Gordon Bethune
Gordon Bethune
Gordon M. Bethuneis a retired US airline executive. He was the CEO of Continental Airlines from 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2004. He currently serves on the boards of Honeywell, Sprint, Prudential Financial...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBusinessman
Date of Birth29 August 1941
CountryUnited States of America
dumped gate reason screening security thinks top underwear
For some reason TSA thinks that dumping out our passengers' underwear at the gate after it has already been dumped out at the security screening checkpoint makes TSA look like they are on top of things.
amadeus focus giving management
Our focus as management is on liquidating (our Amadeus stake) ... and giving that back to shareholders,
adverse customers dedicated effect employees massive necessity regret schedule
While we regret the necessity for this massive furlough and the substantial schedule reduction, the adverse effect on our dedicated employees and customers and the communities we serve, we have ... no choice.
great hub spoke
While it's great to outperform all of our hub and spoke competitors, we still need to find a way to make money,
alaska alliance approach best common customers delivering excited horizon offer partner perfect route service travel united western
We are excited to partner with Alaska and Horizon to offer our customers significantly expanded travel opportunities in the western United States. With only one overlapping route but a common approach to delivering the best service to our customers, an alliance between Continental and Alaska/Horizon is a perfect fit.
chicago either means states united
You know how Chicago works? You're either on United or American; that's it, ... You take what they give you at the same fare, which means the whole United States would look like Chicago.
complex honolulu runs
There is no economy without airlines. Airfreight runs the world. There is no Honolulu without an airplane. This is a very complex system. If you take it down, you can't build it back up overnight.
goes good guy pilots staying
The guy in the airplane goes with you. So he has self-interest to do the good things, too, and I don't know of any pilots that don't have a self-interest in staying alive.
atlantic business change cover cross grounding spending weeks
Grounding airplanes to cover your butt would never have let Orville or Wilbur change the world. We would still be spending weeks to cross the Atlantic to do business in London.
actual break cockpit interest interested office people personally room thank time whether work
When you actually take the time to go over to somebody's office and personally thank them - whether their office is in a cockpit of an airplane, or in a break room - that's an actual manifestation of interest in them. You need to take the time to show the people around you who work for you that you're interested in them.
sit worrying
I just want to be able to get on an airplane and enjoy myself in Disneyland, not sit there worrying about all these assassins.
people
I learned that you can be successful if you get people to help you become successful.
believe dignity employees forced tough treated
We believe that employees should always be treated with dignity and respect, especially when we are forced to make these tough decisions,
argue morning
I am doing what I want to do, which is kind of a first. I get up in the morning and don't argue with the government, and I don't argue about money.