Managerial changes at NWA
 

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/1429074.html

CEO Doug Steenland said in a prepared statement Monday that the changes allow Northwest to strengthen its relationships with customers and employees. Previously, Steenland has spoken out about the challenge of retaining key leaders. Many executives have left Northwest for positions in other industries.

However, Steenland's promotion of key executives at this time may also serve as a preemptive move to counter offers that may come from Delta Air Lines and US Airways.

I imagine the FAs are happy that Suzanne Boda, VP of Inflight Services, will be resigning. The FAs I've chatted with didn't have many good things to say about her. Hopefully the new blood will change attitudes of the more surly ones.

Something doesn't quite jive here -- they're glad Suzanne Boda is going ... but the new VP of InFlight previously was the VP of labor relations that negotiated the hardnosed agreements?

Do they expect a carrot from the same person who gave them the stick?

Don't be too quick to judge before she does something bad.

I saw that Jim Cron got a promotion, with what looks to be added responsibility of Revenue Management & Planning to his work overseeing the WorldPerks program... not sure if it's a good thing or bad thing to have revenue management under the same manager as the WP program?

Let's hope that Ms. Hagen-Showers does not share Ms. Boda's taste for cheap sparkling wine vs champagne!

Where's Scoop's promotion?

Actually, this isn't going to be a good thing for the FA's. I've known Julie for nearly 20 years. Personally, she's a nice person, professionally, she's one of the toughest lawyers that NW has.

It was a sad day when Hector left. He really tried to bring a decent product to the passengers.

I personally think Suzanne was out of her element. In-flight service has gone steadily down hill. Again my own personal opinion, I don't think Suzanne came up with the idea of her leaving first.

To be fair to Julie, NW is going to give her a budget to work with. She won't get a penny more. She has to be creative. But this position isn't Julie's forte'. I'm sure she didn't sign on to NW to be picking out drinks, menus and how much ice is to be put into each glass. She's a smart woman and works best in the court room, negotiations and beating her foe.

Julie is coming into a position where there is great antagonism and hostility. And many see her as the bad guy. She got the FA contract thrown out.

Doug wants a better labor-management working relationship. Julie is going to have to work hard to change her image if what Doug says is true. Most see her as the one coming in to "clean house." To get rid of those "surly" FA's. I don't see this as a permanent position for her. But she is a company woman through and through and will do what is asked of her.

The next 3 months are either going to get very shakey or smooth out. With the holidays coming up, it's never been a smooth ride.

I wasn't judging anyone. I think NWAFA understood my point quite well.

This has to be one of the strangest executive appointments imaginable.

For once I have to agree with NWAFA... I've dealt alot with Suzanne over the years, after Hector left, and I know she tried... but as you said, this is NOT Julies forte' so only time will tell if she "retires" in a year or two as well...

Time will tell if Doug's "promotions" bare fruit... if not, he could be loking at replacement in the not so distant future...

I would like thank Ms. Boda for her service thus far. It was really professional and classy of her to meet the retirement flight for the DC-10 one early (6am) January morning with a bunch of FlyerTalkers on-board.

You can't say NW doesn't keep it interesting for all of us spectators...

While I haven't met her in person I have had an ongoing dialogue with her over the past year and have been very impressed, she will be missed

Too quick? She has been around for 20 or so years. Although intelligent and well educated, she likes to strong arm employees. She is rude, dismissive, and condescending.

If NWA truly wanted to mend fences with the FAs, this was NOT the way to do it. They should have put someone in the position that (1) has been a FA before and (2) has the appropriate people and social skills to deal with this over-abused group. This was a HUGE slap in the face to all FAs on the property.

If you thought NWA FAs were grumpy and disgruntled before...just wait!