Haiti

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

With Haiti in civil war....AGAIN, whats the status for AA flt crews
A. Now ??
B. Before ?? (do we overnite crews there, or mabey overnight the a/c--crew in nearby Dominican republic) ????

Thanx,

NH/BB's

 

[IORFA]

Bear,

We don't have any scheduled layovers in Haiti. Can't remember if/when that started. If it happens because of a mechanical, from my understanding, the hotel is a compound like accomodation and there might be a security guard along for the ride to and from the hotel. I think layovers stopped a few years back during the last round of trouble.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Bear,

We don't have any scheduled layovers in Haiti. Can't remember if/when that started. If it happens because of a mechanical, from my understanding, the hotel is a compound like accomodation and there might be a security guard along for the ride to and from the hotel. I think layovers stopped a few years back during the last round of trouble.

Thanx, IORFA !!

NH/BB's

 

[operaations]

Bear,

We don't have any scheduled layovers in Haiti. Can't remember if/when that started. If it happens because of a mechanical, from my understanding, the hotel is a compound like accomodation and there might be a security guard along for the ride to and from the hotel. I think layovers stopped a few years back during the last round of trouble.

Thanx, IORFA !!

NH/BB's

Layovers stopped when the last time their was unrest in Haiti. We unfortunatley had a crew member killed some years back in Haiti when we did have lay overs. It is my understanding that under no cercunstance will AA let any crew member stay in Haiti. No matter what it takes we will get them back with out staying over.

 

[flydcoop]

operaations,

over on the 4m there was great concern about the safety of PAP right now. Reportedly, a BOS-I VM DID layover in PAP recently.

I guess it's a moot point right now since service is suspended until 03MAR at this point.

I've never been INTL but I've always wondered why US crews layover in Colombia when we have a BOG base....care to chime in on this FA Mikey?

Coop

 

[MAH4546]

operaations,

over on the 4m there was great concern about the safety of PAP right now. Reportedly, a BOS-I VM DID layover in PAP recently.

I guess it's a moot point right now since service is suspended until 03MAR at this point.

I've never been INTL but I've always wondered why US crews layover in Colombia when we have a BOG base....care to chime in on this FA Mikey?

Coop

Don't know the answer, but Bogota is not at all the dangerous place the US media like to convince people it is. The city itself is beautiful and quite safe, no more dangerous than any other. It is the countryside's and rural highways that should be avoided.

 

[AAmech]

Its incredible there's enough business in PAP to justify 5 flights a day there. Who the heck is going there? Club Med?

 

[Mach85ER]

Its incredible there's enough business in PAP to justify 5 flights a day there. Who the heck is going there? Club Med?

Huge Haitien population in the US. In FL there are many. They seem to know what they came from and work their arses off in the states then go visit or send money via couriers to their families left in Haiti.

Don't know the answer, but Bogota is not at all the dangerous place the US media like to convince people it is. The city itself is beautiful and quite safe, no more dangerous than any other. It is the countryside's and rural highways that should be avoided.

I'll agree on the beautiful scenery. The climate is great and the countryside looks like the alps, but it is still a very dangerous place. It wasn't uncommon on the drive to the hotel to see a few Mercedes with curtains drawn over the back seats along with armed motorcycle escorts on all sides. Safe? I'd like to think so, but when I preflight an AA jet and on the ramp with 15 others, I am the only one not wearing a bulletproof vest, I tend to think otherwise.

It is still one of my favorite trips to fly though. This may not go over well, but the BOG FA's are the best by far to work with at AA. The passengers are also very nice too. Although as a pilot my contact is limited, they are like flying a nice group of Iowans or something like that. Now more than a few may be hitmen or acccountants for the druglords, but they are still very polite and nice.

 

[MiAAmi]

operaations,

over on the 4m there was great concern about the safety of PAP right now. Reportedly, a BOS-I VM DID layover in PAP recently.

I guess it's a moot point right now since service is suspended until 03MAR at this point.

I've never been INTL but I've always wondered why US crews layover in Colombia when we have a BOG base....care to chime in on this FA Mikey?

Coop

Don't know the answer, but Bogota is not at all the dangerous place the US media like to convince people it is. The city itself is beautiful and quite safe, no more dangerous than any other. It is the countryside's and rural highways that should be avoided.

I agree totally. I love MDE also. Beautiful area, looks alot like Colorado. With people shooting at cars in Columbus Ohio USA I tend to agree that Columbia is no worse off than some of our own US cities.

 

[MAH4546]

Its incredible there's enough business in PAP to justify 5 flights a day there. Who the heck is going there? Club Med?

Miami has over 350,000 Haitians immigrants. New York City has over 150,000. Boston and Ft. Lauderdale have over 50,000 each. It's not that hard to fill up five flights. During the peak summer periods, they operate seven flights with Miami and New York City each getting ane extra frequency. During the peak holiday period, MIA-PAP alone is five daily flights. Plus, lot's of connections from Montreal, which has over 150,000 Haitians (and that's one of the reasons that JFK-YUL still exists).

Also, IIRC, the Club Med closed, but there is a Hilton under construction. It is will be surrounded by a guarded wall.

 

[flydcoop]

I've always heard that PAP is one of AA's most profitable routes. I believe that most paxs pay cash, many are merchants (which may explain the Yield Mgmt "oversale to 100" dilemma), and the excess baggage revenue for those flying to PAP.

Regarding Colombia, I wasn't really referring to BOG, mostly CLO and MDE. MDE has been dispelled on this thread...any thoughts on CLO?

Mach85ER, no offense taken regarding BOG as your favorite crew. They were my second favorite FN crew to work with. Hands down, SCL is number one. EZE is very hit or miss, LIM is a definite...NO.

Be warned, that many F/As may wonder if you have a second "life" in Colombia...LOL!

By the same token, I prefer working with the TWA/LLC cockpits compared with AA cockpits, so I guess that river runs both ways, doesn't it?

Coop

 

[IORFA]

COOP,

I have to agree with you. I have been flying ORD-HNL this month and TWA guys are flying the CA and FO positions. They couldn't be nicer or more outgoing. Plus I think their wives pack better clothes for the layover.

 

[flydcoop]

IORFA,

TWA cockpits are very easy-going and personable overall. I think it may be because their corporate culture was much different from our "WAR on all other workgroups".

I've never seen a TWA pilot be condescending towards an agent, a mechanic, or any other workgroup. I think it's because everyone knows everyone in STL. On the AA side, I think BOS is comparable.

I was forced to STL (the LLC side), so I have exclusively flown with TWA pilots since July. It was really weird at first but it's fine now. I honestly have to say I had more problems with cockpits on the AA side. They (TWA pilots) don't have that DFW syndrome (you know, the world exists for ME, MY aircraft, MY flight attendants, Cabin Service...you WILL clean this cockpit I trashed, etc.).

I'm glad to hear that as they "cross-over" to the AA certificate, they are not assuming that mentality.

I was concerned about SLT since it is mostly TWA captains flying with AA first officers but it's going fine...no big drama that I've heard from friends that fly SLT.

I will close on a totally facetious note, in ONE week I have witnessed two different Captains (TWA) PURCHASE a newspaper!!! I had to make announcements before boarding on that one!

Coop