Gordon and I werent totally convinced that Continental could be saved, even with our plan. Believe it or not, at this point I still wasnt on Continentals payroll. Many customers, particularly business customers with a choice, selected other airlines, reducing revenues enough to create huge losses. Truth is, the on-time incentive program is self-funding. I then opened the floor to questions and answers. For years, different groups of employees had been pitted against one another in the effort to drive down labor costs. This was the only fatal accident of Concorde's entire career.[27]. When I asked one mechanic why he had done this, he explained, When I go to Wal-Mart tonight, I dont want anyone to know that I work for Continental. His response still sends chills down my spine. Its thrilling to lead people to do something no one thinks can be done. Neither qualified what was meant by "major U.S. airline.". [26], Despite the accident, Concorde was still considered among the world's safest aircraft. Pretty soon, we were unstoppable. They may want food at 2:00 p.m., but they wont pay for it. For CALite, Continental removed all first-class seats in some airplanes. Ceased operations. In the span of a couple of months, we replaced 50 of our 61 officers with about 20 individuals. That meeting was hostile, to put it mildly. Embarrassingmaybe, if we failed. When I discovered Continentals real cash situation, I called Gordon. We rate each airline and travel agent on the service they provide, and remove those who aren't doing the right thing for our travellers. Continental Airlines also operate private bus services from airport in The United States to different areas which include California, New Jersey and Philadelphia. In other words, while the word "major" may . Sure, we were able to fix some problems, such as an incredibly slow reservations system and a substandard customer-response policy. . Relying mostly on our own experience as business travelers, we knew that the customer in seat 9C would pay extra for a few things: airplanes and terminals that are safe, comfortable, and attractive; on-time flights and reliable baggage handling; and good food at mealtimes. Our maintenance team worked their fannies off, and Continentals handsome new image was everywhere. The airline is operating the Hong Kong route since 1967, and operates in 161 destinations in 29 countries/districts, as of 31 DEC, 2018. Wet Landing | Continental Airlines Flight 12 - YouTube Keep an eye on your favorite fare and book when it's cheapest. They explained that the process was easy: as you pull the bags off the airplane, the ones marked priority go in the first baggage cart, which is the first to be unloaded. We search 500+ sites to find you the cheapest flights. The Gonesse monument consists of a piece of transparent glass with a piece of an aircraft wing jutting through. Oh sure, people paid lip service to strategy. I believed the pilots were getting a fair deal, and I said so. Flight Status. Once Continental had a flight schedule that could be operated on time, we made an offer to our employees. Choose travel cost protection and take your trip with confidence. . Section 1.16.7.3 "The Fuel in Tank 5" (page 118): "Taking into account these calculations, we may consider that the quantity of fuel in tank 5 was practically that which was loaded on the apron, which represents around 94% of the total volume of the tank". This cooled down the airplane all right, but it also caused condensation to build up on the inside roof of the aircraft. Chalk one up for the power of persuasion. But who else was there volunteering to save Continental? Gordon and I each took our share of the letters. Non-stop flights only. We compare every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents to find you the best. During the stop over at Phoenix a 38-year-old man and his 16-year-old son boarded the flight. Algae used in biofuel on U.S. jet test flight - NBC News Cheap Roundtrip Fares to Amsterdam from: (per person, including taxes and fees) New York $ 414. Our workers receive 15% of Continentals profitswhich has worked out to be approximately 7% of their pay over the last two years. These boards contain everything an employee needs to know about the company, from a daily news update to Continentals operating results over the last 24 hours. The airline is operating the Hong Kong route since 1967, and operates in 161 destinations in 29 countries/districts, as of 31 DEC, 2018. Get started today and Give your life Wings! Aborting the takeoff would have led to a high-speed runway excursion and collapse of the landing gear, which also would have caused the aircraft to crash. It was my opinion then, and remains today, that every company should have a strategy that covers these four elementsmarket, financial, product, and peoplewhether it is in a severe crisis or not. But the company was still sinking fast. Damaged beyond economic repair when the propellers struck the runway shortly after take-off. Our Go Forward Plan had four cornerstones. If you ask them what they want and will pay extra for, you will get a single sheet of paper with requests. In Gordon, I found an extraordinary leader who knew the airline business inside and out, and who managed the men and women of Continental with great heart. Throughout that week, Gordon and I held several dinner meetingsdubbed our Last Suppersat his house. But real trust is a 365-days-a-year commitment. Contact Details. But I decided to go to Greensboro myself, make the announcement to the employees, and take my punches publicly. Although I was a frequent flier with literally millions of miles racked up on other airlines, I had always avoided Continental because of its reputation for lousy service. We had a week to put together a turnaround plan for Continental and develop a pitch to the board to name Gordon the CEO.