AA CEO flying Southwest

[b1lanc]

The background is enlightening and timely. However, when the AA CEO has to fly Southwest, well....that's either encouraging or not. Delta is spacing passengers and cutting capacity by 50-60%. AA has been in the news frequently due to full aircraft. Does anyone really know what is going on? How can two (or three) large airlines in the same market differ in COVID policies so much?

https://nypost.com/2020/06/02/southwest-airlines-worker-cries-talking-race-with-american-airlines-ceo/

[misd-agin]

Parker doesn't pull rank and sit in first class by bumping pasengers nor does he bump passengers to get on a flight.

[lomapaseo]

So what is his position on an upgrade list at the gate when he shows up?

[Climb150]

He has a guy for that

[Seat4A]

Interesting read on the AA Newsroom page:

"A message on current events "
Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 12:45 PM

"We thought it would be meaningful to share this note Chairman and CEO Doug Parker sent to American’s team members this past weekend."
.....

"A quick confession — I flew Southwest yesterday. I needed to get to Panama City, FL and all of our seats were sold out! But I’m glad I did, because I had a remarkable encounter."


Full text of Doug Parker's note:

Newsroom - A message on current events - American Airlines Group, Inc. (http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2020/A-message-on-current-events-ID-BK-06/default.aspx)

[zondaracer]

American Airlines is currently limiting passenger loads to 85% capacity.

[zondaracer]

So what is his position on an upgrade list at the gate when he shows up?
Below paying passengers, and below that of deadheading crew in most cases, but ahead of non-revenue space available passengers (when he is traveling on official business).

[OldLurker]

Doug Parker comes across as a decent man, both in his interaction with the SouthWest FA and in his policy of not bumping customers on his company's flights. I hope that's "the real Doug Parker" talking. If it is, then I hope his attitude influences the culture of his company. I've no experience of AA, but on this showing I'd rather fly with, or work for, an airline led by Mr Parker than some others I can think of.

[misd-agin]

So what is his position on an upgrade list at the gate when he shows up?

He's listed by his given name. Most people don't know that so he shows up and they don't know it's him until they see him. Obviously that's becoming better known among the agents. Crandall lived in BOS. Guess what, AA put an MD-11 on the DFW-BOS flight that Crandall commuted on.

Parker's not the only executive sitting in coach. They all do. There's a procedure for upgrades and if they get it they take it. If they don't qualify they don't pull rank. I was talking with Robert Isom about a particular row of seats and he knew exactly what I was talking about "I don't sit there. We're trying to fix that."

[Una Due Tfc]

Seems a decent guy. Fair play to him. I might look up the book.

[20driver]

Interesting read on the AA Newsroom page:

"A message on current events "
Tuesday, June 02, 2020, 12:45 PM

"We thought it would be meaningful to share this note Chairman and CEO Doug Parker sent to American’s team members this past weekend."
.....

"A quick confession — I flew Southwest yesterday. I needed to get to Panama City, FL and all of our seats were sold out! But I’m glad I did, because I had a remarkable encounter."


Full text of Doug Parker's note:

Newsroom - A message on current events - American Airlines Group, Inc. (http://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2020/A-message-on-current-events-ID-BK-06/default.aspx)
Wow -Pretty decent guy to write that. In an era that everything from a company sounds like the same old thing - that was very real.

[BEA 71]

There have always been managers/directors who offered to go on a jump seat in case there was a commercial passenger. I know the situation was ( is ) different in the U.S., but in Europe it was legal for airline staff to travel on flight deck or cabin jump seat.

[V12]

I have flown over a thousand flights but never on AA. Next time they are an option, I will choose them in preference. What a leader. Can you imagine Cruz or Walsh doing that?

[misd-agin]

There have always been managers/directors who offered to go on a jump seat in case there was a commercial passenger. I know the situation was ( is ) different in the U.S., but in Europe it was legal for airline staff to travel on flight deck or cabin jump seat.
There are procedures for exceptions in the U.S
.

[BEA 71]

I know that, misd-again, commuting pilots are jumpseating, a friend who works as a dispatcher does, but the rules were always more restrictive in the U.S.. I wonder if a airline executive could travel on jump seat, unless he has a pilot or a dispatcher license.

[misd-agin]

Access is very restrictive. But few things in life are 100%.

[Jaguar MK2]

Before you guys throw out accolades for Airline CEOs in America ,

I believe you should do a little research , not PR conclusions .

Regards



34 years at AAL and 5 CEOS later !

[ATC Watcher]

Jaguar : Maybe this is just staged PR, but it is VERY good PR, especially in the current period. The message is clear, and will get to people in his company . It is not about flying Coach or Southwest , , it is about caring and trying to change .. At least this is how I read it.

[procede]

My guess: He was on his way to his weekend home, which is frowned apon during the epidemic. He went with Southwest so his employees, who would surely recognise him, would not find out he is setting a bad example. Of course he could not keep his mouth closed, and had to show off, ending up on twitter. The rest is basically (very effective) damage control.

[viking767]

He's listed by his given name. Most people don't know that so he shows up and they don't know it's him until they see him. Obviously that's becoming better known among the agents. Crandall lived in BOS. Guess what, AA put an MD-11 on the DFW-BOS flight that Crandall commuted on.

Parker's not the only executive sitting in coach. They all do. There's a procedure for upgrades and if they get it they take it. If they don't qualify they don't pull rank. I was talking with Robert Isom about a particular row of seats and he knew exactly what I was talking about "I don't sit there. We're trying to fix that."

What year did AA fly MD-11 between BOS and DFW?

[krismiler]

Any business should be keeping an eye on what the competition is doing so having the CEO get first hand experience is perfectly reasonable, so he can draw a comparison from the customer’s point of view.

Also, at his level time is critical and an important meeting could mean missing a company operated flight and having to take a later one on a competitor.