When I flew CLT-SEA last Tuesday, I left from gate B1 and noticed a new, permanent counter next to the door with no signage on it. It was white and looked like the counter was granite or imitiation-granite. It looked really nice, but why are these being put in, and who is paying for them, US or the airport?
New Gate Podiums At Clt
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usairways_vote_NO
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To do away with manpower? Gate readers?
I believe they're doing the same thing NW did in their hubs. They're going to have a single agent for all functions at a gate.
Under many circumstances, this can be fine. Nonetheless, there are too many instances where two people are needed.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I was passing through MSP and the lone agent had a bunch of people come up to the podium right after she started boarding, despite having been in the boarding area for at least twenty minutes. Apparently they needed something changed with their ticket (I didn't stick around to find out what).
The problem should be obvious. She cannot handle boarding and the other functions simultaneously. Yes, the readers speed the process up, but not enough for a single person to handle everything every time. They really need to have floaters or something if they're going down this path.
Under many circumstances, this can be fine. Nonetheless, there are too many instances where two people are needed.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I was passing through MSP and the lone agent had a bunch of people come up to the podium right after she started boarding, despite having been in the boarding area for at least twenty minutes. Apparently they needed something changed with their ticket (I didn't stick around to find out what).
The problem should be obvious. She cannot handle boarding and the other functions simultaneously. Yes, the readers speed the process up, but not enough for a single person to handle everything every time. They really need to have floaters or something if they're going down this path.
Light Years
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They have these in PIT now too, specifically at the end of B where the Embraers are going out of. This is to make it a one-man operation with gate readers. I heard the larger gate podiums will go- this is a dumb idea. No signage but the small ones by the actual door? They should get more modern ones like UA in ORD with information on them (it cuts down on people in line with general info questions).
The big question is who answers questions, takes care of problems that arise, while the single agent is stuffing the gate reader? Particularly since there are not many Special Services desks left. I dont think there are any in PHL.
The only way it would work is if there more special services desks staffed suffieciently to handle other issues than getting on the plane with a boarding pass (does mgmt understand theres so much more going on than that?)
The big question is who answers questions, takes care of problems that arise, while the single agent is stuffing the gate reader? Particularly since there are not many Special Services desks left. I dont think there are any in PHL.
The only way it would work is if there more special services desks staffed suffieciently to handle other issues than getting on the plane with a boarding pass (does mgmt understand theres so much more going on than that?)
Dont call me Shirley
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What do ya think the &@$*% kiosks are for? <_<Light Years said:
That'd be great if the kiosks could handle irregular ops, or people ticketed on UA but flying on US (or does it do that? I know online checkin doesn't), or trying to get people on separate records to sit together, or....Dont call me Shirley said:
But they don't.
Dont call me Shirley
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mweiss,mweiss said:
I'm sorry that your sarcasm detector was was "off". 😀
jimntx
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If the experience at AA is any indicator, this will result in semi-chaos that will, of course, be blamed upon the remaining agent for "not being efficient and able to multi-task."
Once boarding begins, the agent is the only means of communication between the flight crew and catering, the ramp, etc. The flight attendants can not leave the a/c if there is even one passenger on board. In theory if there is a catering issue for instance, the cockpit can call the tower who can then call catering. However, IF the message gets passed on--doubtful during high traffic ops--it usually is so garbled that the wrong catering is brought to the a/c, if brought at all.
When there are seat dupes, the passengers are going to LOVE having to go all the way back up the jetbridge to the podium to get the situation corrected. Whose going to let the gate agent know that the overhead bins are full and they need to start gate checking carryons?
Of course, the agent could just shut down the boarding process periodically, run down the jetbridge to check for problems, then run back up. Yeah, that's the ticket. That's sure to work. As I said at the beginning, all this would be moot if the agent were just more efficient. <_<
I realized within 2 months of starting flying that the gate agent has just about the hardest job at the airline. Nothing in the past 4 years has changed that opinion. Good luck to you guys.
Once boarding begins, the agent is the only means of communication between the flight crew and catering, the ramp, etc. The flight attendants can not leave the a/c if there is even one passenger on board. In theory if there is a catering issue for instance, the cockpit can call the tower who can then call catering. However, IF the message gets passed on--doubtful during high traffic ops--it usually is so garbled that the wrong catering is brought to the a/c, if brought at all.
When there are seat dupes, the passengers are going to LOVE having to go all the way back up the jetbridge to the podium to get the situation corrected. Whose going to let the gate agent know that the overhead bins are full and they need to start gate checking carryons?
Of course, the agent could just shut down the boarding process periodically, run down the jetbridge to check for problems, then run back up. Yeah, that's the ticket. That's sure to work. As I said at the beginning, all this would be moot if the agent were just more efficient. <_<
I realized within 2 months of starting flying that the gate agent has just about the hardest job at the airline. Nothing in the past 4 years has changed that opinion. Good luck to you guys.
It's not ideal, but ground-based two-way radios could do the trick. Give one to an FA before boarding, and the other one is held by the GA. That'd be able to address the communication issue there.
You'd still have trouble with things like catering. I guess boarding gets stopped while the GA calls catering?
The single GA idea is one of those that works fine...until you actually try to do it.
You'd still have trouble with things like catering. I guess boarding gets stopped while the GA calls catering?
The single GA idea is one of those that works fine...until you actually try to do it.
MarkMyWords
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Jim -
As it is now, you scenario's don't even work when you have two gate agents. When one agent is boarding, the other isn't making periodic walks down the jetway to see if catering is correct or if the overhead bins are full. The second gate agent is walking down on the jetway to see if there are any dupe seat issues. So whether there is 1 or 2 agents, your scenario's don't hold water here.
Where you will see a definite challenge is when there are standbys to be cleared, volunteers that need to be solicited, oversales to be worked, non-revs to add to the standby list, seat changes, assist customers, unaccompanies, etc. Having only one agent at a gate will be a nightmare. Toss in a hub bound filght that may be running late and then misconnect issues and you may never get the plane boarded.
There will definitly have to be a system in place to have floaters in place to assist in these types of situations. CAR's will have to be available to help board customers as well as deplaning them. Supervisors will have to be more proactive about doing the soliciting of volunteers for oversales. I don't think this has been thought out very well myself. Yes it would be great to have the computers by the door, but the center podiums still need at least 1 computer for every 2 gates so that if you do have a floater, they have a place to work from without impeeding the boarding process.
I have a question for any of the agents on here.....when a flight is wide open, why aren't they unrestricted so that non-revs can seat assign themselves at the kiosks when they check in? Wouldn't this help eliminate some of the burden at the gate? Of course, if the flight isn't full, then the burden at the gate would be less.....just curious. I have been on flights booked to 20 out of 50 or 50 out of 120 and they are always restricted from non-revs seat assigning themselves at the kiosks.
As it is now, you scenario's don't even work when you have two gate agents. When one agent is boarding, the other isn't making periodic walks down the jetway to see if catering is correct or if the overhead bins are full. The second gate agent is walking down on the jetway to see if there are any dupe seat issues. So whether there is 1 or 2 agents, your scenario's don't hold water here.
Where you will see a definite challenge is when there are standbys to be cleared, volunteers that need to be solicited, oversales to be worked, non-revs to add to the standby list, seat changes, assist customers, unaccompanies, etc. Having only one agent at a gate will be a nightmare. Toss in a hub bound filght that may be running late and then misconnect issues and you may never get the plane boarded.
There will definitly have to be a system in place to have floaters in place to assist in these types of situations. CAR's will have to be available to help board customers as well as deplaning them. Supervisors will have to be more proactive about doing the soliciting of volunteers for oversales. I don't think this has been thought out very well myself. Yes it would be great to have the computers by the door, but the center podiums still need at least 1 computer for every 2 gates so that if you do have a floater, they have a place to work from without impeeding the boarding process.
I have a question for any of the agents on here.....when a flight is wide open, why aren't they unrestricted so that non-revs can seat assign themselves at the kiosks when they check in? Wouldn't this help eliminate some of the burden at the gate? Of course, if the flight isn't full, then the burden at the gate would be less.....just curious. I have been on flights booked to 20 out of 50 or 50 out of 120 and they are always restricted from non-revs seat assigning themselves at the kiosks.
Agents in Pit told me that all of the big podiums are going to be removed. They are not being used anymore. The Agents stand at the small podium by the Jetway door now. There are at present, usually 2, maybe 3 Agents. They told me eventually it will be just 1 Agent there. And since, F/A's are not allowed off the airplanes for any reason, while boarding, this could present alot of problems.
This is just one more way to stress out the Agents and F/A's even more.
This is just one more way to stress out the Agents and F/A's even more.
