dupe

[This message has been edited by avek00 (edited 09-07-2002).]

I don't agree with 100% of Gordon's decisions as the head honcho of CO. But I would be foolish to overlook the success of his turnaround plan in the 1990s, as well as his efforts to keep CO afloat in the post-9/11 environment.

The bottom line is that as CO customers, we're lucky that HoKeY and possibly TurQey fares are the most that we truly have to worry about at this time. Has it not occurred to some of you that FFs at US, UA, and AA have to worry not only about FF program changes, but also the solvency of the airline itself?


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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

I think Mr. Bethune is doing his best. In the Navy a good skipper would walk around his ship and find out how things are working out on the deckplates.

It says something about his management style and character that he does the same at IAH and is willing to call back a passenger. (Unfortunately, the lack of CO candor to passengers also says something.)

How easy it is for us to second-guess his performance, though I suppose that is common everywhere, particularly with an industry in trouble.

Of course he is not going to call back a total flamer. That would be a waste of his time.

dupe

[This message has been edited by Beef or Chicken? (edited 09-08-2002).]

avek, now that you've so diligently parroted these numbers from Yahoo, you mind showing us how smart you really are and telling us what they mean?

When my numbers chief comes to me and tells my, "Yippity-doo-da-day, we're up 1.1% comp from last year," I tell Bob that I can sit on the toilet and in five minutes give him a 1.1% increase. Then I pat him on the back, and give him a 0.4% raise.

When management says, "Yeah, our numbers are up, that means we're doing something right, that means we're doing great," on the basis of 1.1% comps, while top customers are fuming, that's letting the bean-counters run the business.

I "did more or less OK" every time I come out of the bathroom and didn't piss all over the toilet. What do those numbers really tell us, Mr. Smarty Pants?

[This message has been edited by Beef or Chicken? (edited 09-08-2002).]

Beef or Chicken,

Those numbers mean that Continental likely broke even or generated a small operating profit for the months of July and August.

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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

So you made $1.00 yesterday, and make $1.01 today. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

For a change, let me hear something from you that doesn't reiterate the obvious, or suggests a little more insight beyond it.

Anybody can look at numbers and spit them back and sound impressive. Not everybody knows what to do with them and bring impressive results. And to do that, you have to know what the numbers mean. That's just what separates the business people from the bean-counters.

In these days when the chips are down, the true mettle of people occupying leadership positions (note that I am not calling them 'business leaders') is being brought out and to the test. While numbers are indeed the sole barometer of results, proper interpetation of those numbers is what is needed to guide action to create both immediate, sustainable, and significant (hint, hint, avek) impact.

Instead, we're getting rote reliance on absolute numerical figures. My first-grade teacher taught me that plus means up, and minus means down, too. But what's it in the big picture?

[This message has been edited by Beef or Chicken? (edited 09-08-2002).]

I appologize for saying this, but it sounds like you need a tissue to wipe your nose off. Why would you call him to commend him on all the 'take-aways'? LOL

First off, I still feel that Plat. elite members should have a lot more perks then other levels and ordinary vacationers.

Afterall ... are we not the bread and butter of the airline? It's our $2000 cross country fares that keep them afloat. Not those $200 vacation fares.

Thus, an innovative business mindset would include keeping those of us that poor constant revenue into the CO annual statement should be treated differently!


I hope you were able to wipe that nose of yours off!

Sorry Beef, but the numbers to date don't support the doomsday predictions by some CO naysayers.

The breakeven load factor is the percentage of seats that must be filled to cover expenses given the current fare mix. As mentioned previously, CO exceeded its breakeven LF number for July and August. Unless CO experienced unusually heavy pricing pressure during those months, the LFs indicate that CO has at least temporarily halted the post-9/11 tide of red ink.

While the final verdict must be withheld until we receive CO's Q2 2002 stats, the breakeven/actual load factor numbers suggest that CO fared well over the summer months.

I agree with you, and so does CO. They WANT full-Y customers to receive the best that CO can deliver. The problem comes in when Q/T pax expect just as much as the full-Y person.

Thank you for another re-hash of aviation industry terminology definition, avek.

But what steps is CO going to take achieve sustainable and sigificant customer traffic? Now that we've heard all this Monday-morning quarterbacking (complete with cheerleader pom-poms), what is going to be done? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

The backwards-looking numbers are one thing, but the future is what matters. Newsprint and toilet paper are made from the same mash of paper pulp. So what does your chat with Gordon indicate is to be implemented to effect improvement in the operation of the business overall, particularly when customers are saying they aren't happy?

It's difficult to realize objectivity in your observations of the aviation industry, despite your citing quantitative figures and terminology definitions, particularly when you had the opportunity to discuss customer satisfaction issues which you know to be at contention, and instead you revert to bashing other members of the industry with which you express affiliation.

This is, to me, a sycophancy which patronizes the egos of the corner offices of an industry of which I as an aviator and a consumer am intimately a part, an industry that precisely needs to be told what it doesn't want to hear, and to do the things it thinks it can't do because of this kind of gratuity and flattery.

The part of the big picture that you seem to keep missing, avek, is that ultimately, you stand to loose, too. Are you sharpening the blade of the sword of your own execution?

[This message has been edited by Beef or Chicken? (edited 09-08-2002).]

(thanks)

[This message has been edited by NJDavid (edited 09-08-2002).]

Beef or Chicken,

CO has already taken action -- e.g., maintaining its award-winning service and amenities while its competitors have reduced themselves to Greyhound on wheels.

With regards to HoKeY, CO actually does a good job of SELLING BF seats to full-J pax. The company does not need to give J seats away on deep-discount Y fares like AA and UA. IMHO, it is not at all unreasonable to ask for a modest sum from those who wish to not pay the asking price for Intl. J and instead use miles.

I will be negatively affected by the current and rumored changes to CO/OnePass. 85-90% of my flying is done on CO T/Q/V fares or their NW equivalents. But quite honestly, I don't fly CO because of OnePass; I fly CO because it offers the best service, competitive pricing, and the most convenient schedule for the vast majority of my travels.

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Thank you for choosing Continental Airlines, a proud member of the SkyTeam Alliance.

Ummm...didn't you forget to insert this in your post?..."Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering
more than 2,100 departures daily to 122 domestic and 90 international
destinations. Operating hubs in New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam,
Continental serves more international cities than any other U.S. carrier,
including extensive service throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more
information, visit continental.com .
Continental was named the 2001 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World,
as well as the 1996 Airline of the Year, making it the only carrier to receive
this honor twice in five years. For the fourth consecutive year, Continental
was named one of the 100 Best Places to Work For by FORTUNE magazine, and is
ranked the nation's No. 1 airline in customer satisfaction for long and short-
haul flights by Frequent Flyer Magazine and J.D. Power and Associates.
Continental has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin
(Conde Nast Traveler, OAG, Entrepreneur and SmartMoney magazines), OnePass
frequent flyer program (InsideFlyer's Freddie Awards) and overall operations
and management (FORTUNE magazine)."




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"Read my lips! No more benefit cuts!"...Gordon Bethune