Newspapers / Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter / Feb. 1, 1988, edition 1 / Page 8
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m I “T\vo years from now, the ‘Big Ftour’ in the U.S. airline industry will be American, Delta, United, and. . .USAir.” That was the predic tion of USAir Group Chairman Ed Colodny, speaking at the final session of the annual Piedmont management meeting in Orlando on January 29. “(Every employee) wants to be proud of the airline they’re part of,” Colodny said, “and I hope that a year from now we can get to gether and feel good about how the process is going and begin to feel more comfortable about each other.” Colodny got a standing ovation from some 500 Piedmont management employees at the day and a h£df session. Also at the meeting. Piedmont’s management team heard from department heads throughout the company, who provided recaps of the year just past. . . and a look ahead at 1988. Piedmont Chairman Bill McGee closed the session by urging all Piedmont employees to make 1988 the best year in the company’s history, exceeding the record 1987 just past. Prior to his speech during the final session of the meeting, Colodny met several employ ees. IMking with Colodny (left) is Bill Lam, director-line meuntenance. 1987: one for the record books What did Piedmont accomplish in 1987? Plenty. We introduced our first wide- body aircraft, began our trans atlantic service, and added first-class service systemwide, all on the same day. The number of employees continued to grow as we expanded our system to in clude eight new destinations. We took delivery of 21 new aircraft from Boeing. And the FA A gave us a good grade on its "white glove” inspection of our operational and maintenance procedures. Following is a brief look at our accomplishments in 1987 made possible by employees second to none: January • Public Counsel of the Depart ment of Transportation recom mends that Charlotte be named a gateway to London and Pied mont the carrier to provide non stop service on that route. •Air Transport World magazine bestows the 1986 Financial Man agement Award on Piedmont. • Piedmont purchases seven-story corporate headquarters building. One Piedmont Plaza, and the ad jacent seven-story office build ing, TWo Piedmont Plaza, and announces plans to construct a three-story addition to our reservations computer center at Madison Park and a new 110,000- square-foot office building ad jacent to our Winston-Scilem Reservations Center. • Presidential Suite opens at MCO. February • 1986 earnings total a record $72.4 million. • The Piedmont Shuttle Link be gins in Florida with 35 daily flights. • Piedmont announces plans for a $6 million expansion project at Syracuse. • Piedmont and NCNB join to gether to offer a Visa bank card to Pi’s frequent flyers. • “New” DC-3 joins Piedmont’s fleet. • Presidential Suite opens at LGA. March • Piedmont and USAir jointly an nounce plans to create a com bined airline. • TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System) operates on a regularly scheduled passenger flight. Piedmont Flight 74, for the first time in the history of aviation. • Piedmont receives honorable mention award from the National Association of Uniform Manufac turers and Distributors for our new passenger service uniforms. April • The DOT gives final approval for Piedmont to begin London service. • First quarter earnings reach rec ord $5.7 million. • EWR's new Presidential Suite opens. May • Piedmont’s first widebody, a 767- 200 named “The Pride of Pied mont,” arrives in Charlotte from Seattle. • Service begins to Seattle. • DCA flight attendant base closes. June • Piedmont inaugurates daily ser vice to London from Charlotte aboard our first widebody, a 767-200. • First-class service introduced on our entire fleet. • Piedmont carries torch for US Olympic Festival from Denver to Wilmington. • ROA and ATL flight attendant bases close: new base opens at BWI. July • FAA’s “white glove” inspection of our operational and maintenance procedures yields best overall results of all such inspections of U.S. scheduled air carriers to date. • Second quarter earnings total record $46.4 million. August • Bill McGee, a 40-year Piedmont veteran, takes over Piedmont’s helm. • First widebody service inaugu rated between Charlotte and Los Angeles. • Renovated reservations and maintenance facilities dedicated at Utica. September • Service begins to Birmingham, Columbia. • Human Resources Department introduces new bulletin, “Career Opportunities.” October • DOT gives final approval to Pied- mont/USAir merger. • Service begins to Indianapolis. • Third quarter earnings total rec ord $33.9 million. November • Piedmont becomes first airline in the world to announce the pur chase of and plans for the fleet- wide installation of TCAS-II units, airborne computer sys tems that will warn pilots of midair collisions. • USAir Group establishes target of early January 1989 for operation al merger of Piedmont and USAir. • Service begins to Nassau. • Piedmont receives first NC Depart ment of TVansportation Distin guished Aviation Service Award for the company’s contributions to air transportation in the state. • Piedmont receives the PRO PATRIA Award, the top award given in a state by the secretary of defense to an employer of members of the National Guard and Reserve. • BWI celebrates official opening of Pier D facilities. • A second Presidential Suite opens at CLT, and a new Suite opens at DFW in Terminal 2W. December • Service begins to Phoenix and San Diego. • A carry-on baggage program de veloped by Piedmont is approved by the FAA and takes effect industry-wide. • Each employee receives a $100 bill at Christmas as a thank you from Piedmont. Gift marks the seventh year in a row employees have received a special Christ mas card from the company. • Presidential Suites open at SYR and TPA. 1987 at a glance total # of employees at year end: 21,429 # of employees who retired: 51 representing L569 years of service # of aircraft added to fleet: 21 for a total of 181 available seat miles: 18.98 billion, 4-8.9% revenue passenger miles: 11.47 bil lion, -h12.1% passengers boarded: 25,368,067. -^11.3% load factor: 60.46%, -t-L77 pts. total cargo ton miles: 69.7 million, +56.2% airports added to system: SEA, LGW, BGM, CMH, IND, NAS, PHX, SAN airports/cities served by Piedmont at year end: 95 airports/122 cities in 30 states plus Washington, DC, two Canadian Provinces, London, and Nassau • airports/cities served by Piedmont, Henson and the Piedmont Com muter System at year end: 131 air ports/173 cities • reservations calls: 35,330,233, 4-7.89% • ticket-by-mail sales: 1,680,767 TBMs resulting in revenues total ing $278.4 million • catering: 342,479 meals and snacks served in first class, 11.6 million in coach, domestically; 12,736 meals and snacks served in business class, 93,530 in coaeh, internationally; also served 2.5 million liquor miniatures, 352,711 bottles of wine, 1.1 million cans of beer, and 18.3 million soft drinks • total departures: up 8% to 1,346 • Presidential Suites: 16; New Suites opened at LGA, EWR, DFW, TPA, CLT. MCO, and SYR. Piedmonitor • February 1988
Piedmont Aviation Employee Newsletter
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Feb. 1, 1988, edition 1
8
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