"My door is always open-bring me your problems."
This is guaranteed to turn on every whiner, lackey and neurotic on the property. (Robert F. Six, Continental's respected founder)

"Deregulation is profoundly anti-labor... there has been a massive transfer of wealth from airline employees to airline passengers." (American Airlines President, Robert Crandall; "Rapid Descent")

I left Navy active duty with all the excitement and expectations appropriate for what I thought would be my next long-lasting, exciting, and fulfilling career - that of an airline pilot with Continental Airlines. Regrettably, a year after airline deregulation, my timing couldn't have been worse. Once again, my great expectations would soon be dashed.

Continental Airlines was, at the time of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, a relatively small yet very successful, premier airline. It had routes predominately throughout the western U. S. and Hawaii, in the Pacific in Micronesia, and to Australia. It was widely noted then for its superior in-flight customer service and amenities. That would all change as the effects of deregulation took hold, and more importantly, as a man named Frank Lorenzo ravaged the industry.

Transition to civilian life for me was easy. Many of the pilots at Continental were former Navy pilots whom I knew well. (Continental had hired a large proportion of Navy pilots following an earlier visit by a group of their VP's aboard an aircraft carrier during flight operations at sea.) Although on-call on reserve status with irregular hours, that was little different than being at sea on an aircraft carrier. In this case though, trips were only a few days at a time; they were not like the weeks of many deployments and the many months of long cruises and family separation of the Navy. Certainly flight attendants were a new and welcome addition as working partners. Most of all, there was a contagious, upbeat spirit that permeated the company at all levels. It was the best working environment; but it would soon change.

In May of that year, tragically, an American Airlines DC-10 crashed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. As a result of the accident investigation, all DC-10 aircraft - including Continental's - were subsequently grounded for 38 days. This had a severe financial impact upon the airline, especially since they were unable to fly any of their Australia, or other long-haul routes. To make matters worse, a recession began in 1980. As a result, all planned expansion for the airline was cancelled, and a reduction in force began. After little more than a year, my new and exciting second career would be cut short with a furlough notice in late spring, and the actual furlough that summer.

I didn't think - or I at least hoped - the furlough would not last very long, and I could soon return. At the time, I had not yet heard the name, Frank Lorenzo. Little did I know that he would be the primary reason that I would never fly for Continental Airlines again.