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
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.
air alliance demand focus global members previous proud shares travelers
Around the world, today's air travelers demand reliability, flexibility and high-quality service. We know from our previous dealings with them that the SkyTeam members are world-beaters by all these measures, and we're proud to be part of a global alliance that shares our focus on the customer.
buying closer dominant west zero
The probabilities (of) United, the dominant carrier in the West, buying and merging with the third-biggest carrier in the West (America West) are closer to zero than they are to any other number,
customers percent
Bookings are OK, but sometimes as many as 30 percent of the customers don't show up,
hear loaded proposed security tax taxes top turkeys tv
To hear all these congressmen harrumphing on TV that this is horrible. Why, these are the same turkeys who just proposed a new security tax on top of all the other taxes they've loaded on the airlines.
comfort cost fleet latest market next order plan providing reduce technology total
Continental now has a fleet plan that makes us competitive in every market well into the next century. This latest order will reduce our total cost while providing the latest in technology and comfort to our customers.
ability airline approved business compete contend deal dominate fix largest prices schedules
The world's largest airline and Europe's largest carrier contend they can't compete without the ability to fix prices and schedules and dominate the world's largest business market, ... This is a deal that just should not be approved under any circumstances.
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.
change
The nimbler are those that can change. The nimble will do well and the ones that can't change will go by the by.
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,
destroy meat
If you take the meat ax to the problem, you destroy relationships, ... And who loses? The employees. The customers. And the shareholders.
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.
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,
What you measure and reward is what you're going to get.