CLT deicing

[Harry Callahan]

complete nonsense the ramps are fine. the guys that stayed and worked on them overnight did a really good job. just couple slick spots here and there.

the problem is the lack of glycol and the ineptness of the airport director. Can't blame US for this its all on the city this time. to bad US can't fine or with hold landing fees

from the airport for not living up to the end of the agreement

Bob:
I know that I just wasn't going to say it, just let WSOC take the hit 😉

 

[Crzipilot]

The way I see it, yes it's a winter storm. Should it have disrupted operations to the extent that it did??? No, with the weather that was reported, planes could have continued flying all yesterday and all day today. Nothing falling from the sky today, yet at least PSA canceled every flight 'cept a repo, and US canceled probably 98-99% of it's flying.

If adequate glycol stores had been on hand. I.E. More than a full day of flying coverage, operations would have remained slowed, but would have remained.

The stranded passengers is not the result of the storm and it's conditions, it is the result of the ineptness of the people planning for such. Hence, if the people responsible are not penalized, they will never learn.

 

[CLTBWIDAYSYR]

Maybe we should outsource our healthcare to the government...oh I forgot! This always happens when the government is involved, there is no incentive for them to get it right. As bad as airlines are at operations, they do have a profit/loss motive with government oversite. There is no remedy available when the government gets it wrong. I suspect the new "passenger bill of rights" law had something to do with all inbounds being cancelled today. News reports say the TSA was unable to open the A security point in CLT as no-one showed for work. I drove my wife to work this morning in freezing rain over snow as she works at a private company, no excuses. http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/01/11/1969454/roads-a-mess-flight-delays-increase.html

Again, all airlines agreed to the airport outsourcing this. While I'm no fan of Jerry Orr, the people at Contego Systems, LLC are responsible. They are a private company, not a division of the City of Charlotte.
Contego Systems Website
List of clients

Currently, CLT is the only airport where they the sole contractor.

 

[700UW]

The storm was predicted for days, they should have prepared for it, when MTC was in charge of deicing, the plan was devised by a committee of US' own mechanics and we never had a problem nor ran out of fluid.

 

[Crzipilot]

Not sure about never having a problem. Don't think I recall ever running out of fluid, but getting airplanes deiced and out, used to be a major fiasco in clt........just sayin'....

 

[LD3]

Again, all airlines agreed to the airport outsourcing this. While I'm no fan of Jerry Orr, the people at Contego Systems, LLC are responsible. They are a private company, not a division of the City of Charlotte.
Contego Systems Website
List of clients

Currently, CLT is the only airport where they the sole contractor.

They may as well be a division of the city, they are given everything they need to operate....The city spent 10mil for the trucks, they have given them a bus, small vehicles to run around with. You look at every contractor that has done work for the Aviation Dept, they are given city employees and city equipment to complete their contracts...And a couple of contactors ALWAYS get the bulk of the smaller construction contracts.....This place smacks of the good ol boy network...

 

[WorldTraveler]

so any update on when/if any more glycol is coming?

And is it correct that no other airlines at CLT have their own deicing capabilities?

 

[700UW]

US use to, dont know if they moved the trucks to other stations.

Hope all is well by friday, I am flying out.

 

[Crzipilot]

The City is leasing all of US's trucks for this year, They have purchased or plan to purchase another 28 trucks for next year.

Flight stats is showing pretty much everything canceled for the day.


PSA great management move of the day. BUF flight, told they have one last truck with type IV, first come first serve. They finally load up, taxi out, get deiced....whooops. Capt times out. Back to gate and cancel flight. With all the canceled flights and crews being put up in hotels, you would think someone could have looked at and said, lets have a fresh crew on there, not one that we've already extended multiple times....


Gotta love it.....

News still saying, weather due to to this travel problem. Not quite...

Did hear that 9 trucks with fluid supposed to be inbound. That's good for what...20 planes or so?

 

[700UW]

Each Tanker Truck holds 9,000 gallons, I doubt 81,000 gallons is only good for 20 planes.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Again, all airlines agreed to the airport outsourcing this. While I'm no fan of Jerry Orr, the people at Contego Systems, LLC are responsible. They are a private company, not a division of the City of Charlotte.

Currently, CLT is the only airport where they the sole contractor.

Do you think the customers waiting on US Airways flights at, and to, the Charlotte Airport are cursing Contego Systems, LLC?

 

[PI Blue]

Just another example of government taking over private sector jobs to save money. :angry:

My link

 

[Onestep2flt]

Again, all airlines agreed to the airport outsourcing this. While I'm no fan of Jerry Orr, the people at Contego Systems, LLC are responsible. They are a private company, not a division of the City of Charlotte.
Contego Systems Website
List of clients

Currently, CLT is the only airport where they the sole contractor.

That is exactly the issue. You can not pass the buck because you outsourced the operation. You as the operator should be keeping tabs on any situation that arises from said outsourcing. This is no different from maintenance, catering, fuel or whatever. We all get that it is a storm in a city that "usually" does not get these conditions. However, like the pilot has to know all pertinent info as to the airport he/she is operating, your company should have known the status of the deice fluid capability. The storm was forecasted ahead of time. Does US not have any meteorologists? That info should be passed to the person in charge of the deice contract to check with said vendor. If this weather had come from nowhere I might give it a pass too but that does not appear the case. Interesting to point out is that ever since I can remember there always seems to be some winter event in Charlotte even though it is not "usual". If this had been Miami or San Diego I might be more sympathetic. With that said, I have to agree that US should be on the hook for accommodations to the stranded folks.

 

[Travelpro72]

While CLT is no PHL, BOS or EWR/JFK it certainly isn't in a tropical location. Charlotte gets ice storms a few times a year which to me is enough to invest in more equipment and fluid. The cost of NOT having it seems to outweigh the cost of having it. While this may be an airport issue, US didn't know what could possibly happen? Oh wait, it's warm and sunny in AZ, nevermind. 🙄

 

[awaflyboy]

Oh wait, it's warm and sunny in AZ, nevermind. 🙄

It may be sunny, but it's hardly warm... several times these last few weeks I've had to scrape ice off my windshield before going in to work... Sucks that the heater in my jeep doesn't work, didn't think that would be an issue here! LOL