MDW storm debacle

[AdAstraPerAspera]

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2014/01/03/southwest-airlines-faced-its-worst-nightmares.html

 

[WorldTraveler]

some sources are saying that large numbers of WN rampers called in sick over the New Years period which compounded the problem..... not sure if anyone can or will confirm that.

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

AA and UA had the same conditions at ORD, but averted a crisis by preemptively canceling flights… not sure why WN didn't take the same approach… I guess its between them and the DOT to see what the penalty will be.
 
-astra

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

some sources are saying that large numbers of WN rampers called in sick over the New Years period which compounded the problem..... not sure if anyone can or will confirm that.

 
You must identify "some sources" otherwise your claim is pure bull.  

 

[robbedagain]

some sources are saying that large numbers of WN rampers called in sick over the New Years period which compounded the problem..... not sure if anyone can or will confirm that.

sources links if true? But its also very very unlikely the rampers would be at fault remember us 2004 xmas time.... also why didnt pilots divert to alternates

 

[WorldTraveler]

first reply in a thread on the subject on the blue screen aviation chat site.

A pilot type chat site says WN had technology issues as well.

I'd post links but I don't think that is permitted...

 

[SharoninSAT]

.
This weather is devastating. Thank you to everyone who is working as hard as they can to keep our operation going.
 Hats off to fe[SIZE=10pt]llow[/SIZE] CSA[SIZE=10pt]'[/SIZE]s, Ramp and OPS, Pilots, F/A's, Provisioning Agents, Crew Schedulers, Dispatchers, CS&S, SOS, 
and everyone else for working together through this snowstorm. Although it is tough out there, this is when Southwest Airlines' 
Employees rise to the challenge and take care of each other and our Customers.  Thanks ALL!
 
LUV,
[SIZE=10pt]Sharon[/SIZE]

 

[robbedagain]

so in your mind wt everyone else would have to provide links...   in order to be credible  but you cant provide one link where it says wn fsas called in sick....    i dont think they had a sick out...  may be a few here  few there  the typical but  to me the way wn did that basically is a screw up  pilots can always divert to anther airport     esp with weather like that  i dont think the dispatchers would send the plane without an alternate course  but i could be wrong

 

[WorldTraveler]

I am asking the question, robbed. I am not making an accusation.

People who use WN or Southwest related names and write as if they are WN employees are saying on various chat forums that WN had staffing related issues at MDW at the time of the operational problems and also had IT issues, also related to the pilot work rule requirements.

WN's on-time performance at MDW has been below average for WN's system and has contributed to delays on the west coast of the US. WN's on-time performance and oversale ratio has been lower than at other airlines in recent months.

Most US airlines and many US airports were impacted by the bad weather and the pilot rule changes. There is no doubt that the weather has been very bad, that on-time performance for the industry is very low compared to norms, and that cancellations across the industry are high. But no other airline at least as far as the media is reporting had multiple aircraft holding out for gates some of which were for lengths of time that probably were in violation of the DOT's tarmac rules.

I do not know what happened and that is why I asked the question if someone can confirm that information.

Something happened at WN in MDW that was different from elsewhere in the US and at other airlines over the past several days. We should be able to honestly discuss what happened on this forum.

ps... robbed, I'll send you a link...

here is a link to a public story by WN's FA union saying that WN's MDW operation did not/does not have enough ground personnel. WN says that the flights arrived at the gate within 3 hours of landing while the Chicago Aviation Dept. says there were open gates that WN could have used.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/chicago_news&id=9381714

 

[700UW]

I saw one post on airliners.net that said there was a higher rate of sick calls.
 
When the X-Mas meltdown happened in PHL years ago with US, the company was quick to blame a sickout, and the DOT's investigation proved otherwise and it was US that failed and there wasnt a sickout.
 
And according to the same posters WN has been short handed at MDW for quite sometime, not just because of the storm.

 

[robbedagain]

Thanks wt that sounds like xmas 2004 mess w US in PHL the mgmt was blamed from the link u provided me I read it to me it sounds like mgmt screw up and being ill prepared more so

 

[blue collar]

I'm livin the dream! Been trying to get to MDW for 3 days, finally had enough and rented a car. Like they say, that's the way the cookie crumbles

 

[does this plane go to paris]

WT, here I'll chime in as well.  On Christmas day I was on a DL flight.  The F/A was smiling and happy and greeting eveyone.  One of my fellow passengers stated that it was a joy to see someone from Delta being so happy at work and what it a difference it made.  The FA stated that they missed being with their family and wasn't happy about working on Christmas but there were so many sick calls and so many folks that couldn't get to work because of bad weather that they were called in on their days off.  What made them so happy was that they were making 12 times their rate.  
 
The sad thing is that Customers noticed that the only way to make a Delta F/A happy was to pay them 12 times their rate.

 

[traderjake]

Passengers Weary From Flight Delays Search Luggage Piles For Lost Bags At Midway
 
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/01/04/passengers-weary-from-flight-delays-search-luggage-piles-for-lost-bags-at-midway/

 

[700UW]

Delta doesnt pay their Flight Attendants overtime on a holiday, there was no way they paid a FA 12 times over their rate.