Skyflyin
10-07-2013, 04:43 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Posts: 239
Skyflyin
To honor T38's request of staying on the 8 Ball topic, here's a new thread just for you.
The whole point of that "one guys opinion", which your post below furthers, is that CAL mgmt. has made the KEY decisions since the merger. Tilton gave them the keys to the Exec. offices as part of the agreement.
Since 2010 CAL mgmt has managed to make critical errors in judgement, including driving out their most talented to the competition. So, when this FF says changes are for the worse, he's right. But he (or you, apparently) hasn't/haven't a clue why.
One thing we can agree on is the value of the ball.
God Save the Ball.
"Do you really think that one guy's opinion means anything? I could give you just as many or more for every guy who feels like this.
Here is one for example:
Merger angst: Will United ruin Continental?
Ask a Continental Airlines frequent flier what he thinks about the United merger, and there's a good chance you'll hear some version of "United is going to ruin Continental." Most of my own mileage is on Continental, and I am already seeing it happening; I've had two trips in the past week, and a long haul to Asia coming next week, all on United/Continental (or whatever they are calling it today). Unfortunately, changes for the worse are already evident, particularly in the attitudes of the employees.
Waiting in the "elite" boarding line for a delayed flight while the agents mishandled just about everything (and everyone), I heard road warriors commiserating:
"There goes the airline."
"goodbye, Continental."
"I knew United was going to screw it up."
"Anyone want to trade 300,000 miles on another airline?"
Continental typically rates among the top US carriers in customer satisfaction, while United historically scores towards the bottom. In fact, depending on the data you look at, the only place United is typically first or second is in complaints received.
Opinions are like um...mouths. Everyone has one.
Edit: Ok sorry T38. I like the 8 ball idea, sounds like fun"
The whole point of that "one guys opinion", which your post below furthers, is that CAL mgmt. has made the KEY decisions since the merger. Tilton gave them the keys to the Exec. offices as part of the agreement.
Since 2010 CAL mgmt has managed to make critical errors in judgement, including driving out their most talented to the competition. So, when this FF says changes are for the worse, he's right. But he (or you, apparently) hasn't/haven't a clue why.
One thing we can agree on is the value of the ball.
God Save the Ball.
"Do you really think that one guy's opinion means anything? I could give you just as many or more for every guy who feels like this.
Here is one for example:
Merger angst: Will United ruin Continental?
Ask a Continental Airlines frequent flier what he thinks about the United merger, and there's a good chance you'll hear some version of "United is going to ruin Continental." Most of my own mileage is on Continental, and I am already seeing it happening; I've had two trips in the past week, and a long haul to Asia coming next week, all on United/Continental (or whatever they are calling it today). Unfortunately, changes for the worse are already evident, particularly in the attitudes of the employees.
Waiting in the "elite" boarding line for a delayed flight while the agents mishandled just about everything (and everyone), I heard road warriors commiserating:
"There goes the airline."
"goodbye, Continental."
"I knew United was going to screw it up."
"Anyone want to trade 300,000 miles on another airline?"
Continental typically rates among the top US carriers in customer satisfaction, while United historically scores towards the bottom. In fact, depending on the data you look at, the only place United is typically first or second is in complaints received.
Opinions are like um...mouths. Everyone has one.
Edit: Ok sorry T38. I like the 8 ball idea, sounds like fun"
10-07-2013, 08:12 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Posts: 178
Originally Posted by boxer6
To honor T38's request of staying on the 8 Ball topic, here's a new thread just for you.
The whole point of that "one guys opinion", which your post below furthers, is that CAL mgmt. has made the KEY decisions since the merger. Tilton gave them the keys to the Exec. offices as part of the agreement.
Since 2010 CAL mgmt has managed to make critical errors in judgement, including driving out their most talented to the competition. So, when this FF says changes are for the worse, he's right. But he (or you, apparently) hasn't/haven't a clue why.
The whole point of that "one guys opinion", which your post below furthers, is that CAL mgmt. has made the KEY decisions since the merger. Tilton gave them the keys to the Exec. offices as part of the agreement.
Since 2010 CAL mgmt has managed to make critical errors in judgement, including driving out their most talented to the competition. So, when this FF says changes are for the worse, he's right. But he (or you, apparently) hasn't/haven't a clue why.
Look boxer, there is not doubt that things have gone badly since the merger and are only now starting to perk back up operationally. There is no disagreement there. However, the FF you quoted was saying that Continental was always bad and was made even worse after the merger. That was his opinion and he is welcome to it. There is plenty of stats and figures to prove he is wrong (before the merger), but whatever. That is all that I was saying.
BTW, this is not totally a CAL management issue. The big wigs were divided evenly when they were announced and I believe your guy McDonald is still running the operational side is he not?
10-07-2013, 10:51 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Posts: 239
Originally Posted by Skyflyin
Wow, my own thread. Cool
Look boxer, there is not doubt that things have gone badly since the merger and are only now starting to perk back up operationally. There is no disagreement there. However, the FF you quoted was saying that Continental was always bad and was made even worse after the merger. That was his opinion and he is welcome to it. There is plenty of stats and figures to prove he is wrong (before the merger), but whatever. That is all that I was saying.
BTW, this is not totally a CAL management issue. The big wigs were divided evenly when they were announced and I believe your guy McDonald is still running the operational side is he not?
Look boxer, there is not doubt that things have gone badly since the merger and are only now starting to perk back up operationally. There is no disagreement there. However, the FF you quoted was saying that Continental was always bad and was made even worse after the merger. That was his opinion and he is welcome to it. There is plenty of stats and figures to prove he is wrong (before the merger), but whatever. That is all that I was saying.
BTW, this is not totally a CAL management issue. The big wigs were divided evenly when they were announced and I believe your guy McDonald is still running the operational side is he not?
While McDonald is COO, the changes in the FF program,how the agents (airport/phone) deal with customers issues (how much decision making they are allowed to do on their own), catering (degraded),IT,marketing are from Houston. McDonald is a great YES MAN for Jeff. The general feel from LUAL bees is that they are now being over controlled in their positions. For example, FA's can't decide to give a whole can of coke to a customer if they wish...really? They can not make a decision on their own and fear consequences if they do anything outside the new rules. The cheapening of the operation is embarrassing.
Mechanic told me they are now NOT ALLOWED to troubleshoot anything on the aircraft if they get called to a gate...unless they get permission...really? He says its like having big brother looking over your shoulder all day.
Total theory X mgmt style. Not good...and not how old UA used to be.
While we have written off the last 10 years of Tilton's BK, the problem is that we have experienced what reputation this company had and the class of service it offered in the 1990's. At least for me, it would be nice to feel about the place like it was back then. Could be done but not with the current mgmt... not AT ALL optimistic with the brain trust we have now.
The decision to keep Shares was a huge error and the ensuing debacle has seriously crippled the PRASM going forward. All done, like everything else, to be on the cheap and the reason I'm not AT ALL optimistic with the brain trust we have now.
Good luck to us.
10-08-2013, 07:04 AM
#4
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Joined APC: Mar 2012
Position: B777 CA - SFO
Posts: 728
While I think it is natural in a merger to assume any policy or procedural change to the way one side used to do business HAS to have come from the "other" side ("We didn't do it that was at XXX, so it must be coming from the boys at YYY"), A lot of the "changes we are gonna like" didn't exist at either pre merged company. Examples from above about giving out full cans of soda or Mechanics feeling overly supervised did not happen at CAL or (from what I hear) at UA - it's some weird mgmt ethos that has grown over the last 3 years.
We never even knew who Sleestak was at CAL because he was buried 4 levels deep and previously had no reason TO be known. He was counsel. So we had 4 months of him before the MAD, and that was enough to see that he was going to cripple us with a "know the cost of everything and the value of nothing" service unbundling mgmt bent.
McDonald is NOT a Jeff yes man, the two detest each other and Smisek tried to have him fired several times after last summers operational meltdown. But, as was mentioned, the BOD was split with half of Tilton's picks and half of Smisek's. The last thing Tilton did before his position was absorbed into Jeffy's was to broker a restructuring of the Mgmt ladder to slide someone over McDonald that he now has to report to in an effort to protect his job and appease those calling for his head with greater oversight.
We never even knew who Sleestak was at CAL because he was buried 4 levels deep and previously had no reason TO be known. He was counsel. So we had 4 months of him before the MAD, and that was enough to see that he was going to cripple us with a "know the cost of everything and the value of nothing" service unbundling mgmt bent.
McDonald is NOT a Jeff yes man, the two detest each other and Smisek tried to have him fired several times after last summers operational meltdown. But, as was mentioned, the BOD was split with half of Tilton's picks and half of Smisek's. The last thing Tilton did before his position was absorbed into Jeffy's was to broker a restructuring of the Mgmt ladder to slide someone over McDonald that he now has to report to in an effort to protect his job and appease those calling for his head with greater oversight.
10-08-2013, 08:20 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2012
Position: 777
Posts: 2,158
If you want to improve the airline, great. Until management has some small amount of respect for it's employees, that's not going to happen.
Look at the current state of contract talks. I don't really know enough about the specific issues, doesn't matter--but the fact that none are settled except ours after 3 years is disrespectful at the least, and most probably filled with disdain. The lack of progress on the AFA contract alone is apparent they have no intention of bargaining in good faith let alone want a happy, motivated work force.
It starts at the top. You will never get good customer service if employees are not happy, and that starts with a contract. The good will wasted by this management may never be recovered. Go ahead and work hard for a good future and great stats. All your efforts will be wasted in the blink of an eye by Jeff. Frustrated yet?
Look at the current state of contract talks. I don't really know enough about the specific issues, doesn't matter--but the fact that none are settled except ours after 3 years is disrespectful at the least, and most probably filled with disdain. The lack of progress on the AFA contract alone is apparent they have no intention of bargaining in good faith let alone want a happy, motivated work force.
It starts at the top. You will never get good customer service if employees are not happy, and that starts with a contract. The good will wasted by this management may never be recovered. Go ahead and work hard for a good future and great stats. All your efforts will be wasted in the blink of an eye by Jeff. Frustrated yet?
