PHL Cancellations this afternoon

[nycbusdriver]

Yes! I can honestly say that over that last 4-6 months I have watched a once really great run operation in CLT go down the f'in drain!

Is it me? Or does it just seem like nobody gives a #### about getting any flights out on time!

Hiring people and paying the Mickey D wages!! You pay peanuts and you get a bunch of clowns! And what we get on the express ramp are folks that like to push 20 million dollar airplanes into each other!

CLT has really turned into a 'turd' of an operation!! In some ways its total entertainment..... in other ways just plain SAD.

CLT has been widely known as "Hillbilly Philly" for months.

 

[Itestwell]

So I guess CLT is exempt from your scenario-Along with CLE-CVG-SLC....According to your logic then we could hardly believe that US is making $ in CLT....

Oh and by the way #s are looking good in PIT without US:
http://www.timesonline.com/site/news.cfm?n...78569&rfi=6

Huh? CLE, CVG, and SLC are not in the traffic saturated east coast, which was my point. Nor did I say anywhere that CLT is not making $$$ for US. Simply stated, PHL continues to be a strong revenue generator for the company, like it or not, and connecting traffic will always be routed through there, just like EWR for CO, or JFK for DL.

Glad that traffic numbers are looking up in PIT; the average fare is way down from what it was (if the article is accurate....) Sure, US could grab a larger share of that low yield flying in PIT, thus boosting its PIT traffic numbers, but continues to see stronger revenue opportunities in places such as PHL. That's life.

Not saying PHL shouldnt have connecting customers, however if you are going to force someone to connect in PHL to fill up the rest of the plane, dont make them have 50 mins to an international connection or 30-35 mins for a domestic flight. If you push conx thru PHL, dont make it "inconvenient" for them to use US and PHL as a connecting point. How many "missed conx" and long waits do we expect people to endure? We'd be better off by making longer conx times and more realistic connecting times than we currently are. If we're going to misconx someone and make them wait 4 hours for the next flight (or the next day for intl), then we sure can offer a more realistic conx time in the first place. The way its being run right now is doing nothing but p*&&ing people off and turning them against using US. Next time they might have been offered a conx via another city, but all they'll remember is "US got me stuck in PHL overnight".

The way I see it, longer connection times require planes to be on the ground much longer, and in todays domestic revenue environment, longer ground times equal less utilization per a/c, and results in less flights with the same amount of equipment. In short, bad economics. Unless and until pax are willing to pay average fares that are more in line with the cost of doing business, major airlines will continue to push up a/c utilization times to squeeze out as many flights as possible. Looks like the cost of misconnecting is minimal compared to the cost of eliminating a bank of hub flights to extend connection times. I understand the customer inconvenience, they will never come back, etc., but the average flyer shops for price, and if US is the lowest thru Philly, then..... 😉

Did you read that a few days ago, Penelope Cruz *demanded* to be taken off a EWR-BCN flight (CO) because they had a *3* hour ground hold after pushback? It ain't just Philly, and it ain't going away. 😉

 

[JS]

Huh? CLE, CVG, and SLC are not in the traffic saturated east coast, which was my point.

neither is PIT; your point?

Nor did I say anywhere that CLT is not making $$$ for US. Simply stated, PHL continues to be a strong revenue generator for the company, like it or not, and connecting traffic will always be routed through there, just like EWR for CO, or JFK for DL.

Huh? CO has CLE and DL has CVG (as well as ATL which isn't that bad)

Glad that traffic numbers are looking up in PIT; the average fare is way down from what it was (if the article is accurate....) Sure, US could grab a larger share of that low yield flying in PIT, thus boosting its PIT traffic numbers, but continues to see stronger revenue opportunities in places such as PHL. That's life.
The way I see it, longer connection times require planes to be on the ground much longer, and in todays domestic revenue environment, longer ground times equal less utilization per a/c, and results in less flights with the same amount of equipment. In short, bad economics. Unless and until pax are willing to pay average fares that are more in line with the cost of doing business, major airlines will continue to push up a/c utilization times to squeeze out as many flights as possible. Looks like the cost of misconnecting is minimal compared to the cost of eliminating a bank of hub flights to extend connection times.

You're confusing connection time with turn time. If I have a one hour layover, it doesn't mean the plane sits for an hour waiting for me; it means I sit for an hour waiting for the plane.

I understand the customer inconvenience, they will never come back, etc., but the average flyer shops for price, and if US is the lowest thru Philly, then..... 😉

Interesting how you dismiss the fact that people won't come back, as if it's no big deal. It's crucial to staying in business! US Airways cannot continue as a going concern if the only reason people fly them is if they're the cheapest.

 

[Travelpro72]

People, PHL will remain a cluster while PIT sits idle and actually doing WELL on it's own. Nobody is disputing the fact that PHL is our money maker in the east but should be a rolling hub unlike today. Some of the connections could be brought through PIT or bypass the hub/focus cities entirely and go nonstop. PHL can't handle it and NEVER will. Forcing your customers to do it has caused nothing but problems. How long will it last? It's the attitude of management and those that support this PHL crap that overflow with ignorance and a whatever attitude. I don't think anyone here is saying bring back PIT as a major hub but it certainly CAN support and relieve PHL a bit. You don't think that CO uses CLE to relieve EWR sometimes. C'mon now. 😉

 

[Travels2mch]

CLT has been widely known as "Hillbilly Philly" for months.

Charladelphia

 

[Dog Wonder]

The way I see it, longer connection times require planes to be on the ground much longer, and in todays domestic revenue environment, longer ground times equal less utilization per a/c, and results in less flights with the same amount of equipment.

Longer connection times does not require planes to spend more time on the ground. It requires Marketing to stop selling connections requiring people and their bags to get from one flight to another in a reasonable amount of time.

That would require Marketing to go to an airport and try to make the connections they sell.

What a dumb idea. Marketing dealing with reality personally? Not their job.

 

[tadjr]

The way I see it, longer connection times require planes to be on the ground much longer, and in todays domestic revenue environment, longer ground times equal less utilization per a/c, and results in less flights with the same amount of equipment. In short, bad economics. Unless and until pax are willing to pay average fares that are more in line with the cost of doing business, major airlines will continue to push up a/c utilization times to squeeze out as many flights as possible.

Well, unless our manager got the memo wrong, this is exactly what they are doing anyway. They are adding ground time in the hubs to try to help with flight problems. I noticed the last bank at least is leaving later now in CLT and PHL which helps with misconx on the last bank (even though we're still close to misconx most nights). I wasnt stating to add half an hour to each flight turn in PHL (although this is similar to what the manager said the plan was supposed to be), I was stating that instead of a 30 min conx domestic and 50 min intl, the MINIMUM connecting time should be 1 hour domestic and 2 hours international. If the lengthening of the minimum conx time means you have to wait for the next flight 2 hours later to BGM, then you wait. At least you KNOW that you have a 2 hour wait instead of a 30 min conx (that you missed) and now HOPE the next flight in 2 hours has a seat available for you. They're two totally different things.
And while we're talking turn times, why would you pad the turn time instead of the flight time? If the plane leaves late every day anyway because it takes 40 mins to board and close the flight, yet the agents cant board until 30 mins before dept, you're just pushing the delayed time back with the padding of the ground time. The flight time is what should be padded so the plane is still skd to leave at the earlier time, but now has another 10 mins built into the flight time to help offset the delayed push.

1) PHL needs to go back to rolling hub. Come in, go out without the bank.

2) Add padding to the flight times, not the turn times.

These two things alone would help with some major issues in PHL.

 

[Travelpro72]

What was the reason we nixed the "rolling hub" in PHL before? I can't remember the explanation.

 

[AstroLounge]

What was the reason we nixed the "rolling hub" in PHL before? I can't remember the explanation.

It made too much sense. Afforded the customer a pleasnt travelling experience and didn't fit in with the Company Mission of "We're Not Happy until YOUR NOT Happy". Management prefers a Circuslike clusterf* with high drama, emotions, pissed off customers, employees in Meltdown and the list goes ON. PHL will never run like a well oiled machine but someone has to be capable of CLEANING IT UP!

 

[tadjr]

50 mins minimum conx for intl in PHL. Called PHL today regarding intl conx since there was a ground stop in/out of Florida due to tstorms across the state. PHL CSS response was "do not send them if they dont have a minimum of 40 mins to make their conx. They cant make it from B or C to A with enough time to connect if they dont have 40 mins." SOOOOOOOOOOO, with a 50 min min conx that means if we are even 10 mins late we are supposed to be busting the intl conx. Someone in marketing needs to talk to someone in PHL cause it aint happening.

**** Of course most customers went since we didnt have any protection and even with the hour plus delay made their intl flight because ------ 3 maint delays on the t/a flights. Send them.... 🙄

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

As long as the company continues to force flights through PHL and CLT, I should see a decrease in the number of pairs of sneakers I have to buy annually. This is good, because I hate going shopping for shoes. What I like better is putting my feet up while waiting for the next flight to come to the gate.

Yep. I have to say that this is the best summer I've had in a long time. The busy ones were good too, but although I miss the satisfaction of getting passengers to their destinations and making a difference in their air travel experience, I really enjoy the amount of time I have at the coffee machine and reading the newspaper.

Yeah......while PHL and CLT struggle for agents, we're giving out Voluntary Time Off and letting agents leave early so PSA can save a few pennies on the payroll. Nevermind that we're consistent at doing the right job and creating repeat business. What's most important is getting all that cash from the customer all at once at over-taxed, understaffed airports and then cancelling their flights, making sure that management bonus checks in Tempe are as fat as possible.

I mean, honestly...why would you want to earn a little bit of profit that grows from repeat business every week or so for the rest of your existence instead of getting it all at once and never having to see that customer after the second or third time of screwing up their journey?

Yep. Dem Tempe dudes is way smarter dan any of us dopes is.

 

[phillyphlyer]

50 mins minimum conx for intl in PHL. Called PHL today regarding intl conx since there was a ground stop in/out of Florida due to tstorms across the state. PHL CSS response was "do not send them if they dont have a minimum of 40 mins to make their conx. They cant make it from B or C to A with enough time to connect if they dont have 40 mins." SOOOOOOOOOOO, with a 50 min min conx that means if we are even 10 mins late we are supposed to be busting the intl conx. Someone in marketing needs to talk to someone in PHL cause it aint happening.

**** Of course most customers went since we didnt have any protection and even with the hour plus delay made their intl flight because ------ 3 maint delays on the t/a flights. Send them.... 🙄

tadjr....I usaually agree with 99.9% of what you say but I have to take issue with this...Please,please do not send busted connex to Philly....this is one of our biggest pet peeves....what are we supposed to do with them when they get here???Usually we are overbooked on the later flts or the airlines in Europe are sold out to their dest(if you can even find the correct avail in this crappy system)...night after night we have lines up the yin yang at special services

Not all intl flts are good connecting cities also....the later departures are to GLA , SNN and DUB...none of these have good connex....FRA and MUC are usually full....please take pity on us and dont say "They'll take care of you in Philly" which is what they say when they get here...

Its enough of a hell hole here already!

 

[Harry Callahan]

Folks all this company cares about is selling the connecting times to the moms & pops.

 

[john john]

Please,please do not send busted connex to Philly

Sabre use to flag all possible miss connections at check in with skycaps ticket counters and kiosk. Now SHARES every body is check in regardless of lateness of flight and miss connections

 

[tadjr]

The ZRH customers were booked the next day. The MAD and BCN people were backed up via FRA. We didnt send people to PHL with no protection, but everything is full the next day from our city and we can expect tstorms somewhere most times so its better they get halfway if they are going to have to get a place to stay anyway. The customers were adv no hotels and what their protection was before they went yesterday. The pm shift is well aware of intl conx and what cities we can backdoor most of our flights thru if there are seats available across the pond.
I wasnt advocating dumping conx in PHL with no protection. However, if we MUST send people thru PHL to get to where they're going on US, why wait ANOTHER day (and have the same thing happen again) when you can at least get part way and if you're lucky catch your flight? (Especially with the way INTL has been running recently.)