US Airways chief apologizes
DUI arrest, 3 prior incidents tarnish Parker's clean image
Dawn Gilbertson and Michael Ferraresi
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker's untainted public image was tarnished Friday with the disclosure of a drunken-driving arrest in Scottsdale last week and three prior alcohol-related incidents in his 20s.
The 45-year-old executive, a rising star in the airline industry who took over America West Airlines days before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and merged it with US Airways 18 months ago, said in a statement late Friday that he was "extremely sorry" for the embarrassment he had caused the Tempe airline and said he accepted full responsibility for his actions.
"As it relates to my past, I admit that I was indeed irresponsible at times in my twenties. I got my wake-up call long ago as I got married, had kids and assumed positions of responsibility at work," he said. "My mistake of last week was just that - a mistake, not a trend - and I believe that events from 15 and 20 years ago do not reflect on the person I am today."
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US Airways did not say whether Parker, who like many executives gets an automobile allowance as part of his compensation package, faces any disciplinary action. Comments by Parker on Friday suggest that he believes his job is secure.
US Airways' lead director, veteran Phoenix businessman Rich Kraemer, did not respond to requests for comment. It is unclear how much the US Airways board knew, if anything, about the incidents in his 20s, including a misdemeanor conviction for driving while intoxicated when he worked at American Airlines in Dallas in January 1991. The conviction was first reported Friday on The Republic's Web site.
The revelations, which unfolded in stages throughout the day, are a stunning turn of events for an executive universally portrayed in a flattering light for his business acumen, lack of ego, likeability and devotion to his young family. The worst thing anybody has said about Parker until now is that he was a greedy corporate raider trying to steal Delta Air Lines during US Airways' just-ended hostile takeover battle.
Parker's most recent legal trouble began Jan. 31, hours after the Delta deal collapsed. He was pulled over by Scottsdale police for speeding just before midnight on his way home from the Birds Nest party tent at the FBR Open golf tournament.
A Scottsdale officer clocked Parker driving 65 mph on North Pima Road in a black 2005 BMW - 20 mph over the speed limit south of Bell Road.
Parker told the arresting officer he had "three beers" within the past two hours at the Birds Nest and that he thought the speed limit was only 40 mph on Pima Road.
His speech was slurred, his eyes watery and he smelled like alcohol, according to the police report.
The CEO refused a portable Breathalyzer test, opting for a blood test after speaking to an attorney friend also in the BMW that night. Lab results showed his blood-alcohol content at 0.096 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
If Parker had three 12-ounce regular beers in two hours, he would not have been close to the legal limit given his weight, according to online blood-alcohol content estimators.
Although many factors can influence the outcome, it would take about seven or eight 12-ounce beers in that time span to reach the blood-alcohol level the test results indicated.
Parker is certainly no teetotaler and doesn't shun alcohol at public events, but the revelations still came as a shock. He gave no public hint of his legal trouble in the days after his arrest. He played golf with colleagues on Friday, stopped by the airline's hospitality tent at the FBR Open and headed to the Super Bowl with a friend as scheduled on Saturday.
This week, Parker granted several interviews to reporters about the failed Delta deal and traveled to the airline's Charlotte, N.C., hub for an employee meeting.
Early Friday, word of last week's arrest was reported in the East Valley Tribune and instantly made national headlines. "Drowning His Sorrows" was the headline on a Fox News segment.
Parker apologized in a letter to employees, but said he believed the lab results would show he wasn't legally drunk. When the results showed he was, he issued another apolo- gy.
It wasn't until late Friday night that Parker revealed the scope of his past troubles with alcohol incidents.
After inquiries from the Republic and the Wall Street Journal about other convictions, the company scrambled to release more information.
The statement late Friday night did not detail the years-ago incidents, except to say two involved driving under the influence and one occurred in college while a passenger in a friend's car.
Dallas County court records show Parker pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in 1991, when he was 29. He received a probated sentence of 30 days, two years' probation and a $250 fine. He was working at American Airlines at the time but had moved to Minneapolis to work for Northwest Airlines by the time the case was disposed of in fall 1991.
Parker's initial court appearance on the Scottsdale charges is set for Feb. 21 at Scottsdale City Court. If convicted, he could face up to 10 days in jail, a suspended driver's license, fines and probation.
The CEO was also issued a civil traffic complaint for speeding.
Parker has been cited for speeding as many as three times in Scottsdale and near his residence in Paradise Valley, according to court rec- ords.
He was cited twice in the past two years after speeding past Scottsdale photo speed-enforcement cameras.
DUI arrest, 3 prior incidents tarnish Parker's clean image
Dawn Gilbertson and Michael Ferraresi
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker's untainted public image was tarnished Friday with the disclosure of a drunken-driving arrest in Scottsdale last week and three prior alcohol-related incidents in his 20s.
The 45-year-old executive, a rising star in the airline industry who took over America West Airlines days before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and merged it with US Airways 18 months ago, said in a statement late Friday that he was "extremely sorry" for the embarrassment he had caused the Tempe airline and said he accepted full responsibility for his actions.
"As it relates to my past, I admit that I was indeed irresponsible at times in my twenties. I got my wake-up call long ago as I got married, had kids and assumed positions of responsibility at work," he said. "My mistake of last week was just that - a mistake, not a trend - and I believe that events from 15 and 20 years ago do not reflect on the person I am today."
advertisement
US Airways did not say whether Parker, who like many executives gets an automobile allowance as part of his compensation package, faces any disciplinary action. Comments by Parker on Friday suggest that he believes his job is secure.
US Airways' lead director, veteran Phoenix businessman Rich Kraemer, did not respond to requests for comment. It is unclear how much the US Airways board knew, if anything, about the incidents in his 20s, including a misdemeanor conviction for driving while intoxicated when he worked at American Airlines in Dallas in January 1991. The conviction was first reported Friday on The Republic's Web site.
The revelations, which unfolded in stages throughout the day, are a stunning turn of events for an executive universally portrayed in a flattering light for his business acumen, lack of ego, likeability and devotion to his young family. The worst thing anybody has said about Parker until now is that he was a greedy corporate raider trying to steal Delta Air Lines during US Airways' just-ended hostile takeover battle.
Parker's most recent legal trouble began Jan. 31, hours after the Delta deal collapsed. He was pulled over by Scottsdale police for speeding just before midnight on his way home from the Birds Nest party tent at the FBR Open golf tournament.
A Scottsdale officer clocked Parker driving 65 mph on North Pima Road in a black 2005 BMW - 20 mph over the speed limit south of Bell Road.
Parker told the arresting officer he had "three beers" within the past two hours at the Birds Nest and that he thought the speed limit was only 40 mph on Pima Road.
His speech was slurred, his eyes watery and he smelled like alcohol, according to the police report.
The CEO refused a portable Breathalyzer test, opting for a blood test after speaking to an attorney friend also in the BMW that night. Lab results showed his blood-alcohol content at 0.096 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
If Parker had three 12-ounce regular beers in two hours, he would not have been close to the legal limit given his weight, according to online blood-alcohol content estimators.
Although many factors can influence the outcome, it would take about seven or eight 12-ounce beers in that time span to reach the blood-alcohol level the test results indicated.
Parker is certainly no teetotaler and doesn't shun alcohol at public events, but the revelations still came as a shock. He gave no public hint of his legal trouble in the days after his arrest. He played golf with colleagues on Friday, stopped by the airline's hospitality tent at the FBR Open and headed to the Super Bowl with a friend as scheduled on Saturday.
This week, Parker granted several interviews to reporters about the failed Delta deal and traveled to the airline's Charlotte, N.C., hub for an employee meeting.
Early Friday, word of last week's arrest was reported in the East Valley Tribune and instantly made national headlines. "Drowning His Sorrows" was the headline on a Fox News segment.
Parker apologized in a letter to employees, but said he believed the lab results would show he wasn't legally drunk. When the results showed he was, he issued another apolo- gy.
It wasn't until late Friday night that Parker revealed the scope of his past troubles with alcohol incidents.
After inquiries from the Republic and the Wall Street Journal about other convictions, the company scrambled to release more information.
The statement late Friday night did not detail the years-ago incidents, except to say two involved driving under the influence and one occurred in college while a passenger in a friend's car.
Dallas County court records show Parker pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in 1991, when he was 29. He received a probated sentence of 30 days, two years' probation and a $250 fine. He was working at American Airlines at the time but had moved to Minneapolis to work for Northwest Airlines by the time the case was disposed of in fall 1991.
Parker's initial court appearance on the Scottsdale charges is set for Feb. 21 at Scottsdale City Court. If convicted, he could face up to 10 days in jail, a suspended driver's license, fines and probation.
The CEO was also issued a civil traffic complaint for speeding.
Parker has been cited for speeding as many as three times in Scottsdale and near his residence in Paradise Valley, according to court rec- ords.
He was cited twice in the past two years after speeding past Scottsdale photo speed-enforcement cameras.
