Instructions
Respond to the questions at the end of case study based on the knowledge gained via
chapter readings. Prepare a document that is typed, double-spaced, APA (7
TH Ed.) format,
and grammatically correct in Times New Roman with Font size set at 12-point with
margins of at least 1 inch. Remember to respond separately to the questions at the end of
each case. Do not include your responses to these questions within the case analysis
template.
United Airlines
Even if you have never flown on United Airlines, chances are that you are familiar with the
company—it’s one of the oldest airlines in the world, with roots going back to the 1920s. With
its nearly 50,000 employees and a fleet of almost 400 aircraft that make more than 3,000 flights
a day to over 200 domestic and international locations, it is also one of the world’s largest
airlines. If you have gone Online to a Web site like Expedia, Priceline, or Travelocity to find
a flight, United Airlines was likely one of your options, especially if you needed to fly through
San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, or Washington, DC, where United has major hubs.
Of course, you also might be familiar with United Airlines because it has been in the news so
much in the past decade. The most memorable news stories focused on the events of September
11, 2001, when terrorists hijacked two United Airlines jets—Flight 175, which crashed into
the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, and Flight 93, which crashed
into a field in Pennsylvania. In part because of these hijackings, but also due to competition
from low-cost rivals like Southwest, United Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
in 2002. United emerged from this bankruptcy in 2006 after taking some drastic and highly
publicized steps to cut costs. For instance, United eliminated unprofitable routes and costly
services such as free meals. The company also terminated its employees’ pension plan, and
many United employees were laid off, furloughed, or forced to take pay cuts.
To improve its competitive position, United was faced with the difficult challenge of looking
for ways to cut costs and improve services without further alienating its employees, whose
efforts were needed to help the company make it through this difficult time period. One
strategy involved reducing the amount of time it takes to “turn” an aircraft, or prepare it for its
next departure. The job of turning an aircraft rests largely with the team of ramp workers who
direct the aircraft into the gate after it lands, set up equipment to unload and reload passengers
and cargo, and push it out of the gate for departure. United figured that if it could reduce the
amount of time between it might be able to schedule additional flights a day without needing
to purchase any additional aircraft. As one United Airlines senior executive stated, “Our
airplanes don’t earn money while they’re sitting on the ground. . .. They need to be in the air.
So if we can shave even four or five minutes off of every aircraft turn, we can fly well over a
hundred more flights a day.”
To put this plan into action, United identified the most efficient and consistent process that
could be used to turn the planes, then trained its ramp crews in this process. Ramp crews are
responsible for guiding planes to their gate and chocking their wheels after arrival, positioning
the “jet bridge” that connects the airport gate with the door of the aircraft so that passengers
can safely exit and board, setting up belt loaders so that baggage can be unloaded and loaded,
performing various maintenance tasks, and keeping the ground free of debris that could get
sucked up in the jet engines. Part of the training was conducted at Pit Instruction and Training
LLC—or “Pit Crew U,” a school that teaches people how to become members of pit crews for
automobile racing teams. The job of a pit crew is to service a racing car quickly and safely
when it comes in for a pit stop during a race. A pit stop is a highly coordinated task that
typically involves changing tires using a jack and air guns, pumping gas into the car, cleaning
up spills, and washing the car’s windshield. In a competitive race, all these tasks have to
happen in about 13 seconds, without any mistakes that could cause damage to the car or injury
to the driver, members of the pit crew, or spectators. So why did United Airlines believe that
it could reduce the time it takes to turn an aircraft through training in an altogether different
job?
United believed that the set of skills that promote the effectiveness of crews responsible for
servicing a car during a pit stop is roughly the same as the set of skills that promote the
effectiveness of ramp crews responsible for servicing a plane between flights. To accomplish
the goal of a 13-second pit stop during a real race, pit crews must use a highly standardized
and coordinated process. The members of the crew need to plan and prepare themselves and
their tools for each and every pit stop. During the pit stop, the members follow their part of a
standardized process, and when something unexpected happens—for example, when a tool
breaks or fuel spills on the car and ignites—the members must communicate with one another
and make adjustments to the process. Although the specific tasks, tools, and time constraints
are different, ramp crews also need to follow a standardized and coordinated process to turn a
plane for the next flight. Members of ramp crews should be prepared and ready to fulfill the
requirements of their specific part of the crew’s task. They also need to communicate
effectively with one another and adapt to unusual circumstances—such as when a baggage cart
breaks or an important tool is misplaced. Of course, there are some important issues that come
to mind when considering the appropriateness of pit crew training for ramp crews. Most
obviously, perhaps, the racing context might cause ramp crews to overemphasize the goal of
increasing speed and underemphasize the important actions that protect the safety of the flight
crew and passengers. We do not know of any specific examples in which this issue has caused
a problem at United Airlines, however, it may be worthwhile to consider how training could
be adapted to deal with the possibility.
Sources: ABC News.com. “Corporations Send Employees to Pit Crew U.” April 9, 2006.
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=1817896 (June 16, 2009). Cary, S. “United Airlines Workers Go to School for Pit
Crews.” The San Diego Union Tribune Online, March 25, 2006. http:// www.signonsandiego.com/union
trib/20060325/news_lz1n25read.html (July 5, 2009). MSNBC Online. “United Gets Approval to Shift Pension
Plans.” May 11, 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7804770/ (July 3, 2009). United Airlines, Corporate Web Site.
“Era 1: 1910–1925.” http://www.united.com/page/middle page/0,6823,2281,00.html (July 3, 2009). United Airlines,
Corporate Web Site. “Company Information.” http://ir.united.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=83680&p=irol-homeProfile
(July 3, 2009). United Airlines, Corporate Web Site. “Company Information.”
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,50100,00.html (July 3, 2009). United Airlines, Corporate Web Site.
“Company Information.” http://www.united.com/page/ middlepage/0,6823,50103,00.html (July 29, 2009).
Questions:
1) Which specific types of team processes are most relevant to ramp crews? Which factors
in the ramp crew context likely cause the majority of problems with communication?
2) Which type of team training takes place at Pit Crew U? Which specific team processes
and communication factors does the training emphasize?
3) What recommendations would you make to ensure that the ramp crews maintained their
focus on safety? Are there additional types of team processes or communication
training that should be incorporated to overcome potential issues having to do with the
speed versus safety trade-off?