Media party over for JBLU

[Midge]

Make or break year--maybe, maybe not.

I think Jetblue has some intangible pluses however, that most in the industry do not. The work force and the management share a trust and respect. What does that have to do with load factors and fuel prices? Nothing. What does it have to do with the ability to ride the ups and downs of a volitile industry? My take is a whole lot...

A few at my company love to take swipes at jetblue guys and gals for helping clean the planes. At the same time, our pilot group has asked us to buy hats, informationally picket, and prepare for eventual work actions.

The realist in me has bought a hat, prepared a strike fund (actually--several alternate careers...), and although I haven't made it to a picket yet I'm ready and I have a new pressed shirt and shined shoes just for the event. However, when I see the weariness in the eyes of the great NWA crews I fly with, and watch the chaos on the ASA side of the ATL C concourse, I catch a glimpse of what happens when employees and management get so far apart there is almost no way to bridge the chasm. Somebody has to leave to ever get things back on track, but unfortunately it seems whenever an old manager leaves he takes a heck of a lot of the employees wages and pensions with him as he goes.

So--back to JB. Can a mixed fleet of airbuses and EMBs with a highly motivated workforce survive? Everyone is quick to point out JB has avoided going head to head with SWA. Has anyone else noticed that SWA has also avoided going head to head against JB? The media loves to build someone up then tear them down...and now its JB's turn. However, I can think of about 1300 reasons not to count that company out, and having met several hundred of them I'd say the future doesn't seem as bleak to me as it does to our resident genius Boyd.

Albie:
Nicely put! Boyd, what a putz! Amazing how anyone with a pulse is an "aviation expert."
What's disturbing is how people find joy when airlines suffer! My heart goes out to the folks working for bankrupt carriers like NW DL Hawaiian & ATA (now out of Bankruptcy). Been there, done that.

 

[The Prussian]

Different perspective

With it's push into MDW (ATA), PHX(AWA), BWI and PHL(USair) and DEN(F9). Luv mgt has shown that they are willing to attack low cost carriers. I have yet to see this from any other low cost carriers mgt.

Once again I strongly disagree...Southwest attracts passengers through affordable airfares. They will pass these savings on to wherever a market presents itself. To say that Southwest attacks airlines is to forget the marketplace that we all are earning a living in. Southwest earns a living for its employees by attracting business...not by attacking airlines.

My apologies for the thread creep..

 

[Phaedrus]

And most pilots are Republicans

State your sources please.
Then empirically show that being Republican and taking pleasure in others' misfortune are linked.
Good luck.

 

[pipe]

Please don't let this put you on the defensive Albie, but experience proves that you are comparing apples and oranges.

I have worked at four major airlines. At two we helped clean the airplanes. At those two I would say that everyone had an attitude that was far superior to that of the industry norm.

Guess what. One is out of business (after 75 years). One has had its stock price cut in half in the last three months. Those were the two with the great employee attitudes, high morale, pride, and pretty darn good employee/mgt relations.

The one with the worst employee morale and corporate attitude has seen its stock more than double in the past six months - and the other? Well lets just say you're very familiar with that one!

So, all in all, it's a schoolyard game and management owns the ball. If they flatten, lose it, or take it home it just doesn't matter how enthusiastic the rest of the folks on the playground are - the game still ends!

PIPE

 

[G4G5]

Negative.....Southwest has decided to go after passengers in DAL and passengers in DEN.

By DAL I ment Dallas not Delta. SWA is going after AA with the Wright ammendment out of DAL

 

[G4G5]

Once again I strongly disagree...Southwest attracts passengers through affordable airfares. They will pass these savings on to wherever a market presents itself. To say that Southwest attacks airlines is to forget the marketplace that we all are earning a living in. Southwest earns a living for its employees by attracting business...not by attacking airlines.

My apologies for the thread creep..

So when you enter a market like PHL or DEn and under cut the legacy carrier with low fare tickets. It's not attacking the other carrier?

OK, whatever.....

 

[AlbieF15]

Big picture is I think the pilots at JB trust Neeleman, Spain, Barger, et al. I also think management knows it needs a motivated crew force to succeed and genuinely wants to succeed, with success being defined as more than just profits for shareholders. I think Jetblue is run by folks with an "owner's" mindset, like Fred Smith at FDX or Herb at SWA. I don't think anyone at UAL, DAL, or NWA has the confidence thier bosses are in for the long haul. So--when or if a company asks to "suck in that guy, tighten that belt....", I think the former can make it happen, but the latter examples will have a toughter time.

Again...just a fighter pilot...and may be wrong.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

So when you enter a market like PHL or DEn and under cut the legacy carrier with low fare tickets. It's not attacking the other carrier?

OK, whatever.....

Are you serious? Do we not live in a capitalist free market? What do you call it when the legacy undercuts the LCC (at a tremendous loss) and then declares bankruptcy, thereby defaulting on most of its debt and foisting its pension obligations on the US taxpayer? A rational response to an "attack"?

 

[Phaedrus]

as214: In the immortal words of Ted Knight, "Weeelllll, we're waiting!"

 

[jws717]

My theory, US Air/United will start to make money again in the next few years. Someone will tank (delta) and USair or united will wind up buying jetblue