From: Gene Hall
Date: 5/1/2013 5:04:43 PM
To: Gene Hall
Subject: The new Delta
Two
days ago, I vented about the scam that Delta calls "Fly confirmed for
less", and I have had such a fast reaction from numerous others who are
aware of what a joke it is that I decided to vent some more. This is going to
some who were not on the original mailing, so I have copied the original below.
“Beware
of the "confirmed for less" 20% discounted tickets. The Delta.com first
class fares ATL-SFO-ATL from now until the end of July run between $1,000 and
$1,100 for non stop flights. The "confirmed for less" and
"confirmed for even less" tickets average $400 - $600 more than that.
The “discount” coach tickets were also considerably more.
I
have been checking for several days, thinking that the IT folks had just not
caught up. I called 800-MY DELTA today
and was told that it is almost always like that. The agent didn't seem very
happy to talk with me, and I suspect this is not the first time she has been
asked the question. I copied the following warning from the Net.
‘Occasionally,
Delta offers fares available only on delta.com (e.g., Web fares) which
may be cheaper than fares offered on TravelNet with the Fly Confirmed for Less
discount.’
Occasionally;
how about everyday for the next three months? Frequently should be
substituted for occasionally, and significantly should be inserted in front of
cheaper.
I
would have enough FF miles for a ticket if I hadn’t used them all up to get to
ATL from Johannesburg. There was a post on the Delta Net that non revenue
passengers would not be boarded in JNB for several weeks, but they
lied. By changing my schedule and traveling on Thanksgiving, I was able
to get home for only 140,000 miles. There were non revs on the
flight I was on.
In
spite of everything that has happened to the retired pilots, I have tried to
like this company. I am finding it more difficult all the time.”
I am trying to buy a ticket for my annual Pebble Beach
golf trip, and I checked the prices again today. Delta.com – first class
$1043.80, confirmed for less $1623.00. Delta.com – coach $493.80,
confirmed for less $652.20.
Richard Anderson seems to be doing a great job of managing
the new Delta. The flights are on time, the airplanes are clean, the
employees that I encounter seem to be happy, and he was very wise in how he put
the merger together. He learned something from the America West – US
Airways marriage that United/Continental didn’t learn. The stock is up,
and they are touting the “Delta Family”. They are getting very positive
financial press; in short, they are doing so many wise things that you know
they are not dumb enough to sell the “confirmed for less” program as a
benefit. Someone must not be paying attention.
If Delta is still a “family”, it is a dysfunctional
one. If a family is functional, the old folks have to be taken care of by
the family. I was fortunate to only lose about $12,000 per year when the pilot’s
pension was turned over to the PBGC, but around 3500 pilots lost all, or nearly
all of theirs.
Anyone who is reasonably intelligent, and keeps up with
economic trends, has known for a few years that many promised pensions were
underfunded and unsustainable. Cities are declaring bankruptcy, and some
states are bankrupt, but haven’t declared. We all are familiar with the
US auto industry pension problems.
The Delta plan was sustainable, if a pre bankruptcy mass
exodus of pilots hadn’t been feared. The fund was probably slightly
underfunded in normal circumstances, but I have to think it would be in pretty
good shape now, with the stock market hitting all time highs.
CEO Richard Anderson learned the business with NWA, and
they arguably had the worst labor relations in the airline industry. They
would rank pretty low in comparison with companies in other industries.
No matter how savvy one is, there is no way the real
“Delta Family” can be understood, unless one was part of that family before
airline deregulation. Anderson is savvy, and he learned from the sorry
relations – he apparently improved things NWA – but there is no way he can
fully understand the Delta Family that Woolman founded.
I was hired in 1959, and I thought I had hit the lottery.
Dave Garrett was the man who welcomed my class that first day. He was in
charge of methods and training. We worked for captains who were men of
stature. Floyd Addison, Dana Jones, Norm Topsche, Joe Moss, Gene Croft,
Dick Johnson, and I could go on and on. Pre Ball was the best chief pilot
any airline ever had, and these men taught us to be airline pilots, but they
taught us something better. They taught us how to be gentlemen, and to
look out for our customers, and each other. They showed us by example how
to fall in love with a company.
It is biblical for families to care for their own.
I’m certain that some who are reading this are providing for elderly
parents. In some cases, it puts a financial strain on the family, but it
would be immoral not to do it. I am all for bankruptcy laws. They
were designed to give companies, individuals, and families a new start.
When an individual with a family goes bankrupt, he still has the responsibility
of supporting his family.
A number of factors came together to create the economic
environment that forced all the legacy carriers into bankruptcy.
Stockholders, employees, vendors, lenders and others were hurt.
Stockholders, vendors, and lenders know they are taking a risk. They are
in the risk taking business. Those 3500 retired pilots weren’t in the
risk taking business – at least they didn’t know they were.
I am glad that Delta Air Lines was able to get a new
start, and I am glad that their management seems to be the best in the US
airline industry. I am glad that they are making billion dollar
profits. Like a family that gets a new start and is morally obligated to
take care of elderly parents, this management is immoral if they don’t do
something for those pilots who lost their pensions.
I had decided that I didn’t have a dog in the pension
fight, but in spite of everything that has happened, I still take some pride in
the success of the new Delta Air Lines, Even though its only relation to the
company that we loved and worked for is the name and headquarters location, it
is a part of us old-timers. I still want Delta to be the best airline in
the world, and when I saw how dumb this “confirmed for less” so called benefit
is, it reminded me of how dumb not providing some percentage of what was promised
to the 3500. I understand that the NWA pilots didn’t take a hit.
As for reduced rate fares, they have been a historic
benefit to airline employees. The program that Delta is promoting now is
insulting to say the least.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Southwest Airlines announces
new “No Show” policy to start next month
Southwest Airlines today announced a new “No Show” policy
designed to help it better predict future seat inventory and reduce the number
of empty seats on flights.
The policy will apply to nonrefundable fares that are not
canceled or changed by a customer before a flight’s scheduled departure. The
Dallas-based airline said if such a fare or a portion of it is not used,
changed or canceled before departure, the unused funds on the full fare will be
forfeited and the remaining reservation will be canceled.
The new policy will take effect on travel reservations,
including Wanna Get Away and Ding fares, made on or after May 10 for
travel on or after Sept. 13. It does not apply to military fares, senior fares
or travel during certain irregular operations such as severe weather
conditions.
Customers who cancel a Wanna Get Away or Ding
fare before departure can reuse their funds toward future Southwest travel
without a change fee as in the past. Customers with other fully
refundable fares either either request a refund or hold funds for future
travel.
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