WN doesn't trust foreign ice, water, lav service

[WorldTraveler]

The WSJ in an article today highlights the changes taking place as WN becomes an int'l airline, including requiring many employees to get passports and teaching pilots to do walkarounds before every flight and communicate information to ATC that they don't have to provide while flying in the US.

the most interesting

"Southwest stocks planes leaving the U.S. with extra peanuts and pretzels and double ice, half of which is carried in coolers in the belly of the plane until needed for the return trip. It also fills the planes water tanks to the brim and ensures that the lavatory tanks are empty before departure."

The subscriber only article can be found under the title "Steep Learning Curve for Southwest as It Flies Overseas"

 

[eolesen]

You think the water/ice issue is unique to WN? Lots of carriers have done this where there isn't reliable water filtration in place. Hotels in MX pay big bucks for that level of confidence with guests. So so airlines who can control their catering.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Hotels don't bring ice from the US.

And plz don't tell me that AA or any other carrier with sizable operations in Latin America hasn't figured out how to source safe supplies and do it in a timely manner.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

We always sterilized and completely topped off potable h2o tanks on all the international NWA flights. We also routinely tested our water at our domestic stations.

I would make it a point to drink the water from the galleys in front of the crew to show them the confidence I had in my systems. I was very thorough in following the proper protocol as were my Maint crews.

 

[WorldTraveler]

testing water tanks is REQUIRED by the US government, is it not? and is it also not true that most countries do not require that water on US aircraft meet drinking water standards?

Given that US aircraft regularly fly outside of the US, they must be filled by water that comes from outside of the US.

The notion that any airline cannot find safe, clean food and water is simply inaccurate.

and foreign vendors are more than capable of providing service that is as fast as any US caterer can do.

 

[Kev3188]

Given that US aircraft regularly fly outside of the US, they must be filled by water that comes from outside of the US.

Not necessarily...

 

[WorldTraveler]

feel free to tell me what longhaul int'l flights DL operates are filled with water for the round-trip.

Even talking about Central America, let me know one the cities where DL or any other carrier has categorically said they will not put any water in the tanks in that city.

if even ONE DROP of water is added in those locations and the water is not clean, the tanks are contaminated until they are cleaned again.

The only way to say that a carrier is sure they will not obtain any contaminants in a foreign country is if they never even connect the supply hose to the aircraft.

Unless you can tell me otherwise, I don't think any such location exists for any US carrier.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

Not necessarily...

No reason to respond Kev. This guy has absolutely no clue as to what actually happens in maint/ramp ops.

 

[WorldTraveler]

no, I do get it.

tanks aren't ALWAYS filled but if they are filled even ONE TIME, then the tank is contaminated.

and DL most assuredly does not fill water tanks or haul any other supply - fuel included - on flights UNLESS there is a known reason they cannot obtain what they need on the other end.

and, yes, Kev or someone else who is currently on the ramp at any airline most certainly does need to reply if there are locations where a carrier has a standing order to not fill water tanks.

it is NOT the practice of the US industry to avoid acquiring supplies in foreign locations including to NOT service the lavs or fill water tanks.

 

[eolesen]

Keep feeding your delusions of grandeur and knowledge of below the wing, WT...

Consumption of potable water isn't as high as you'd expect, so it's entirely feasible to fill in the US and not fill in certain locations where the water supply isn't trusted. At one point, AA even installed lockout valves to prevent some of the multiple tanks on either the MD11's or 777's from being used, because consumption only ran about 40-50%. It was a fuel saving idea that netted millions per year in reduced weight.

BTW, I know you're not so stupid to expect that anyone flies in ice. Hotels spend big bucks to install and maintain their own filtration equipment onsite, versus trusting the local water supplies. The filtered water is where their ice comes from, and there's a big side business in having clean ice to sell to the local bars and restaurants.

 

[Kev3188]

No reason to respond Kev. This guy has absolutely no clue as to what actually happens in maint/ramp ops.

Silly me...

 

[WorldTraveler]

BTW, I know you're not so stupid to expect that anyone flies in ice. Hotels spend big bucks to install and maintain their own filtration equipment onsite, versus trusting the local water supplies. The filtered water is where their ice comes from, and there's a big side business in having clean ice to sell to the local bars and restaurants.

and yet the notion that airports aren't capable of installing filters to provide the same quality of fresh water?

honestly... someone that is supposed to be as globally travelled as you are has a pretty warped view regarding the availability of clean water. It is READILY available around the world in the right locations. Airports RARELY have problems obtaining fresh water.

my question to you, Kev, or anyone else remains the same.

what airports are on the list of locations where ANY US airline is told to never obtain fresh water.



it has nothing to do with the quantity that is used and everything to do with whether the water is clean.

 

[eolesen]

and yet the notion that airports aren't capable of installing filters to provide the same quality of fresh water?

Being capable of filtering and actually doing it are mutually exclusive.

Then again, what would I know? I just used to schedule the potable water service for AA's system... We had a dozen or so airports where potable water wasn't available because the airport didn't have a certified source and/or didn't want to invest in the overhead associated with it (cabinets, trucks, etc.), especially when you're running a hardstand operation.

At Curacao, water had to be tankered from MIA in the early 90's -- it was a pad operation and the ground handler didn't have trucks. Same situation used to exist at JAC, HDN, and MTJ because of the hardstands and seasonal nature of the operation (hard to justify the expense for a 90-120 day operating season).

I know, that's real world experience, not something you could have Googled just to look important...

 

[WorldTraveler]

and you have been gone from AA for how long? and how many years have passed since the 90s? you do realize that Latin America has made enormous strides in just 10 years?


so, tell me CURRENTLY how many cities that AA, DL, or UA serve DO NOT HAVE a CURRENT source of certified potable water and where they DO NOT obtain local water.

 

[eolesen]

Not my job to inform you, fortunately. Maybe you can write Investor Relations and ask.

Or get with your friends at the CDC. Maybe they know?