Based on what I've gathered from real-life United crewmembers, the first few days after 9/11, as the airline got back into the air after a few days of total shutdown of the US airspace, were a very emotional experience. Instead of elite customers yelling at flight attendants for not giving them the royalty treatment, they thanked each other and bonded like family members.
Snopes.com, a website which tracks and debunks urban legends, came across a story from United 564, which flew from Denver to Washington Dulles, the first day the US airspace was re-opened. The pilot of that flight gave specific instructions on how to fight back against another terrorist attack, as soon as the aircraft door was closed. His words are very poignant - they are less about fear, and more about hope and humanity. (Far preferable to a pilot on a competing airline, who tried to convert his passengers to Christianity, and scared them instead.) Snopes.com verified the story as being true.
Snopes.com
I love flight crews that report to their jobs with pride and passion. It's harder to see that given the worsening treatment for flight crews today, but nevertheless, my safety is the most important concern for these unsung heroes. The good treatment I've gotten from the vast majority of Sarah's coworkers is one key reason why I continue to fly her airline (and now count myself as an elite customer). I must make sure that Sarah carries this spirit of service as she continues her job.
If Kwan Yin represents the ultimate in kind-hearted transgender women, and "Ann" Coulter (widely believed to be trans, partly because of her Adam's apple and masculine appearance but more importantly because she's said things that a misogynistic male Log Cabin Republican would love to say) the ultimate in the most vile, I want Sarah to be found near the Kwan Yin end of the spectrum, certainly.
29 September 2009
18 September 2009
Sarah's employer and its future
Just came across an article on USA Today, where there is some discussion on the makeover of United Airlines.
I do feel that Sarah's bosses are trying something constructive, after years of driving completely into the ground what used to be the greatest airline in the world. Nevertheless, in my opinion, both as a customer and a follower of the aviation industry, more needs to be done. It's great that performance bonuses are given to flight crews of on-time flights, but they are token payments at most; I need to see bonuses that mean something, and more importantly, better pay levels for flight attendants so that better candidates can be recruited and retained. As is, the employees have trouble keeping their morale high. I still have a very bad aftertaste from the a-hole purser on my flight out of Toronto back in May.
The makeover of the first and business class products is a huge step in the right direction, and the new products are competitive with highly regarded foreign airlines. However, it's not enough to have nice premium cabins, when they still sit in 20-year-old junk planes with unrenovated, obsolete economy cabins. Negotiations are still ongoing for a large order of new planes to replace the aging 747/757/767 fleet, and I hope to see something nice come out of that.
Some aggressive marketing should help too. United marketing has been very timid lately, and it's downgraded most of its Los Angeles services to Express puddle jumpers, which makes it more likely that loyal customers, including me, will defect to a competitor.
Low fares can only take an airline so far. The best airline is one that charges reasonable fares and delivers top-notch experience, something United used to do well in the past, but has since forgotten. One reason why I used to look forward to showing up over the skies of a great faraway city aboard a United plane was because of this perception of innovation and quality, which simply no longer exists today. Now, when I show up at a foreign city in a United plane, I just don't feel that pride, surrounded by newer planes from formerly "lesser" airlines that have continued to innovate. And the timid marketing and shrinking route network means that it's less and less likely that a United flight is the most convenient means of heading for my desired destination anyway.
It'll be a shame to see the airline that was an integral part of many of my past travels become irrelevant, or nonexistent even. A turnaround can't come soon enough. And more importantly, Sarah must continue to be able to fly - and more importantly, feel pride in her airline. Let's see how the next few years pan out.
On a related note, a USA Today blog post quotes an internal employee memo as saying that October 28th will be the final day of Boeing 737 service at United. A special 737-300, designated Flight 737, will start off at Washington Dulles, visiting Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles before finishing in San Francisco, with farewell ceremonies in each city. The 737 had served United since 1968, when it had become the launch customer for the -200 variant. I hope for a new generation of new planes - be it more of the A320 series or the return of the 737 in the form of the modern Next Generation models - to soon take their place, and combined with Sarah's expertise, deliver superior services for the customers.
I do feel that Sarah's bosses are trying something constructive, after years of driving completely into the ground what used to be the greatest airline in the world. Nevertheless, in my opinion, both as a customer and a follower of the aviation industry, more needs to be done. It's great that performance bonuses are given to flight crews of on-time flights, but they are token payments at most; I need to see bonuses that mean something, and more importantly, better pay levels for flight attendants so that better candidates can be recruited and retained. As is, the employees have trouble keeping their morale high. I still have a very bad aftertaste from the a-hole purser on my flight out of Toronto back in May.
The makeover of the first and business class products is a huge step in the right direction, and the new products are competitive with highly regarded foreign airlines. However, it's not enough to have nice premium cabins, when they still sit in 20-year-old junk planes with unrenovated, obsolete economy cabins. Negotiations are still ongoing for a large order of new planes to replace the aging 747/757/767 fleet, and I hope to see something nice come out of that.
Some aggressive marketing should help too. United marketing has been very timid lately, and it's downgraded most of its Los Angeles services to Express puddle jumpers, which makes it more likely that loyal customers, including me, will defect to a competitor.
Low fares can only take an airline so far. The best airline is one that charges reasonable fares and delivers top-notch experience, something United used to do well in the past, but has since forgotten. One reason why I used to look forward to showing up over the skies of a great faraway city aboard a United plane was because of this perception of innovation and quality, which simply no longer exists today. Now, when I show up at a foreign city in a United plane, I just don't feel that pride, surrounded by newer planes from formerly "lesser" airlines that have continued to innovate. And the timid marketing and shrinking route network means that it's less and less likely that a United flight is the most convenient means of heading for my desired destination anyway.
It'll be a shame to see the airline that was an integral part of many of my past travels become irrelevant, or nonexistent even. A turnaround can't come soon enough. And more importantly, Sarah must continue to be able to fly - and more importantly, feel pride in her airline. Let's see how the next few years pan out.
On a related note, a USA Today blog post quotes an internal employee memo as saying that October 28th will be the final day of Boeing 737 service at United. A special 737-300, designated Flight 737, will start off at Washington Dulles, visiting Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles before finishing in San Francisco, with farewell ceremonies in each city. The 737 had served United since 1968, when it had become the launch customer for the -200 variant. I hope for a new generation of new planes - be it more of the A320 series or the return of the 737 in the form of the modern Next Generation models - to soon take their place, and combined with Sarah's expertise, deliver superior services for the customers.
16 September 2009
Current status
The good news: while I have not really resumed my novel work, I am nevertheless moving forward. I have just started my Kirsten and Sarah combined interview in Los Angeles.
One crazy thing I have already discovered: their child will be named Sanford, and will have Sarah's eyes. In a way, Sanford lives on, as Sarah's baby boy.
I am having this interview take place in the form of me visiting the couple's upscale apartment just west of Koreatown. Initially it'll only be Kirsten and Sanford, with Sarah joining later due to a flight delay. She'll certainly be cursing about the sorry state of United Airlines aircraft these days!
I'm arriving straight from Las Vegas, where I had spent the previous evening at a Mariah Carey concert. (Indeed that was the case on Saturday the 12th, and this interview is dated Sunday the 13th.) That's a sure way to drive up Kirsten's jealousy level (she's a megafan herself), especially after Sarah had told her about seeing my autographed Mariah Carey CD back in Seoul last November. There will be tons of other things to gossip about.
I am keeping the residence a rental apartment, rather than a condo, due to the couple's decision that Southern California will not be an acceptable home for much longer. Relocation plans shall be discussed as well.
Let's see what I end up with.
One crazy thing I have already discovered: their child will be named Sanford, and will have Sarah's eyes. In a way, Sanford lives on, as Sarah's baby boy.
I am having this interview take place in the form of me visiting the couple's upscale apartment just west of Koreatown. Initially it'll only be Kirsten and Sanford, with Sarah joining later due to a flight delay. She'll certainly be cursing about the sorry state of United Airlines aircraft these days!
I'm arriving straight from Las Vegas, where I had spent the previous evening at a Mariah Carey concert. (Indeed that was the case on Saturday the 12th, and this interview is dated Sunday the 13th.) That's a sure way to drive up Kirsten's jealousy level (she's a megafan herself), especially after Sarah had told her about seeing my autographed Mariah Carey CD back in Seoul last November. There will be tons of other things to gossip about.
I am keeping the residence a rental apartment, rather than a condo, due to the couple's decision that Southern California will not be an acceptable home for much longer. Relocation plans shall be discussed as well.
Let's see what I end up with.
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