IDEA....to keep the clock running for flight pay.

[fatherabraham]

At least ONE engine must run anyway. Until the agent pulls up the jetway, ground power cannot normally be plugged in and engines cannot be shut down. The only way to avoid this is to pull into the gate with the APU running, which the company does not want started until just before the next flight.

phaser,

SOP would have you shutting down #2 as side where most ramp personnel would be. Sounds good except for the fact that many if not most aircraft are currently arriving at gate with both engines running. Now add in new/inexperienced ramp folk who may think #2 is down and heads for baggage door off the gate park line. Safety comes first is a good motto to practice.

How about just shutting both off 20 feet shy if wanna prove a point. Getting a tug and ramp coordination will take more time overall. Tic Toc Tic Toc......

FA

 

[Jetsetter2Ord]

The ground holding pay on the West for FAs is $10hr.

I had to wait 15 mins after stopping at the gate in ORD a few wks ago for the agent to come from the low E gates to the Low F gates, thats a good walk...only to find 4 agents standing at the podium looking like they had no clue we were parked right infront of them! Geesh..these passengers were on this bird for 3hrs and then have to wait for an agent to drive the jetway! Get with the program..you know when the plane is in range and when its on the ground get to the gate ahead of time! Its not rocket science!

 

[Dog Wonder]

How about just shutting both off 20 feet shy if wanna prove a point. Getting a tug and ramp coordination will take more time overall. Tic Toc Tic Toc......

FA

Bless you Father

 

[allstrike]

Now add in new/inexperienced ramp folk who may think #2 is down and heads for baggage door off the gate park line. Safety comes first is a good motto to practice.

Hey they'll only do it once. Best bet is to just hold 20 short both running beacons on.Have em wave a flag from the jet way..lol. When the beacon on the jet way comes on pull in.

My question is,I don't work up stairs I'm on the ramp,just a watching all the time,are there people assigned to each gate or each flt..etc, h ow does it work please let me know.

 

[tadjr]

and then have to wait for an agent to drive the jetway! Get with the program..you know when the plane is in range and when its on the ground get to the gate ahead of time! Its not rocket science!

You're assuming that the agent is in the breakroom sitting around doing nothing and isnt actually scheduled to work another flight or that is late or has a problem. I have no doubt that at times the flight is missed because of the first reason, but I also know from personal experience that many times the agent "assigned" to the flight is still occupied with other duties. We used to have to get an agent from the counter to go to the gate to meet a flight every afternoon because of the "staffing model". No one available to meet the inbound because they were all working outbounds. Remember, if we are shortstaffed, we dont get to canx the flight. We just work with what we can and get to things as best as possible. Also with all the newbies running around, I'm sure that there are many that arent jetway qualified. Wouldnt want one of them trying to park ya would you?

 

[allstrike]

Also with all the newbies running around, I'm sure that there are many that arent jetway qualified. Wouldnt want one of them trying to park ya would you?

Makes perfect since to me,I understand that,I respect that,Thanks..

 

[songbirdstew]

At least ONE engine must run anyway. Until the agent pulls up the jetway, ground power cannot normally be plugged in and engines cannot be shut down. The only way to avoid this is to pull into the gate with the APU running, which the company does not want started until just before the next flight.

We are being forced to comply with "circular definitions" and oxymorons, which is itself an oxymoron as well as a pun.

M captain just did this on our 2 day trip in and out of DCA where they are 70 agents short. He made us over an hour of flight pay by not parking and waiting (sometimes up to 15 minutes) for the jetway driver. It's not like that money shouldn't have been paid to us anyway..he just made sure we got it.

 

[ussnark]

M captain just did this on our 2 day trip in and out of DCA where they are 70 agents short. He made us over an hour of flight pay by not parking and waiting (sometimes up to 15 minutes) for the jetway driver. It's not like that money shouldn't have been paid to us anyway..he just made sure we got it.

Just a consideration.

When pulling up to a gate with an engine running and no jetway movement, the possibility for a major problem is very real. If you need to get passengers off in a hurry, without the jetway connected, the L1/L2 door slide will likely not deploy properly, if at all. With men and equipment running around aircraft right, deploying any slides on the right will likely injure if not kill someone. Should one need to evacuate because the #1 caught fire, the L (last) door would not be a good choice.

To me it would be a far more logical choice to work with the FAA/manufacturer to remove APU cycles from consideration and use the darn APU. Half the time the plane is so late it is silly to not use the APU as it will be started as soon as the new crew arrives at the cockpit.

Also, some airports forbid ground people from approaching an aircraft until the beacon is turned off, signifying an aircraft is (relatively) safe to approach.

 

[JS]

We ought to punch a clock like everyone else. Punch it when we show at the airport and punch it when we leave in the evening. That would stop a lot of the crap the company is pulling on us now. If they want us to sit for 3:59 in the middle of a 14 hour day, so be it, we are being paid, not sitting around for free. No need for duty rigs, just punch the clock. If they want to run understaffed, so be it (No offense to the agents, that would get you guys properly staffed instantly). And while we are at it, pay us overtime for working over 8 hours. And how about holidays? But no we have to come up with strange formulas and duty rigs...punch the clock ALPA!!!

Excellent idea. The only problem is the hourly rate will have to be less, and the mathematically challenged will cry "pay cut".