A Good Way to Save Money...and Improve Morale?

[Art at ISP]

Sorry for the typo in the title, I am using an iPad.

Today I flew US for only the second time in 4.5 years, and my first time in that period from ISP through PHL. While I will put my observations in another post, I was amazed at the number of people on both of my flights who did nothing but rant and complain about US.

By far the most frequent complaint was of people arriving late and running to their connecting gate only to be victimized by the ridiculous 10 minute rule...and in ALL cases the people say the offending gate was called and told that they were on their way.

It seems that the 10 minute rule is tied to the incentive program which ties management bonuses to on time departures. While the DOT considers a flight statistically on time if it leaves within 15 min of schedule this program does not. This creates a situation where managers push to close the doors 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure, connecting customers be damned....no doubt incurring added costs to re accommodate countless unnecessarily distressed passengers and their bags, plus adding to the number of DOT complaints and people who will never again fly US.

It occurs to me the solution is relatively simple. Adapt the on time rule to meet federal guidelines, and rather than give bonuses for on time performance, incentivize customer satisfaction....I think it would not only help customers, but it would help improve morale and reduce costs in the long run.

Since to many I mentioned this to (customers AND employees) it makes perfect sense, that means Tempe will never do it.

Flame away.....

 

[ChockJockey]

After taking a couple of segments through a single hub after avoiding your crappy airline for years I've come up with a non-statistical, anecdotal assessment of what US' no. 1 complaint is and I'm going to tell you retards how to fix it, but since you're all a bunch of philistines you'll probably just flame me...

Noted.

Too bad there's no such airline completely managed and staffed by frequent fliers, it would be so smooth, so perfect.

Isom's got it all wrong. He thinks that when we schedule and advertise a flight to leave at 8:00 a.m. people want to leave at 8:00 a.m., when in reality, our custopax (new word) would rather leave 15 minutes late. Come on Robert, how are we supposed to improve our customer service numbers when we got all these flights leaving on time?

Actually on-time performance and customer complaints are equally incentivized (as well with MBR). We receive $50 for each category the DOT ranks us #1 in per month. I suppose this somewhat motivates the rank and file. What motivates front-line management is the vice their collective chonies are in...

 

[ChockJockey]

Nah, but really, some of these connection times are just way too slim.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Noted.

Too bad there's no such airline completely managed and staffed by frequent fliers, it would be so smooth, so perfect.

Isom's got it all wrong. He thinks that when we schedule and advertise a flight to leave at 8:00 a.m. people want to leave at 8:00 a.m., when in reality, our custopax (new word) would rather leave 15 minutes late. Come on Robert, how are we supposed to improve our customer service numbers when we got all these flights leaving on time?

Actually on-time performance and customer complaints are equally incentivized (as well with MBR). We receive $50 for each category the DOT ranks us #1 in per month. I suppose this somewhat motivates the rank and file. What motivates front-line management is the vice their collective chonies are in...

"Custopax", cute.

Allow me to wipe away the dripping sarcasm for just a moment and respond to your point, which BTW is a good one if not for the fact that in PHL at least they are still pulling the back away from the gate, trip ACARS and sit on the tarmac for 20 minutes which is managing the "numbers" and not the airline.

here's a erious question for you. Do you think being able to advertise "Number 1 in Customer Satisfaction" or "Number 1 in on-time performance" would generate more business for your employer? I think both are equally important but which one do you think would most impact the balance sheet?

 

[700UW]

Actually what trips ACARS is doors closed, engine running and wheels turning if I remember correctly, it could have changed since I left but thats how it use to be.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Actually what trips ACARS is doors closed, engine running and wheels turning if I remember correctly, it could have changed since I left but thats how it use to be.

I think you're right and if you back 20 feet off the gate the wheels moved long enough, Thanks for the clarification as I recall during BK they changed the rules for pilot pay, saving a few minutes by delaying when ACARS was tripped.

 

[strangiatotheme]

I think the ACARS logic was changed a while back to give an out time when all doors are closed and the breaks are released. Different airlines have different triggers, some of which are tied to wheel rotation, engine oil pressure, etc.

 

[JetguyCLT]

I think its by door closure, both passenger and cargo doors. Sometimes on the Airbus' as soon as you close the passenger door a out time is triggered. On express flights operated by Republic, as soon as the passenger door closes, its "out". I heard Mesa has ACARS on the CRJ-900's now?

 

[SS255]

Art, I don't think that the problem is so much that the GA's are pressured to close the flight 10 minutes before departure as it is the too-short connection times which are legal but not practical......although I do agree that in the eyes of the customer, it makes no sense to roll up the carpets 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

I only fly US on occasion now, but I flew them through PHL on Saturday. It was my first time flying through PHLin nearly 3 years. I had to connect from Terminal C to Terminal F. The line for the shuttle bus at the top of the escalator snaked around the corner, and I was at the end of it. By the time I got on the shuttle, it was packed to the gills. For those of you on the East Coast, I'm sure you remember the record-breaking heat on Saturday. Well, it had to be at least 110 degrees on the shuttle bus......but I digress. I remember waiting 10 or 15 minutes for a shuttle to show up, but I never remember those shuttle buses being so crowded when they finally did show up.

When I arrived at the F terminal, the line to get onto the shuttle heading back to C was at least 100 people deep. My observation was that US does not run the shuttle buses often enough. Those who are unfamiliar with the Mainline-To-Express transit procedures at PHL are in for a rude awakening if they have tight connections. In fact, my parents routinely take the 6AM out of AVP, but instead of connecting to the 7:35AM to LAX, they take the next later flight (which I believe is at 9:30AM).

To me, it is just common sense to allow yourself ample time to make your connection, even with a modest delay. But US's reservation system does not allow for connections of longer than 4 hours, because they consider anything over 4 hours to be a stopover, and not a connection. Sometimes the flight schedules give you the option of an unrealistic connection or nothing at all, because the next flight is more than 4 hours after the arrival of the first leg. It's incredibly frustrating from a customer perspective.

 

[Art at ISP]

Nice to see I woke a troll..but then again, perhaps having some real frequent flyers running parts of an airline would not be a bad thing. I am sure there are those who would do better than the MBA morons who can't see anything that can't be shown on a spreadsheet.

SS, while I agree connecting times need to be increased, I have been told by more than one agent that they are in fact pressured to button up at D-10, regardless of connecting customers. In a couple of cases agents have been called on the carpet to explain flights leaving 2 minutes past departure time..ridiculous.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Art, I don't think that the problem is so much that the GA's are pressured to close the flight 10 minutes before departure as it is the too-short connection times which are legal but not practical......although I do agree that in the eyes of the customer, it makes no sense to roll up the carpets 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

I only fly US on occasion now, but I flew them through PHL on Saturday. It was my first time flying through PHLin nearly 3 years. I had to connect from Terminal C to Terminal F. The line for the shuttle bus at the top of the escalator snaked around the corner, and I was at the end of it. By the time I got on the shuttle, it was packed to the gills. For those of you on the East Coast, I'm sure you remember the record-breaking heat on Saturday. Well, it had to be at least 110 degrees on the shuttle bus......but I digress. I remember waiting 10 or 15 minutes for a shuttle to show up, but I never remember those shuttle buses being so crowded when they finally did show up.

When I arrived at the F terminal, the line to get onto the shuttle heading back to C was at least 100 people deep. My observation was that US does not run the shuttle buses often enough. Those who are unfamiliar with the Mainline-To-Express transit procedures at PHL are in for a rude awakening if they have tight connections. In fact, my parents routinely take the 6AM out of AVP, but instead of connecting to the 7:35AM to LAX, they take the next later flight (which I believe is at 9:30AM).

To me, it is just common sense to allow yourself ample time to make your connection, even with a modest delay. But US's reservation system does not allow for connections of longer than 4 hours, because they consider anything over 4 hours to be a stopover, and not a connection. Sometimes the flight schedules give you the option of an unrealistic connection or nothing at all, because the next flight is more than 4 hours after the arrival of the first leg. It's incredibly frustrating from a customer perspective.

You're right! I experienced the very same thing connecting through F Terminal. The Penny wise, Pound foolish morons in Tempe have curtailed the shuttle, further proving they care little about the customer.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Noted.

That's crass - making up a quote for another poster - a complete lack of class.

BTW, you really should know more about the company you work for. Not just the employees get a bonus for #1 performance in the metrics, it is part of the formula for exec bonuses (and worth a whole lot more than $50 a month).

Jim

 

[john john]

I don't think that the problem is so much that the GA's are pressured to close the flight 10 minutes before departure

YOU ARE WRONG.

 

[john john]

You're right! I experienced the very same thing connecting through F Terminal. The Penny wise, Pound foolish morons in Tempe have curtailed the shuttle, further proving they care little about the customer.

Stay tune for the shuttle buses in DCA(express and terminal to terminal) when the slot deal is done and daily departures increases in DCA

 

[luvthe9]

I think you're right and if you back 20 feet off the gate the wheels moved long enough, Thanks for the clarification as I recall during BK they changed the rules for pilot pay, saving a few minutes by delaying when ACARS was tripped.

They have constantly changed triggers for out time. Used to be main cabin door generated out. They rigged cargo doors into it, and and out had to have the cargo doors and main door. Then they went to all doors out, AND wheel movement. The in time is solely generated by a cargo door or main cabin door opening. Now, all doors have to be closed to get the out. They have it rigged for their bonuses now. Wheel movement removed. One caveat. If you push off the gate, and go to a remote area for a delay, the out time is generated. If after setting brake at delay spot, and no wheel movement within 30 minutes- it takes away the original out time. They rig the system to give them bonuses, and steal from the crews.