7-dirty-7/The Flying Oven

[missthe727]

I just have to come on and vent here. The last 3 trips I have done on the 737 have been ridiculous as far as pax comfort and cabin temperature. It's frigging 80,85,90 degrees outside and then add 100+ people w/ A/C that barely works and it's just plain unhealthy and extremely uncomfortable.
You all might laugh but before this 4 day started yesterday I went out and bought a thermometer at the dollar store....in the back of the 400 I was working yesterday it read 97 degrees in the cabin while we sat in CLT loading it w/ people.
The pilots told me that unless we had over an hour ground time that the ground air would not be hooked up---which really doesn't matter because it hardly works anyway. They also said that because we will be getting rid of the 737 that they are minimally maintained as far as cleaning the air vents etc. Anyone know if this is true ????
At least 1/2 (if not more) of the planes I've been on lately don't even have an APU that works.
I had a pax last week who was so hot while we sat in PHL to take off for over an hour, she started vomiting. It's ridiculous. I am sick to death of having my poly/wool blend stewardess dress plastered to me. I bet it's even worse out west with the heat. GGGGRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

 

[phlus2]

I just have to come on and vent here. The last 3 trips I have done on the 737 have been ridiculous as far as pax comfort and cabin temperature. It's frigging 80,85,90 degrees outside and then add 100+ people w/ A/C that barely works and it's just plain unhealthy and extremely uncomfortable.
You all might laugh but before this 4 day started yesterday I went out and bought a thermometer at the dollar store....in the back of the 400 I was working yesterday it read 97 degrees in the cabin while we sat in CLT loading it w/ people.
The pilots told me that unless we had over an hour ground time that the ground air would not be hooked up---which really doesn't matter because it hardly works anyway. They also said that because we will be getting rid of the 737 that they are minimally maintained as far as cleaning the air vents etc. Anyone know if this is true ????
At least 1/2 (if not more) of the planes I've been on lately don't even have an APU that works.
I had a pax last week who was so hot while we sat in PHL to take off for over an hour, she started vomiting. It's ridiculous. I am sick to death of having my poly/wool blend stewardess dress plastered to me. I bet it's even worse out west with the heat. GGGGRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Now what do you expect - you get what you pay for - cheap fairs - no air conditioning - you want air conditioning - fly a real airline.

Why fix the air conditioning - it's all in anticipation of charging for beverages - with a 100 degree cabin they figure they will sell more!

Just my opinion.

 

[ussnark]

<rant>

I had a pax last week who was so hot while we sat in PHL to take off for over an hour, she started vomiting. It's ridiculous. I am sick to death of having my poly/wool blend stewardess dress plastered to me. I bet it's even worse out west with the heat. GGGGRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

Any rational person would get off aircraft, go directly to the FAA, OSHA and union claiming that their workplace is unlivable. Also claim missed trip.

Get a paper trail going that will lead to Congress, if need be.

Quit whining and start doing. Your own health is at risk. The more people that "do", the less moronic mgt behavior you will have to put up with. The more people that "do", the more that will see the rational path is to make change, not through rants but through actually doing, filling out safety reports (keep copies) and follow up.

BTW, the pilots lied to you. There is no such "law" at CLT. In their misguided cretinous manner, they are still trying to "save" the company. Call them out on their lies. Make them prove it. In any case you have a marvelous reason to get off a trip with pay. Exercise it.

 

[nycbusdriver]

There are a lot of options to alleviate this situation. Most of them, though, depend on the captain being willing to exercise his/her authority and stare down the opposition (agents, maintenance, chief pilots, managers, etc.) I've done it, and it is not the most comfortable place to be in, but I have always prevailed in the end. When the captain invokes the comfort and safety of the passengers and crew, there is little else that can be argued by anyone else in the company that trumps it.

I have consistently refused to allow boarding of any airplane that is not already at a comfortable temperature and does not have proper ventilation. I have asked my flight attendant to deplane to preclude the agents from just "sending them down." I then make it perfectly clear that the airplane can sit at the gate empty until hell freezes over as far as I am concerned. I always get the excuses and just how many hours it will take to get an air conditioning cart from another airline. When I say that I will take the delay on my own responsibility as captain, they almost invariably call the chief pilot's office. I can depend on my cell phone ringing within 3 to 5 minutes. I explain the situation and let the hapless CP representative know that they can accept my decision, or recrew the captain position. I don't really care. (And I really don't. THAT is where my real power lies. At this point, I don't really care WHAT they do with me, but I will not play captain to an unsafe situation for the sake of the schedule.) But I do make it clear to the chief pilot office that if I don't get some cooperation, my next call will be to the FAA Hotline regarding their practice of "pilot pushing."

I have ALWAYS gotten my way.

And, as if by magic, that hours-long wait for the airconditioning disappears as the cart is hauled up almost before I'm off the phone with the CP office.

If the flight attendants decide it's too hot, then they should tell the captain. If he/she declines to do anything, tell him/her that you and your fellow F/As are deplaning to call the FAA Hotline and reporting the situation, making it clear that you feel it is a SAFETY item. The key here is a 100% collective effort. If any one of you disagree and decide to stay on board, your position is greatly weakened. But any fallout from sick passengers is then clearly the captain's fault for allowing the boarding. Make sure he/she knows that you will be writing the company and the FAA about that decision. Then follow through and DO IT!

 

[as the prop turns]

Last week working a flight PHL/PBI, the cabin was so unbearable, the captain would not board until the airplane was cool. They finally found an APU, it took about 30 minutes before the plane cooled down. The pax were pissed because the plane took a slight delay, but I would rather have them pissed for being a bit late, than passing out and throwing up because of the dangerous levels of heat on that plane. It is not worth pax and crew getting sick. Don't board until you get what you need.

 

[Hope777]

Last week working a flight PHL/PBI, the cabin was so unbearable, the captain would not board until the airplane was cool. They finally found an APU, it took about 30 minutes before the plane cooled down. The pax were pissed because the plane took a slight delay, but I would rather have them pissed for being a bit late, than passing out and throwing up because of the dangerous levels of heat on that plane. It is not worth pax and crew getting sick. Don't board until you get what you need.

As far as finding an APU.... I doubt that they did an APU change in PBI in 30 minutes?
As far as the 73 APU's being inop, I havent seen any in our station in over three weeks (jinx).....

 

[Kev3188]

Do the Jetways in CLT not have external heat/air hoses built into them? I would think that in a place like that they would???

Barring that, why would there be any kind of "rule" about A/C being hooked up on ground time less than an air? I takes all of 2 minutes to pull up and hook up (or disconnect from) a portable cart to a 'plane.

Also, does US have standards in place regarding when/where to hook up external air vs. running the APU?

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Nycbusdriver has it right! I do the same thing with situations but rarely does anyone above a gate sup get involved. I just state my intentions and thats as far as it goes usually. I have dealt with the CP on occassion but it is always embarrassing for him so he just doesn't get involved much anymore with me!

While I agree with most all and I do everything I can to chill the plane, my biggest problem is usually with the F/A's believe it or not. With external air and APU air going I can usually get the plane pretty darn cold before boarding. When the F/A's come on they usually start complaining about the cold temp and ask for the air to be disconnected. I tell my partner not to touch a microphone. When all the people get on it heats up really fast and then the F/A's start complaining about how hot it is! This scenario happens time and time again and I always wonder why even the senior F/A's don't realize the physics of the thing.

We do have guidance in our books about running the air but in the summer in the desert I disregard it all and always run the APU - if I have one - all the time.

 

[Hope777]

Do the Jetways in CLT not have external heat/air hoses built into them? I would think that in a place like that they would???

Barring that, why would there be any kind of "rule" about A/C being hooked up on ground time less than an air? I takes all of 2 minutes to pull up and hook up (or disconnect from) a portable cart to a 'plane.

Also, does US have standards in place regarding when/where to hook up external air vs. running the APU?

Kev,
on SHORT turns, most out stations DO NOT have the personel to lose with the amout of cargo (Bags,Mail,Frieght) without casuing a cargo delay. Anything with ground times over GTO normal does get ground Air if it is working. Remember in the Out Stations, all GSE work is contracted out to the lowest bidder who normally has NO CLUE on fixing anything other then Tugs and Beltloaders.

 

[Harry Callahan]

Do the Jetways in CLT not have external heat/air hoses built into them? I would think that in a place like that they would???

Barring that, why would there be any kind of "rule" about A/C being hooked up on ground time less than an air? I takes all of 2 minutes to pull up and hook up (or disconnect from) a portable cart to a 'plane.

Also, does US have standards in place regarding when/where to hook up external air vs. running the APU?

Clt jetways do have external power/air & heat hoses & to the best of my knowledge sre supposed to be hooked up.

 

[SegmentKing]

Clt jetways do have external power/air & heat hoses & to the best of my knowledge sre supposed to be hooked up.

and the company actually wants you to use ground air / power! so why they didn't have it hooked up is beyond me.

The only noticable "warm" cabin I've ever experienced was in PHX on an HP 757, I was in row 33 and it was a lil warm back there, but I think it had to do with the location of the air packs.

 

[ussnark]

and the company actually wants you to use ground air / power! so why they didn't have it hooked up is beyond me.

Note that in CLT it is never the worker who is at fault.

In PHL, it is always the workers.

Not you Seg, but I just cannot shake the idea that, as a general rule, we have rampant bigotry at its finest in CLT.

 

[SegmentKing]

well I can't speak for mainlnie, but I remember with the E170s we had some verbage that if a plane was going to be on the ground for such-and-such time we were to use ground power / air, and to use gp/air as much as possible.

 

[as the prop turns]

As far as finding an APU.... I doubt that they did an APU change in PBI in 30 minutes?
As far as the 73 APU's being inop, I havent seen any in our station in over three weeks (jinx).....

That's because it was in PHL.

 

[Hope777]

That's because it was in PHL.

An APU???????