Airliner World – April 2018

In the

Spotlight

46 AIRLINER WORLD APRIL 2018

Interview

with a senior

executive in

the airline

industry.

market is today, it has a short-term focus.

While I fault Delta for having been so

short-sighted, I can fully understand the

arguments that must have been going

within their board. By the way, I found out

that – and this was after the fact – the

[Delta] board had never had 100%

approval for the proposed Pan Am deal.

It was a split board.

AW: In late 2015, we witnessed the final

large-scale merger between American

Airlines and US Airways. Since the US

airline industry was deregulated, more

than 200 carriers have failed – both

established airlines and start-ups – what

is your view of deregulation today?

RR: Initially, I think the government

should have taken its time and eased

deregulation in over a protracted period.

However, in the long run, it’s been a good

move for the travelling public.

It’s created mass

transportation, the ability to

control costs better and was

a good thing for America. In

the final analysis, it should have

been managed very differently, in

so far as taking the time to allow

carriers to adjust to the change,

sadly some just didn’t have that

capability.

AW: When we look at the three

remaining legacy carriers, we see

aggressive expansion by Delta,

United still struggling to merge

Continental Airlines into its

operations, while the American

and US Airways union has

been a smoother experience.

How do you see the ‘big

three’ in terms of their

overall strengths and

weaknesses?

RR: Well, I think

United’s taken far

too long to adjust

to the merger.

There’s a lot

to be said

about merging partners having a cultural

similarity. In this case it’s apparent, in my

view, that the Continental and United

cultures just haven’t moulded. Likewise,

the American/US Airways consolidation

was fraught with problems initially, but

latterly seems to have adjusted well to

employee differences.

When I think back to the Pan Am and

National Airlines merger, we too had our

problems integrating the two companies

into one. It was a tough start, in fact, I

would argue that we never really

integrated fully, and we’re seeing some of

that at United.

The upper deck lounge

on board one of Pan

Am’s Boeing 747 jumbo

jets. The airline’s flight

attendants were world

renowned for their

stylish uniforms and

superior in-flight

passenger service.

BOEING

In 1984 Pan Am CEO

C. Edward Acker

embarked on a fleet

modernisation

programme that

included Airbus

A300s. In 1985, the

updated "billboard"

livery was designed

by advertising firm

Wells, Rich, Greene.

AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/

CARL FORD