beat this "blue juice" thing to death. I know you need this to be a big deal so you can believe the whole "NWA is unsafe" talking point, but using this example is a little silly. I'm not a mechanic, but I have enough common sense to know the difference between a material safety issue a minor thing such as blue juice in a lav. PTO has already explained this event to my satisfaction, so unless you can lay out the actual safety related issues involved in this case, then it's pretty much a dead issue to me. (don't give me the FAR 45 language, because that doesn't talk to this specific situation, and is thus meaningless to me)