Tulsa World: AA gives workers goals bonuses

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AA gives workers goals bonuses
Extra pay is awarded when American reaches monthly customer service targets.

By D.R. STEWART World Staff Writer
Published: 11/14/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 11/14/2009 4:09 AM

American Airlines has awarded $10.6 million — or about $150 per person — to 71,000 employees for improved operational performance and for helping the company reach customer satisfaction goals, airline executives said Friday.

American's Tulsa Maintenance & Engineering Center employs 7,000 people, including 6,000 aircraft mechanics and related work groups. All M&E workers received $150 awards, American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said.

"All 71,000 American Airlines employees received $150 awards, and it also applies to the Tulsa maintenance base as well," Huguely said.

The bonuses, part of American's annual incentive plan, appeared in employees' paychecks Friday, company officials said.

Known within the company as the customer experience reward payout, the bonuses are awarded when American reaches monthly customer service targets.

American employees can earn up to $100 per month in incentive pay for helping the company achieve customer satisfaction and on-time performance goals.

Employees have the potential to earn up to $1,200 for the year, officials said.

American's customer experience reward goals are based on the average of the two previous years for on-time performance and customer satisfaction.

These include customer experience at the airport, customer experience onboard the aircraft and for customers most likely to recommend American Airlines to others.

In September, customer experience at the airport and onboard aircraft improved by 7 percentage points over the previous year, company executives said.

"It's gratifying to know that when our customers come into direct contact with our front-line team members, including pilots, flight attendants and those at the ticket counter or gate, there is a concerted effort by everyone at American Airlines to ensure each and every customer has a safe, reliable and pleasant journey," said Bob Reding, American's executive vice president of operations.

American's annual incentive plan measures activities American's customers care most about, such as on-time performance, baggage handling and courtesy, American executives said.

"The improvement in our customer service scores are a reflection of each employee's efforts to ensure that we are a competitive and customer-focused airline," said Jeff Brundage, American's senior vice president of human resources.

As of mid-November, American had awarded $35.1 million to employees for achieving customer satisfaction goals.

D.R. Stewart 581-8451
don.stewart@tulsaworld.com By D.R. STEWART World Staff Writer

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Some reader comments for this story were copied from "American Airlines employees get bonuses," which was published on 11/13/2009.

	Report Comment Daniel Day Simpson, Edmond (11/13/2009 5:39:24 PM) I still have not flown with American in 27 years and going strong. I'm pretty much a Delta Sky Miles person for life. It means getting put on Comair now and then but its livable. I put the best employees of AA a few notches below the worst employees of Comair.
	Report Comment shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (11/13/2009 6:31:50 PM) Personally I would choose AA over Delta.....
	Report Comment Just a country boy, North Okmulgee County (11/13/2009 7:07:26 PM) Better watch out I got 2 bonus's and 3 months later was laid off.
	Report Comment sjt, tulsa (11/13/2009 7:21:08 PM) they cut the retired employees, mangement and clerical, insurance. people that are 80 and 90 will have to change doctors and will not be able to afford to go to st. francis or st. john's hospitals. they would have to pay more to stay with those two hospitals. retired employees never get a raise, they send out letters that they may have to change pension benefits. the government lets them do all of this. they have to tell them when there is a retirement or medical change. sounds like the people that make decisions for american airlines are what has hurt the company.
	Report Comment Alan Shore, (11/14/2009 8:59:41 AM) Your soul for $150...is it a deal?
	Report Comment FS, Broken Arrow (11/14/2009 9:17:32 AM) sjt: Not entirely true. The company medical insurance was cut for those who were talked into early retirement by the promise of continued company medical insurance paid for by a paycheck deduction called "prefunding". This is still coming out of my check at the rate of $40/month. This was designed to be turned over to the company to pay for for continued bridge medical insurance from whatever early-retirement age until 65 when medicare kicks in. Those 65 and older have Medicare, which they would have had at that age anyway - no loss. This is a good example, however, of what happens when people trust any employer to follow through on simple promises made without a written and legally binding document instead of the misplaced faith shown here in a company that now has a well-deserved reputation for throwing its people under the bus during hard times.
	Report Comment FS, Broken Arrow (11/14/2009 9:18:42 AM) Alan Shore, (11/14/2009 8:59:41 AM) Your soul for $150...is it a deal? . ______________ . Alan - my acct says $93 - no deal.
	Report Comment wk, (11/14/2009 11:31:16 AM) Thing that drives many crazy is that of the 71,000 awarded $150, only about 15,000 are doing the work. I could cut the AA workforce in half and get twice as much work done.
	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/14/2009 12:26:22 PM) It must be due the the luggage charges that they have money to spare.
	Report Comment JR, (11/14/2009 11:23:22 PM) And a partridge in a Pear Tree !!
	Report Comment eglkeeper, Hooterville (11/15/2009 4:03:59 PM) Luggage charge, this hilarious attempt to garner additional revenue is not working. Boarding a jet is a journey in patience. Barely a soul checks luggage anymore due to the AA greed factor. Not only will AA personnel, the ones not smiling behind the counter in blue uniforms, make sure they beat the crap out of your luggage before it arrives you get to pay. Now the vast majority use carry-on and bring all their wordly possesions to cram in the overhead. It is a 35 minute ordeal to load a jet that travels from Dallas to Tulsa. Great work AA, you are the joke of the industry due to your charge for baggage greed plan actually delaying push-backs, brilliant...
	Report Comment planespotter, (11/15/2009 7:22:20 PM) I would think that, especially in a nasty recession that is really hurting the travel industry, any sort of bonus would be better than nothing. Would you complainers prefer the company keep the money? No, it's not your wages from 2003 but it is something. Take it, be grateful and keep working to make AA a better airline instead of trashing it on the internet.
	Report Comment G19er, (11/16/2009 2:01:28 PM) A buck fifty is a heck of a lot better than nothing. When things turn around those numbers will go up.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/20/2009 12:06:33 AM) I'm sure they can use the money. Just hope they can keep their jobs until things pick up.

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