A veteran gate agent in Miami asked American Airlines CEO Doug Parker at last week’s employee town hall about the user interface Qik that she’s required to use — instead of working directly in Sabre like she used to — and she calls it “a Pinto car… it does not perform to the standard we’re used to. Qik is not efficient” and she says in Miami they call it “despacito Qik.”
Airlines
Category Archives for Airlines.
Holly Hegeman Speaks to American Employees About the Airline’s Dark Days
The latest American Airlines employee podcast interviews Holly Hegeman. She talks about how she got involved covering the airline industry, doing consulting for Bob Crandall and doing the airline’s annual report with him.
I’m pretty sure I found Flyertalk.com in 2001 from a link on Holly’s PlaneBusiness website so in some sense I owe the start of my journey — which began reading Thomas Petzinger’s Hard Landing over 20 years ago and by traveling as a newly minted frequent flyer and that was accelerated through my association with Randy Petersen — to Holly.
American Airlines CEO: Why You May Not Have a Gate When You Land
This past week American Airlines CEO Doug Parker held an employee question and answer forum in Miami. A pilot there expressed his frustration at delays, saying that they’re measured in “dog minutes” because each minute feels like seven. They finally get on their way and arrive at their destination only to find that they have no gate.
Parker offered an explanation for how and why they run into a lack of gates.
Emirates and Etihad About to Settle Open Skies Dispute
This ultimately amounts to three years of vitriol for nothing. It lets the US airlines claim they got something (of little value) while allowing the targeted Gulf carriers to go on about their business.
REPORT: Emirates Cutting Flight Attendant Staffing and Service
Emirates still offers angled business class seats on most of its Boeing 777s (and they have more 777s than A380s). They’re cutting back flying to many destinations based on demand. They’ve cut many service elements of their inflight product and sought to monetize things like lounge access.
And now just like American Airlines reduced flight attendant staffing on its Boeing 777-200s, treating premium economy as just a part of regular economy, Emirates too is reducing onboard staffing.
American Delays Plan for Free Alcohol in Extra Legroom Coach
In September American announced plans to roll out additional benefits for Main Cabin Extra seats that have more legroom than regular coach. They’d offer dedicated overhead bins and free alcohol.
The plan was for the beer, wine, and spirits to begin in the spring. But after a listening tour of employees they’ve pushed this back to summer.
EPA Administrator Went on Taxpayer-Funded Delta Mileage Runs
During this morning’s Delta earnings call we learned that SkyMiles revenue growth contributed more than an incremental $80 million to the carrier during the previous quarter. How much of this is due to the EPA Administrator is not clear, however.
Qatar Airways Taking Revenge On American?
Qatar Airways tried to buy into American Airlines. However American’s CEO Doug Parker took umbrage at the move.
Now Qatar is investing in an airline that’s going to move to DFW.
British Airways May Try to Kill Low Cost Transatlantic Flights
What if a legacy carrier could take low cost carrier competition and – as Grover Norquist once said — “drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub?”
British Airways parent IAG has acquired a 4.61% stake in Norwegian and plans to initiate acquisition discussions. Of course IAG says they view Norwegian as ‘an attractive investment’. At this point almost no one views Norwegian as an attractive investment.
Are Airlines Using Earnings Calls to Collude?
A new research paper out of the University of Virginia suggests that airlines are talking about ‘capacity discipline’ in earnings calls to signal to other airlines a willingness to reduce capacity. When they do that, capacity falls. And that’s a form of collusion out in the open.