Coach67

XHooker ... man you must be on some good ganja! You are obviously confusing "Best Practices" as having something to do with the customer or the airline. Get with the times ... every time you hear "best practices" or "going forward" or "flying together" you need to change your whole paradigm. Those all mean: "Best Practices" for Jeff's pay AND "Going Forward" without the employees AND "Flying Together" to maximize management's benefits at front line employees expense. Those phrases have nothing to do with the customers or us peons!

SpecialTracking

Why is it people will tell you how bad you have it and proclaim that you need to fix it? Well, here is your chance Mr. RJ pilot, instead of saying simply fire someone, why don't you put on your airline ceo hat and tell us how to really fix the problem. You sure know what the problems are, then why don't you give us a workable, viable solution to solve the problem.

I will say this about the employees of the legacy UAL, albeit at times dysfunctional, they are a family. After 9/11, I witnessed a group of people who can come together, take care of one another, and their passengers.

Back to you Mr. RJ pilot. What's your solution?

Wiggam

Please distance your feelings for this guy from the rest of XJT.

"know one" claims him.

flyingfarmer

I do not know XJET pilots' solution... But I have one
... Fire Smisek for cause; then bring in Greg Brenneman ... spelling? From the worst to first CAL braintrust!

This would do several important things... 1st it would raise morale ten fold, 2nd it would let the investment world know the board was serious about making the "new" United Airlines the best in the world!

Any thoughts on this idea?

Short Bus Drive

Let's bring back GORDON!!!!

g-code

I vote for Pete McDonald. Started on the ramp and worked his way up. He's an ops guy and not a finance guy.

flyingfarmer

Gordon was just the cheerleader... Greg was the brains... He knew that if you took care of the employees in a service business, eg "airlines", it would be a better return on investment than any capital outlay. After Greg left things started heading in the wrong direction. At least that is my recollection of the situation.

Old UCAL CA

Yes, just one...IMHO.

You could have Herb Kelleher, Gordon Bethune, and Greg Brenneman running this new United and there would still be a significant group of employees who would whine about it.

For the last 35 years there have only been two US carriers in the "legacy" category that have arguably held the best US reputation...Delta for about 20 years and Continental the next 15. United has always been big or one of the biggest, but it has rarely been viewed as the best from an industry standpoint.

The three most charismatic, smart, visionary and with the necessary gravitas, individuals I've seen in this business could not bring the new United to a best category unless they seriously started getting rid of old dinosaurs that do not have the "best" DNA as part of their genetics. This particular type of DNA doesn't magically appear based upon contracts or management. This type of DNA comes from adult personal maturity and professionalism. It certainly doesn't arise from the notion that being the "biggest" automatically makes you the "best."

God as chief couldn't get the job done unless he performed a miracle. A change at the top would not do a thing. The new United is 87,000 employees...87,000! The dinosaurs are going to have to become extinct. Old lizards aren't good for much of anything anyway except boots.

Just in case you were wondering...Truman was president when I was born. I qualify for the category.

flyingfarmer

I agree with most of your response. However, I do believe it would be an important first step. The direction could not be worse under the current regime. I do hope some of the dead wood is removed.

Old UCAL CA

There was a disagreement at the senior officer level about the most judicious use of available cash approaching a "softening" period (late 1990's/2000).

That dispute made it's way to the board and, unfortunately, Mr. Brenneman was on the losing side of the argument at the board level. Senior executive teams usually require loyalty and a common approach...that was the end of the team.