A message from Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci: Getting back on track
May 13, 2022, 10:25 am
#16
Join Date: May 2008
Location: "the world is my country"
Programs: Alaska 100K (aka OWS)
Posts: 811
"He said Alaska started April and May with 63 fewer pilots than needed to fly the published flight schedule. Management didn’t recognize this shortage until too late" (https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...ilize-in-june/)
If that's not poor management, I don't know what is.
If that's not poor management, I don't know what is.
May 13, 2022, 10:26 am
#17
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: Alaska, Bonvoy, HH
Posts: 482
Producing the video (based on the document that surely exists to begin with) requires more effort than simply distributing said document, not less. This is about emotional appeal, not laziness.
May 13, 2022, 10:51 am
#18
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: B6 Mosaic, Bonvoy LT Titanium (x SPG LT), IHG Spire, UA Silver
Posts: 5,849
"He said Alaska started April and May with 63 fewer pilots than needed to fly the published flight schedule. Management didn’t recognize this shortage until too late" (https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...ilize-in-june/)
If that's not poor management, I don't know what is.
If that's not poor management, I don't know what is.
A classic--look over there--video that does not address any of the underlying problems.
May 13, 2022, 11:51 am
#19
Join Date: May 2008
Location: "the world is my country"
Programs: Alaska 100K (aka OWS)
Posts: 811
The union and management are deadlocked in negotiations over a new pilot contract. McQuillen said that with flight-crew shortages industrywide, Alaska continues to lose pilots to other airlines, with four or five resignations a week — “a pace we’ve never seen.”(https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...-the-calendar/)
Help me out with the math. In April, they're down 65 pilots. The attrition rate is 4-5 pilots per week, and the new class graduates sometime in June. What miracle was supposed to happen in May? I do not understand the lack of foresight and planning, and feel that they are taking advantage of the goodwill and good nature of their loyal clients to see them through.
Help me out with the math. In April, they're down 65 pilots. The attrition rate is 4-5 pilots per week, and the new class graduates sometime in June. What miracle was supposed to happen in May? I do not understand the lack of foresight and planning, and feel that they are taking advantage of the goodwill and good nature of their loyal clients to see them through.
May 13, 2022, 12:03 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seattle
Programs: Costco Club
Posts: 1,155
The union and management are deadlocked in negotiations over a new pilot contract. McQuillen said that with flight-crew shortages industrywide, Alaska continues to lose pilots to other airlines, with four or five resignations a week — “a pace we’ve never seen.”(https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...-the-calendar/)
Help me out with the math. In April, they're down 65 pilots. The attrition rate is 4-5 pilots per week, and the new class graduates sometime in June. What miracle was supposed to happen in May? I do not understand the lack of foresight and planning, and feel that they are taking advantage of the goodwill and good nature of their loyal clients to see them through.
Help me out with the math. In April, they're down 65 pilots. The attrition rate is 4-5 pilots per week, and the new class graduates sometime in June. What miracle was supposed to happen in May? I do not understand the lack of foresight and planning, and feel that they are taking advantage of the goodwill and good nature of their loyal clients to see them through.
May 13, 2022, 12:43 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 292
Ben proves that he can read. Why do so few people master a free speech?
Instead of being sorry he should fix it and appease all affected customers.
Actually Ben and others make me stay on the ground for my summer vacations. Zero desire for flight disruptions, no frills and full airports.
Instead of being sorry he should fix it and appease all affected customers.
Actually Ben and others make me stay on the ground for my summer vacations. Zero desire for flight disruptions, no frills and full airports.
May 13, 2022, 12:43 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: Alaska MileagePlan MVP
Posts: 101
This is getting ridiculous. The fact that they’ve decided making a deal with the pilots is somehow worse than putting out this pablum is just insane to me.
May 13, 2022, 12:52 pm
#23
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SoCal,
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro
Posts: 771
The union and management are deadlocked in negotiations over a new pilot contract. McQuillen said that with flight-crew shortages industrywide, Alaska continues to lose pilots to other airlines, with four or five resignations a week — “a pace we’ve never seen.”(https://www.seattletimes.com/busines...-the-calendar/)
Help me out with the math. In April, they're down 65 pilots. The attrition rate is 4-5 pilots per week, and the new class graduates sometime in June. What miracle was supposed to happen in May? I do not understand the lack of foresight and planning, and feel that they are taking advantage of the goodwill and good nature of their loyal clients to see them through.
Help me out with the math. In April, they're down 65 pilots. The attrition rate is 4-5 pilots per week, and the new class graduates sometime in June. What miracle was supposed to happen in May? I do not understand the lack of foresight and planning, and feel that they are taking advantage of the goodwill and good nature of their loyal clients to see them through.
Last edited by Tack; May 13, 2022 at 1:59 pm
May 13, 2022, 1:08 pm
#24
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seattle
Programs: Costco Club
Posts: 1,155
When the pilots go on strike and bring the airline to a halt there will be another video just like this. Maybe we can collectively write it to save AS some money? I'll start.
"We didn't know that negotiations were at an impasse and it would get to this until it was too late..."
"We didn't know that negotiations were at an impasse and it would get to this until it was too late..."
May 13, 2022, 1:48 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: ANC
Programs: AS MVP, Club 49, Global Entry, National Emerald Club, Hilton Silver
Posts: 1,401
What Ben neglected to explain is, Why did AS have 63 fewer pilots than they anticipated? If the pilots resigned from AS, why did they leave? Is it an overly dramatic shift in corporate culture? Is it hiring practices? There has to be an explanation.
May 13, 2022, 2:19 pm
#26
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SoCal,
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro
Posts: 771
May 13, 2022, 2:56 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,654
So, maybe this is on, or not so on, topic, but Ben M. is reminding me of Jeff Goldblum somewhere between the beginning of The Fly, and when he actually turned into The Fly.
May 13, 2022, 3:02 pm
#30
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Alaska 75K (RIP VX), Hyatt Globalist, BonVoy Plat, National Exec
Posts: 197
Some may have left for greener pastures within the industry. Some resigned or took early retirement due to vaccine requirements. And some perhaps went on voluntary/involuntary furlough and never returned?