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View Full Version : Lufthansa rant (yawn)


B737NG
20th Oct 2010, 06:55
I had the pleasure to see some of the B737-300/500īs recently and they aging now, despite the maintenance and care they get. The ī"Produkt" Lufthansa allone does not blind the fact that this are old birds.

Just by accident I spoke yesterday with a fellow who still flies there and he gave me some food for thought:

When the employee becomes a obstacle and cost factor then the times are not desireble to be there. Shareholder value, a key word for that. The moral is not the best, despite the glorious introduction of the A380 on the FRA-NRT route. It is a premium carrier without doubt but there are some odds in the line. In the Cabin you get often the impression that the single Parent FA part time FA has his concern more on the time off then during the time he/she getīs the funds to substitute the lifestyle.

On a recent flight as a PAD a coworker told me that the mealservice after TO was the only time they have seen the Crew in the Cabin. After that help yourself was offered only and before landing in FRA a orange juice together with a piece of fruit was the substitute for a breakfast. Maybe the look into a LCC is too tight how to save operational costs....

To focus on premium PAX only? I doubt that that rises enough funds into the account to cover the costs. I have seen the Bankers in 1999 and 2000 using the Shuttle Bus early morning from Frankfurt Main Station (HBF) to Hahn and fly to STN to attend some session in London. Business meetings today are more under budget and ECO-travel is part of the cutīs. Senator is for sure a Elite but are they cost covering? Miles and More > Get all, give nothing < Upgrades due to status and recently collected Miles by using the Credit Card, renting Cars and other incentives is a game the mile junkies play well. They pay low economy and ask for high priority. The infrastructure such a Carriers has to have is cost incentive, no doubt but as a individual traveler you pay what you can afford and hope for the best you can get for your money. It is peanuts for one and a cocnut for the other, it depends on what side you are.

I am aware of some people who working hard for theire money and they can afford only long distance Air travel every two or three years to visit the family back home. They save the money coin by coin to get home now and then to see the loved ones. It is sad they are not seen as customers as well, sometimes it hurts when you sense the attitude towards them. They are paying a regular price from legal earned money, that is not a crime.

How to replace the Boeing Fleet? Hmmm the closest idea would be thru another Boeing? A319 to 321 are enough in the house. Ordering now the NG? would be running behind the field. Airbus versus Boeing, or Jobīs in the Country versus giving Money abroad. I still remember the speach on the MD11delivery. Time passed by, what comes to renew the bread and butter?

Fly safe and land happy

NG

BEA 71
20th Oct 2010, 12:53
I think NGīs comment on " single parent/part time " FAs hits the point.
Whether people like it or not, Lufthansa is more controlled by unions,
political/gender groups then by managers. It is very sad, but the once
great LH is going to face some serious problems. Everybody in the company thinks LH is the Great Mother who is only there to nurse
them all. Some of their agreements are absolutely ridiculous and
belong to the dust bin.

BEA 71

kotakota
20th Oct 2010, 13:36
This is a cracking post .............the 'Legacy' carriers have always had this problem of 'lifetime' contracts for CC , which was fine ( sort of ) in the good old days , but now does not work . I was BA Captain and the similarity is obvious.
Not only are the 'dinosaurs' expecting fantastic pay and perks , they have also forgotten how to do a good job. One only has to travel on many younger outfits with younger CC , and it is obvious who is still enjoying thier job .
Branson got it right by NEVER overpaying his CC , if BA had his pay structure they would be perennial profit-makers . Willie Walsh is right , by the way , what is happening there ?.

hetfield
20th Oct 2010, 13:59
@kotakota

And that's why the pressurisation was lost:D

PAXboy
20th Oct 2010, 20:38
In the end, ALL the legacy carriers will be different from how they are today - or have been in the past 25 years.

Not nice for some, rather nice for others, but it's unstoppable and called evolution.