WTAE-4 attacks US Airways - Merged Topics

[MarkMyWords]

It is always about making headlines and less about reporting the full story. One of the PIT news stations did a piece on why it takes so long for bags to get to the local claim area. Here is the story:

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/9067822/detail.html

Key point of the article:

On average, US Airways took almost three times longer than everyone else -- no matter where the planes flew in from.

US Airways reply to the article:

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/9070347/detail.html

Key point of the rebutal:

Let me explain how our operation in Pittsburgh works and how it is vastly different than the other airlines that fly there. First, we are the only airline which uses the automated baggage system and those systems will always take longer to deliver a bag. Other airlines drive their bags directly to the baggage claim and drop them down one chute, thus eliminating a step in the process. Southwest, which operates in the A concourse with us does not use the baggage system; it would be interesting to ask them why they don’t use it.

Once again, an unbalanced new article slamming the major carrier here in PIT. Imagine the staffing we would have to have to drive bags from B50 to the local claim area and would the bags get there any faster?

 

[jetman3133]

Nice post Mark....Now let's get little old Wendy Bell some ramp clothes and equipment, throw her in the bin, and let her follow the bags. She has no Idea, just stand around and point fingers....typical Pittsburgh Reporting!

Have a great day! :cop:

PS...Send your e-mails to WTAE!!!!! :jerry:

Jetman out...

 

[barbeetantrums]

See the news report from WTAE-4 regarding slow baggage times. Would have been nice if they would have actually done some homework. Wonder which other airline paid them to do this.

 

[tadjr]

Wonder if she thought of the story before or AFTER her car seat went astray? h34r:
Also, just saying it took X amount of time to get bags to baggage claim doesnt tell the whole story. How many people from PHL are there on YX that it took 9 minutes vs the number of people and bags that have to be offloaded, then loaded onto the belt to get them to the claim area? If there are 20 people and 20 bags on YX and 100 people and 100 bags on US, its going to take more time. Wonder what some comparisons would be there. Also note that the Florida flights ( full?) took the longest to unload. Funny how they didnt question WHY it was the Florida flights that took the longest.

 

[ClueByFour]

I think this says it all (it's from the reply that MMW referenced):

Second, we operate Pittsburgh as a hub, meaning we have a lot of connecting traffic. No other airline deals with the complexity of sorting and connecting bags in Pittsburgh.

Since when?

At the end of the day, US (IIRC) is the only airline that uses the automatic baggage system. Fine. But, that takes no longer than 14 minutes to get a bag from the gate to claim.

The story is accurate in a few ways which are disturbing:

1. When I still lived in PIT, the practice of tossing 5 bags on and then waiting 10-15 minutes for the rest was still in full swing--bags from the flight start to roll off, but the rest don't show for 15 or 20 minutes. Gives the appearance as if things are fast, but we know the reality.

2. That US knew WTAE would be at the airport, and called people in from home to "look busy" and "look staffed." It sure would be nice if US actually was staffed all the time.

3. I (and other pax) don't particularly care if US has bigger planes, more planes, or more pax. I want my luggage. The problems and differences behind the scenes are strictly the airline's problem, not the pax.

And forget about asking LUV why they don't use the system--US should be asking them why/how they get their bags to claim in a consistant and quick manner. If it takes ditching the automated system, so be it.

 

[insp89]

I think this says it all (it's from the reply that MMW referenced):
Since when?

At the end of the day, US (IIRC) is the only airline that uses the automatic baggage system. Fine. But, that takes no longer than 14 minutes to get a bag from the gate to claim.

The story is accurate in a few ways which are disturbing:

1. When I still lived in PIT, the practice of tossing 5 bags on and then waiting 10-15 minutes for the rest was still in full swing--bags from the flight start to roll off, but the rest don't show for 15 or 20 minutes. Gives the appearance as if things are fast, but we know the reality.

2. That US knew WTAE would be at the airport, and called people in from home to "look busy" and "look staffed." It sure would be nice if US actually was staffed all the time.

3. I (and other pax) don't particularly care if US has bigger planes, more planes, or more pax. I want my luggage. The problems and differences behind the scenes are strictly the airline's problem, not the pax.

And forget about asking LUV why they don't use the system--US should be asking them why/how they get their bags to claim in a consistant and quick manner. If it takes ditching the automated system, so be it.

I thought that LUV does not transfer bags from their airline to other airlines, Is this correct ?

 

[BoeingBoy]

That is correct, Insp89. Which merely means a different staffing model since they have to interline bags.

"Channel 4 Action News saw eight people unloading a Delta flight and three people on a US Airways jet."

If DL uses twice as many people (and presumably they don't interline many bags at PIT either), doesn't that say something about the staffing?

Jim

 

[insp89]

That is correct, Insp89. Which merely means a different staffing model since they have to interline bags.

"Channel 4 Action News saw eight people unloading a Delta flight and three people on a US Airways jet."

If DL uses twice as many people (and presumably they don't interline many bags at PIT either), doesn't that say something about the staffing?

Jim

Jim, There is no doubt in my mind that the ramp is under staffed.

I was merely responding to the statement that was made concerning LUV.

 

[Travels2mch]

The sad thing is, this is nothing new. Back in '94-'96, I flew Delta all the time in and out of PIT and never once had a problem, bags always arrived and fairly quickly. Then I switched back to US and my luggage was lost many times, long waits to file claims, extremely long waits for the luggage (many times longer than the flight time).

That is why my bags always go on board with me now, no exceptions. After having to wear jeans and tennis shoes several times to my customer visits due to lost luggage, I finally quit. And some of the 'whiners' on here wonder why everyone tries to carry bags on board.......that's a no brainer!!!!

 

[BoeingBoy]

I suspect no other airlines (except our express carriers) interline many bags at PIT. In that respect LUV isn't that much different from the others. On the other hand, LUV probably connects more bags than any other airline but US/HP.

To me it boils down to the usual, according to the spokesperson - it's not our fault, we can't help it, the others have advantages we don't. Until a problem is recognized, it can't be fixed...

Jim

 

[PITbull]

I think this says it all (it's from the reply that MMW referenced):
Since when?

At the end of the day, US (IIRC) is the only airline that uses the automatic baggage system. Fine. But, that takes no longer than 14 minutes to get a bag from the gate to claim.

The story is accurate in a few ways which are disturbing:

1. When I still lived in PIT, the practice of tossing 5 bags on and then waiting 10-15 minutes for the rest was still in full swing--bags from the flight start to roll off, but the rest don't show for 15 or 20 minutes. Gives the appearance as if things are fast, but we know the reality.

2. That US knew WTAE would be at the airport, and called people in from home to "look busy" and "look staffed." It sure would be nice if US actually was staffed all the time.

3. I (and other pax) don't particularly care if US has bigger planes, more planes, or more pax. I want my luggage. The problems and differences behind the scenes are strictly the airline's problem, not the pax.

And forget about asking LUV why they don't use the system--US should be asking them why/how they get their bags to claim in a consistant and quick manner. If it takes ditching the automated system, so be it.

Hit the nail on the head again, Clue.

 

[ClueByFour]

I thought that LUV does not transfer bags from their airline to other airlines, Is this correct ?

No. But that has zero to do with getting a bag to baggage claim.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Nevermind..

 

[MarkMyWords]

While many customers may feel that the use of the automated system is no excuse for "late" bags to the claim area, I feel it has a lot to do with it. We operate 180 departures a day in PIT. Our flights are timed in "banks" to arrive in a short period of time. Imagine the number of additional rampers we would have to hire to move 40 airplanes worth of local bags to the claim area without using the system. Now think of NW, DL, WN and UA. The maximum number of flights they have on the ground at any one time would be what? 3?

If the objective is to keep costs under control, then using the belt system is the right thing to do. It keeps employee costs as low as possible. Another thing to keep in mind is the distance from gate B47 to the claim area, versus D87, when you are driving to the claim area.

Clue - I agree with you that the way local PIT Management handled their "brush and polish" on the day of filming was ridiculous.

Boeing Boy - The comparison of DL's staffing versus US was not valid either. DL is staffed for their "peak" period when they have 3 flights on the ground at the same time. When there are only 1-2 flights on the ground, then everyone is expected to be at that gate. So in this one instance, it makes it appear that DL staffed 8 rampers to an RJ flight and that is far from true. Their "normal" staffing levels are very similar to ours.


Also, regarding interline bags, we used to (not sure if we still do) have an interline transfer point in PIT specifically to sort and transfer bags in and out of the system. This was a hopping area in our hub hay day, not sure of the volume of interline connections that still take place.

Bob - As for the "Cat pee'd on my homework excuses that US Airways offers when confronted"......I think the US Rep made several very vaild points. If the article would have been more of a balanced view and explaination of FACTS, then I wouldn't have a problem with it. Instead it is just another local media source taking pot shots at US with inaccurate and unbalanced reporting.

The entire story was skewd to bash US. No where did it mention that other airlines don't use the bag system. No where did it mention the difference in travel time from our gates versus theres. No where did it mention the costs that we would incur if we stopped using the belt system. Was there any comparison in baggage performance in say ATL, DEN, DTW or ORD where we are not the dominant carrier?

I think that the US Media rep did a great job answering the questions that were asked of her AFTER the media piece was done. Will there be a follow up piece on the news? I doubt it. Follow up with facts won't give you the same media hype that bashing an airline will.

In all honesty....the piece Wendy Bell did could have been done much more diplomatically and factually. But factual information and diplomacy don't get you ratings. If she was truly going to do a piece on baggage delivery times, then actually follow the process from the ground, not from the windows in the terminal. Physically go out and see what it takes to off load an airplane and get them to the claim area. Ask why we use the sorting system and OA's don't. Compare apples to apples.

 

[BoeingBoy]

If she was truly going to do a piece on baggage delivery times, then actually follow the process from the ground, not from the windows in the terminal. Physically go out and see what it takes to off load an airplane and get them to the claim area. Ask why we use the sorting system and OA's don't. Compare apples to apples.

MMW,

All that's well and good, but from the customer perspective all that matters is how long it takes for their bag to show up in baggage claim. Talk about belt systems, staffing models, driving distance, etc is at least perceived as being merely excuses for poor performance.

Jim