Phl Factor - Again!

[BoeingBoy]

mweiss,

It may be a misread...

crushed was talking about ramp workers loading and unloading the bins. Are you talking about CS agents working the boarding area?

Jim

 

[stoopidute442]

Replacing the mgt at PHL was a great move. It is a shame that some PR can't come from this....I can picture the banner across the B/C baggage area..."PHL, NOW UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT"

I remember when some of the ramp agents in PHL flew a banner on the new tower between A and B.....one of the best things I've ever seen in PHL!

 

[mweiss]

Are you talking about CS agents working the boarding area?

I was. My bad.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Especially at a company where inititive is not rewarded and occassionally punished.

Jim

That may be one of the most accurate observations ever posted on this forum! Sad but true.

 

[fatherabraham]

I now that everyone wants to believe that the ramp agents in Philly are sitting in the breakroom watching tv while your flight sits....but that's just not true. The only time anyone sits these days is when they are taking their 1/2 hour lunch break. (legally and contractully deserving) Although I will admit, if they haven't had their break 5 hours into their shift...they take it! If a flight sits because of that...it sits. We are tired of getting a "paid lunch" everyday. The agents want and NEED the break.
Philly just isn't staffed properly. There isn't a crew available for every gate. After 8:30pm it drops down to 1 crew for 3 gates and after 10:30 there are 5 ramp agents to handle 5 flights that all come in within an hour and most with 5000lbs. plus. Management in PHL has always felt that the local passengers can wait as long as it takes to get the bags to them. Local bags have NEVER been a priority in Phl!!
Example:
The other night I was that only one on a 6000 lbs. offload. I parked it and hooked up the power then took the claim at gates up. I offloaded that connecting bags for the runner and pulled up the carts for the local bags....I then waited 1/2 hour for help. Two leads fianlly walked out and said that they didn't know I was the only one on the flight. (THEY posted the schedule that had only my name listed for the flight!!) After unloading the local bags the leads walked inside, I climbed out off the belly and ran the 180 local bags 1hour and 20 min. after it arived!
The new station mamager is hiring people hand over fist....but it's too little too late. The agents in PHL are beat up and not willing to stay 1 min. past the end of there shift to cover managements staffing model blunder! Management doesn't have a clue whats going on....some have no airline experience....the leads don't take responsablity....and no one is held accountable.
Less then 40% of the ramp in Philly is from Philly....the people you now call deadbeats are the same ones who worked their ass off along with you in PIT, BWI, DAY, IND, TPA, CLT, LGA and so on. We try to make Philly work despite the deplorable conditons we are given.

Just my $0.02.....end of rant!

Crushed,

Great post. Could you please explain why you waited 1/2 hour ? Why the leads did not do their jobs ( if it is ) and ensure the aircraft had proper staffing? Why you met the aircraft if you lacked the necessary help?

I am not placing blame, rather trying to understand why the whole process frequently come to a halt because of one absent employee. Then remaining sit useless when they could be doing something else. If there is no accountability then this maddness will continue. Is anyone accountable fo above questions, and if so what is the job title?