More Inflight internet access...finally!

[Skymess]

Isn't it ironic, that on the internet available transcon flights where lines of thunderstorms are present across the country, the passengers with laptops
are going to have a better picture of the weather than the pilots up front.

I personally love the service. I think it's fantastic.

They don't give non revs a break. Some people have special codes we pass on to each other which are supposed to work for a few weeks that mysteriously stop working after a day or two when too many people are probably signing up with the code!

Last week we had to circle in the center of the country for an hour and a half because of east coast weather. We kept going back and forth between flight aware and the weather sites. On flight aware we just watched the plane going in circles. On the screen it looked like the pilot was trying to write his name with the airplane.

 

[KCKKen]

I hear that MCI has started the Aircell installations again. Does anyone know how its going? We're hearing they're working all three shifts 8 hrs a day. Any overtime?

Overtime? What the (text excised) is that?

Oh yeah, we're doing that Aircell crap again -- we might (heavy emphasis on might) have enough mechanics allotted to this nonsense (to run ONE or TWO lines) spread out over THREE lines at this time. The biggest "stupid move of the century" has to be to the idiots that constantly rave about how TUL is doing them "in 9 hours" but never mention the headcount they use versus the headcount we have. Second biggest "SMOTC" is how they're cramming not one, not two but THREE MD-80's and ONE 767 into ONE BAY (one 80 with it's nose only in the hangar) when there's a whole (text excised) building of hangar bays shuttered within walking distance. Right now, there's a total of six planes (767 x2, 757 x1, MD-80 x3) shoehorned into two widebody bays. All to save money? Puh-leeze, the city was practically giving them that building -- just AArogance and lack of commitment to MCI, not that they'd AAdmit it.......

As far as "how it's going," we might be working "all 3 shifts, 8 hours a day" but we don't have the manpower to staff them all adequately. Some of the people dumped into this fiasco are new to it this time, and even some with very limited MD-80 experience. You sure as hell won't see "9 hour" turns anytime soon.

 

[Birdman]

Overtime? What the (text excised) is that?

Oh yeah, we're doing that Aircell crap again -- we might (heavy emphasis on might) have enough mechanics allotted to this nonsense (to run ONE or TWO lines) spread out over THREE lines at this time. The biggest "stupid move of the century" has to be to the idiots that constantly rave about how TUL is doing them "in 9 hours" but never mention the headcount they use versus the headcount we have. Second biggest "SMOTC" is how they're cramming not one, not two but THREE MD-80's and ONE 767 into ONE BAY (one 80 with it's nose only in the hangar) when there's a whole (text excised) building of hangar bays shuttered within walking distance. Right now, there's a total of six planes (767 x2, 757 x1, MD-80 x3) shoehorned into two widebody bays. All to save money? Puh-leeze, the city was practically giving them that building -- just AArogance and lack of commitment to MCI, not that they'd AAdmit it.......

As far as "how it's going," we might be working "all 3 shifts, 8 hours a day" but we don't have the manpower to staff them all adequately. Some of the people dumped into this fiasco are new to it this time, and even some with very limited MD-80 experience. You sure as hell won't see "9 hour" turns anytime soon.

Of late there seems to be ample room to keep one aircraft in dock at a time base wide. It does appear TUL and MCI are not operating from the same playbook as we certainly aren't stacking a/c on top of each other. The one Aircell line has 26 mechanics labor loaned to a single shop, single shift, 4 hours mandatory overtime, and no vacations or field trips allowed. The headcount is excessive for the mod but needed to clear fmr's and non-routines. I don't know of late what idiots are raving about the 9 hr. turns, but believe me, management is never satisfied. They're answer to perfection is to tweak it till is ceased to function.