Congratulations to US Airways for one of the most dramatic on-time turnarounds in aviation history. Going from worst to first, the airline seems determined to get the basics right and sort out financial challenges as it continues trying to mend its labor force together.
US Airways, last-year’s lowest ranked major airline when it came to on-time performance, is now number 1 among its peers. Almost 80 percent of its flights, according to DOT statistics, arrived on time in comparison to on-time performances by United and American airlines that had almost half of their flights arriving late. That’s a dramatic difference. US Airways arrived on time about 40 percent of the time more than United or American.
Realizing that little things count, US Airways made a concentrated effort to begin fixing the small things that bug passengers. The beefed up their mechanics hiring and put them to work keeping the passenger environment ship shape.
As a result, broken things on airplanes — such as light bulbs and seats — that were customer annoyances have been more aggressively repaired. US Airways has a list of those kinds of problems that workers jokingly called NEF — Never Ever Fixed. That list has been reduced by half.
After my last flight on American I know they have no such program. And friends traveling on Delta have just about given up finding a video display that functions.
On the financial side of the equation, the airline is solidifying its stock market base with a stock offering that was bought out by the main underwriter, bringing $155 million into the airline, perhaps more.
Merrill Lynch will purchase 19 million shares of US common stock in an underwritten public offering at $8.50 per share. Net proceeds after the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses will be approximately $155 million to be used for “general corporate purposes,” US said. ML will have a 30-day option to purchase an additional 2.85 million shares to cover overallotments.
Now, whenever US Airways gets its baggage system under control, they will be well on the way to erasing a negative image created over the past half-decade.
According to the Wall Street Journal: This year, the airport worked with the Philadelphia airport to construct a new bag-sorting-and-screening area in the international terminal. Mishandled baggage in Philadelphia has been reduced by more than 60 percent, enabling the entire airline to run better, says Bob Ciminelli, vice president of the Philadelphia operation, who joined in January from American.
Passengers are getting used to the charges for everything from water and soda to checked bags. The mantra I keep hearing is, stay on time and don’t lose my luggage.
Step by step, US Airways is showing that even under duress of high oil prices, an airline committed to changing itself with customer service, on-time departures and better financial strength can still succeed.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Well Charles it’s to little to late for many.
I just took a vacation and used some of my miles. I will not disclose the destinations as US Airways Coporate monitors these types of sites.
US Airways does NOT honor it’s basic committments to it’s customers. They display all of the “Benefits” of the Dividend Miles program yet almost NEVER delivers them.
While it may be no big deal to some, US touts “Complimentary pre-departure beverage serivce” which over the course of the year has happened less than 40% of the time.
Let’s move on to having Flight Attendents telling customers to e-mail the VP of InFlight if they’re unhappy. This is a new regular occurrence.
Let’s now move to COO Robert Isom’s public comments regarding schedule padding to improve on time numbers?
Could it be that all of those great statsare the result of “Managing The Numbers” and not the airline?
Of all the stuff DOT measures, consumer complaints is the only stat that is compiled from comments made by customers.
Doesn’t the fact that the one category that US can’t manipulate is the one they fail at surprise anyone else???
If this is Customer Service I don’t need it. I’ve been treated better by my ex-wife
One step forward, one giant leap back for US Airways: