Originally Posted by
FamilyATM
Tomahawk, didn't mean to p*** you off and I don't believe I said "we pilots" know all the answers. I know I don't. I was just giving my view of how the airline CEO's have changed and the business model has change. The examples of leaders I gave Trippe Pan Am, came from Wall St, Hughes TWA, was an engineer/movie producer before jumping into the airlines, CR Smith AA was an accountant, and Woolman at DAL was an agricultural engineer. Four very different men, none were "airline pilots", but they all shared a passion for aviation and vision of where they wanted to take their airlines. My opinion is AA's problems go back to Carty who to me typifies the modern era CEO. He put the screws to the employees while the executive suite protected themselves. It also didn't help that all the competition made a mad dash for BK and dumped all there liabilities. But again, that is today's new business model. Mr Aprey may very well have/had that passion of the early CEO's and that is why he stepped down vice being known as the man who took AA in to BK, who knows? My view is that SWA and FDX are run tighter and more focused due to the fact that they are still 1st generation businesses. But hey, these are just my opinions.
No offense taken. I do appreciate your thoughts as well. I totally agree with the need for passion at the very top and I believe Gerard Arpey typified that passion in the same spirit and vein as Bob Crandall, Al Casey and CR Smith. I do think that Gerard was indeed the gracious type and because he staked his tenure as CEO on keeping AA out of CH11, stepping aside for him was in the best interest of the new leader at the top and the company as a whole.
It's a given and everyone here what a complex business the airlines are. Some may think it simple to reduce the running of a solid airline as an easy undertaking but nothing could be further from the truth.
As I've said in a previous post, the time for finger pointing is past. If we are to exit CH11 as a stronger, vibrant and competitive air carrier, it will take every employee and leader working together!