Continental employee morale, over the last several years with Mr Bethune on board, has appeared to be very good. Maybe better than at some of the larger US airlines. I've enjoyed flights on them.
If Mr. Bethune had followed the Frank Lorenzo style of airline management (harsh dismemberment=more short-term cash flow for upstreaming into a holding company, "TAC" and "Jet Capital" etc...), where would Continental Airlines be today? Would it have survived?
Don't forget: declaring war on your employees in the 80s while voiding all labor contracts by filing Chapter 11 + cutting many salaries by about 40-50% do not equal a quality airline. Otherwise, they probably would not have needed Mr Bethune's help. Recent history is much more difficult to re-write when most of the bloodied survivors are still around.
Tomorrow is my first (and last!) operation on my "6 o'clock", and am dreading the recovery. My posts over the next two weeks or so could appear to be the lunatic ravings of someone on real drugs (Would music by 'Pink Floyd' or 'Yes' help the pain? Wish I had some Uriah Heep too "I done the ranchers daughter and...").
Wish I were kidding.
I wish good luck to United, and also USAirways.