Sounds like Southwest Airlines is getting ready to unroll more secrets from its “customer experience improvement” bag ‘o tricks tomorrow.

And I quote, “Join Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly tomorrow to discuss additional product changes that transition Southwest from a-one-size-fits all airline to the airline that fits our Customers’ lives.”

Can’t wait. Wonder if Gary will exhibit any residual effects from his recent encounter as Edna.

The conference, which is being held at the airline’s headquarters will begin at 11 AM CST. It is being webcast.

Ticker (LUV:NYSE)

Technorati Tags: Southwest Airlines

Why should the western world be surprised when on-time numbers improve in September — as opposed to July?

I don’t know. But the improved on-time average for the group is certainly getting a lot of press today. As we all know, when the skies are not as crowded with flights — operations tend to function better.

September was no exception.

However, I would point out that while on-time stats month-over-month were much better,  and baggage stats for the group year-over-year improved — year-over-year complaints did not.

For the group, complaints were up 41%. The airline to post the largest percentage gain in complaints? Comair. The airline that posted the biggest reduction in complaints? Hawaiian. The major domestic airline that posted the lowest absolute percentage of complaints? (This does not count those hot shots in Hawaii) — Southwest Airlines. The overall top winner here, with zero complaints filed — Aloha.



Our congrats to the employees at all four airlines.



On the other side of the chart, who was the major domestic airline that posted the largest absolute percentage of complaints? US Airways.

Interesting to note that this month Delta Air Lines almost snatched that less-then-honorable title right out from the nose of US Airways. Delta posted one of the worst months for complaints it has posted in a long time, posting just a hair fewer complaints than did US Airways.

Sitting on top of Delta, in terms of bad complaint numbers were Comair and Atlantic Southeast, so Delta scored a rather undesirable trifecta there this month.

United Airlines, which hasn’t been posting very positive complaint numbers the last few months either, was tied with Atlantic Southeast (a rather nebulous honor, to say the least).

Ticker: (DAL:NYSE), (UAUA:Nasdaq), (LCC:NYSE), (HA:AMEX), (LUV:NYSE)

Technorati Tags: airline industry news, airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways

In case you missed it, Mesa announced Monday that Peter Murnane had been relieved of his CFO duties.

Mesa named William Hoke, its vice president of finance, as interim chief financial officer.

I don’t think Mesa had much choice in this matter. After U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Faris’ rulings (both the one directed towards Peter’s destruction of evidence and the ruling against Mesa in terms of damages in the Hawaiian case) there was a big problem of having an officer of the company still on the payroll who had been directly involved in these actions.

Not something the SEC looks favorably towards. Nor, you would think, would shareholders.

According to the Arizona Republic, Mesa attorney Brian Gillman, said Monday that Murnane will not receive severance because his employment contract, which wasn’t due to expire until 2010, says there will be no severance if he was fired for cause.

What has not been disclosed however, is whether Murnane and Ornstein will sever their other mutual business interests. Both are involved in a number of business entities, besides Mesa, which were outlined in the airline’s 2006 annual report.  These “subsidiary” companies include Nilchii, Patar, Ping Shan, MAGI Insurance and Ritz Hotel Management.

Ticker: (HA:AMEX), (MESA:Nasdaq)

Technorati Tags: Hawaiian Airlines, Mesa Airlines, Peter Murnane

You know the famous part of “Little Shop of Horrors” when Steve Martin, aka Orin Scrivello,DDS, has his little scene? Yes, well I that’s where I was, figuratively speaking, yesterday.

The day began innocently enough. Another trip over to my Dad’s house to continue the cleaning out of my Mom’s stuff. My mother never threw out anything. Ever. Now we get to do the honors.

Then, it was a trip to the dentist, where I was to get a permanent crown. (All the ugly stuff having been done weeks ago.)

So here I am in the dentist’s chair, with no novocain, looking at the birds in the bird feeder outside one minute, and the next minute I have a hand with the biggest hemostat I’ve ever seen trying to yank out what is now a firmly cemented crown out of my mouth.

Yes, it appears that for whatever reason, he cemented the tooth — but it was not “seated right.” When this was then discovered, it became something akin to a scene out of “ER” with him barking orders to not one, but now two assistants, followed by his cramming some kind of blue stuff onto the tooth, after which he then took the aforementioned hemostat and began to ….pull.

And pull.

And pull.

After the third attempt at this routine, I, who could not speak for the various implements and suction tubes in my mouth, finally just started to make noise. Lots of it. At which point he said, “Oh well, I don’t want to hurt her. Numb her up.”

Lovely.

So after being “numbed up,” then I got to experience something new. A dentist “cutting off” a newly cemented crown. Actually it involved cutting, digging, and well, you know, at that point, I think my hands had created permanent creases in the arm rest of the chair.

With pieces of porcelain flying around (the assistant advised me to close my eyes), yep, all I could think of was Steve Martin.

Which, all things considered, was probably not as good as trying to think of cool waters in a babbling brook. Or any of those other supposed “calming” visions one is supposed to try and think of during such an event.

Today? Sore jaw and a growing reluctance to ever set foot in a dentist’s office again.

Whew. The LSU/Alabama just came on the television. That’s cutting it close. 😉

Another mega-earnings week this week for PBB subscribers. If there is one earnings call review you read, make it the Allegiant Travel review. Allegiant Travel is the parent of Allegiant Air.



These guys have figured out a new niche, while everybody else has been out there chasing the elusive LCC/Southwest model for the last 15 years.

And it’s a niche that just keeps making money. Good times, bad times. Low fuel, high fuel.

Very impressive quarter for the folks out in Las Vegas.

This week’s issue of PlaneBusiness Banter is now posted. Subscribers can access this week’s issue here.

Ah, boys, do you think you could cut down the length of your earnings call next quarter?

Sheesh.

Yours truly here. Slogging through the Alaska Air Group earnings call review for this week’s PBB. When I saw the size of the audio file I knew it was long. But, well…..then I pulled the transcript earlier today. It was 27 pages.

Anyway, no way this issue is going to be ready for a final edit before the clock strikes twelve. I don’t care what time zone you’re in.

Mea culpa.

PlaneBusiness Banter  will be posted tomorrow. Promise. It has to be. LSU plays ‘Bama tomorrow afternoon.

Talk to you then.