A Noreaster Is Coming Are We Ready?

[tadjr]

Looks like a big Noreaster is planned for Virginia North tomorrow thru Sat. Is everyone ready in CCY/OCC, etc to keep US flying during the first big storm of the season? I'd hate to have Dec losses being blamed on an unforseen WINTER STORM! Lets hope the plan is in place and works. Good luck to those in the Northeast this weekend. Its only 80 here today, but its supposed to get downright cold this weekend (highs only in the 60s) I'll be thinking about ya....

 

[tadjr]

Maybe someone can answer this question today then. Did we plan well enough to get thru the first storm of the season or is it going to be a long winter?

815am dept off the gate at 859am and STILL waiting for take off as of 1140am?
Is the weather that bad in PHL this morning that we are taking 2 1/2 hour delays once off the gate? And the worst isnt supposed to hit until tomorrow.


US Airways Flight 987

Friday, December 5, 2003
Departure Arrival
Airport: Philadelphia, PA (PHL) Airport: Orlando Intl, FL (MCO)
Scheduled Time: 8:15am
Scheduled Time: 10:59am
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Actual Time: 8:59am
Estimated Time: 1:46pm Status: Departed Gate, Awaiting Takeoff




Flight Departure & Arrival Information

US Airways Flight 1023

Friday, December 5, 2003
Departure Arrival
Airport: Philadelphia, PA (PHL) Airport: Tampa, FL (TPA)
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Scheduled Time: 7:55am
Scheduled Time: 10:34am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual Time: 9:24am
Estimated Time: 1:44pm

Status: Departed Gate, Awaiting Takeoff

755am dept off the gate at 924am and still waiting to get airborne at 1145am.

 

[robbedagain]

sounds like they werent prepared as usual. when will they even be ready?

 

[phllax]

Hey Tad,

Looks like they had deicing problems for both flights, as well as delays in customer boarding for 987 and maintenance for 1023. I think the agents put whatever in they can to make it not their fault.

My flight on Monday, 19, was @45 late leaving the gate because they needed to refill the door pressurization module (says whether door is sealed and pressure equal between outside and cabin) They flifo said it was an aircraft cabin service delay. Sounds more like a maint thing to me.

 

[tadjr]

refill the door pressurization module (says whether door is sealed and pressure equal between outside and cabin) They flifo said it was an aircraft cabin service delay. Sounds more like a maint thing to me.

Well it was IN THE CABIN! :blink:

The two flights are off and one arriving at 154pm to MCO and the other at 241pm to TPA. These were both from the FIRST BANK OF THE DAY in PHL and they are getting in 3 or 4 hours late on the FIRST FLIGHTS FROM PHL of the day showing deicing delays. Did we have a deicing problem? If so what was it? No one to deice? A deicer not working? What, other than a blizzard, would cause the first bank of the day to leave the crown jewel over 3-4 hours late? Someone please let us know what the problem was. If it was truly the weather was that bad, then we're stuck with it, but how did other carriers manage to get out without 3-4 hour delays? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[700UW]

Aircraft Cabin Service delay is cleaning or security checks.

A mechanic fixing the door is maintenance.

 

[N628AU]

Walking through the CLT terminal today, I saw several delayed flights, but not as many as one would expect. There were maybe six or seven arrivals on the board an hour late, and one from PBI was 3 hours behind. Only two cancelations, one Mesa, and one Piedmont.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Once again, I am sure we were not as prepared as we should have been in PHL. What will the excuse be this time?

I would like to attack this from a different angle if I may....Where is Dave Castlevetter and the corporate communications office?

JetBlue Will Waive Change Fees and Fare Differences to Assist Customers This Weekend Who May Be Affected by Winter Weather in the Northeast

American Airlines Customers Who May Be Affected By Severe Weather in The Northeast Provided Travel Options

There is information available on our web site, but once again, as a major player in the north east, we refuse to broadcast our operational problems and tell the customers of their ability to reschedule their flights with no change fees. Instead, we will continue to bring customers to the airport, to stand in long lines and become frustrated at the situation.

 

[usairways85]

let me tell you, everyone in the PHL area was predicting a changeover from snow to rain/mix sometime around 9am. Well it never came till 1pm. PHL was experiecing heavy snow from about 7 or 8 am till 12 or 1 pm. My area about 15 min away from PHL in South Jersey was supposed to get a trace to an inch of snow and we probably have 2-3 inches already.

Not saying we were prepared, but the snow was definitely much more intense then was predicted.

 

[tadjr]

Not saying we were prepared, but the snow was definitely much more intense then was predicted.

Then why dont we overprepare and be happy when we get off light instead of the usual "everything is going to be ok" and get killed? This is the same problem we have with staffing for the bare minimum of people with no irregular ops knowing we've only had 17 days THIS YEAR with 0 flight cancellations. Every other day means there are irregular ops. You're not going to overstaff everyday planning for the worst, but even the weather channel got this one right.

 

[usairways85]

MarkMyWords:
I don't know exactly what you meant about broadcasting options, but this was taken from US' website and easy to find. However, I would call this broadcasting our problems and proposing solutions.

Cancellation Due to Weather
For service cancelled due to weather conditions, US Airways will provide the following options to customers, at no extra cost:
Reschedule travel to originate up to seven days later,
Re-accommodation on alternate flights on US Airways, US Airways Express or on another airline if an alternative flight does not depart within four hours,
Customers en route can return to their origin and reschedule travel to originate up to seven days later, or
Receive a refund for the full value of the ticket.

 

[Colby]

What I'm wondering is if this turns into the Snow storm of last Feb. when I was stuck in PIT for 3-days then turned around and picked up a 4-day because they were scrambling for Flight Attendants..... Hope the old girls got their TOTES in their Roll-a-boards.... If crews start going illegal..... WHO THEY GONNA CALL NOW ????? Even The Ghost Busters are probably Furloughed !!!!!

 

[MarkMyWords]

MarkMyWords:
I don't know exactly what you meant about broadcasting options, but this was taken from US' website and easy to find. However, I would call this broadcasting our problems and proposing solutions.

Cancellation Due to Weather
For service cancelled due to weather conditions, US Airways will provide the following options to customers, at no extra cost:
Reschedule travel to originate up to seven days later,
Re-accommodation on alternate flights on US Airways, US Airways Express or on another airline if an alternative flight does not depart within four hours,
Customers en route can return to their origin and reschedule travel to originate up to seven days later, or
Receive a refund for the full value of the ticket.

USA85 -

I am talking about actual press releases to the media. There is nothing out there, besides the website, the offers any information to the customer. The bold type in my previous posting were actual headlines of press releases from JetBlue and American. If we are such a big player in the NE, the heart of our operating system, why do we not have press information out there for our customers.

As for you excuses that snow was expected to chagne to rain/snow mix at 9am doesn't mean anything. If it was a rain/snow mix we would have still been in a deicing situation. It is unbelieveable that a departure at 6:30am would leave the gate early, but take an hour to deice? There is very little traffic at 6:30am....so why does it take an hour to deice? 1. We were either not properly prepared for the event or 2. there were issues with the deicing system. Since the deicing systems are supposed to be checked and training completed by the end of Oct, they should have been in working order. Also, immediately after being notified of an upcoming event, the equipment should once again be checked. Either way you slice it, there is an internal problem there.

What we don't need are excuses of why things went wrong, what we do need is someone with the kahoonas to go fix the problem. Nearly everytime PHL gets into a deicing situation the roof caves in and we stand there and wonder why. Gee, if the event was going to be so significant, then why didn't we reduce operations to something they could handle.....say 10 planes an hour! :angry:

 

[usairways85]

not trying to make excuses, but do you know the deicing situation in PHL? The deicing area is in a horrible location at a remote end of the terminal. In some situations i can deffinitely see a plane taking 30 min taxing all the way out there and then all the way back to the other side of the airport to line up for departure.

I agree, either way US should be prepared for storms like these and not use them as excuses for a loss during the month. Rolling the PHL hub will once again help in these situations, not only will it be able to allow more flights into PHL if neccessary but it will ease congestion greatly.

 

[lindy]

Mark,

For a person who appears to have the inside scoop on a lot of information, I am surprised you did not mention the following regarding PHL:

1. US Airways does not own the de-icing booms in PHL. The City does. As such, the City is responsible for maintenance. It is my understanding the City did little or no preventative maintenance over the summer.

2. In the late summer/early fall, US Airways approached PHL regarding the de-icing contract. PHL said they were going to put it out for bid. We bid a premium price for the contract because it was in our best interests.

3. It was not until the past week that the City allowed US Airways to take possession of the pads and the ice-house. The PHL Maint De-Ice team put in long hours insuring the equipment was functional. As of late Wednesday, problems were encountered with several booms.

If we had problem with PHL today due to equipment, blame the city for not performing routine maintenance.


P.S. Under Gangwal, US Airways approached PHL about putting in a boom system. Per Gangwal, US Airways would bear the cost of the entire system and be responsible for all mainenance. The City nixed the idea because they saw a potential revenue source.

Lindy