Doogie cashes out

There’s nothing wrong with rewarding a chief executive for a job well done. But news that US Airways’ CEO Doug Parker sold 270,000 shares of company stock for a total of $9 million — a move criticized yesterday by the carrier’s unions — raises some important questions.

Parker (also called “Doogie” because of his youthful appearance) is already compensated to the tune of $631,963 a year. You’d assume an airline executive would be paid anything beyond that for performance, right?

By some measures, US Airways has done great. Post-merger, its stock price has soared from a low of around 6 to a high of 56. The company is profitable.

Certainly, Doogie deserves a pat on the back for that.

But performance is measured in more than dollars and cents, as I’ve pointed out in a previous posting.

Check out the latest Department of Transportation Air Travel Consumer Report, and you’ll find out how US Airways is doing in the customer service department.

» Percent of flights arriving on time: 73 percent. (About average.)

» Mishandled baggage: 7.84 per thousand. Ranked 15th. (Slightly worse than average.)

» Involuntary denied-boardings: 1.55 per 10,000. Ranked 13th. (Worse than average.)

» Consumer complaints: 1.64 per 1,000 enplanements. Ranked 19th out of 20. (Much worse than average.)

Bottom line: When it comes to customer service, US Airways gets a solid C minus grade.

So did Doogie deserve the money? Ask yourself this question, kids: If you brought home a report card full of C-minuses, what would your parents have done?

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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