A Noreaster Is Coming Are We Ready?

[firstamendment]

Oh great...now another excuse as to why we won't make money. I can hear it now...Big snow storm causes huge loss due to blizzard in northeast...sidenote..Jetblue, based in JFK (I think also in the northeast) makes profit. :down:

 

[mbmbbost]

usairways.com lists the affected airports for Dec. 5/6 as BWI, IAD, MDT, ISP, EWR, SWF, LGA, PHL, DCA, HPA. The affected airports for Dec. 5/6/7 are listed as AUG, BGR, BHB, BED, BOS, BDL, HYA, MHT, MVY, ACK, RKD, PWM, PVD.

I just thought it was a little interesting, seeing as how US no longer serves MVY.

Does US serve BED anymore either? I couldn't find any flights. And BED is in MA, not ME, as the site states.....

 

[mbmbbost]

I just noticed they also listed Hyannis. MA in Maine, and Manchester, NH in Maine too. Rockland, ME is listed in New York. Someone who really knows the system is putting these things together..

 

[Light Years]

I think Hyannis and Marthas Vineyard are served seasonally by Colgan Air. Bedford MA (not New Bedford) is served six times daily from Trenton , NJ by Shuttle America.

 

[Art at ISP]

And the saga continues.....

OK Even I have limits to my patience. Here's a story I couldn't even make up.

As you know I got stuck in ROC last night. This morning we get on the 8AM to LGA (3825). We're all ready to leave, and as soon as the second engine starts, it shuts down--it seems the first officers windshield has just cracked. I hope they have glass coverage!

Now the aircraft making up the 10:30 LGA is sitting next to us. Someone has the idea to do an equipment swap, but it takes a bit over an hour to get authorization to do that. By the time we're loaded up and off, and get to the LGA area, LGA is below minimums. We hold for about an hour, get cleared in, the guy ahead of us does a missed approach, we divert to AVP.

From AVP I flew to PHL to get the 6PM ISP. It cancelled 25 minutes prior to departure. I write this note from my hotel in PHL still not knowing how or if I am getting home, as the ISP flight at 9:55AM is already cancelled and nothing is available before 2PM (I am NOT waiting that long) to either ISP or LGA.

Much of this is weather, and the folks did a great job, but the windshield thing makes the whole thing mechanical now according to a supervisor I spoke to.So here's the $64K question. What in the world can take an hour to make a sensible decision to do the airplane swap? Does station management have the authority to make that decision? What would take dispatch so long to OK it?

I gotta believe that if the windshield never happened OR a decision had been made sooner I would be home right now. Instead I have no idea IF I will get home in time to do laundry kiss my kid and leave again Monday (thinking of cancelling but can't reach the party I am supposed to meet in AUA.)

I am just throwing this out for comment, not griping (well, okay a little). I'd just like to understand a little better.

My best to you all.

 

[PITbull]

Art,

Is it possible to drive? Way early today, management should have made a decision to "bus" those folks that were stranded, such as yourself from Friday. Not only that, they should pay for a "limo" or rental car for you to go home, and reinburse your ticket. Even from AVP, that decision should have been made. It may be a long drive, but you would be home with your family. Meanwhile, you could have been half way around the world with all the hours you put in; only to find yourself, right smack where you started on Friday.

I feel very badly. I know it was mostly weather related along with poor planning, but someone should have made a decision to get you home today. Hell, there would not be two hotel room charges with meals.

Would you agree?

 

[Art at ISP]

Pit,

They ran a bus from AVP to LGA, but it was already full (plus I saw it didn't have snow tires). I wasn't taking that chance then. They could only get one I think.

I am sure the story will get better in the morning.

 

[Singleflyer]

Art,

I understand your frustration. Who has the authority to make thoses decisions. I have always felt that US gave more authority to the station manager than most airlines.

Friday afternoon I made the decision not to fly US through PHL to get home from YYZ. Bad decision, I would have been home at least 12 hours earlier if I flew US than I actually did flying CO. Without going through the whole story, CO seems to have had bigger problems with de-icing in EWR than it sounds (from other posts) than US had in PHL.

I am scheduled to fly out tonight to BGM through PHL, I wish I could do it through PIT, but those are not city pairs. I think I will have a better chance of making it on time.

I do need to thank all of the employees in situations like the weather we are having in the NE now. Especially the ones who work outside! I know you are doing the very best in a bad situation, and frequent fliers like myself really appreciate the extra effort, and hard work you perform in the bad conditions. I hope this is not the beginning of a long hard winter.

 

[MarkMyWords]

If I may chime in here a minute......Art, I am very sorry for you trouble in your travels. It should have never taken an hour to swap out airplanes. The only thing I can think of is that there may have been mtc routing issues with one of the airplanes and they may have needed to ensure that they could get the new airplane to the appropriate mtc station, or they could have been consulting the contract mechanic to see if the window could be changed. Not sure the issues, but an hour is a little much.

I have to say I am surprised that in the middle of a snow storm/blizzard that we would offer ground transportation. As you said, you were concerned about the tires on the bus, and I as a customer would be concerned about road condtions, especially if surrounding airports were closed due to snow / reduced visibility / wind / etc. Before setting up any form of transportation I would want to ensure the safety of our customers by calling the state police to ensure road conditions were good enough to ensure safe travels.

PitBull - I am afraid that you have no understanding of how things work from a customer service prospective. Regardless fo the cause of the delay, we do not pay for transportatoin from the airport to a persons home, that is not what you bought a ticket for. Your ticket doesn't say 1515 Mokingbird lane to the ROC hilton and back. We provide SAFE air Travel when the airports are open and safe to operate to. Safety is our number one concern. So what you are saying is that we should have provided ground transportation - during a blizzard - from airport to airport and then transportation to their home. Then we should refund everyones ticket? Well you are way off base and out of you element here.

While the mechanical and aircraft swap is something that is regretable the safety of our customers should be taken very seriously. Art, I am sorry it has taken you so long to get home, but we do want you to arrive safely.

 

[700UW]

I know yesterday, day number two of bad weather that PHL was still a complete fiasco.

 

[flyin2low]

"I know yesterday, day number two of bad weather that PHL was still a complete fiasco."

So do I.

 

[700UW]

Bob, US Airways runs the deicing in PHL.

 

[Busdrvr]

"I know yesterday, day number two of bad weather that PHL was still a complete fiasco."

So do I.

Well I flew into PHL on sat around 3PM yesterday. I was on ATA and i am not prepared to blame US to much based on what I saw going on. For the City to still have snow covered taxiways and be running plow trains at 3PM yesterday isn NOT US's fault.

And if you want to see how not to treat customers during Irregular opps then fly ATA out of MDW. All I will say is what a difference.

Did they offer to burn a tire in the concourse for you? Gotta love the low fare experience.

 

[PITbull]

MMW,

U has historically, run buses for delays that occur in the sytem. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SATURDAY HERE. Roads were clear. I was not saying a private limo service to take him to his house. Just from airport to airport, and a limos has rows of seats. Here's a guy that has miles and miles with U, stranded on Sat. due to a mechanical (windshield) and you sit and tell me about safety needs and such. Excuses galore from YOU no less. As if YOU alone are concerned about safety, but not ME, who is a safety professional in more ways then one.

But, I guess its cheaper to house all these folks in hotel rooms for two nights instead. Again, we are talking SATURDAY; not Friday.

"Out of my element when it comes to customer service prospection and knowing the customer needs", huh, LOL..... I should beat you for that.

 

[Colby]

So Piney Bob,

Would you say the ATA F/A's are OVER PAID TOO ???????