There is no such thing as southern hospitality anywhere around Atlanta.
Our overall numbers are affected primarily by ATL. There were problems in DFW after the expansion but that is being weeded out and there has been much improvement. There are other areas that need to be improved, but ATL has the greatest impact.
There is a good side to CA coming to ATL. They are reporting directly to DAL and DCI about the problems there.
In the past, when we reported a problem it went through the channels to the dept. mgrs. and the exec VP's and nowhere else. They didn't want to acknowledge problems they were responsible for so they just blamed the flight crews, who can't defend themselves, and kept the Sr. VP's and higher in the blind.
Now the cat's out of the bag and there are incentives to make improvements in the proper areas. Our last Ops news letter was the first to address performance without singling-out flight crews. Hopefully, the initiatives they outlined will have a positive effect.
It was also good to see in that article that DAL recognizes it's part in our performance as they handle our bags, special needs, etc.
Our performance is one of the things holding us back, along with the contract (which we can't cave on since we're already under compensated and lack the work rules the other DCI carriers have) and scope agreements between DAL/DALPA. Once these issues are cleared up there will be movement again.
