Passengers Refusing to Board Flight To Munich?

[as the prop turns]

How did we go from The European Communities Top awards in International Travel to this? Again, this management is in way over it's head. With the elimination of Sabre and Merlin, and an airline who's main competitor was Southwest, it will NEVER get better. We should just hope that the rumors are true that the US side merges with UA. At least we will be in the same league and have the same philosophies.

 

[brown]

Maybe so, but there seems to be a mechanical every day on one of these birds and on many days there are several that develop problems. The MUC-PHL has been canceled two days in a row.

One of these birds is going to get into trouble over the water. They are pushing them too hard with no backups and no spare parts in PHL. The FAA needs to take a very close look at the US international operations.

At this point I would not get on one of them if it were a free trip.

It is a shame that they lost some EXCELLENT talent in Maintenance department when the wages went to the lowest of the industry or close to. (Thanks IAM). I am not saying any tech would let a acft go overseas if they thought something was wrong most wouldn't, maybe with the exception of the scabs at NWA. I know of a lot of good guys that used to work international who took off to Fedex, UPS, FAA, Corporate etc, these guys were good, troubleshooting and repairing and getting the birds out quickly...I am not putting down every tech at USAirways there are still some good guys, however the great ones are gone, hence usually Fedex, UPS, FAA get the cream of the crop.

 

[brown]

Reregulation by the government I knew it was going to happen.

What's the alternative genius? At least they are attempting to do something. You think the Airlines were going to do something voluntarily? DUH

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Come on, where's the spirit? Fly with US! So sayeth the Napkin!

Next stop, CHINA!

Next Stop China? Maybe US will codeshare with UA's flight out of Dulles. That would be the best way for US to get to China.

 

[usairfa05]

The international choas is a great example of how the operations in PHX and LAS are carried out. The H/P A/C barely have time to sit anywhere for more than 4 hours before they are back in the air. The mentality is to run the A/C until it cannot move another inch. Delays, unclean A/C, planes that are 90 degrees or more are just a few of the problems that plague the shortest runs in the west. Take the same pratice and slowly move it to international side. The difference between the operations is that HP has more control over it's workers than the US side. The problems are not a lack of capable international specialist in Tempe. There have been many advising them of the pitfalls of running international in this fashion. The problem is lack of understanding and down right arrogance from the excutives at LCC. While LCC would like to be a full service low cost airline; it has just become plain cheap. To operate a good international airline you must have same day service, a hassel free system from check in all the way through to reclaiming baggage and an on board product that can at leats offer a decent meal. LCC can no longer look to southwest as the standard it hopes to achieve. It needs to look at the star alliance and meet the basics of our obligations. Air travel is not a new concept and it does not need the sandcastle to reinvent it. Look at the past faliures of others and do not repeat them; take the best of our allies and rivals and implemeant them. Side note there are other bases that can handle west coast, southeast and midwest travel to europe.

Cart set and fruit speared. See Y'all next time.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Cart set and fruit speared. See Y'all next time.

You forgot to say "Y'all set up".

 

[phlus2]

We should just hope that the rumors are true that the US side merges with UA.

God I hope not! I wonder why in the world any other airline would even consider buying any of this mess at this point. Seems to me the better plan is to just sit back and wait until it self destructs, buy the pieces you want, and start over. From a customer perspective it looks to me like the US operation has gotten so bad there is no hope of fixing it - just let it die a natural death. Hopefully it will be a quick death - I am tired of always having to connect out of PHL to avoid flying on Useless Airways.

 

[ussnark]

Anyone have any information on this? KYW in Philly is reporting that a Munich flight had 3 mechanicals out of PHL last evening, and after an 8 hour delay the passengers are refusing to board the flight out of safety concerns, yet USAir did not cancell the flight.

Looks like it took of at 6:45 AM 10 hours late.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/USA706

Got an a/c number?

 

[nycbusdriver]

😱
I need an anwer on a question. Doesn't Usairways have an agreement in stores to swap parts and barter with other airlines like in the past? I always assumed stores in PHL had a reciprocal backup.

They do abuse these aircraft and they do NOT have any backup aircraft to swap.

Most airlines are happy to sell inventory to the competition.

In PHL, though, I think USAirways is the only airline to operate 767s with any frequency at all. If there are other 767 flights, you can probably count them on one hand and have fingers left over. In that case, it is doubtful that another carrier would be inclined to stock 767 parts inventory. And, even assuming other carriers operating 767s, the chances that they are using the same engines as the USAirways model is even smaller. I understand that the problem was a valve of some sort attached to the engine. No one else is going to have this part in PHL.

 

[ussnark]

Most airlines are happy to sell inventory to the competition.

In PHL, though, I think USAirways is the only airline to operate 767s with any frequency at all. If there are other 767 flights, you can probably count them on one hand and have fingers left over. In that case, it is doubtful that another carrier would be inclined to stock 767 parts inventory. And, even assuming other carriers operating 767s, the chances that they are using the same engines as the USAirways model is even smaller. I understand that the problem was a valve of some sort attached to the engine. No one else is going to have this part in PHL.

I have been told that 767 parts reside in CLT and PHX (¿porque PHX? no se.)

Also, the POS A&W maintenance program called SPECTRE does not notify anyone until the day an MEL is due, resulting in last minute "exceptional waivers" to re-extend the MEL being granted and denying any opportunity to "program" for an MEL removal. Hence MELs are being carried for well beyond what the FAA intended, marginalizing US legalities to crisis proportions. Fortunately, many pilots are grounding aircraft, when necessary. A very few others, not so much.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Most airlines are happy to sell inventory to the competition.

In PHL, though, I think USAirways is the only airline to operate 767s with any frequency at all. If there are other 767 flights, you can probably count them on one hand and have fingers left over. In that case, it is doubtful that another carrier would be inclined to stock 767 parts inventory. And, even assuming other carriers operating 767s, the chances that they are using the same engines as the USAirways model is even smaller. I understand that the problem was a valve of some sort attached to the engine. No one else is going to have this part in PHL.

PHL has several 767 non-US land everyday. British Airways Flt 68/69, and a bunch of UPS. Delta flies them in now and then. AA had a 767 fill in for a 757 a few times as well. But in whole, there aren't many W/B's. The 757 PHL is seeing more of, UA flies a few in daily and NW has 2 757's. Delta's ATL-PHL service is mostly 757's as SLC-PHL are both 757's. The only other 757 is AA's SJU flight and numerous UPS 757's.But leaving Cargo out the only other W/B's PHL sees is Air France A330/340, Lufthansa A340. Air Jamaica used to fly the A300 but that is now an A320.

 

[nycbusdriver]

PHL has several 767 non-US land everyday. British Airways Flt 68/69, and a bunch of UPS. Delta flies them in now and then. AA had a 767 fill in for a 757 a few times as well. But in whole, there aren't many W/B's. The 757 PHL is seeing more of, UA flies a few in daily and NW has 2 757's. Delta's ATL-PHL service is mostly 757's as SLC-PHL are both 757's. The only other 757 is AA's SJU flight and numerous UPS 757's.But leaving Cargo out the only other W/B's PHL sees is Air France A330/340, Lufthansa A340. Air Jamaica used to fly the A300 but that is now an A320.

Like I said. Count the other airline 767s on one hand and have fingers left over. How did this end up talking about the plethora of 757s? We're not talking about 757s. It's an entirely different airplane. Take it from someone who flies them both. The single type-rating is simply a bill-of-goods that Boeing sold to the FAA decades ago. It should have never happened.

 

[as the prop turns]

Don't worry, the FAA is fully aware of HP's history. USAir and the FAA always had an EXCELLENT relationship and the FAA NEVER had a problem with USAir. However, as was told to me by the FAA in PHL, because of the current situation with Septor and our current management, the FAA is watching like a hawk. The FAA has pulled in US Air mechanic leads and managers, on an anonymous basis to hear exactly what is going on. Scathing letters have been issued. USAir mechanics are pulling their hair out. Never have they seen anything like this.

 

[phlus2]

I have been told that 767 parts reside in CLT and PHX (¿porque PHX? no se.)

So can someone explain why, if all of your 767 aircraft go through PHL everyday, you would keep the spare parts in another city? This seems rather stupid - although not surprising given the current mental capacity of US Management in Tempe.

 

[stoopidute442]

So can someone explain why, if all of your 767 aircraft go through PHL everyday, you would keep the spare parts in another city? This seems rather stupid - although not surprising given the current mental capacity of US Management in Tempe.

We could never understand this either. And as for borrowing parts from other airlines, sure they do it, but it sucks for the mechanics. I rememer on one occasion where we had to borrow a 57 door nitrogen bottle. The paperwork listed the job as "priority 1" since it was costing US $75 a day to keep. I asked my foreman if I popped up the 75 could I defer it??? He wasnt amused....The worst part -the night before when the slide was blown I had to install the borrowed part!!!!! So esentally I did the same job 2X simply because US cant order/stock parts!!!!