Decompression of 2444 LAX-DFW 2/26

[phllax]

This post is in response to some of the other responses:

First and foremost, I want to again reiterate that both the cabin and flight crews did an amazing job communicating with us throughout the entire hour or so of flight that remained after the masks dropped.

I assumed we went down to 10K because the pilot told us the cabin was pressurized to 10K during one of his 3 explanations of the event. He never told us we stopped at 26K or went down to 10K.

In addition, there was a gate agent to meet us, but she didn't make her presence known and by the time we got off (we were in row 23 and 24), was already behind the counter working on the outbound flight. As I said in my original post, the prudent customer service thing to do would have been to have a special services, concourse supervisor or even the concourse manager meet the flight.

 

[Hopeful]

Does it matter?

 

[formeraa]

I had a similar incident on NW in 1989. In our case, we returned to the originating airport. No airline representatives met us at the gate, except for the normal GA meeting the flight (as if it was a normal arrival). They barely apologized for the incident and acted like we should be thankful that there was another plane there to take us to DTW.

Once we got to DTW, they finally had a couple of GA's there simply to re-book our connecting flights. I had to "remind" them that they at least owed us a breakfast voucher. So, the OP's experience is probably pretty common in the industry.

 

[JimJimmyJim]

Not real sure what management would do for anyone. I do think it is interesting that costumers believe they are owed some sort of compensation because their flying experience didn't go perfect. These are the same customers who pay little to nothing for a flight that not only saved them money but also saved them time. So whether it be a voucher for breakfast, for another trip, or hotel sorry airlines don't have the cash. Remmember airlines can't give any to their front line employee's so airlines can't give it to you either. Just go get on your next flight and have a good day. Unfortunately that's not how it happens and most airlines will bend over backwards to keep those costumeers happy, no matter how crazy their demands.

Keep up the good fight Hopeful.

 

[Hopeful]

Not real sure what management would do for anyone. I do think it is interesting that costumers believe they are owed some sort of compensation because their flying experience didn't go perfect. These are the same customers who pay little to nothing for a flight that not only saved them money but also saved them time. So whether it be a voucher for breakfast, for another trip, or hotel sorry airlines don't have the cash. Remmember airlines can't give any to their front line employee's so airlines can't give it to you either. Just go get on your next flight and have a good day. Unfortunately that's not how it happens and most airlines will bend over backwards to keep those costumeers happy, no matter how crazy their demands.

Keep up the good fight Hopeful.

Good post Jim.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Good post Jim.

Except JimJimmyJim left out one detail - just like unionized workers, passengers have a contract with the company when they purchase a ticket. For passengers, it's called the Terms of Transportation or something similiar. Except, unlike union contracts, the passengers contract isn't negotiated but rather written by the company although parts of it have to comform with regulations/laws.

Should the union allow the company to violate the contract because "airlines don't have the cash?" If not, one should not expect the passengers to allow any airline to violate their contract either. If a meal voucher for breakfast or a hotel voucher is required by the passengers contract, why should the passenger just accept not getting it because "the airlines don't have the cash?". Would you just accept not getting paid because "the airlines don't have the cash?"

Jim

 

[Hopeful]

Except JimJimmyJim left out one detail - just like unionized workers, passengers have a contract with the company when they purchase a ticket. For passengers, it's called the Terms of Transportation or something similiar.

Jim

And does that contract include an passengers right to abuse a gate agent? a flight attendant?
You know the type Jim. the passenger who doesn't get his or her way.

No one is blaming passengers but you have to admit that they will go to the next terminal over to save $10.00.

I wonder how many passengers that flew since deregulation actually know that cheap fares came directly from employees?

 

[BoeingBoy]

And does that contract include an passengers right to abuse a gate agent? a flight attendant?
You know the type Jim. the passenger who doesn't get his or her way.

Notice I didn't say a word about those, only the meal and hotel vouchers that JimJimmyJim said the passengers shouldn't expect because the airlines didn't have the cash.

No one is blaming passengers but you have to admit that they will go to the next terminal over to save $10.00.

I wonder how many passengers that flew since deregulation actually know that cheap fares came directly from employees?

With those two sentences you've just stated the reason why "restore and more" is probably not achievable in this economic climate, but you don't like having that pointed out either.

To keep this from turning into another management vs employee thread and it being closed, that's all i'm going to say on that subject here.

Jim

 

[Hopeful]

Notice I didn't say a word about those, only the meal and hotel vouchers that JimJimmyJim said the passengers shouldn't expect because the airlines didn't have the cash.



With those two sentences you've just stated the reason why "restore and more" is probably not achievable in this economic climate, but you don't like having that pointed out either.

To keep this from turning into another management vs employee thread and it being closed, that's all i'm going to say on that subject here.

Jim

With AA, the econmoic climate is never good. they always want more.

the bottom line is "big deal" if passengers who weren't hurt or killed with this incident, and they weren't coddled for an inconvenience. You as a pilot should realize the sensationalism of an incident of this kind. Although scary for pax, not the end of the world.

 

[JimJimmyJim]

I have no problem with passengers getting a meal or hotel voucher if the flight was canceled. In this case the flight arrived at its destination. If no one is hurt then management isn't going to do much for them. Management is not going to be able to explain what happened. They can't manage let alone understand cabin pressurization. Don't take things so literally Jim.

 

[777 fixer]

Lack of communication is a universal problem at AA, and hardly unique to management. At DFW, it's epic.

I'm sure Dispatch and MOC knew about the pressurization problems, but there's no guarantee the ops guys knew there was a problem, let alone a mask deployment.

And as a point of clarification for the finger pointers, I'm pretty certain the guys working the radios at DFW aren't management -- they're either agents or some other hourly classification...

As a former gate agent, the only time I knew for certain there was a problem onboard was if there were LEO's or paramedics waiting on the jetbridge when I went down to meet the aircraft, or if CFR escorted it to the gate...

That's one thing that's always perplexed me about AA. How a lot of things are treated like state secrets. It's an airline, not Mossad.