dispatches from the new world of work

Airline Kudos

Of course I understand that "airline kudos" is the ultimate oxymoron these days; hey, I log 250,000 real miles or more a year. Still ...

I fell in love last night, traveling from Reagan National to Albany. Fell in love with the Embraer 170, USAir's newest "regional jet." It's an 80 or so passenger model with ... ROOMY SEATS (better than the average carrier's Biz Class seats) and ... FULL-SIZE OVERHEAD STORAGE (no "gate check" required for rolly bags). I plan to go out of my way to fly this craft! Kudos to Embraer & USAir. (And, to top it off, the crew was truly first rate!)

Tom Peters posted this on 03/15/05.

Comments

Tom, have you had a chance to preview Kenichi Ohmaeâ€™s upcoming book The Next Global Stage? And if yes, what do you think about it?

Posted by Dmitri at March 15, 2005 11:52 AM

There has been a "Tom Drought" now for a few days .. Welcome Back Tom!!!..

Posted by Gauri at March 15, 2005 12:15 PM

USA citizens love to travel - the airlines can still do it - they need to stay smart about their operations and service.

Posted by John at March 15, 2005 12:47 PM

Good old US Air. The airline so slow even the Post Office dropped them. Think these jets can get them out of bankruptcy? Can't hurt.

Posted by Mike at March 15, 2005 1:02 PM

Airlines should ban ANY carry on baggage that doesn't fit under the seat... It takes more time to get on and off a plane while waiting for these hordes of travelers who load their huge, rolly bags overhead because they think they're saving time by not checking their bags at the desk.

Posted by john Davincinato at March 15, 2005 1:07 PM

Missing from Tom's comments, and quite relevant to the ongoing discussion on a world gone wild... That jet is produced in Brazil, an emerging economy that few people identify with high tech exports such as aircraft. The company is expanding globally, setting up facilities in the US (for a joint venture with Lockheed Martin) and looking to invest in China.

Keep an eye out on companies that rise out of difficult economies...they have a set of competencies that, under certain market circumstances, can lead to real success.

Posted by Ramiro at March 15, 2005 5:52 PM

DR. THOMAS: THE BIG STORY IS your 2 week sabbatical from le BlogSphere - please explain how you pulled it off? Thanks.

Posted by John at March 15, 2005 6:30 PM

I was on a USAir Embraer 10 days ago. Nice flight, and I remember thinking how much I liked the plane for a commuter jet. But my gate-checked luggage never made it, and has never been seen since. I've been so pissed off and nauseated by my dealings with USAir's unfriendly, uninterested, incompetent, unsympathetic people that I just realized, reading Tom's post, that I totally forgot about the comfort of the flight after the post-flight service disaster.

My current plan, which I hope to fulfill, is never to fly USAir again. Can I do it?

Posted by Steve Yastrow at March 15, 2005 10:59 PM

Embraer is a brazilian company that make thinks realy happen. Here in Brazil Embraer is a company to be followed by all other brazilian companies. www.embraer.com.br

Posted by Fabio Seixas at March 16, 2005 9:19 AM

Yeah Steve! Let's bash the airlines! ;-) Just teasing...

Let me get this out of my chest:
Two days ago I flew Aeromexico (within Mexico) on Biz Class. Three hour flight, arriving at 10PM. What did I get for dinner? Peanuts, Southwest (Airlines) style.

Gabriel S.

Posted by Gabriel Salcido at March 16, 2005 10:51 AM