WHAT ARE WE RUNNING HERE AN AIRLINE OR A CIRCUS

[Hope777]

Just to add to the other day in EWR, SOC ( WEST ) decided to ferry up aircraft from BWI to arrive around 7pm (this is the 8am departure that they cancelled) to run an extra section to CLT. The flight was booked full and most passengers were around ALL DAY. Well the airplane gets to EWR and SOC decides to Cancell the extra section to CLT and ferry the aircraft to PBI. Well, DUH, ferry it BWI-PBI and avoid the near riot conditons you caused in EWR. THIS COMPANY IS A JOKE !!!!!!! Make ONE decison and stick to it.

 

[YVINTERN]

That's the truth......what a pity what has become of it.....they have ruined the USAirways name.

The Irony of this whole fiasco is...

Flying on US Airways during BK II You could tell all the employees were overworked...stressed...but they all knew something...that they would overcome all obstacles and re-emerge.

Comes America West and their "Operation Zanibar" plans if they couldn't buy out some airline...They see US is in BKII and US knows without HP they wouldn't survive...HP knew this too and they also knew they wouldn't survive doing the same old bull$h1t "Business Casual" plan.

Flying on US Airways during the transition period(and we are not done transiting yet folks!) I've had the pleasure of working for AWA three months at DCA while I was in college in DC and let me tell you folks...This is not the AWA I remember working for...and this is not the US that I remember flying since 1999...What gives is our incompetent all glorified upper management...Screw those friggin morons in Tempe however I'm sticking it out until the day US Airways becomes on par with Southwest and gets rid of the First Class Cabin...the Envoy product...no more express flights...28" pitch...surcharges on beverages & snacks on all flights...Until the day that happens...DP and JO in Phoenix can suck on Big Balls Airlines!

 

[SKY HIGH]

yep we got problems ...

sky high states: We're NOT ALONE: http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/

Friday, June 29, 2007
With schedules packed, storms can decimate flight schedules
One of the best stories on this past week's round of delays and cancellations comes from The Star-Ledger of Newark. The paper puts the nationwide delay problem into perspective by taking a look at how airlines dealt with yesterday's storms at Newark Liberty International, one of the most delay-prone airports in the USA.

The paper's story –- a good read for those wanting more on the subject –- says "yesterday's flight operations at Newark … , where more than 200 flights were canceled, provide a stark illustration of an airline industry so overburdened that a mild summer storm –- or even the fear of one -– can wreak havoc across the nation. It was not yet even 8 a.m., as early forecasts indicated severe thunderstorm activity brewing along a wide swath of the Northeast, stretching from Boston straight down to Washington, D.C."

The Star-Ledger says that even "with the skies over Newark still a pale blue and the air sauna-like, the airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration started taking steps to drastically thin out the volume of air traffic scheduled to head into Newark Liberty long before the weather hit." The paper notes that in ideal conditions, Newark can land as many as 52 planes an hour.

Throughout the day, the FAA lowered the number of landings at Newark to 38. Officials before anticipated that would eventually drop to only 30 -– meaning nearly half of the airport's scheduled flights would not be able to land. And, of course, the poor weather also slowed or grounded departures from the airport. "It's controlled chaos," one Newark air traffic controller tells the paper. "We're very frustrated in the tower because we can't get anyone off the ground. The pilots are screaming. ... It's a lot of pressure."

(Read below for media accounts on individual fliers who had their travel plans disrupted.)

Posted at 01:15 PM/ET, Jun 29, 2007 in Storm delays and cancellations | Permalink | Comments 3
Fliers share travel nightmares with the media
"Canceled flights, lost luggage and getting stuck in Chicago on your way to a dream vacation in Paris. It's nobody's idea of summer fun," that's from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, which writes one of the many stories this week about what's shaping up to be a painful summer for air travel. And media across the country have had few problems tracking down fliers with tales of woe. Read on for numerous accounts uncovered by various newspapers.

Cancellation rebookings get flier labeled as 'high flight risk'
The Detroit Free Press writes that "numerous cancellations and rebookings on (Northwest passenger)Mike Hicks' itinerary on Saturday caused computers to label him a high flight risk, which led to further delays and luggage checks. At one point, he was rebooked on a trip home that would have had him traveling for 16 hours from California to New Jersey, Florida and finally Detroit."

The paper says "he was taken off the flight and rebooked on an overbooked flight from which he was bumped. He was sent to Delta without paperwork, only to be sent back to Northwest to get proof that he was legitimately sent that way. Eventually, he took a flight to Salt Lake City, where Northwest staff compensated him with a free ticket. 'Hopefully they'll get this situation straightened out,' he said. 'It does affect so many people's lives.' "


'I have to pay to stay overnight,' flier says
From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "Bob Snyder, a business traveler who was trying to fly home to Boston, arrived two hours early for his flight only to learn it was delayed two hours. After calling United Airlines' 800 number from the airport, he was told to take the delayed flight to Chicago, spend the night in that city and then catch a flight the next morning to Boston. 'Everything was full,' he said, as he pushed his luggage forward in a line that snaked through the terminal. 'I have to pay to stay overnight in Chicago. It's very frustrating.' "

NWA cancelations mar school trip to Vatican
The Indianapolis Star writes that "Maria Gallina expected her opportunity to be in the choir for a Mass at the Vatican to be 'overwhelmingly important and spiritual.' A canceled flight Thursday, however, dashed those hopes for the 15-year-old second soprano. In all, about a quarter of the 83 Indianapolis Children's Choir members selected to take the 10-day trip missed the first stop of a seven-stop singing tour through Italy today because of the flight problem."

"Their plans to fly from Indianapolis to Detroit, New York and then to Europe were thwarted when Northwest Airlines canceled the second leg of the journey because of poor weather on the East Coast and a logjam of flights. … The choir members' canceled New York flight was one of hundreds at Northwest the past week. Airline spokesman Dean Breest said a combination of air-traffic control problems, weather and unusually high absenteeism among pilots caused a cancellation rate of almost 11 percent of its average 1,400 flights a day over the weekend."

'I've never experienced anything like this,' DFW flier says after 3-day delay
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration) writes "Rick and Jan Coyne have been stranded in north Texas since Tuesday. They have been trying to fly American Airlines from Detroit to their home in Fresno, Calif., connecting through Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. But persistent thunderstorms over the Metroplex have meant days of delays and cancellations that have had them scrambling for a hotel room, spending the night at the airport on cots and surviving with just the contents of their carry-on bags."

"The weather has added hundreds of dollars of expenses to their trip, caused Rick Coyne to miss three days of work at a shipping company, and pushed the couple's patience to the limit. 'I've never experienced anything like this,' he said as the couple passed the time Thursday, waiting for scarce standby slots in DFW's Terminal C. They weren't confirmed for a flight out until this morning."

Fort Lauderdale-New York trip takes 25-hours
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (free registation) says "a 2 ½-hour JetBlue Airways flight bound from Fort Lauderdale to New York on Wednesday turned into a 25-hour odyssey that finally ended Thursday afternoon, as a chain of problems left 150 passengers staggered by the mind-boggling delay. … Flight 62's takeoff at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday was delayed for three hours. The jet departed, only to be diverted by bad weather to Atlantic City, N.J., where passengers stewed on the tarmac for four hours. At 12:30 a.m. Thursday, they were allowed off the plane. It would be another four hours until they finally were sent to a hotel for the night. The flight ultimately arrived at JFK International Airport at 3:21 p.m. Thursday."

"JetBlue said it would issue a full refund to Flight 62 passengers and would also give them free round-trip vouchers. … Azim Khan, of Fort Lauderdale, said he felt abandoned by JetBlue's representatives (in Atlantic City). Kahn said that upon landing around 8:30 p.m. passengers were told that buses would soon arrive to transfer them to JFK. The promised buses never came. Passengers ultimately took taxis at their own expense to a nearby hotel where JetBlue had secured rooms for the night, he said. The taxi fares will be reimbursed."

As for JetBlue's efforts, the Sun-Sentinel writes airline "spokesman Todd Burke said Thursday's situation was very unusual. Storms had caused multiple JetBlue delays on the East Coast and led several planes to divert to Atlantic City, where it normally does not fly. With no ground crew or staff in Atlantic City, the airline's contracted representatives did their best to locate buses for the trip to JFK. But after calling several casinos and about 45 bus companies, they found none could do the job, Burke said."

Newark fliers admit defeat: 'It looks like we're not going to make it'
The Star-Ledger of Newark tells us of "Noelette McCarthy and Anna Bowen, both of Ireland, were trying to reach Lexington, Ky., where Bowen's nephew was scheduled to get married last night at 6:30 p.m. The best Continental could promise them was a 3:05 p.m. flight for Lexington, leaving little margin for getting to the church on time. The women had arrived in Newark from Shannon, Ireland, at about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday morning in plenty of time for a 3:05 p.m. connection to Kentucky, but then had to wait four hours to board the plane."

The paper says "they sat on the runway for another four hours as Wednesday's thunderstorms swept the area, before the flight was canceled. The two slept on the floor of the airport, trying throughout the day without success to get a flight out. A Continental agent told them there were no flights with seats available anywhere. Hours later, McCarthy admitted defeat. 'It looks like we're not going to make it,' she said."

Posted at 01:06 PM/ET, Jun 29, 2007 in Storm delays and cancellations | Permalink | Comments 1
AA accelerates jet deliveries
Reuters writes that American Airlines "on Thursday said it has moved up the delivery of six additional Boeing 737-800 aircraft into the first half of 2009. The carrier said in March it pulled forward the delivery of 47 Boeing 737-800 aircraft under a previously existing purchase commitment with Boeing." Reuters adds that AA "intends eventually to replace its 300 aging, gas-guzzling MD-80s. The MD-80 is no longer manufactured and consumes more fuel than the 737 models."

Posted at 12:02 PM/ET, Jun 29, 2007 in American, Plane news (Airbus, Boeing, etc.) | Permalink | Comments 7
'Who gets the seats?'
That's the question asked by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (free registration), which writes that "because airplane loads are so full this summer, when flights are canceled, hundreds of passengers must compete for just a few extra seats on later flights. Here's how American Airlines doles out those precious seats: Elderly and disabled passengers, and unaccompanied minors, have first priority. The most frequent fliers -- those who have achieved "platinum" and "executive platinum" status in American's program -- are next. Everyone else is then added to the list, ranked by how early they checked in for their flight. The last to check in are at the bottom of the list, and could wait days for an available seat."

 

[JS]

...
Fort Lauderdale-New York trip takes 25-hours
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (free registation) says "a 2 ½-hour JetBlue Airways flight bound from Fort Lauderdale to New York on Wednesday turned into a 25-hour odyssey that finally ended Thursday afternoon, as a chain of problems left 150 passengers staggered by the mind-boggling delay. … Flight 62's takeoff at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday was delayed for three hours. The jet departed, only to be diverted by bad weather to Atlantic City, N.J., where passengers stewed on the tarmac for four hours. At 12:30 a.m. Thursday, they were allowed off the plane. It would be another four hours until they finally were sent to a hotel for the night. The flight ultimately arrived at JFK International Airport at 3:21 p.m. Thursday."

"JetBlue said it would issue a full refund to Flight 62 passengers and would also give them free round-trip vouchers. … Azim Khan, of Fort Lauderdale, said he felt abandoned by JetBlue's representatives (in Atlantic City). Kahn said that upon landing around 8:30 p.m. passengers were told that buses would soon arrive to transfer them to JFK. The promised buses never came. Passengers ultimately took taxis at their own expense to a nearby hotel where JetBlue had secured rooms for the night, he said. The taxi fares will be reimbursed."

As for JetBlue's efforts, the Sun-Sentinel writes airline "spokesman Todd Burke said Thursday's situation was very unusual. Storms had caused multiple JetBlue delays on the East Coast and led several planes to divert to Atlantic City, where it normally does not fly. With no ground crew or staff in Atlantic City, the airline's contracted representatives did their best to locate buses for the trip to JFK. But after calling several casinos and about 45 bus companies, they found none could do the job, Burke said."

...

That is the way to run an airline.

 

[N924PS]

That is the way to run an airline.

And a horrible way to run the National Airspace System.

Blame this one on the FAA's systemic problems that are years if not decades from being solved, if ever.

The RNAV/GPS equipped aircraft operating in the ATC System today are much more advanced than the FAA's technologies that are used to control them.

But they did warns us in advance this would be a record summer of discontent and they have managed to deliver on that promise.

 

[flygirl74]

The part that was missing was you.


What do you mean..came at the end? The last person hired was in 2000. We are in 2007. Some of these "last to show up" people have been thru a lot worse. Furlough, numerous recall then no your not letters, MidTitanic, abuse by their own peers comes to mind.
So just because one hasn't been slinging Cokes for 45 years one isn't good enough?? This isn't rocket science. :down:

 

[SKY HIGH]

That is the way to run an airline.

sky high states: SUREEEEEEEEEEEEE. So, I guess everytime SFO is fogged in, everyone should get a refund AND FREE VOUCHERS?

That's the way to run an airline INTO THE GROUND.


only stating opinions

 

[AstroLounge]

Any updates from the Circus? I have been on hiatus.....someone please tell me your latest HORROR? Employee or Customer.......don't hold back and please don't let NWA get all the Bad Press this Holiday Weekend! EMBR and Travelpro let it RIP........

 

[Hello Newman]

Sorry Charlie. It was a great airline by many standards! You just refuse to remember.

Bankruptcy and union busting execs hired by the legacies have ruined the industry with their "downsizing of labor, wages, and idea of "small jets" as the only business model they could come up with to reduce capacity.

With regard to the above post....me thinks NOW would be a good time to "regulate".

LCC MUST WORK FOR THE PIT POST GAZETTE

 

[LCC_#1]

LCC MUST WORK FOR THE PIT POST GAZETTE

No Newman, I don't choose to be in denial and act like all the woes of US Airways started the day AWA took over. Yes, they are the stupidest management team known to mankind, but to use words like "GREAT" for ANY timeframe of US Airways is laughable. GREAT??? Try MEDIOCRE at best.

In 20 years I have NEVER EVER heard a passenger, press, or organization refer to US Airways as great. If you do, please post the thread or link. I would LOVE to see that.

 

[SegmentKing]

I think its a sad sad day when Mesa's running a better show than mainline.... but its been repetitive over and over and over... so has HP lowered itself to Mesa's standards? or has Mesa just gotten better and no one has noticed?

 

[Travelpro72]

Well I'll be out there tomorrow in the friendly skies. I won't let it bother me. The way I see it anymore, I'm here to point at exits and sling a drink. If you turn gray maybe defib your A$$. Nothing more and nothing less. I have enough going on in the personal life. I don't need to get all pissed off, overheated and disgruntled while I'm working. When a passenger complains I say, "hmmm imagine working here". I DO use the DOT complaint answer now. I feel bad really but NOTHING is in our control. We will have the once a year morons flying soon and I'm going to have as little interaction in the cabin as possible.

 

[YVINTERN]

I think its a sad sad day when Mesa's running a better show than mainline.... but its been repetitive over and over and over... so has HP lowered itself to Mesa's standards? or has Mesa just gotten better and no one has noticed?

I think HP lowered it's standards then Mesa spun it off as the Regional carrier getting better

 

[philly rocks]

Answer to the thread question:


CIRCUS !!!!!!

 

[AIRBORN1]

<_< Have you checked out United's stats lately? Trust me, the worst thing we could do is merge with UA right now.

United Airlines wont be around long either. Beijing was cancel two days in a row from washington dulles and our manager came into our briefing to tell us that we lost a big account on our kuwait flight because rudeness from a flight attendant. The real story is that United pissed off the passenger and his team of business travelers because the planes are always broken and the seats are fallen apart and no headsets no amenity kits in first and business class. The true MIddle Eastern passenger aren't going to put up with this management that cancels flights or doesnt fix the Planes. Qatar airways is starting nonstop service to the middle east so they will just fly the best and screw ual. Instead United Management tries to blame it on the flight attendants service when infact its the company who doesnt care about its people flying us. I only put this on your board because Doug parker and Glenn Tilton are setting both carriers up for sale. At least UAL isnt buying planes so something is up. Instead United service is the worst with usairway.. Yes- the other carrier like AA and NW are having the same problems. The carriers are taken the money and don't care about the passenger only the ceo's pocket. This can't go for much longer before someone steps in like those famous share holders who might care why the company is going into the tubes.