Airline to Hire More Than 1,000 New Team Members; Upgrade Existing
Technology and Replace Older Kiosks; Improve Flexibility for Preferred
Dividend Miles Members
TEMPE, Ariz., April 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- US Airways today
announced a series of customer service initiatives designed to improve
reliability and meet its customers' needs. The initiatives include a major
increase in airport staffing, improved re-accommodation capabilities,
state-of-the-art kiosk technology and other product enhancements.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050223/LAW097LOGO )
Chairman and CEO Doug Parker said, "The people of US Airways are
dedicated to meeting our customers' needs. We did not do that in the first
quarter of 2007 and are taking the necessary steps to improve our
performance. Most of our reliability issues were related to a difficult
reservations system migration and that project is now back on track. That
issue did highlight some other areas of service improvement opportunity,
including increasing airport staffing, improving our customer
re-accommodation process during non-routine operations, and improving the
product offering for some of our most loyal and frequent customers."
Increased Airport Staffing
US Airways has already begun an aggressive hiring plan to place more
than 1,000 new team members in positions at airports throughout its system
this summer. In addition to filling open slots, these new employees will
allow the airline to get ahead of normal summer attrition cycles as well as
create new customer service centers in the airline's Eastern region.
Improved Customer Re-Accommodation
Approximately 80 of the airline's new positions will create POC
(Passenger Operations Control) centers at the airline's Philadelphia and
Charlotte hubs and at Boston and Washington National similar to what
currently exists in the airline's Phoenix hub. POC centers monitor all
inbound hub flight activity and identify customers who are on flights that
for whatever reason, (weather, air traffic congestion, etc.), might miss
their connecting flights. These travel professionals interact closely with
the airline's System Support Center to rebook passengers who may misconnect
even before the inbound flight lands.
The POC team prepares everything the customer needs, such as gate
information and a new boarding pass on US Airways' next flight or, when
applicable, flight information for an alternative on another carrier. The
POC staff also prepares meal vouchers and hotel accommodations if there are
no other flight choices that day. The best part about this program is POC
personnel take the whole re-accommodation package to the gate and meet the
inbound flight. Once there, they hand the customer their new flight
information as they deplane the aircraft.
Improved Kiosk Technology
Since moving to one reservations system in early March, self-service
kiosks in many of the airline's eastern region cities have not operated
with acceptable reliability standards. US Airways has begun a replacement
plan that will bring in 600 new state-of-the-art machines. The first
deliveries will arrive in late May.
Flexibility for Loyal Road Warriors
Vice President, Sales and Marketing Travis Christ said, "In addition to
customer feedback we've received since our merger, we also recently
surveyed thousands of our Dividend Miles members. Our Preferred frequent
flyers have told us they want more flexibility and more importantly, they
want that flexibility without feeling nickel and dimed every time their
travel plans change."
The airline has already begun programming and training for a new policy
that will waive the $25 standby fee at the airport for Preferred Dividend
Miles members. Lead times for programming and training are not lengthy and
the airline anticipates this program will be up and running no later than
June.
On Board the Plane
Beginning as early as June and continuing throughout the fall, US
Airways will make a series of upgrades to its in-flight experience focusing
specifically on its transcontinental and transatlantic flights. Christ
continued, "Flight attendants and customers have provided helpful input on
our current product offering and have suggested ways we can enhance the
in-flight experience, including upgraded meals and an improved wine
selection."
Among the enhancements:
First and Envoy Class (Domestic and Transatlantic)
* Enhance the quality of meal and snack options as well as wine
offerings
* Add glassware and silverware on First Class meal flights
* Modify in-flight service procedures to enhance our customer's
overall experience
Coach and Economy Class (Domestic and Transatlantic)
* Buy on Board (Coach Class) -- improve the food quality, expand the
product offering and increase the number of meals stocked on each
flight
* Test premium beverages for sale such as wines by the glass
* Improve the quality and modify the complimentary meals in Economy
Class on transatlantic flights
Boeing 757 Transatlantic Cabin Upgrade
The airline is also improving cabin amenities on all Boeing 757s
dedicated to its transatlantic flights. These fleet improvements will be on
the line beginning in May and include:
* Envoy Class
* Fully-electric seats with "new look" fabric, adjustable
headrests, 160 degree recline, 60" pitch and 110 volt adapter
free AC power
* New personal video and audio entertainment devices with
on-demand entertainment options
Boeing 767 Fleet Cabin Upgrade
As previously announced, the airline continues its $20 million capital
improvement plan to upgrade its 767 fleet. Although the overhaul won't be
complete until the first quarter 2008, improvements will include:
* Envoy Class
* New near lie-flat seats with "new look" seat fabric, drop-down
armrests, 110 volt adapter free AC power, oversized tray tables,
privacy dividers and built-in water bottle storage
* New personal video and audio entertainment devices with
on-demand entertainment options
* Refreshed cabin interior with "new look" sidewalls and dividers,
in addition to new overhead bin doors, lavatories and carpet for
a clean, modern appearance
* Economy Class
* New digital media file servers for better in-flight video and
audio entertainment quality combined with new LCD flat screens
* New leather seating
* Refreshed cabin interior with "new look" sidewalls and dividers,
in addition to new overhead bin doors, lavatories and carpet for
a clean, modern appearance
US Airways is the fifth largest domestic airline employing more than
35,000 aviation professionals worldwide. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and
US Airways Express operate approximately 3,800 flights per day and serve
more than 230 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and
Latin America. The new US Airways -- the product of a merger between
America West and US Airways in September 2005 -- is a member of the Star
Alliance network, which offers our customers 16,000 daily flights to 855
destinations in 155 countries worldwide. This press release and additional
information on US Airways can be found at http://www.usairways.com. (LCCG)
-LCC-
SOURCE US Airways
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Related links:
http://www.usairways.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050223/LAW097LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
US Airways Media Relations, +1-480-693-5729
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