Problems in PHL Tonight

[Art at ISP]

OK Let me clarify a point or three.

First of all, my original post was just relaying an experience from a fellow FFOCUS board member. I know as well as any of you that weather happens, and that it is out of anyone's control. However like Bob said before, how a company RESPONDS to a situation is within their control.

The post was more a comment on Philadelphia than it was the weather or related after effects. And based on some comments from others it may be a comment on Pennsylvania in general--as to why roads and infrastructure are still iced up while in other cities and states things are more back to normal.

I am always the first one to defend the front liners--from ramp to gate to inflight to res--you guys and gals are the main and sometimes the only reason we're still here. You do an amazing job with the tools and conditions you are given to work with. However, perhaps the planning and scheduling aspect didn't work out in this case, as stated elsewhere.

I am not sure any amount of planning or different crew scheduling could have helped this situation, but maybe if you guys and gals were appreciated as much by your company as you are by us, crews would not turn their phones off etc.

I am the first to admit that I don't have all the answers---but it ain't gonna stop me from asking the questions.

Regarding this PHL issue, I will leave it to Deb to comment further.


My BEST to you all.....

 

[SKY HIGH]

First of all, my original post was just relaying an experience from a fellow FFOCUS board member. I know as well as any of you that weather happens, and that it is out of anyone's control. However like Bob said before, how a company RESPONDS to a situation is within their control.

SKY High states: It's chaos. You have a company trying to "operate" nearly THREE THOUSAND flights during a blizzard. Your response? Ok, handle it.

In reality, it's all about damage control, AFTER the effects of the blizzard are minimized. And, apparently some people think that should be, FIVE MINUTES, after the last snow flake. Unfortunately, that's not the case.


only stating opinions.

 

[luvthe9]

Weather is not US Airways fault. How they respond to it is US Airways responsibility. I remain unimpressed. 1600 flights cancelled, many because of crew time outs. Crew Timeouts ARE in US Airways Control.

And on it goes.

Crew time outs are not the companys fault ATC and weather play a bigger part. Granted there is a staffing problem but they won't hire crews for a winter storm every now and then.

 

[ALCARLOS]

........they won't hire crews for a winter storm every now and then.

Its really a matter of using the crews better. Not longer, not harder, better. Plan and execute for the optimun use of resources. Five minutes after the last snowflake, recovery should be well in progress.

 

[Harry Callahan]

OK Let me clarify a point or three.

First of all, my original post was just relaying an experience from a fellow FFOCUS board member. I know as well as any of you that weather happens, and that it is out of anyone's control. However like Bob said before, how a company RESPONDS to a situation is within their control.

The post was more a comment on Philadelphia than it was the weather or related after effects. And based on some comments from others it may be a comment on Pennsylvania in general--as to why roads and infrastructure are still iced up while in other cities and states things are more back to normal.

I am always the first one to defend the front liners--from ramp to gate to inflight to res--you guys and gals are the main and sometimes the only reason we're still here. You do an amazing job with the tools and conditions you are given to work with. However, perhaps the planning and scheduling aspect didn't work out in this case, as stated elsewhere.

I am not sure any amount of planning or different crew scheduling could have helped this situation, but maybe if you guys and gals were appreciated as much by your company as you are by us, crews would not turn their phones off etc.

I am the first to admit that I don't have all the answers---but it ain't gonna stop me from asking the questions.

Regarding this PHL issue, I will leave it to Deb to comment further.
My BEST to you all.....

Art, you are so right. If we were appericate by the company as much as you folks I feel things would be a little different.

 

[LongTimeF/A]

When the weather gets bad it has always screwed up operations.. Summer thunderstorms, ice storms, and snow.. It always happens.. crew go illegal, ramp is a nightmare and the list goes on and on..I don't have a solution, I've seen it for 29yrs.. I guess when your looking in from the outside, the solution looks obvious, but here on the inside a lot of us are just shaking our heads and thinking here we go again... just thinking out loud... :huh:

 

[Phoenix]

When the weather gets bad it has always screwed up operations.. Summer thunderstorms, ice storms, and snow.. It always happens.. crew go illegal, ramp is a nightmare and the list goes on and on..I don't have a solution, I've seen it for 29yrs.. ...

And to think 29 years of seniority at USAir is barely enough to keep someone employed (in the East)

All the reserve pilots in PHL that wouldn't answer the phone on their off day were hired between 1985 and 1989 and are on 90 minute call out reserve.

20 plus years of being on Reserve (and supposedly the pilots have it so much better than all the other employees)....


It is a mystery to me why there is not melt down everyday.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Why would I want to? So I can work with the likes of you?

I came from the Printing Trades, a high stress tight deadline business. I was in operations and Operations management. I pulled the 36 hour non stop shifts to satisfy a customer, So go F yourself. You wouldn't know the first or the last thing about Customer Satisfaction otherwise your company would have NEVER dumped that piece of excrement of a website on us. You showed right there for all to see just how much you value customers.

If you treat your people correctly they will jump through hoops for you. Treat them like cattle or worse and they forget you exist in times of need. Just like they did the last few days. Paybacks really suck don't they?

If I was an airline expert I'd have a job above yours and my first move would be to fire your customer unfriendly arse.

As ye sow, so shall ye reap

 

[hp-csr-phx]

I hope the whole shares/sabre problem will be fixed in two weeks. I know when we code shared with CO, we could do anything with a CO flight. Print boarding passes, look up PBT's, view the standby list etc. Just glad I'm not working that weekend.

 

[noname]

I remember one time calling a passenger at the home number to explain that their flight had been canceled because of weather. I got an earful. When I offered alternatives, the passenger declined to rebook..he or she was unable to get to the airport because of the snow. Sometimes you just can't win..........It's all in the presentation. I've heard people create irates just because of the tone in their voice. Any job dealing with people, the public, can be difficult. You just gotta go with the flow and try not to let it get to you. I feel very much for all the employees and passengers that have had to deal with the weather problems recently, but it sure was nice to know that I didn't have to deal with it. Good luck to all

 

[US1YFARE]

After re-booking me for like the 3rd time, US's IT systems decides that I "No-Showed" for my flight and cancels my return flight. Well just the Mesa Portion. US has CONTROL :down:

PB,

I think that is because of a booking error by the CSR. That almost happened to me the other day and the US1 desk caught it...everytime I would call or approach a gate agent, they would tell me how much of a mess my record was--I said, well, clean it up then...and then they noticed that the way I was protected on a flight it would have caused my entire reservation to cancel out if I didn't show up for the flight--she said it was because of the way that the CSR booked it.

 

[US1YFARE]

Pssssst! It was the CP desk that did all of the changes.

That's who screwed up mine, too. Psssst, the US1 desk isn't as good as it used to be.

 

[BoeingBoy]

After reading thru this, it seems like ice-covered ramps are the main problem. I assume that the ramps look like they've been painted white by now since US surely spread tons of granulated urea to melt that ice.

Jim

 

[luvn737s]

Why would I want to? So I can work with the likes of you?

I came from the Printing Trades, a high stress tight deadline business. I was in operations and Operations management. I pulled the 36 hour non stop shifts to satisfy a customer, So go F yourself. You wouldn't know the first or the last thing about Customer Satisfaction otherwise your company would have NEVER dumped that piece of excrement of a website on us. You showed right there for all to see just how much you value customers.

If you treat your people correctly they will jump through hoops for you. Treat them like cattle or worse and they forget you exist in times of need. Just like they did the last few days. Paybacks really suck don't they?

If I was an airline expert I'd have a job above yours and my first move would be to fire your customer unfriendly arse.

As ye sow, so shall ye reap

BOBee, the BOBster, BOBABOBAbingbang MAKin' the COPies, DELIVerin' the toner, CRITCIZIN' the airlines, THINKin'the airlines and the people who work them aren't interrelated, UNDERMINin' the morale of people who are quite aware of how tough their job is, QUOTin' scripture! (with apologes to Rob Schneider and SNL)

 

[SKY HIGH]

Sky High,
I'm frankly a little insulted by the above. Not a lot, just a teen tiny bit. Let's look at some of "Issues" that took place over the last 72 hours or so.

sky high states: It's NEVER my intention to insult anyone here, especially a frequent flyer. MOST of us, both employees and passengers "suffered" through the experience of this snow/ice storm. In four days, I sat at the gate for a total of 13 HOURS WORTH OF DELAYS, 5 hours on my second day, 4 hours TWICE on my third day, and finally got home late on the fourth.
My expectations????? I knew my trip would NOT go as planned, delayed and have alot of upset passengers, THAT WAS A GIVEN.
I think I understand your frustration. Your let-down wasnt even related to the storm, but you had to deal with BOTH.



ONLY stating "OPINIONS"........ Bob and ART.

<smile>