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Year 2000 Wrap Up

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Source: Archived Content

Date: Dec 31, 2000

December 31, 2000

Good Lord, what a year this was for all of us!

United Airlines and 2000 were supposed to be about new beginnings and promising changes.  With the reorganization of the Onboard Service division, there was the glowing promise of a new direction for this airline.  We heard a lot of talk about the Service Revolution; the new way of doing business with ourselves and with customers.  Based in part on the exhaustive work of the Mercer Study, the UAL management team was within arms reach of finalizing the groundwork to make good internal service within this company a reality.  So damn close.

And then, wham!  They say timing is everything, and man-oh-man, the timing couldn't have been any worse: crappy weather and poor pilot management.  And let's not forget to mention that little decision to purchase US Airways.  Blame then permeated throughout everything and everyone...Management blaming pilots, pilots blaming Management, and all the while the news media sucking up every last drop to spit out to the traveling public.

Then mother nature got into the act and all hell broke loose.  Summer of 2000.

When the dust cleared, it was the true aftermath of a war.  Nobody really won of course.  Sure, the pilots got their pay raises and headed back into the cockpit for voluntary overtime again.  Sure, UAL management still has the US Airways deal on the table, just waiting anxiously to leave port like wide-eyed passengers on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

But make no mistake about it; this company is a wounded soldier.  A very sick one indeed.  The mechanics are unhappy.  The public (not to mention investors) doesn't trust UAL Management's track record right now.  And it seems light years ago since Greenwald put up posters demonstrating how UAL was going to be 'Rising' above the industry.  Meanwhile, the airline dropped straight off the planet for on-time performance and reliability.

The public, sadly, wasn't much better in 2000.  Sure they took their share of operational beatings, but folks---look around you---people have changed lately.  Travelers are filling airports in record numbers and the United States is doing so well financially that people have forgotten the meaning of the word, 'appreciation'.  Airfares are ridiculously low and everyone can now afford them.  People are heading nowhere fast, gabbing on cell phones like idiots, spending money again like it's the Roaring 80's, expecting upgrades, rushing, demanding two seats for the price of one, pushing, bringing pigs onboard, interrupting, and focusing on becoming BUSY IMPORTANT PEOPLE---that you had sure better get the hell out of their way!

Looking back over 2000, there not much I can say that I'm proud of.  Even our recent Presidential election echoed this pathetic year.  These times are like a stale hangover that's gone on way too long.  It's time for a change.  And there's nothing like a nice good Recession to slap some reality (and a little manners) back into these folks.   You can see some of its early signs now: airfares (and prices of just about everything else) are going back up, dot-coms are headed to a well-deserved graveyard, and even the colorful, brain-candy newspapers like USA Today mention the big dreaded 'R' word.  It's like a refreshing breeze.  I can't wait.

Meanwhile, back at United Airlines, the plot thickens as we end out this year.  We have mostly had it.  Those 26,000 people that represent 1/4 of the UAL workforce do not consider United Airlines to be the 'The Employer of Choice' right now.  Can you blame us?  Throughout all the serious labor problems, the serious weather problems, and periods of having their contract virtually ignored, the flight attendants have soaked up all this mess like a big, tough sponge.  Well the sponge is now full, and it's going to take a long time to dry.

I like to think that some good times are in store for us next year.  We do hit wage arbitration and we also have the voting power to prevent the operational US Airways merger.  These two factors can provide for a very interesting mix!

And all is still not lost with the Onboard Redesign and internal service improvements that were planned.  The Onboard Service division is moving forward with the F/A Service Center and WHQ is slowly catching up to the reality of a need for change---particularly in the area of communication.  There are uncertain times ahead (like with this US Airways mess), but hopefully management will now be a little wiser as well.  Who knows what the next year will hold for our industry?  One thing's for sure, it'll be an fascinating ride for all of us.

So in closing, it's interesting to note that Jumpseatnews.com was created in July, 2000, right in the middle of this madness and it's still going strong.  We're heading toward 1,000 members, moving into 2nd gear, and showing no sign of slowing down.  AFA's done some excellent things with their communication tools as well, including their new Discussion Board.  We are becoming more unified, despite the short-term vocalizations of the opposite.

I now want to say something here and now to all of you Crew Lounge members reading this:  As principle writer and designer for Jumpseatnews.com, I have the had the task of reading and responding to each of the hundreds of letters that have been emailed to the website from members around the world.  And I'm not sitting in an ivory tower making this stuff up either, I debate and discuss issues with my flying partners right on the actual jumpseat itself.

I had absolutely no idea that I work alongside such an intelligent, diverse, and quite frankly cool group of people.  You are the reason for the late nights, the hassles of site management and security, and the enormous amount of time required to maintain this crazy project.  And on New Year's Day, you'll see posted the results of your own membership survey---a true window into the direction you'd like the site to head next.

So despite all that's happened with this disappointing millennium year, I have you to thank for making my flight attendant work as fun, exciting, and stimulating as it's been.  Have a wonderful holiday, take care, and fly safe.

Sincerely,

Christopher

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