CO at SFO
 

I made my yearly trip to SFO last week. Will CO move out of it's current location in terminal 1 to terminal 3 once the merger is completed. I guess the PC will close.

Yes. But this move was scheduled before the merger announcement. It had everything to do with joining the Star Alliance. We were to move into the area that AA currently is in. Now with the merger I don't know if that will be the case.

Do you expect/fear significant downsizing of the combined UA/CO operation at SFO?

I assume US is also expected to move?

It's a hub, so I think the CO crew are in pretty good shape. The size of the CO operation is essentially irrelevant compared to the size of the UAL operation at SFO, so any "downsizing" of flights would be insignificant.

There won't be dedicated CO staff after systems and operaitons merge, but in a hub operation of that size, I'm sure the CO crew can be easily retained over in T3.

The main difference I can see is in club staff. The UA clubs are much higher volume, so the roles are divided up (e.g., checkin vs. ticketing), so some of the multi-taskers may not like that as much.

The plans prior to the merger announcement had both CO and US moving to the current space to AA occupies. AA was to move into T-2, the old International Terminal that is currently under renovation with the LCC.

Now things have changed. T-2 will house Jet Blue and Virgin America. Southwest is remaining at their current location T-1.

I am going to assume that the merger will be complete prior to the re-opening of T-2.

I believe that we are in good shape. There are only about 60 customer service agents at CO to 600+ at UA. Our ramp should be ok as well. The only question will be: what happens to our cargo people. UA contracts their cargo operations to an outside vendor. Unless this changes with the new company, our cargo people will be furloughed.

UA staffs their clubs from the general agent pool. Positions in the RCC are very senior. CO staffs their clubs with "selected" agents; general agents that apply to work in the PClubs, selected via an interview process.

We have not heard how the new company plans on staffing the clubroom.

That's interesting. I always see the same people at the RCC though. So despite being in the general agent pool, I take it those agents are always able to get enough hours in the RCC that they don't have to work the gates or counter?

I won't shed any tears to see CO leave their gates at SFO. Never a strong point . . .

I am not that familiar with how UA agents select their schedules but I assume that the schedules for the RCC are just for the RCC. Those that have high seniority are the ones that bid into the club and that's why you continue to see the same people.

Our PClub agents don't have nearly enough seniority, with the possible exception of one of our PClub agents, to be able to work the RCC, if the new company continues with UA's practice.

Once we move out, our gate area is scheduled to be torn down.

With the RCC's behind security, that could be a challenge for said agent's required smoke breaks.

That said agent isn't the one with the highest seniority in the club. That title belongs to a day part time agent.

Is all of T1 getting a refresh, or just that pier?

The Master Plan has all of T-1 being re-done, including the gates that DL uses.

Instead of having piers and circles of gates, the airport's new look will have all gates in a straight line. Their wish is that you will get cleared at a security point and be able to access all the airlines and their gates.

Phase 2 (2012-2014) will see the removal of the AS gates
Phase 3 (2015-2016) will see 15 gates added and the US/SW gate area removed
Phase 4 (2017-2018) DL gates are removed and mover straight in gates added

While I like the people who work there, the PC at SFO is rather pathetic. I will however miss the funny sign on the door.

http://imgur.com/fidwJ.jpg