Passenger Trains > Delta announces profit sharing, dedicates an Airbus A321

No matter what one might think of Richard Anderson as the "leader" of Amtrak, there is no doubt that he previously led one of the world's finest airlines.

Delta Airlines has announced $1.6 Billion in profit sharing to "the world's best employees."  Delta has also dedicated a new Airbus A321 airliner to its customers and to those employees, whose names make up the lettering, "THANK YOU" on the sides of the airplane.

Now, I understand that Amtrak has no profits to share; despite its claims that the Northeast Corridor is "almost profitable," this is due to billions in deferred maintenance and to subsidies.  But to whom has Amtrak officialdom habitually dedicated its equipment?  ITS OWN OFFICIALS!  And, overall, can Amtrak claim to have anything anywhere close to the best employees in the world?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/20 13:42 by GenePoon.

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It went the other way, too.  In 1982, Delta wasn't profitable.  The airline was troubled by a weak economy, high fuel prices and the effects of adapting to deregulation. After 35 consecutive profitable years, Delta posted a net loss.

Its employees donated their own funds and bought the airline a Boeing 767.  Named "Spirit of Delta," it was dedicated in Atlanta, wrapped in a 12 foot wide red ribbon which remained on the aircraft until, after it was towed to the gate for its first revenue flight on the very same day, it was finally removed.  The ribbon was cut into pieces, and Delta sent one to every single Delta employee on the roster on that day.

The "Spirit of Delta" is preserved in the Delta Airlines museum.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/20 19:07 by GenePoon.

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GenePoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No matter what one might think of Richard Anderson
> as the "leader" of Amtrak, there is no doubt that
> he previously led one of the world's finest
> airlines.
>
> Delta Airlines has announced $1.6 Billion in
> profit sharing to "the world's best employees." 
> Delta has also dedicated a new Airbus A321
> airliner to its customers and to those employees,
> whose names make up the lettering, "THANK YOU" on
> the sides of the airplane.
>
> Now, I understand that Amtrak has no profits to
> share; despite its claims that the Northeast
> Corridor is "almost profitable," this is due to
> billions in deferred maintenance and to
> subsidies.  But to whom has Amtrak officialdom
> habitually dedicated its equipment?  ITS OWN
> OFFICIALS!  And, overall, can Amtrak claim to
> have anything anywhere close to the best employees
> in the world?

It must have the best leaders in the world if it names a piece of equipment after them. 

Molino Wrote:

> It must have the best leaders in the world if it
> names a piece of equipment after them. 
=====================================

Remember the 1956 popular song from the Broadway musical, "Happy Hunting?"

"We belong to a mutual admiration society..."
(music: Harold Karr, lyrics Matt Dubey)

 

What's the N number of that Airbus.  It should be able to be tracked on Flightaware.

NormSchultze Wrote:
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> What's the N number of that Airbus.  It should be
> able to be tracked on Flightaware.

N391DN

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Guess that’s why I fly Delta even with their contemporary dining.

Posted from iPhone

Delta's "Delta One" meals are far better than the garbage Amtrak is serving to it's first class...oh wait...sleeping car passengers. At least by appearance and presentation. Real china and cutlery as well. No plastic crap to be found. I'll try to remember to take a photo next time and post. 

Yay for Delta Profit sharing.!!!!    Keep those automatic deposits coming!!    It wasnt all that good during the dark days...

Baggage fees pulled us thru the recession, and then as things got better, the  effect of mergers really helped.  And salaries went up considerably too.

Richard andersom would like to make Amtrak like Brightlie/Virgin. 
Too much blow back about having 'traditional" trains, and saddled with more than average poor employees...

He's not  a public sector guy.

Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came over from Northwest. Same with his replacement, Ed. In any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they made the money they do, when a large chunk of their domestic flying is farmed out to regional carriers who pay substantially lower wages and benefits

Posted from iPhone

andersonb109 Wrote:
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> Delta's "Delta One" meals are far better than the
> garbage Amtrak is serving to it's first class...oh
> wait...sleeping car passengers. At least by
> appearance and presentation. Real china and
> cutlery as well. No plastic crap to be found. I'll
> try to remember to take a photo next time and
> post. 

I'd be more interested to read a report from you with a photo about what is served to coach/economy class passengers basedon your experience flying in that class on a longer distance (2,000 - 3,000 miles) Delta flight.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/20 20:32 by RuleG.

kscessnadriver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came over
> from Northwest. Same with his replacement, Ed. In
> any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they made
> the money they do, when a large chunk of their
> domestic flying is farmed out to regional carriers
> who pay substantially lower wages and benefits
>
> Posted from iPhone

What does any of this mean or have to do with this post

another_view Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kscessnadriver Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came
> over
> > from Northwest. Same with his replacement, Ed.
> In
> > any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they
> made
> > the money they do, when a large chunk of their
> > domestic flying is farmed out to regional
> carriers
> > who pay substantially lower wages and benefits
> >
> > Posted from iPhone
>
> What does any of this mean or have to do with this
> post

Truth in advertising and full disclosure. 

kscessnadriver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came over
> from Northwest. Same with his replacement, Ed. In
> any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they made
> the money they do, when a large chunk of their
> domestic flying is farmed out to regional carriers
> who pay substantially lower wages and benefits
>
> Posted from iPhone
I beg to differ.  Seeing as i worked there for quite a while, I'd say that you are not really correct...

Good luck with that, he doesn't step beyond the iron curtain  between first class and coach.

RuleG Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> andersonb109 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Delta's "Delta One" meals are far better than
> the
> > garbage Amtrak is serving to it's first
> class...oh
> > wait...sleeping car passengers. At least by
> > appearance and presentation. Real china and
> > cutlery as well. No plastic crap to be found.
> I'll
> > try to remember to take a photo next time and
> > post. 
>
> I'd be more interested to read a report from you
> with a photo about what is served to coach/economy
> class passengers basedon your experience flying in
> that class on a longer distance (2,000 - 3,000
> miles) Delta flight.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> kscessnadriver Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came
> over
> > from Northwest. Same with his replacement, Ed.
> In
> > any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they
> made
> > the money they do, when a large chunk of their
> > domestic flying is farmed out to regional
> carriers
> > who pay substantially lower wages and benefits
> >
> > Posted from iPhone
> I beg to differ.  Seeing as i worked there for
> quite a while, I'd say that you are not really
> correct...

Which part would you like to dispute. The fact that Richard and Ed were NWA or that there are 450 jets flying in the US under the Delta brand, which are not operated by Delta, but rather lower quality and lower pay carriers

kscessnadriver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pdt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > kscessnadriver Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came
> > over
> > > from Northwest. Same with his replacement,
> Ed.
> > In
> > > any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they
> > made
> > > the money they do, when a large chunk of
> their
> > > domestic flying is farmed out to regional
> > carriers
> > > who pay substantially lower wages and
> benefits
> > >
> > > Posted from iPhone
> > I beg to differ.  Seeing as i worked there for
> > quite a while, I'd say that you are not really
> > correct...
>
> Which part would you like to dispute. The fact
> that Richard and Ed were NWA or that there are 450
> jets flying in the US under the Delta brand, which
> are not operated by Delta, but rather lower
> quality and lower pay carriers

No time to explain it all, but i can say that richard anderson was one of the best bosses I ever worked for, and he cared about the employees more than most anyone else.

kscessnadriver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> pdt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > kscessnadriver Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Anderson was never a true Delta guy, he came
> > over
> > > from Northwest. Same with his replacement,
> Ed.
> > In
> > > any case, it doesn’t surprise me that they
> > made
> > > the money they do, when a large chunk of
> their
> > > domestic flying is farmed out to regional
> > carriers
> > > who pay substantially lower wages and
> benefits
> > >
> > > Posted from iPhone
> > I beg to differ.  Seeing as i worked there for
> > quite a while, I'd say that you are not really
> > correct...
>
> Which part would you like to dispute. The fact
> that Richard and Ed were NWA or that there are 450
> jets flying in the US under the Delta brand, which
> are not operated by Delta, but rather lower
> quality and lower pay carriers

Virtually every major carrier does the same. United, American, Alaska all sub-contract there regional jet and prop plane operations out to other carriers. In some cases the same sub-contractor as Delta utilizes. You make it sound like Delta is unique in some way, it’s the industry standard.

As far as a NW guy, you could say he is a Continental guy, a Houston prosecutor guy, or a United Healthcare guy as he worked for all of them in one capacity or another. What’s your point? People change jobs and companies during their career.

I think that most all Delta employees have really earned it!

After a reply here on TO by andersonb109 in 2012 I have flown quite a bit. I really like Delta. I like it so much I will even pay a little extra to fly Delta, especially if the other choice is a Low-Cost carrier. I like Delta so much I bought stock in it. I have flown on both Delta operated flights and the contracted flights and really there isn't that much noticeable difference between the two other than usually the contract flights are on smaller aircraft. I have flown Delta across the Atlantic, once to London and the second time from Cincinnati to Paris and have the Delta blankets I stole off the airplane to prove it! Plus I have a couple from overnight Red eye flights, Delta provides blankets on those as well. Most people seam like they enjoy working for Delta or even the places contracted by them. I have also had to contact Delta customer service for several different things and the people are all in the United States, (usually Atlanta or Cincinnati) and are all very friendly on the phone. I've even contacted Delta through their electronic messaging and received good service. 

Here you go Rule G, this is the Dinner Meal service on Delta Flight Number One (DEL1) from New York to London Heathrow in 2013. The chicken was evenly heated in a convection oven or equivalent and quite delicious! The meal on the Paris flight was also delicious but I had already consumed most of it before I thought to take a picture. It's not like the microwaved breakfast sandwich on Amtrak where the hot side burns your mouth and cold side stays frozen. On other flights you usually get multiple passes with the beverage trolley where the hot tea or Apple Cranberrry juice is included in the ticket price, along with those Airplane cookies, peanuts, pretzles or other stuff. Even on very short flights they will give out cups of bottled water.  

On Amtrak is it really any surprise that customer service lacks? There are so many people there who do not put any effort into their work and certainly the coach cleaners and maintenance in certain places send out trains that have not been serviced. Every day you have the thought that the whole thing could end if the subsidies are cut. It would be difficult to keep up moral working for Amtrak.

Jim

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Many non-rail companies have learned that whipping your employees is not a good long term strategy. Screwing over the pension, using bankruptcy court to break contracts, and reducing wages rately produces productive employees.

When employees are respected / valued, and get a piece of the action in profit sharing, and are at risk in a loss, you get a lot more "we're in this together" rather than "it's us versus Wall Street". When they own a significant piece of the company, they can stand up to Wall Street...