Here's A Question For The Flyboys

[airmechus]

Yesterday in Philadelphia--

Early arrival, short taxi to gate C-30.

Aircraft stops short of gate, no one to marshall aircraft. 5 min.
Aircraft moves, allegedly is parked, brakes set 2 min
Jetway begins to move, can't get into position after multiple attempts 10 min
Jetway breaks--needs to be reset--call for mechanics--10 min
Aircraft turns out to be parked 20-30 feet short of correct parking position-wait for tug to tow a/c forward 10 min
Jetway reset, in place, doors open finally 10 min

Flight now has officially arrived 20 minutes late.

Observations--

No or little communication between ramp/mechanics, flight crew and agent working jetway.

Aircraft improperly parked at gate

Jetway which should have been replaced/repaired LONG ago

This would have been okay if this was the first time, but this is like the 5th or 6th time this exact scenario has played out at the exact same gate with the exact same A/C type...don't you think it would have been fixed by now????

I am NOT pointing fingers here folks, just making a couple of observations..however I will say that the folks outside the airplane did look quite annoyed that they had to deal with the situation. Maybe if the work groups started working TOGETHER instead of pointing fingers at each other, we could make some progress.....

PS--can anyone fill me in as to the reason for the change of guage from 767 to 757 on 244 yesterday?? I would think there were 16 first class passengers who weren't too happy....

My best to you all....

[post="202260"][/post]​

Jetway isn't broken when it needs a reset. Driver drove it out of limits. Plane improperly parked. Just thought you would like to know..

 

[Art at ISP]

How do you know what communication was going on between the flight crew and anyone?? Was the cockpit door opened? Just wondering....

[post="202341"][/post]​

Again, I am not pointing fingers or blaming anyone.

1. Gate agent at the controls of the jetway ignoring the ramper trying to get his attention
2. Ramper vigorously waving to the pilots to get their attention--trying to make hand motions indicating the jetway was broken, trying to get them to shut down #2 engine, trying to tell them they have to connect a tug. Apparently after about 5 or more minutes someone got the crew's attention.

I am guessing but I think they were trying to connect to the intercom but were unable.

This happens repeatedly at this gate--this is the 5th or 6th time in the past year it has happened to me... Almost an identical scenario, and at the end, the agents are blaming the rampers, the rampers blaming the flight crew, etc.....we do hear them arguing ya know.......

I did not know that the jetway just needs to be reset as out of limit. It doesn't make the situation any more acceptable--the plane was still parked wrong and the agent still didn't know how to position the jetway--does anyone think that SOMEONE should have known better if it happens so often??

This is a situation which should be EASY to remedy--

My best to you all....

 

[Seatacus]

Since BK all pilots and F/A's I have talked to have been courteous and professional. I seem to sense that they understand we are all going through a rough time. I also let them know that I am there to help them with whatever they need. I feel that if we do not help each other no one else will ( i.e. upper management). We are not here to make this job tougher on anyone of our fellow employees or customers. That would serve no purpose.................... 🙂

 

[Art at ISP]

Seatacus,

I agree with you completely. My overall experience is that everyone at US has been doing an outstanding job despite the current circumstances.

Also I am merely making observations about PHL here, NOT saying this group or that group is at fault. This is an issue which, regardless of the cause, could have and should have been fixed months ago or longer.

If you can fix the small things, they don't become big things later.

Again my thanks and appreciation to all of you who continue to shine...

 

[Jennyann]

Seatacus,

I agree with you completely. My overall experience is that everyone at US has been doing an outstanding job despite the current circumstances.

Also I am merely making observations about PHL here, NOT saying this group or that group is at fault. This is an issue which, regardless of the cause, could have and should have been fixed months ago or longer.

If you can fix the small things, they don't become big things later.

Again my thanks and appreciation to all of you who continue to shine...

[post="202407"][/post]​

We appreciate the support Art. Unfortunately the "Philly Factor" is an ongoing extremely frustrating problem!

 

[Pacemaker]

The situation at PHL has not changed much in my eyes since my arrival at the company in 1987. It's just that now with so much emphasis placed on the station the chronic problems are magnified. 17 years - you would have thought that somewhere along the way one of these management teams would have gone over there and found a way to make it work. But of course, there never was much accountability around here (unless you're a pilot).

 

[WestCoastGuy]

Al Crellin is on top of things there. He is now sending all the West Coast station managers to PHL for 6 months to clean up the place and make it work. After all, it has been his responsibility for years......he's just been working on a plan..... :down:

 

[Art at ISP]

Folks,

At this point, it doesn't matter whose fault it is--it matters that we try to fix it.

All the components are in place to make this the strongest airline in the country--all we need to do is make it work!!!

My best to you all....

 

[Winglet]

All the components are in place to make this the strongest airline in the country--all we need to do is make it work!!!

[post="202438"][/post]​

Same incompetent management team is in charge. I guess if the employees are working for free you don't need compentent management, huh Art.

 

[Harry Callahan]

Al Crellin is on top of things there. He is now sending all the West Coast station managers to PHL for 6 months to clean up the place and make it work. After all, it has been his responsibility for years......he's just been working on a plan..... :down:

[post="202434"][/post]​

As another famous person said first:
uncle Al will fix the problem.

 

[Atlantic]

Just got off a 3 day tonight with 5 turns through PHL. I have to tell you, PHL out did itself. All ground crews were there, agent on the jet way, cleaners after the last px off. Log book was checked by mx. And dispatch was just as smooth. Thought I was in Oz! And this happened each time. I did see a well dressed fellow today on the ramp with a radio and he seemed to be quite busy.
All in all I was impressed. I hope this is the start of something better for PHL. And that's coming from someone that has been down on the PHL attitude for some time.
To who started this thred, you never said what the gripe was. I would like to know that before jumping on the flight crew.

 

[PITbull]

As a PAX, the ground crews at PHL do not appear to care. I can't believe how slowly they saunter out to greet a late plane - as if they're modeling in some Paris fashion show. In ORF, or CLT, you'll see them hustle or even sprint to a late plane. Baggage handlers sit around and chat and go slowly in PHL but they seem to work as a group quickly at other cities. I just don't check luggage when I go through PHL.

[post="201962"][/post]​

Hey genius,

PHL is the busiest Hub with the most traffic. It may "appear" that other cities are smoother, but those cities just don't have the volume. And rest assured, U has the least amount of rampers humanly possible to transfer and place those bags on the a/c.

 

[D M G]

The pilots would be much more supportive if we found that the rampers were working harder and not engaging in slowdowns.

[post="201957"][/post]​

Can the rampers get the same support that the pilot group gave the mechanics during their strike in '92? Gee, I hope so.

 

[A320 Driver]

Back last summer I talked to a ramper in PHL after a problem at the gate. He was wet from head to toe with sweat. He told me that they assigned 3 people to load and unload that A-321 with no bag runners. I don't know how much cargo and luggage they took off, but they loaded 16,000 lbs back on it for our flight to SFO. We left 40 minutes late.

These problems can't all be the product of a slowdown real or imaginary . I think a process that has 3 people buried in bags has to share much of the blame.

These problems in PHL will not go away quickly. Maybe we need to figure out who's doing what and how much help he needs to get the job done. Obviously if 3 people are suffocating in the back of a 321 and 6 are watching I Love Lucy in the breakroom, our assets are not being used wisely.

A320 Driver

 

[Finish or Ignore]

Folks,

At this point, it doesn't matter whose fault it is--it matters that we try to fix it.

All the components are in place to make this the strongest airline in the country--all we need to do is make it work!!!

My best to you all....

[post="202438"][/post]​

Art,
After all you described in you previous posts, I promise you the company focus is the amount of customers we drag to the kiosks. Ths simple but true statement is: They just don't get it. It is maddening.