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by Web_Team from Denver, Colorado

Last Post 170 days, 19 hours Ago


QOTD: Rough Flying for Airlines
Apr 11, 2008 | 5:04 AM
Category: News
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Denver -based Frontier Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection Friday. Frontier says it's largely because of a decision its main credit card processor made to withhold proceeds from the sale of Frontier Airlines tickets.

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Things are rough in the airline industry right now. All of the following are issues the airlines are trying to tackle... at the same time.
  • Financial/Credit crisis
  • Fuel costs
  • Canceled flights for safety inspections
  • Demands for a passenger bill of rights
  • Low quality ratings
What should the airlines do to make things better for their customers and themselves? What can they do to turn things around?
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Member Comments Total Comments: 12
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CO_NTG read my blog
Apr 11, 2008 | 6:19 AM

The Airlines need to be regulated. We put them in charge of their own oversight—and they failed, they failed repeatedly to take the steps necessary to insure their success.

The reason American is cancelling over 1000 flight this week--they didn't do their inspections ontime, as they were MANDATED to do. So they catch up now before they get caught.

The US needs to regulate the airlines. They have proven they are not capable of safety measures, ontime flights, care for their passengers. I don't know anyone who WANTS to fly anymore....that is scary.
Fishermike read my blog
Apr 11, 2008 | 6:35 AM

I don't feel sorry for them at all. It is a business just as any other business in the world. There are simple rules to follow in business and American did not follow the rules and is in trouble...So, now they should downsize by selling some planes, regroup their employees and find out why their ratings are so low, take care of customer complaints and give the customer the best product possible to attract the customers to them....Yes the high cost of fuel is a concern, but like any business, that has to be figured in. They're going to have to look at flight schedules and make the most of it until the government and the oil companies can come to heads and do something about this problem...The oil companies are lining their pockets with gold and we are standing by and helping them...
43_Polamalu_
Apr 11, 2008 | 6:37 AM

In my opinion the Airlines should try to tackle these one at a time. AA should have inspected the planes BEFORE any thing happened. Unfortunetly something had to happen to open our eyes. The low ratings is to be blamed only on the airlines.
Fishermike read my blog
Apr 11, 2008 | 7:01 AM

My bad...I listed "American Airlines" instead of Frontier. I stand corrected. BTW..Whatever happened to PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE...If the airlines had followed the PM schedule and had regular inspections, they would not have to cancel so many flights causing this problem.
workboy8686 read my blog
Apr 11, 2008 | 9:06 AM

I have been riding in airplanes constantly for the last four years. The only prices that haven't changed in the last four years are ticket prices. They have only taken costly amenities away. These airlines are are operating by next to nothing margins and yet we still demand more service for less money.

We can't survive without the airlines. RAISE THE PRICES!

By the way Fishermike, the whole purpose for having additional aircraft is to perform preventative maintenance. What are you suggesting they do? Cancel a flight in order to service an aircraft. The money that is lost missing a flight far exceeds the cost of having a spare plane.
truepatriot
Apr 12, 2008 | 8:37 AM

We're getting our airlines and their problems mixed up here. Frontier has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy because the company that processes their credit card ticket purchases suddenly decided to hold back more money from those sales. That's what this QOTD is about.

American airlines has had to ground their fleet of MD-80 jetliners for a couple of reasons. One is that they did not perform madated inspections as scheduled like Fishermike said. But the blame is not their's only. Last year, FAA inspectors got a bit too chummy with American airlines, didn't enforce the rules, and scheduled inspections and repairs which should have taken place gradually never took place. Now, there's a new BIG CHEESE at the FAA and now he's ordered the planes grounded until inspections and repairs are done. Now whether it was necessary that all planes be grounded at once instead of gradually, as it was originally scheduled, id up to debate. It is possible the new kid on the block at the FAA is just trying to make a name for himself as a tough, by-the-book kinda guy. Maybe he has a hard-on for American airlines and the passengers are paying the price. If that's the case and he's just trying to make a name for himself, I've got one: A$$H***!

Personally, I don't fly. One second you're cruising along at 35,000 feet. The next thing you know, there's some dog nipping at your pancreas in some field.
truepatriot
Apr 12, 2008 | 9:14 AM

Other that that, I'd have to agree with Fishermike on this one, now that's not normal! My suggestions for fixing the problem would include:
1) Follow the rules regarding inspections, repairs, service...how hard can that be?
2) All airports, regardless of their size, have a limit as to how many planes they can launch within a specific time frame. STOP TRYING TO EXCEED THAT LIMIT FOR THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR! All you get when you attempt that is late take-off's, lost luggage, pissed-off passengers, near misses, and accidents.
3) Throw political correctness out the window and concentrate security scans for terrorists on passengers who resemble the demons that attacked us on 9-11. In other words, leave grandma, grandpa, the infant in the stroller, the quadraplegic in the wheelchair, and the girl that looks like Jessica Simpson alone. If you were unfortunate enough to be born a muslim male in this day and age, tough! Understand the situation and the anger here and get over it.
4) The greed at the top has got to go! Those who service the aircraft and fly the aircraft should not have to take massive cuts in pay and benefits while the fatcats in corporate take even bigger slice of the pie.
5) Lastly, customer service has to be the standard which guides airline operations. Like Fishermike said, this is a business. Earn it! A happy customer will always return. If something goes wrong, like you lose someone's luggage, jump through hoops to let the customer see that you are doing everything within your power to make it right. Stop making the customer jump through hoops to get

truepatriot
Apr 12, 2008 | 9:21 AM

...got cut off... Stop making the customer jump through hoops to get reimbursed. The longer the time between the damage and the reparations, the bitter the taste left in the customer's mouth. And when you do screw up, own up to it. Don't wait for the media to expose it. Come right out and acknowledge the problem, state what steps are being taken to prevent the problem from happening again, and make absolutely certain those steps are conducted. Leave the media with nowhere to go with the problem. Leave no stone unturned. Customer service and accountability, I can't say it enough!!!
truth1 read my blog
Apr 12, 2008 | 10:43 AM

More regulation of the industry by big government is not the answer. The government screws everything up when it gets involved. The market should decide who stays in business, not big government. Hey you don't have to fly you know.
MileHighPatriot read my blog view my photos
Apr 13, 2008 | 5:13 PM

Number 1.. the Airlines ARE regulated. They are TOO regulated if you ask me. Or, rather, they are regulated in all the wrong places.

Financial/Credit crisis - Gov't can help them in this arena.

Fuel costs - nothing they can do about it until we start getting Iraq to export some oil to us.

Canceled flights for safety inspections - no way around this except for the airlines to be proactive. I definitely want my planes inspected. I'm paranoid as it is.

Demands for a passenger bill of rights - EDIT is this? This can be thrown out the window.

Low quality ratings - who cares! I'm not looking forward to a massage when I get on a plane. I want to get from point A to B safely and FAST!
barcncpt44 read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 3:19 PM

airlines need ti improve customer service in order to survive
pketch
Apr 17, 2008 | 7:18 AM

What I really like about Frontier and all the rest of big business that file chapter 11 is that the folks that hold these securities in the portfolio are SOL. It give the filer the option to renegotiate with its creditor for a better rate. Chapter 11 is a very curious thing and should not be confused with Chapter 7. Once again there is a bail out the those that have made very poor decisions and penalizes the very people that have acted supposably responsibility given the intel that they have gotten. In my opinion when Frontier or any other publicly traded company files Chapter 11 is criminal. It shows criminal intent ans is like wise premeditated.
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Web_Team

Fox 31 News is located at 100 East Speer Blvd in Denver, Colorado 80203. The news assignment desk can be reached at 303-566-7600.

Member Since: 6/15/2007


 

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