Jim,
I am basing my recall by November/December based on the same logic you are using.
The summer of 2005 is looking QUITE UGLY these first few days of June.
Our own base manager is flying an early am two day tomorrow (well, today)!
Apparently, many see me as bitter...I say I'm jaded and realistic.
I've spent almost 10 years with AA in operational postions and have a fairly good understanding of how a hub airport works.
The front-line employees are at a bare minimum without regard for weather-patterns (more common and a given, at our hubs this time of year) or sick calls (probably a result of the former).
Flight crews are insulated from this by the FAA to a degree. I think F/As are more-likely to sick out after a nasty reassignment or delayed sequence, without regard to attendance steps because they are emotionally and physically exhausted.
I don't say I agree with the practice but again, it's reality. Manning appears to be that tight without considering potential delays and weather on some of the more "evil" sequences (13 hour sked duty days, 9-10 hour layovers, 3-4 legs is the norm).
What do you think the end result is if someone has been on duty 15 hours with no food (40 minute ground times, cleaning planes on domestic, and sitting on runways for hours) and had a minimum layover (8 hours block to sign-in)?
They snap, it's real simple.
BTW, look at what sequences keep showing up in Open Time. Also SLT's sick list hit 39 today. YIKES!
Ramp crews are at the bare minimum, they don't care if they clean the plane, they're hot and exhausted. Their next inbound is waiting for the gate...for 45 minutes now. Both A/C are full with paxs and bags and they have to clean. The ramp CSM will not authorize OT...they walk at the end of their shift-change. They can't take it anymore. The inbound ends up waiting 1-1/2 hours for a new ramp crew and gate block.
The F/A's will not clean it. This is the first flight where they can step off the A/C (or send a gopher) to get ANY kind of food. The F/A's are not scheduled to clean on this 3rd of 4th leg...they are exhausted from boardings and short inflight services.
The gate agent is tweaked because they are the only one working a full flight.
This is all well-and-good in normal operations (during these days of "Jetnet Check-In) but not-so-pretty when weather and cancellations hit. There are 50 people standing in line to "stand-by" for this flight on which there is NO ROOM. The agent is about to snap. They will walk at the end of their shift, unless they are part-time and extendable (a more-likely case).
This does not even factor in MNTC issues and Operations making CRAZY gate (terminal) changes in an effort to keep everything close to schedule.
A little relief to the front-lines cannot possibly cost that much.
Coop
SLT
p.s. Thanks for the Sabre breakdown, Former ModerAAtor.
I am basing my recall by November/December based on the same logic you are using.
The summer of 2005 is looking QUITE UGLY these first few days of June.
Our own base manager is flying an early am two day tomorrow (well, today)!
Apparently, many see me as bitter...I say I'm jaded and realistic.
I've spent almost 10 years with AA in operational postions and have a fairly good understanding of how a hub airport works.
The front-line employees are at a bare minimum without regard for weather-patterns (more common and a given, at our hubs this time of year) or sick calls (probably a result of the former).
Flight crews are insulated from this by the FAA to a degree. I think F/As are more-likely to sick out after a nasty reassignment or delayed sequence, without regard to attendance steps because they are emotionally and physically exhausted.
I don't say I agree with the practice but again, it's reality. Manning appears to be that tight without considering potential delays and weather on some of the more "evil" sequences (13 hour sked duty days, 9-10 hour layovers, 3-4 legs is the norm).
What do you think the end result is if someone has been on duty 15 hours with no food (40 minute ground times, cleaning planes on domestic, and sitting on runways for hours) and had a minimum layover (8 hours block to sign-in)?
They snap, it's real simple.
BTW, look at what sequences keep showing up in Open Time. Also SLT's sick list hit 39 today. YIKES!
Ramp crews are at the bare minimum, they don't care if they clean the plane, they're hot and exhausted. Their next inbound is waiting for the gate...for 45 minutes now. Both A/C are full with paxs and bags and they have to clean. The ramp CSM will not authorize OT...they walk at the end of their shift-change. They can't take it anymore. The inbound ends up waiting 1-1/2 hours for a new ramp crew and gate block.
The F/A's will not clean it. This is the first flight where they can step off the A/C (or send a gopher) to get ANY kind of food. The F/A's are not scheduled to clean on this 3rd of 4th leg...they are exhausted from boardings and short inflight services.
The gate agent is tweaked because they are the only one working a full flight.
This is all well-and-good in normal operations (during these days of "Jetnet Check-In) but not-so-pretty when weather and cancellations hit. There are 50 people standing in line to "stand-by" for this flight on which there is NO ROOM. The agent is about to snap. They will walk at the end of their shift, unless they are part-time and extendable (a more-likely case).
This does not even factor in MNTC issues and Operations making CRAZY gate (terminal) changes in an effort to keep everything close to schedule.
A little relief to the front-lines cannot possibly cost that much.
Coop
SLT
p.s. Thanks for the Sabre breakdown, Former ModerAAtor.
jimntx said:
