Public Rebuke of US Airways CEO

[zethya]

A ? I have, for the very few here who take anything seriously, is how can Parker now save face and still apologize for his threats to the region and also get back in the good graces of Senator Specter?

Seems he has to either fall on his sword and apologize to everyone for both the China threat and the method he used to downsize PIT, or without admitting guilt publicly, make certain 2-340s are parked at PHL ASAP and give something to partially placate PIT, like a seasonal European flight. As I mentioned in some earlier post, we are really at a disadvantage in not knowing what Parker's "real" agenda is - e.g., a merger with UA, which already has China authority out of IAD and would very likely not support a PIT Focus City.

 

[sfb]

If the business is there as the politicians say and we are just "deserting" PIT, why aren't other airlines salivating over the gates like they are in rotten old Philly. The lawmakers may not want to admit that they can't get high interest from any airline and they are scapegoating US for all of the changes in the region and their own lack of initiative.

Who's "salivating" over gates in "rotten old Philly?" Delta's taking a net REDUCTION in one gate. Only WN wants more gates. PIT isn't quite the same story, either -- all of those empty gates at PIT were built expressly for US Airways.

I got the feeling that PA held out the carrot of the retention of the international gates to Doug and then snatched it back at today's meeting because...... other airlines, who are anticipating a forced reduction of JFK flights by the goverment, are making promises and getting these guys into their pockets (without them having to do anything in PIT I might add). Then accuse US of extortion.

What gives you this feeling aside from the delicious Kool-Aid? The Delta move wasn't engineered overnight. They needed to plan the logistics and build out the new Crown Room Club in A-East. The Delta move has been in the plans for well over a year -- the city postponed it because Delta and Southwest agreed to postpone it.

And what on earth would "forced reduction of JFK flights by the goverment" have to do with gates at PHL? Delta isn't going to operate transatlantic from PHL unless they operate AF's PHL-CDG service as part of the upcoming transatlantic joint venture. They're not going to do PHL-London because they don't have the domestic feed at PHL to make it work. If BOS-London, SLC-London, or LAX-London don't make sense for Delta, neither does PHL-London.

Again, I will say that I like Spector, love PIT, but Spector's sarcasm and paternalistic prodding of Doug was pure showboating. "Well did you offer Delta domestic gates? Answer the question, did you? JSee, it is Doug's job to keep our market share in PHL, especially connections for the expanded int'l. If you tell me I must I will give them up but I am not going to offer! Spector mentions Delta too many times..... psychology and lobbyists at work! Spector made it sound like the necessity of sending int'l flights to PHX or CLT, if PHL lacks capacity, was a betrayal. Maybe because the lawmakers intent was to force US Int'l back to PIT and give Delta what they want at PHL? Hmmmmm.......

Frankly, yes, it was US Airways' responsibility to come up with an alternate solution if they didn't like the city's plans to move Delta into A-East or to build an extension to A-West. The city, Delta, and Southwest had been flexible by agreeing to delay the Delta move until after the summer seasonal flights ended. Stonewalling and threats as negotiating tactics often lead to failure. The city had a goal and had identified its preferred plans. If it were really, truly just about international gates, US would have offered a workable alternative.

And, yes, it is a betrayal. Spector and the other members of the Pennsylvania "congregation" threw their support behind US Airways' China application and behind trying to find solutions that would allow US to maintain its presence (and the jobs) in PIT. How were they repaid? US closed the PIT base and chose to use its China award to try to blackmail the PHL airport. The fact is that there are several ways to solve the supposed PHL gate space issue that don't involve the people movers -- like towing arrivals from A to B/C after the passengers alight or operating two or three European departure banks. CO gets at least two or three turns out of each of its international gates at EWR.

Watch it more than once......Doug did display graciousness, and yes stuttering graciousness, after being blindsided, manipulated and introduced in a disdainful and dismissive way.

But you know what? He gets paid the big bucks to handle situations like these. He gets CEO pay to know the difference between "congregation" and "delegation" and to actually have the pertinent facts by having prepared in advance. He claims that the airline doesn't have enough gates and yet doesn't know how many constitute "not enough." Utterly ludicrous. He said they had no plans to reduce PIT and a month later the base closure is announced. Those sorts of decisions aren't made overnight.

 

[missthe727]

But you know what? He gets paid the big bucks to handle situations like these. He gets CEO pay to know the difference between "congregation" and "delegation" and to actually have the pertinent facts by having prepared in advance. He claims that the airline doesn't have enough gates and yet doesn't know how many constitute "not enough." Utterly ludicrous. He said they had no plans to reduce PIT and a month later the base closure is announced. Those sorts of decisions aren't made overnight.

When Specter handed the mic over to Doug I think he set a record with how many "uhs" he said in about a 10 second period...he just didn't know where to start....I wonder if Doug watched it himself to see how ill prepared he was...for a split nano-second, I felt sorry for him.

 

[zethya]

Who's "salivating" over gates in "rotten old Philly?" Delta's taking a net REDUCTION in one gate. Only WN wants more gates. PIT isn't quite the same story, either -- all of those empty gates at PIT were built expressly for US Airways....

You're making an assumption based on Today's presence at PHL where there are very few if any options for additional domestic, or for that matter international, gate access. IF US downsized PHL, no one (no, not even you) can forecast what future events may occur or what other airlines are thinking. As far as a directive downsize of DL at JFK, I agree it's more likely today (with US's presence) to use BOS. However if US abandoned PHL international routes, there would be a state of the art terminal ready made for DL 90 mi south of NYC, which is significantly better than either JFK OR BOS and would have far less competiton from international carriers. Personally, I'd rather see more BA, LH, AF, EI (future) and AZ (future) than a domestic carrier build up any available gates. Also, if US did leave/reduce flying. it could be the opening for WN to accelerate the start of international flying to Europe as they are planning to do.

 

[Dog Wonder]

The amazing thing in all of this is Parker's underestimation of the savvy and power of these politicians.

You want their support and friendship. It won't happen if you lie to them.

 

[jerseyfinn]

Well, I'm gonna throw my two cents in and I don't think the majority will agree, but here goes.

I know that emotions are raw and there's not a lot of reason for anyone, pax or employees, to give DP a break on this Specter meeting. He and his management team are a bunch of lie-through-your-teeth miscreants who are out of their depth when it comes to running two completely different airlines and merging them into a single unit. Likewise, DP and his cohorts don't give a rat's a** about the customer or the employee as all they do is double talk and double deal from the bottom of the deck thinking that their cowboy/pretty boy personna will get the job done like it did at HP. So yes, DP had a spanking coming, and he sure got it today.

But before your nipples get prickly hard and you all get ready to take out the Wesson Oil and Saran Wrap in celebration of DP being called to the carpet, bear in mind that Mr. Spector is a politician through and through, and the only real difference between he and DP is that Arlen runs for election every 6 years but otherwise, he too is beholden to his own cadre of special interests with deep pockets. Mrs. Doubflier is absolutely correct to characterize today's meeting as a "set up". Yeah, DP had it coming for past shenanigans, especially this amateurish threat to PHL about China. But you are deluding yourselves if you believe that Arlen Spector is a friend of the people. He's a politico!

And it matters, because ultimately you should ask yourself if Congress should be in the business of running an airline. The clear answer is no. Even a circle-jerk airline like US Airways! The last thing I want is some blowfly politico getting emboldened about meddling in the internal affairs of any airline. And when Spector began nipping at Parker about US offering to surrender 3 of its domestic gates instead its international gates, Arlen steps over the line. It was a straw man argument to play off of the media plain and simple.

Mind you, it's easy to see why Arlen and other PA officials are angry at US. PIT was a big investment for the state of PA and US de-emphasizing service there is painful to folks looking for a job and frustrating for politicos who are trying to deliver service AND pork to their constituents. Likewise small airports like Erie are rightly exasperated at a service cut. But I can't rightly judge how much of this is a measure of the market and how much due to US lies and subtrafuge -- it is indeed a combination of the two.

Remember, these jerks in Congress ( especially guys like Spector who has been around for years ) have had lots of opportunity to improve the operational aspects for all airlines by implementing substantive changes in procedure and technology in the FAA and ATC, and Congress has always failed to push the agenda into the future. We pax throughout the country, but especially in the northeast are paying for this lack of action with all of the operational delays which flow from an ATC system that is flooded beyond capacity at times. US sticks it right up the pax's butts with its operational failures this year. But the government and folks like Spector also bear a responsibility here. So yeah, DP got spanked and he had it coming. And I too enjoyed it.

But I'm not gonna smile anytime I see a yahoo from Congress thinking that he's the cock of the rock. Fact is that in some ways, DP and Spector are equally removed from real people as both are too busy moving around in their own circles of power and delusion.

Barry

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Barry it's not THAT simple. This goes WAY BACK when the late Sen. John Heinz and Arlen Specter (please people spell the name right it's not Spector) worked their butts off to get funding for the new PIT airport. Things seemed to be going well with the politicos right up until Dave Siegel.

Now Dave Siegel, he's a real trip, even dumber than Parker. Siegel shakes Specter's hand on Friday August 9, 2002 at Specter's office in the Hart Building -- says thanks for all the help getting us the ATSB Loan and additional state funding this should keep us out of bankruptcy. Two days later on Sunday, August 11 US Airways files for bankruptcy -- Siegel doesn't even have the courtesy to call Specter to let him know. This galls Arlen to this day and he has hated ANY US Airways management since.

Hell, Wednesday's fiasco could be payback for all I know. Still to lie to a U.S. Senator's face like Parker did and you've got a serious politico problems not to mention a lot of people see that you have the IQ of a flea.

Later,
Eye

 

[US1YFARE]

Hell, Wednesday's fiasco could be payback for all I know. Still to lie to a U.S. Senator's face like Parker did and you've got a serious politico problems not to mention a lot of people see that you have the IQ of a flea.

Later,
Eye

It's not payback. US's management team has proven not to be trustworthy. Everyone sees this charade for what it is--an attempt to keep their virtual monopoly in PHL. They are saying they need gates for service on planes they don't have yet and cities they haven't announced or service that is 1 1/2 years away. It's a no-brainer. On the other hand, you have 2 carriers increasing service at PHL (DL with the new service to BOS and WN with SAT, AUS, and increases in other cities) who will fully use those gates.

 

[Travels2mch]

Spector and all the others must be up for re-election in 08.

Hardly......Specter has been a Senator since 1980 and his current term ends in 2010 (and he basically has the job for as long as he wants it). Sen. Casey just started his job in January 2007 and isn't up for re-election until 2012. Nice try though......next!

 

[Travels2mch]

Sen. Casey sent old dougweiser a thank you letter today...........

http://casey.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=287214

 

[Dog Wonder]

Sen. Casey sent old dougweiser a thank you letter today...........

http://casey.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=287214

(1) What are the terms and conditions of the severance packages?

Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out


(2) In particular, what kind of health care benefits, if any, can employees expect to receive as part of these severance packages?

None

(3) To what extent have you communicated these terms and conditions to the affected employees and their labor representatives?

Those guys piss me off. I think they are overpaid.

(4) Have the affected employees and their labor representatives expressed approval and/or satisfaction with the terms and conditions of the severance packages?

I don't care.

(5) Given past problems, how do you intend to improve communications with your employees?

When I tell them to go away, it means Happy Hour is a priority. Employees are expendable.

And while you are at it stop asking questions. You are a only a Senator. I am an Emperor. I put a damned tie on. Who cares if the rest of me is buck nekkid?

 

[EMBFA]

Why is the state of PA so concerned now? What about when they laid off 20,000 or so employees over last 5 years, they were primarily in PA? I don't get it...

 

[US1YFARE]

Do you think he submitted this over the web to customer relations? He may have a better shot at getting a response. At least they would respond with a $25 voucher probably. DP just won't reply. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't know what to say--better get kinglobjaw on the horn, Kirby's too busy trying on a girdle for next year's Halloween bash.

 

[CynicalResAgent]

If the rest of him is "nekkid" what does he clip the tie to?

 

[US1YFARE]

If the rest of him is "nekkid" what does he clip the tie to?

his short and curlies