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Roaches: We're 'Reluctant Activists'
Interview · February 1, 2004

When US Airways senior vice president B. Ben Baldanza questioned the loyalty of frequent fliers who booked cheap tickets in a recent newspaper interview, he inadvertently spawned a grassroots organization called the Cockroaches. But this secretive group of frequent travelers did more than retaliate by criticizing the carrier in public forums; eventually, the vociferous bugs became so influential that US Airways turned to them for advice. Robert Johnson, the Mystic Island, NJ, corporate sales trainer who leads the Roaches, explained the spread of the organization from just a few fliers being on the receiving end of what he calls "bug spray" to a swarm, several hundred strong, which now has the ear of the airline's management.

Q: What's a Cockroach?

Johnson: The term 'Cockroach' came from an Internet posting by a frequent flier who calls himself Deelmaker. In essence, the term refers to our perception of management's true feelings toward its customers - and employees and our willingness to stand up for what's right.

Q: Not to get too philosophical right off the bat, but what's 'right'?

Johnson: What's right is not trying to snooker your best customers by trying to slip changes in through the back door buried in fine print. What's right is not gouging your best customers on last-minute fares. All we really want is to be treated like valued customers and not be viewed as the enemy in the executive suite.

Q: How many Cockroaches are out there right now?

Johnson: I don't have the exact number as it grows daily, but last time I looked it was several hundred.

Q: A St. Petersburg Times headline writer called you 'secretive.' You sure are living up to your billing.

Johnson: Well, that's the thing about a Cockroach infestation. You never know you have one until it's too late. I'm someone who prefers to do the real work behind the scenes. The cockroaches are unique. We don't have a formal organization. We keep in touch via e-mail.

Q: What was US Airways' initial response to the Cockroaches?

Johnson: Bug spray. You could tell by a spokesperson's comments that they were unprepared for an activist organization in the middle of all the other issues they were dealing with.

Q: So the airline tried to eradicate you?

Johnson: No. After we got some favorable press in national publications they more or less had to at least acknowledge our existence.

Q: And how did they do that?

Johnson: It happened after a scathing post I made in an online forum. A high-ranking US Airways executive who e-mailed me took the time to go to my [frequent flier] profile to find my other e-mail address and proceeded to inform me of the errors of my ways. We had what is called a 'frank and open' exchange in diplomatic circles until we developed a grudging respect for each others' position. Eventually doors began to open as they realized that we were not whining elites looking for another freebie, that we genuinely cared what happens to US Airways and its employees.

Q: Hmmm, calling up your profile like that sure seems like a violation of US Airways' privacy policy. I'm sure you weren't pleased about that.

Johnson: I have two very similar e-mail addresses - one that is linked to the Web sites, the other to my airline profile. This was done deliberately by me prior to speaking out. In anticipation of exactly what happened. When the executive responded to the one tied to my profile, he was snagged and I took him to task big time. We hissed and howled at each other like two male cats for a while, but then we started to realize that we were not enemies, but people who, interestingly enough, shared many of the same goals. Thus began the dialogue that continues to this day.

Q: How did your membership feel about the management overtures?

Johnson: We were skeptical. US Airways tried to sneak changes to its Dividend Miles [frequent flier] program in as fine print on a Web page. These changes were the genesis of the Cockroaches. The changes were never implemented in part because of the righteous indignation of the frequent fliers and the subsequent creation of the Cockroaches. So when that first e-mail came into my in box I was very, very skeptical and frankly not very trusting.

Q: Describe the current relationship between the Cockroaches and US Airways' management.

Johnson: There is an open dialogue, mostly via e-mail. All of us who communicate with US Airways have an understanding that the depth and nature of what we discuss is confidential as well as who we discuss it with.

Q: I've heard there's more to the relationship than that. Don't you just love rumors?

Johnson: There is also a rumor that United is going to sell or transfer all of its domestic routes to US Airways.

Q: Touché. So how have the Cockroaches helped US Airways?

Johnson: The one thing I have hammered the airline on is clear and concise communication via the Web or otherwise regarding promotions and fare rules. There has been tremendous improvement in that regard. US Airways is much more customer-friendly than it was before, and is better than most.

Q: How is the communication better?

Johnson: Programs, in my opinion need to be spelled out in language that is clear and concise enough for a sixth-grader to understand. This goes for all airlines. Several Web pages have been modified as a result of our suggestions.

Q: Let's talk specifics. US Airways recently announced its frequent fliers would have to pay a fee to use the airport lounges of its partner airlines. The Cockroaches had a hand in the way the change was presented online, right?

Johnson: Yes. I was reading several of the Web sites devoted to Frequent Fliers and aviation and there was a great deal of confusion. Having had a previous conversation with the US Airways Club Manager, I didn't hesitate to call again. We had a detailed conversation regarding the pros and cons of the changes and what they meant to elite travelers. The real concern was, would elites like me have to pay for to access Star Alliance clubs? I was told empathically, no. Then I pointed out that no place on the US Airways Web site is this mentioned and that the airline was needlessly upsetting customers. I told him, 'Publish it on the Web or send e-mail the elites.' Less than two hours later a sentence or two explaining the change was posted and it remains there.

Q: What else?

Johnson: One of our members discovered a software glitch that allowed any frequent flier to reserve a first class seat at the time of booking by buying any fare. Over three days, he communicated with 14 US Airways employees. The problem was fixed and in a thank-you note, a managing director said that he had not only identified a significant defect in the software that could have cost tens of millions of dollars, but that he led them to another very important problem.

Q: How about Private, First Class?

Johnson: Basically, we decided to leverage a unique aspect of the Dividend Miles program. As an elite traveler we can do a 'companion upgrade' to first class. As a group, we decided to do this for our brothers and sisters in the armed services as a way of saying "thank you." Private, First Class involves seats that would normally be open. When we see a serviceperson at the gate and we ask the gate agent to upgrade them as our companion. US Airways has allowed us to do this and we appreciate it very much. I'll never forget the two young Marines who joined us in first class on one of my flights. They were funny and so very grateful that someone acknowledged their efforts.

Q: The Cockroaches have had the biggest impact on the US Airways Web site. Is it safe to say that without the bugs, usairways.com would be a mess?

Johnson: I think US Airways management was aware of the problems with its Web site. One of the things I learned in what seemed like a never-ending e-mail dialogue over the performance of usairways.com is that all of the executives must use it to book their travel. Due to the failed merger with United, US Airways did nothing to its Web site for two years and as a result it was a shambles. Our suggestions have been taken and added to what they already knew and the site steadily improves.

Q: Do you think US Airways is a better carrier because of your efforts?

Johnson: I think US Airways is a better, more viable carrier for a great many reasons. The least of those reasons would be our organization. Look at the sacrifices the employees have made to keep the doors open. The company's biggest asset is those wonderful front-line employees who really do care. Dave Siegel's financial acumen in getting the RJ's financed and restructuring debt in and out of bankruptcy. We have helped them fine-tune some things and give them insight they might not have otherwise.

Q: Let me ask you a general question. What do you think of US Airways' current troubles?

Johnson: Everyone focuses on the negatives and I think that is unfair to the current team. Dave Siegel and his team pulled an absolute rabbit out of the hat even getting the company out of Chapter 11. Then they did the United code-share, which has helped immensely. Now we see Lufthansa and Spanair on board, with the balance of the Star Alliance to be added shortly. These are incredible accomplishments given that the previous executive team did nothing after the United merger failed.

Q: US Airways has taken a lot of heat for being badly managed. I've even been critical of it a time or two. OK, maybe more than a time or two.

Johnson: Imagine an airline executive being quoted as stating, 'We have no plan B' when asked what US Airways would do now that the merger was off. That, to me, is indicative of why US Airways is where it is today. You have years of failed management dating back to the Piedmont and PSA mergers that created the challenges US Airways faced prior to 9/11. Those challenges nearly sunk the airline by themselves. Throw in 9/11 and the subsequent economic downturn and it would be difficult for any company to weather a storm like the one US Airways has. Have they made mistakes? Yes, but without the current team you wouldn't be interviewing me, because US Airways would have ceased to exist.

Q: No, I'd still be interviewing you. But maybe it would be a postmortem on US Airways.

Johnson: There's no maybe about it. US Airways was on the fast train to oblivion when the current management team took over. There are still hurdles to jump on the return to profits and growth, but I am optimistic. The next few months will be telling.

Q: Is there anything the airline should be doing, in your opinion, that it isn't?

Johnson: Yes there is and the prosperity of US Airways depends on the long term. Let me give you the short version. Travel industry leader Hal Rosenbluth summed it up as nicely when he said in his book, 'You can not have true customer satisfaction unless you have employee satisfaction.' In order to even emerge from bankruptcy, US Airways had to play hardball with multiple labor groups. Those groups have been roughed up pretty badly, yet they continue to deliver great service. Now it looks like they have to go back for more concessions. I think cooler heads will prevail and everything will turn out OK, but the time for the stick has passed and they need some carrots and a very large olive branch or all of this management team's efforts will be in vain. And that would be very sad for everyone involved.

Q: What have you gotten out of your involvement with the Cockroaches?

Johnson: Well, I'm not sure. No free upgrades, I'll tell you that. All kidding aside, I have tried to give the average guy who flies regularly a voice. I am a reluctant activist to be sure, but I spend so much time on planes I wanted to make a difference in the way customers are treated. In airline jargon we are called Pax. Well I am not a Pax. I am a customer, you know the reason you have a business. I just want to be treated like I treat my customers when I sell them something. It's really that simple.

Christopher Elliott is a travel journalist based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.

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