CSI: Crystal City
Crime Scene Investigation? No, Core Service Initiatives.
So I was listening, again, to one of Bruce's weekly messages. It appears that US Airways has another new slogan -- this week it's "All Together - Make the Difference."
Last month, it was "All Together - Always Safe" and before that it was "All Together - On Time" and then there were the classics like, "US Airways Begins with You" and "Moving the Needle" and "They melt in your mouth, not your hands." It seems like a menagerie to me, but if the goal is to make a difference, then the first step would be to quit canceling flights for lack of a flight crew and air traffic congestion resulting in lengthy delays.
Thanks for your patience.
I mean, I know the flights are operated by the likes of Mesa, Republic, Piedmont, PSA, Chautauqua, etc., but when you buy your ticket at
www.usairways.com and you go to the US Airways terminal and you check in at the US Airways counter and you board at the US Airways gate and you get on a plane that has US Airways Express on it and you sit in your seat and read the US Airways inflight magazine -- folks, you're on US Airways.
GET IN LINE:
Folks are already lining up to object to a portion of US Airways' reorganization plan. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported today that the Allegheny County Airport Authority filed an objection yesterday asking that any rejection of airport contracts happen well before the judge has a chance to approve the plan. Hasn't US Airways done enough to that airport?
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05215/547663.stm
Also, CWA and CWA-AFA are in line as well:
http://www.cwa.net/
STRIKE ONE:
I've received a number of emails from readers who were just shocked at the news that Al Crellin, the executive vice president of operations at US Airways would be retained at the 'new,' "synergized" US Airways. Even Bruce Lakefield recently praised Al for running the operations during the most difficult of times. Of course, Bruce also heaped praise on Bruce Ashby as well.
All one has to do is recall what happened just a little over 7 months ago at PHL. The Christmas "operational meltdown" I think is what Bruce Lakefield called it. We learned that US Airways experienced a higher than average number of sick calls resulting in thousands of bags being stranded for days and passengers vowing to never fly the airline again. We saw folks like Chris Chiames, I forget his title, going on NBC's Today Show and explaining that all this was caused by sick calls.
What everyone soon found out, however, was the REAL reason why this happened and that was because US Airways was understaffed on the PHL ramp by several hundred employees. Understaffed so badly, in fact, that US Airways had to install a temporary Human Resources office across from the PHL Radisson Airport just to hire ramp employees. You didn't see anyone from US Airways going on national tv admitting that little problem, did you? There was never a public apology from the company, despite union pleas, admitting that they were severely short-staffed. There was just Bruce Lakefield, US Airways CEO, pointing the finger at a few employees and never realizing that if the company had been properly staffed, the higher than average sick calls would never have mattered.
And through it all, Al Crellin, the operations guy, was obviously never held accountable for being so short-staffed on the PHL ramp. In fact, he's been praised and retained. That's the 'new' US Airways comin' at ya folks. Profitable at $60./barrel and all that.
AROUND THE INDUSTRY:
Delta Air Lines has announced that they are going to "intensify" their on-time focus at ATL with their Fall schedule. Beginning September 1, Delta will:
* Reduce to 45 minutes the minimum time narrow-body aircraft spend on the ground between flights - achieving a 10-minute reduction year over year.
* Making better use of aircraft by freeing the equivalent of eight additional aircraft from the schedule - bringing to 39 the equivalent number of Delta and Delta Connection aircraft freed this year for schedule growth and fleet simplification.
* Adjusting flights in off-peak periods to better match capacity to demand in the fall when air travel traditionally slows.
Looks good on paper, but ..... By the way, Delta retooled their website:
www.delta.com
AIRTRAN:
AirTran launched a fare sale yesterday with fares as low as $39. each way when booked at
www.airtran.com By the way, AirTran also retooled their website the same time Delta did.
ALASKA:
Alaska Airlines began daily nonstop service between Los Angeles and Mexico City yesterday using a Boeing 737-700.
ATA:
ATA is still in business. The airline lost $15.1 million in May and $27 million in June.
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES:
Continental recently announced that it has ordered two additional Boeing 777-200ER aircraft as part of its continuing international route expansion.
Continental has also modified its free checked-bags policy for international travel by putting a weight limit of 50 lbs. each for up to two pieces of checked luggage.
NORTHWEST AIRLINES:
You won't see any Northwest mechanics enjoying backyard barbecues with Northwest management this summer. The mechanics walked away from ongoing talks today, claiming the carrier is refusing to bargain. The mechanics will be able to strike after 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 20. The airline claims they will continue to keep flying. See the Forbes article at:
http://www.forbes.com/work/feeds/ap/...ap2171314.html
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES:
Southwest Airlines has released their Economic Proposal to serve King County Airport in Seattle. Check it out at:
http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/p...y_proposal.pdf
US AIRWAYS:
Say hello, say goodbye:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05210/545445.stm
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I'll have the DOT report and the July Traffic reports out as soon as they become available. Meanwhile, I'm going out to find me some of them synergies everyone is talkin' about.
Thanks for your patience,
John McCorkle
Wilmington, NC