100,000 LCC travelers stuck...

[MarkMyWords]

This is NOT true. I've heard US use the "surprise ice storm" excuse all weekend. Do not believe it.

This is the fact. While the longer-term models did not predict the ice, the forecast for PHL (and NYC) was updated by midnight Friday and it called for a very prolonged sleet storm with 1"-3" of sleet. And that is exactly the weather that occurred.

It was this updated forecast that caused Jet Blue to cancel its flights before things got out of control on Friday. US had access to the same forecast, yet chose to ignore it.

Not exactly true. While the forecast models did change overnight, PHL was still predicted to be a rain event. I have to find the news article, but literally in the swath of a few miles, the weather in PHL differed. To the north of the airport it was a snow event, to the south a rain event. The airport was in a small band of mixed precip that included ICE and prohibited us from operating. Had the rain line moved just a few miles north, we would have operated out of PHL.

 

[ClueByFour]

With over 1500 flight cancellations on Friday - it would have been nearly impossible to have queue'd them all up and made calls to all affected customers.

Mark, I don't often disagree, but I will here. It's an IT acumen and cost issue. You have to have the IT acumen to do it and the capacity to make the calls.

I know this because Delta did it. And has in the past.

 

[Itestwell]

Mark, I don't often disagree, but I will here. It's an IT acumen and cost issue. You have to have the IT acumen to do it and the capacity to make the calls.

I know this because Delta did it. And has in the past.

Don't most airlines send automated messages concerning delays to phones, PDA's, etc? I thought we already had the ability to do this. Yikes....

 

[US1YFARE]

Just like when a drunk driver gets behind the wheel....it's the bartender/FA's fault right??

oh, you mean like Doug? Who'd he blame? Delta?

 

[Travelpro72]

Storm aside the company is having some SERIOUS and I do mean SERIOUS issues. For those that think otherwise.....stop hogging the bowl. Man this new team is so out of tune with what is truly happening. :blink: Repeat after me, "Everything is fine, this will blow over". "It's other carriers too". :blink: Why are our stats as they are as BoeingBoy posted? Hmmmmm must be a typo. We're in trouble for the long haul.

 

[US1YFARE]

Hey US1YFARE, did you fly USAir when we went coast to coast with Wine and Orange juice, Cheese and Crackers, Hot Meals with Choices, Ice Cream, 3 Beverage Services, Hot Towels and A Mint. Oh by the way... That's what we gave them in coach... Or maybe PIT-PHL Hot breakfast on a 35 min. flight...

We did that...

You still want your $39 fare...

Uh, yes, I did. This isn't USAirways...this is the NEW USAirways and the bozos in Tempe have no idea what real service is.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Mark, I don't often disagree, but I will here. It's an IT acumen and cost issue. You have to have the IT acumen to do it and the capacity to make the calls.

I know this because Delta did it. And has in the past.

And we have a system with limited capabilities right now. Now that the combine airline is on one Reservations system, we can make that investment into the technologies to bring us out of the dark ages. East could not afford to invest in this type of system - we were hanging on my a very thin thread. The west didn't have a need for that type of system with the environment the operate in - they had other programs for handeling "situations". As a merged company, we not only have the increased need, but the money to invest in creating the appropriate system.

Storm aside the company is having some SERIOUS and I do mean SERIOUS issues. For those that think otherwise.....stop hogging the bowl. Man this new team is so out of tune with what is truly happening. :blink: Repeat after me, "Everything is fine, this will blow over". "It's other carriers too". :blink: Why are our stats as they are as BoeingBoy posted? Hmmmmm must be a typo. We're in trouble for the long haul.

That may be what we attempt to relay on the outside.....on the inside, there is not a person that is not fully aware there are issues. The list is very long!

 

[cactusflyer]

Uh, yes, I did. This isn't USAirways...this is the NEW USAirways and the bozos in Tempe have no idea what real service is.

No, the bozos don't and they haven't for awhile. This crappy mismanagement has been going on for years. Shocking isn't it?

One summer when HP had major cancellations and subsequent reliability issues the west employees used to jokingly say our slogan was "we're not happy till you're not happy". Now it seems the sandcastle is ensuring the NEW USAirways carries on that tradition. Sad really...the more things change the more they stay the same.

And as to the need to regulate the industry that someone else suggested. I have to agree with Boeing Boy. Not under this administration.

 

[not so fast]

While the forecast models did change overnight, PHL was still predicted to be a rain event. I have to find the news article, but literally in the swath of a few miles, the weather in PHL differed. To the north of the airport it was a snow event, to the south a rain event. The airport was in a small band of mixed precip that included ICE and prohibited us from operating. Had the rain line moved just a few miles north, we would have operated out of PHL.

Philly's most accurate weatherman, Fox 29's Rob Guarino, actually blogs his forecasts. Go to this link and scroll down to his 1:13 AM entry on Friday morning: http://community.myfoxphilly.com/blogs/robweather

His call: PHILLY METRO 1-3" MAINLY SLEET

If you read the entire entry you will see that the two main computer models (GFS and NAM) were in agreement that a heavy sleet/ice event would occur.

Again, if this event was a surprise, then who was the clairvoyant at Jet Blue who knew to cancel flights beforehand?

US rolled the dice and threw craps.

 

[a320av8r]

---

 

[MarkMyWords]

A revised forecast models at 115am doesn't leave much time to react.

JetBlue is in JFK, Not PHL. After their last media blitz they weren't taking any chances.

Here is the forecast

Phl- rain turning to snow around 8am , snow could be mixed with sleet at times. Storm to end Sat afternoon with a total accumulation of 1/2 to 2 inches possible.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Couldn't US send passengers to BWI or DCA on Friday, send them via AMTRAK to those cities so they can possibly fly out? And even the ones going to PBI/FLL/MIA could take train down, if they couldn't get out for 3-4 days.

Back in December I was flying out of BWI on AA. Our flight was delayed and AA transfered some passengers to IAD and DCA via cab. I am not implying them taking the cab down, but BWI is only an hour and half with connection at 30th st.from PHL. There are trains that run often, something like 2-3 an hour.

 

[US1YFARE]

US rolled the dice and threw craps.

That is how they operate every aspect of the airline:

*330 conversion
*320 conversion
*SHARES conversion
*First Class conversion to Low Class
*Envoy Class conversion to Low Class
*website

 

[singh4us]

sky high states: EXTRA SECTIONS???? Anyone, is that feasible????
only stating opinions.

Actually HP, sorry, US did have one extra section to PHX from DCA; I don't know what the loads were though.

Flight # 9031
Depart Washington, DC (Reagan)
Date 3/18/2007
Gate 37
Scheduled 12:30 PM
Actual 8:33 PM
Status Departed
Arrive Phoenix, AZ
Date 3/18/2007
Gate A11
Scheduled 2:36 PM
Actual 11:33 PM
Status Estimated Arrival

 

[tadjr]

Couldn't US send passengers to BWI or DCA on Friday,

No, they actually shut down ops in DC on Fri night as well. Our 437pm flight pushed, sat on the taxiway, and came back to the gate and canx. The 623pm flight also canx. That was about 275 from those two flights alone. Add the 5 PHL flights they canx at the same time, along with the CLT trip (all within about 2 hours of each other) and it was hopeless. All of the flights except 1 of the PHL flights had been checked in expecting them to operate as planned so we got 7 canx flights within 2 hours.