Redefining excellence

[wnbubbleboy]

I think that some of the delays are being pushed back to ops, ramp or the crew, but not all. I guess its just hard to admit that the mechs are moving the jets a little better or more effectively ehh?

I have no doubt that mechanics worked just as hard BEFORE the new procedure was implemented. If anything it has changed the few that would sit on gate calls until the very last minute.

Still in my opinion it's not enough to make a significant dent in delays. Finally, it all depends on luck if aircraft breaks big at your station well, you're screwed.

That’s ok dude, I know you're too busy to help out, you know, trying to get your little "newspaper" out on time and all, lol. Can't get both aircraft and news out on time, it has to be one or the other.

HA! I am too busy helping mechanics who memory of the stockroom locations instantly disappear as soon as they enter.

Regarding the newsletter, let it go my friend, the article about you was 3 or 4 issues ago. I am sure everybody has forgotten it by now.

Finally, weren't Batman and Robin the template for Saturday Night Live's Ambiguously Gay Superheroes?

 

[WNjetdoc]

Well I can say that one mech who did sit till the last minute actually had some of the fewest delays of anyone!! But of course he is a rare guy indeed. I think it is the culmination of everything that has helped with the delays, including just being aware of the time and importance of getting done ontime and safely.

Yes you're right, as soon as I walk in that Home Depot size stores department I forget everything, especially since you guys move the parts around on a daily basis. I hear you over there snickering when Im wondering up and down the isle mumbling, "where the f is that part, is was located here just the other day"....he,he,he.

Seriously though, you "guys" in stores rock and are a big help, without you the a/c wouldn't move.

You're correct about Batman and Robin, not that there is anything wrong with that.

Now get back to what you do best. :jerry: and :mf_boff:

 

[markkus757]

As an outsider to Southwest, I have seen a pattern that is explaining why they are trying to squeeze the proverbial blood from a stone. With this expansion ramping up due to the fact of the excessive delivery of aircraft, Southwest has to find more places to send these aircraft. They are IMO in a rapid expansion program that is going to strain the airlines' assets. I think about the expansion as a parallel to WWII in a sense. After Germany had conquered half of Europe, they started to run out of the model soldier(white Aryan) and they started to grab whoever they could to fill their ranks. Their army went downhill from there. The way I equate this to Southwest is the fact that they always have had certain standards as to who they hire. every successful business does this, but i think Southwest is running out of candidates and that is why the overtime is going through the roof. The final point to this story deals with new stations. I'm under the impression that most employees that currently open a new station are transfers until they can find enough of the right locals to work there. This continues to thin the workforce at the other stations. Whether or not you like someone questioning your way of doing things, this needs to be done if you hope to continue the expansion of Southwest. Either you relax who you hire or you are going to work harder for your industry leading pay.

 

[WNjetdoc]

markkus757: "As an outsider to Southwest".
Yes you are an outsider.

I really like your skin head nazi racist comment, markkus757: ""they started to run out of the model soldier(white Aryan) and they started to grab whoever they could to fill their ranks. Their army went downhill from there. The way I equate this to Southwest is the fact that they always have had certain standards as to who they hire. every successful business does this".

If SWA were to get back, (not that we were ever like that anyhow), to only hiring "white Aryan soldiers" then we would be ok, ehh? It seems to me that you're actually inferring that SWA, in the past, hired the cream of the crop and now we are just putting in warm bodies and with that will come the end of SWA as we know it?

I know in maintenance we have hired some very good mechs recently and have always hired the best. Now of course you will have some bad apples but we have those in both the very senior, and the junior ranks.

In certain cities, (cough-BWI-cough), we go through ramp agents like you would not believe, or perhaps you would markkus as you seem to know a lot for an "outsider". They are not in my department so I won't speculate on whats going on over there, I do know I see new faces daily, both "white Aryan" and every other shade as well. The high turnover rate is probably regional, as what you start off as a ramp agent in pay you can get at McDonalds, without having to work a fraction as hard. Those rampers work their butts off for the most part and they are underpaid, IMO.

From what I know as an "insider" is that most cities the ramp is pretty senior and stable, ie: PHX, DAL, HOU, etc. As a lot are topped out and making a pretty good living, working for a great and stable company, thus Im guessing they are happy. I know when I talk to "temps" on the ramp thats what lots of them tell me anyhow.

What the heck do I know, Im just an insider, lets see what the outsider has to say.

I don't know if you're saying the "problem" we supposedly have is the whole airline, or just certain cities, can you be more specific, Mr. Outsider?

 

[mga707]

markkus757: "As an outsider to Southwest".
Yes you are an outsider.

I really like your skin head nazi racist comment, markkus757: ""they started to run out of the model soldier(white Aryan) and they started to grab whoever they could to fill their ranks. Their army went downhill from there. The way I equate this to Southwest is the fact that they always have had certain standards as to who they hire. every successful business does this".

Relax. He is just using what I think is an incorrect historical analogy. Not meant to be racist, Nazi, or 'skinhead'!
What he states is true, if you know your WWII history. By late in the war the German army's standards had indeed been all but abolished. Berlin was defended at the end by old men and young boys. Towards the end, the SS was even accepting Slavs into their ranks. Under Nazi race propaganda, the Slavic peoples had originally been considered only slightly less sub-human than the Jews and Gypsies. But that all went out the window when any warm bodies were needed to try to stop the Russian onslaught.

While true, I think it's more than a bit of a stretch to link any of this to any perceived loosening of hiring standards at Southwest.

 

[UAL_TECH]

Sorry UALtech but you're incorrect in your post. USC isn't an outside counsultant team. Also our company does listen to our suggestions way more than anyplace I've ever worked. Infact I think sometimes they go above and beyond what they need to on occasion.

For instance we have a possible mx staion re-alignment going on in the future, at one particular station. Where I used to work, (Usair), this was a daily occurance, without a second thought to who got bumped or how much of a disturbance this was going to cause to this particular person or how much of a trickle down it was going to cause. They didn't even care. SWA has done station re-alignments in the past, so this isn't a new thing, its just we don't do it much. Its not like they just said we are going to re-align station A and these guys are being displaced...period.

SWA, IMO, is going above and beyond what they have to in attempting to minimize the pain that will be caused by the possible re-alignment. They were working with the union to create jobs in certain cities where the displaced employees may want to go. I know it sucks to be bumped from a station, and it will suck for the guys involved if it happens. I think at Usair I was bumped 10-15 times, which isn't even a big deal, I just got bumped to Philly line and gse, CLT, BWI line and gse, DCA line and gse, over and over. There were guys going from the West coast to the East coast all the time, with no concern from corporate Usair.

At least it seems that SWA cares for the employees still, that or they put on a happy face while trying to fool us. I still think this is the best company and airline to work for and I try not to get into the "SWA is turning into another Usairr" doom and gloom crap going on.

WNjetdoc,

No need to be sorry.
I wish you guys and gals all the best!
When 'consultants' were mentioned, I a$$umed they were outside contractors (never heard of 'internal' consultants) that we (at the "Lazy'U'") have been subject to for several years.

Take Care,
B) UT

 

[WNjetdoc]

WNjetdoc,

No need to be sorry.
I wish you guys and gals all the best!
When 'consultants' were mentioned, I a$$umed they were outside contractors (never heard of 'internal' consultants) that we (at the "Lazy'U'") have been subject to for several years.

Take Care,
B) UT

Hey UT, I didn't mean "sorry" in a smarty pants way, just trying to let you know about the consults, thats all brother.

 

[markkus757]

markkus757: "As an outsider to Southwest".
Yes you are an outsider.

I really like your skin head nazi racist comment, markkus757: ""they started to run out of the model soldier(white Aryan) and they started to grab whoever they could to fill their ranks. Their army went downhill from there. The way I equate this to Southwest is the fact that they always have had certain standards as to who they hire. every successful business does this".

If SWA were to get back, (not that we were ever like that anyhow), to only hiring "white Aryan soldiers" then we would be ok, ehh? It seems to me that you're actually inferring that SWA, in the past, hired the cream of the crop and now we are just putting in warm bodies and with that will come the end of SWA as we know it?

I know in maintenance we have hired some very good mechs recently and have always hired the best. Now of course you will have some bad apples but we have those in both the very senior, and the junior ranks.

In certain cities, (cough-BWI-cough), we go through ramp agents like you would not believe, or perhaps you would markkus as you seem to know a lot for an "outsider". They are not in my department so I won't speculate on whats going on over there, I do know I see new faces daily, both "white Aryan" and every other shade as well. The high turnover rate is probably regional, as what you start off as a ramp agent in pay you can get at McDonalds, without having to work a fraction as hard. Those rampers work their butts off for the most part and they are underpaid, IMO.

From what I know as an "insider" is that most cities the ramp is pretty senior and stable, ie: PHX, DAL, HOU, etc. As a lot are topped out and making a pretty good living, working for a great and stable company, thus Im guessing they are happy. I know when I talk to "temps" on the ramp thats what lots of them tell me anyhow.

What the heck do I know, Im just an insider, lets see what the outsider has to say.

I don't know if you're saying the "problem" we supposedly have is the whole airline, or just certain cities, can you be more specific, Mr. Outsider?

First off, it wasn't ment to be racist :down: . And just because I'm considering myself an outsider, that doesn't mean that I don't know squat about "your" airline. From my conversations with workers at Southwest and how much I've observed as an outsider, I think I have a general idea as to some of the problems "your" airline is having as far as staffing goes. "My" aiport has a significant overtime problem at Southwest, according to my sources there, because they cannot find the right employee to fill the position. Yet, I knew several people that worked hard at other airlines that had applied when they thought that their current employer was going out of business and they weren't even considered. I wasn't entertaining the concept of just hiring anybody, but I have seen people not hired because "the square peg isn't square enough." I am also aware that Southwest had significant problems opening up PHL and they mostly did it with transfers until enough locals were hired.
I'll also go a further step and say that they might even change some of the hiring criteria going forward. Southwest is going through tremendous change right now(I'm sure you already knew this though) and they have not done things the traditional way. Wouldn't you say that the last three cities(PHL,DEN,IAD) they started up break at least one, if not two of their golden rules for expansion?
Let me know if I'm still this clueless outsider you claim me to be. :blink:

 

[ramper_in_las]

First off, it wasn't ment to be racist :down: . And just because I'm considering myself an outsider, that doesn't mean that I don't know squat about "your" airline. From my conversations with workers at Southwest and how much I've observed as an outsider, I think I have a general idea as to some of the problems "your" airline is having as far as staffing goes. "My" aiport has a significant overtime problem at Southwest, according to my sources there, because they cannot find the right employee to fill the position. Yet, I knew several people that worked hard at other airlines that had applied when they thought that their current employer was going out of business and they weren't even considered. I wasn't entertaining the concept of just hiring anybody, but I have seen people not hired because "the square peg isn't square enough." I am also aware that Southwest had significant problems opening up PHL and they mostly did it with transfers until enough locals were hired.
I'll also go a further step and say that they might even change some of the hiring criteria going forward. Southwest is going through tremendous change right now(I'm sure you already knew this though) and they have not done things the traditional way. Wouldn't you say that the last three cities(PHL,DEN,IAD) they started up break at least one, if not two of their golden rules for expansion?
Let me know if I'm still this clueless outsider you claim me to be. :blink:

As a member of the ramp hirng team in LAS let explain a few things to you.
The hiring for southwest ground ops is a colaboration of human resources, supervisors, and agents. For me personally I am looking for someone whom is a good fit with our company. You need to bring your A game to our interviews in order to advance to several different phases of the interviews. I believe that human resources needs to be dilligent to stay true to the southwest culture when making their final decisions when hiring applicants. So if a station is short handed on staffing. I would rather wait for quality people to be hired rather than go into a hire everyone you can kind of mode. I understand there is more of a work load on each agent but i think its the lesser of two evils.

 

[hp_fa]

So if a station is short handed on staffing. I would rather wait for quality people to be hired rather than go into a hire everyone you can kind of mode. I understand there is more of a work load on each agent but i think its the lesser of two evils.

My two thoughts are that this is the wrong time of year in LAS (and PHX) to be overworking ramp folks and that with the entire airline industry in the shape it is in it is harder and harder to find quality folks willing to work hard and well for the wages being paid and that can pass security and drug tests.

 

[ramper_in_las]

My two thoughts are that this is the wrong time of year in LAS (and PHX) to be overworking ramp folks and that with the entire airline industry in the shape it is in it is harder and harder to find quality folks willing to work hard and well for the wages being paid and that can pass security and drug tests.

like i said the lesser of two evils...

 

[BIFF]

Here's MY crazy theory...this pertains to the cities that add flights regularly. A kinda never-ending cycle. Your station is running thin on ramp agents, maybe 15-20% thin. You get 3 more non-stops to BFE. A couple to FLL maybe another 3 to LAX and so on. By the time "they" realize we need more people, that "thinning" percentage has gone up. So the station gets approval for x number more agents, Well it's probably at least 3 months from interview to hire and another month before said new-hire gets let loose on the ramp. By this time you have had even more flights added and are back to the 20-25% again and said new-hire is now nicknamed MR Mandatory.In fact the mandatory food chain goes all the way up to the seniormost agents. Everyday.

 

[ramper_in_las]

Well it has been nearly nine months since I started this topic. Rx has worked at many stations throughout the WN network. I was wondering if I could get the opinion of the other stations that Rx has been to? Good or bad... I have my opinions about the changes in LAS but I would like to see something positive before I give my opinion...

 

[WNrforlife]

Well it has been nearly nine months since I started this topic. Rx has worked at many stations throughout the WN network. I was wondering if I could get the opinion of the other stations that Rx has been to? Good or bad... I have my opinions about the changes in LAS but I would like to see something positive before I give my opinion...

I think that the whole thing sucks. When I'm not working flights, I'm a skycap pushing wheelchairs.

There's not as much down time as there used to be. :down: :down: :down: :down:

 

[wnbubbleboy]

Well it has been nearly nine months since I started this topic. Rx has worked at many stations throughout the WN network. I was wondering if I could get the opinion of the other stations that Rx has been to? Good or bad... I have my opinions about the changes in LAS but I would like to see something positive before I give my opinion...

If there is a positive here's what I have seen regarding maintenance here in BWI.

Maintenance has changed it's way of operations here with a positive time off the aircraft now regarding gate calls. So now delays cannot be addressed to Line MX anymore in an arbitrary way.

So if the delay is caused by the Ramp, Crew or Operations it will be addressed directly and improve overall operations or at least give a direction to the actual cause.