4
Piedmont
New law
Brings changes
In pass policies
['olicies refJardinfJ employee pass
privileges have changed due to a new
taxation law which became effective
January 1.
“Under the new law, space available
travel of FMedmont employees (includ
ing retired and disabled employees),
their spouses, and dependent children
remains tax exempt, as does travel by
spouses and dependent children of
deceased employees,” Faye Scott,
manager pass bureau, said.
"The.se passes will still be available
without service charge and without
limitation. In fact, we are the only major
carrier that allows all employees unlim
ited |)ass travel at no charge
whatsoever."
Unfortunately travel benefits for par
ents and parents-in law are not exempt
under the new law. l^ut their transpor
tat ion would be taxable to the employee
only to the extent that the price paid is
discounted below "fair market value."
'['iedmont believes that the current
charge for parents' space available
travel of 25 (percent of the Y' fare is fair
market value for the service provided
and that no tax liability will result,"
Scott said.
"Based on this belief we will continue
the 25% of Y' fare for parents. However,
the IKS has issued temporary regula
tions placing a higher than 25% fair
market value on space available travel.'
If these temporary IRS regulations
become final (the industry is attempt
ing to have them changed), the differ
ence between the higher fair market
value of each ticket and the amoimt
already paid would be deemed to be
ttixable income to the employee whose
[jarents traveled at the discounted rate.
Since the virtually unanimous view
within the industry is that 50% dis
counts for positive space personal
travel would give rise to taxable income,
we have discontinued all 50% positive
space di.scounts excejjt for Company
business travel, as have other carriers.
Scot I said.
There is a special provision in the
new law that allows discounts for the
exempt group (active, retired and dis
abled employees, their spouses and
dependent children, and spouses and
dependent children of deceased
employees) for travel on regular tickets.
These persons may purchase regular
tickets by paying a fare 20% less than
the applicable published PI fare so long
as they meet all restrictions for that
fare. Unfortunately, this special provi
Sion does not include parents and
parents-in law.
Employees should find fares at 20%
below existing fares that will be as low
as or less than previous 50% discoimts
oH the ’Y' fare in many markets. How
ever, employees will have to do some
advance planning in order to take
advantage of lowest fares since they do
liave restrictions such as advance pur
chase, capacity control, etc. Specific
instructions on this discount will be
available soon.
"Hasically, we have maintained space
available travel for employees off line,"
Scott said, "but travel varies with each
airline."
Ifyou're planning a vacation and
have cjuestions about travel contact
your supervisor or check the pass
manual for details.
Tsuruta named v.p.-purchasing
Tsuruta
Kuniaki (June) Tsuruta has
been promoted to vice president
purchasing,
Tsuruta, 48, joined Piedmont
in 1974 as technical advisor-
purchasing and was subse
quently promoted to senior
purchasing analyst within that
department. He later held posi
tions of manager-operations
budget and director-operations
cost within the flight operations,
ground operations and mainte
nance and engineering depart
ments, respectively.
His most recent position has
been director planning and con
tracts within the maintenance
and engineering department.
As vice president-purchasing,
Tsuruta is responsible for
administering the purchasing
and stores department for the
airline. He will design and
implement procurement strate
gies for supply, service and con
tract-related matters.
Tsuruta succeeds Bill Barber,
who recently retired as vice
president purchasing.
Prior to joining Piedmont,
Tsuruta worked for Kawasaki
Heavy Industries and partici
pated in the production of the
Lockheed P2V-7 and F104J air
craft. He also represented Kawa
saki's interests in the manufac
turing of the Boeing KV-107
aircraft.
Tsuruta was introduced to
Piedmont in 1967 as the techni
cal representative for the Nihon
YS-1 lA aircraft which entered
our fleet that year. Nihon is a
subsidary of Kawasaki,
Tsuruta has a BA, degree in
economics from Musashi
University.
PI people: 'caring and totally professional'
Piedmont receives many com
plimentary letters from passengers
each month. The following words of
praise came during the busy holi
day season:
I haue beenJlying forouer 20 years and
have never been motioaled like this to say
"thank you." On December I we left RDU
fora 25th anniversary cruise. We knew we
ivere in trouble when the Piedmont pilot
said he could not land in Charlotte
because of heavy fog. Unfortunately for us.
the pilot was directed tajfy to Charleston.
WV. ivhich was in the opposite direction
from our destination. It was in the next
three hours that we realized the quality of
personnel Piedmont employs. It started
with a I'light attendant by the name of
Shea Haynes. Shea went far beyond the
call of duty to console and help us get io
our destination on time. With the help of
Sharon Orr (CRW)arrangements were
made for a tight schedule to Atlanta. In
Atlanta we ivere met at the gate by Glen
Cunningham who helped us to a waiting
plane for the flight to Miami. We arrived at
the Port of Miami just 30 minutes before the
ship departed.
As long as we live and recall the plea
sant memories of this anniversary cruise
we will remember the three strangers who
helped us.
On December 25. my 92 year old father
traveled from Newark bound for Charles
ton. SC. on Piedmont Flight 275. During the
leg from Noifolk to Charlotte he fell asleep.
During the braking and reverse thrust pro
cess on landing at Charlotte, he was awak
ened. Being hard of hearing and barely
awake, he did not hear the complete cabin
announcement but he did hear the word
"Charleston. " He got off the plane thinking
he had arrived in Charleston.
When the plane arrived... we panicked.
We immediately checked at the ticket
coLinter while my sister called from New
Jersey. At this point Piedmont people took
over. They contacted Noij'olk. Newark, and
Charlotte to alert them to the problem ....
Dad was found in Charlotte at the bag
gage claim area. At this point Piedmont
people at Charlotte took over. We were
immediately informed as to the situation.
They made Dad comfortable, informed us
as to Dad's situation, and allowed us to
talk to Dad. They put him up for the night
and got him on the first flight out the next
morning.
Based on this experience we can only
describe Piedmont people as calm, caring
and totally professional.
Although I travel quite a bit. IJlew Pied
moitt for the first time on December 22. It
was the last flight to the midwest for the
day. and things were crazy. People were
tired.Jlights were oversold, tempers were
short. Handling all this not only with good
grace and efficiency, but also (I was aston
ished) with good cheer, was Reed Barber.
He continued to put out the extra energy to
smile and act like this was all in a day ’s
work.
***
Since I am afrequent user of Piedmont. I
have met many of the "Piedmont People"
who are responsible forgetting me from one
place to another. These people are always
courteous, efficient, and enthusiastic and a
credit to your company....
I had Just recently purchased my first
pair of prescription eyeglasses and I forgot
about them and left them on the seat of my
flight. I had an additional hour and 15
minutes of driving to get to my final desti-
rjation. When I arrived and realized what I
had done. I immediately called Piedmont.
Frank Stack answered and said he'd get
right on it. Within 15 mir^utes. he called
and said he had my glasses... He sug
gested that rather than mail them or hold
them fora week I my next flight) he would
deliver them personally when he finished
ivork for the day ... lYuly service beyond
the limits.
A gentleman by the name qflUnno Davis
in Memphis is a credit to your organization.
I was traveling December20 from Memphis
to Charlotte with rny two sons, a five-year
old and an eight year-old. The airport and
all gate areas were packed due to the
Christmas rush. Planes were late so con
nections of all airlines were confusing. I
obsenied Mr Davis handle several very
frantic people as graciously and helpfully
as could possibly be managed. In the midst
of all of this there happened about a three-
minute lull... Heasked my sons over and
showed them their travel reservations on
the screen .. .To make time for two little
boys when he needed a breather himself
was too n\uch! He is to be commended and
so is Piedmont for the quality of its people.
Complinnent/Complaint Scoreboard
1984
1983
1984 Compliments
1984 Complaints
1984 Boardings
Month
Ratio
Ratio
Compared to 1983
Compared to 1983
Compared to 1983
January
1.23
1.68
+ 63.3%
+ 19.1%
+33%
February
1.72
1.18
-H2.1%
+64.0%
+43%
March
1.96
.18
-27.9%
+48,1%
+ 29%
April
1.05
1.16
-^57.4%
+42.6%
+ 29%
May
1.58
1.01
7.8%
+67.9%
+29%
June
1.61
1.17
-H 4.4%
+ 43.9%
+ 24%
July
1.42
1.13
+ 19.3%
+49.8%
+ 11%
August
1.45
1.46
+ 1%
+ .5%
+ 19%
September
1.43
1.32
+ 4%
+ 13.1%
+ 12.2%
October
1.07
1.33
+ 15.3%
- 7.3%
+1 1.3%
November
1.30
1.03
+ 16.1%
- 8.4%
+ 21.3%
December
.98
1.55
-17.5%
+ 31.2%
+17.2%
Total
1,22
1,43
+ 12.94%
+30.38%
+22,5%
Note-. For the first 9 months of 1984 we ranked second among the airlines in the CAB's report on compliment/complaint ratios.