Ladies and Gentleman,
It has become obvious to me that what I had originally viewed as an opportunity to discreetly address the legitimate frustrations of a loyal customer have been interpreted as something else entirely.
What I had attempted to do was answer Art's questions, while at the same time give him a glimpse into the challenges we as employees meet in order to deliver the type of service that the traveling public considers "normal". We have corresponded on past situations, and I have felt that we were successful in gaining a level of understanding.
The sensitive nature of the matter led me to use a PM in order not to subject the issue to undue public scutiny.
However, I made the mistake of providing too much information in the attempt, making it appear that I had some sort of agenda, or that I was trying to "rat" on a crew. Apparently this has been seen by some as a breach of the bond of trust that is to exist between dispatch and the crews, and that I deeply regret. I was simply trying to relate the facts of the incident in question, not provide ammunition against my own company. In that light, I respectfully request that Art utilize the information as a recounting of the facts, not the foundation for a formal complaint.
As to those who accuse me of an "us vs. them" mentality, I can assure that nothing could be further from the truth. Contrary to some opinion, we are not the "Evil Empire". Practically every friend I have is either a pilot for this or another airline, and that, plus over 37,000 hours in this chair, have given me a fair understanding of their concerns. I can assure you that I have ALWAYS supported the crews in their need for rest or food, even in cases where it may not have met the letter of legal or contractual criteria. I have sometimes gone so far as to find a legitimate alternative reason, such as questionable weather, to give them a needed break without drawing unwanted attention.
However, with over 100 crewmembers active at any given time, it is a practical impossibility to keep up the duty issues of each individual on a continuous basis, especially on bad weather/ATC days, and we must depend on the crews to inform us of problems. I will say that, it would go far to ease the impact of these events if the earliest notification can be given (such as the in-range call) to allow the station to adjust. Waiting until the inbound pax have deplaned, with the gate anxious to board a group of restless pax with tight connections to announce that you are now taking a break (even when perfectly within your rights), has caused several complaints from stations in recent days. The details of the situation to which Art was subjected have been forwarded to the Chief Pilot for several resons, and that is my last comment on the subject.
I post this simply to clear any misconceptions of my intent or my character. I realize it may not satisfy all readers, a possibility that grieves me greatly. I have tried to use this board as an intrument of communication rather than an outlet for any personal grudges, of which I hold none. But I doubt it is worth the effort, as the opportunity for misunderstanding is too high. I have bigger challenges to deal with, such as providing for my wife and children, and deciding whether to invest more time in a profession that was once a labor of love, and has nowadays become a test of my endurance.
Good luck to all, particularly those of us at Piedmont and Allegheny, as we wait to see what the future holds.
Thank you for your time.
It has become obvious to me that what I had originally viewed as an opportunity to discreetly address the legitimate frustrations of a loyal customer have been interpreted as something else entirely.
What I had attempted to do was answer Art's questions, while at the same time give him a glimpse into the challenges we as employees meet in order to deliver the type of service that the traveling public considers "normal". We have corresponded on past situations, and I have felt that we were successful in gaining a level of understanding.
The sensitive nature of the matter led me to use a PM in order not to subject the issue to undue public scutiny.
However, I made the mistake of providing too much information in the attempt, making it appear that I had some sort of agenda, or that I was trying to "rat" on a crew. Apparently this has been seen by some as a breach of the bond of trust that is to exist between dispatch and the crews, and that I deeply regret. I was simply trying to relate the facts of the incident in question, not provide ammunition against my own company. In that light, I respectfully request that Art utilize the information as a recounting of the facts, not the foundation for a formal complaint.
As to those who accuse me of an "us vs. them" mentality, I can assure that nothing could be further from the truth. Contrary to some opinion, we are not the "Evil Empire". Practically every friend I have is either a pilot for this or another airline, and that, plus over 37,000 hours in this chair, have given me a fair understanding of their concerns. I can assure you that I have ALWAYS supported the crews in their need for rest or food, even in cases where it may not have met the letter of legal or contractual criteria. I have sometimes gone so far as to find a legitimate alternative reason, such as questionable weather, to give them a needed break without drawing unwanted attention.
However, with over 100 crewmembers active at any given time, it is a practical impossibility to keep up the duty issues of each individual on a continuous basis, especially on bad weather/ATC days, and we must depend on the crews to inform us of problems. I will say that, it would go far to ease the impact of these events if the earliest notification can be given (such as the in-range call) to allow the station to adjust. Waiting until the inbound pax have deplaned, with the gate anxious to board a group of restless pax with tight connections to announce that you are now taking a break (even when perfectly within your rights), has caused several complaints from stations in recent days. The details of the situation to which Art was subjected have been forwarded to the Chief Pilot for several resons, and that is my last comment on the subject.
I post this simply to clear any misconceptions of my intent or my character. I realize it may not satisfy all readers, a possibility that grieves me greatly. I have tried to use this board as an intrument of communication rather than an outlet for any personal grudges, of which I hold none. But I doubt it is worth the effort, as the opportunity for misunderstanding is too high. I have bigger challenges to deal with, such as providing for my wife and children, and deciding whether to invest more time in a profession that was once a labor of love, and has nowadays become a test of my endurance.
Good luck to all, particularly those of us at Piedmont and Allegheny, as we wait to see what the future holds.
Thank you for your time.
