Yesterday I got to see first hand what the situation was like in CLT. I flew down for a quick meeting, arriving in the morning and returning on the 7:40PM back to LGA. I was traveling with a rep from our PR firm, so he got the benefit of a companion upgrade both ways.
The southbound journey was fine--always nice to see Jean at LGA Club, and my friends at the gates. On board we were asked to change seats from row 1 to row 4 (original configuration 321) to accommodate a customer with an aid dog--happy to comply. Excellent service, bottled water PRE departure, uneventful flight.
We arrived at LGA around 5:30 for the return flight and headed off to the club at C. The first thing I noticed that there was NO line at security--not one person ahead of us to go through! I asked the TSA agent if it was unusally slow and he said it had been that way for a while.
After a visit to the club and an adult beverage or two, I went out to meet my good friend Coachrowsey for a few minutes-he was gracious enough to come up on his break to visit-thanks Coach!
We arrive at the gate and there is a scene. The gate agents have just announced a delay due to ATC to NY (what else is new). There are a couple of really obnoxious customers laying into the agents-so bad that I cannot just stand there--I had to intervene. I pulled up FAA and weather radar on my phone and showed the big yeller the FAA ATC status, and the weather en route. I said everyone would be delayed flying over DCA due to storms along a line just south in Virginia. I asked the customer calmly to stop taking it out on the agent. I commend those two agents for the way they handled customers--and I could not help but notice how rude customers are these days--this could have turned ugly fast.
Turns out this was partially a SHARES issue--FLIFO is not updated -the flight still showed on time on the monitors and the gate. I had a lengthy conversation with the gate agents regarding this--they are unanimous in their feelings about SHARES.
Customers calmed down and about an hour later we were boarded up and about to leave, and suddenly a number of seat dupes come up (SHARES again?) A few minutes later we're on our way, and since we got out to the runway fast, we left a half hour before planned wheels up.
The folks in CLT have my sympathy---they are embarrassed, and just plain done---I can only imagine how bad it is elsewhere. I send ALL gate agents a tip of my hat, and encourage all FFOCUS members to lend a helping hand where able--there is no excuse to be abusive to an agent just because a flight takes a delay.
I have suggested to Tempe that they enable some form of web capability at gates--perhaps limited to the FAA website and a weather radar display-my PDA phone came in very handy last night.
Next week will be another adventure--LGA-RIC-CLT-MIA-CLT-LGA. I hope I get to see some of you during the trip..
My best to you all....
The southbound journey was fine--always nice to see Jean at LGA Club, and my friends at the gates. On board we were asked to change seats from row 1 to row 4 (original configuration 321) to accommodate a customer with an aid dog--happy to comply. Excellent service, bottled water PRE departure, uneventful flight.
We arrived at LGA around 5:30 for the return flight and headed off to the club at C. The first thing I noticed that there was NO line at security--not one person ahead of us to go through! I asked the TSA agent if it was unusally slow and he said it had been that way for a while.
After a visit to the club and an adult beverage or two, I went out to meet my good friend Coachrowsey for a few minutes-he was gracious enough to come up on his break to visit-thanks Coach!
We arrive at the gate and there is a scene. The gate agents have just announced a delay due to ATC to NY (what else is new). There are a couple of really obnoxious customers laying into the agents-so bad that I cannot just stand there--I had to intervene. I pulled up FAA and weather radar on my phone and showed the big yeller the FAA ATC status, and the weather en route. I said everyone would be delayed flying over DCA due to storms along a line just south in Virginia. I asked the customer calmly to stop taking it out on the agent. I commend those two agents for the way they handled customers--and I could not help but notice how rude customers are these days--this could have turned ugly fast.
Turns out this was partially a SHARES issue--FLIFO is not updated -the flight still showed on time on the monitors and the gate. I had a lengthy conversation with the gate agents regarding this--they are unanimous in their feelings about SHARES.
Customers calmed down and about an hour later we were boarded up and about to leave, and suddenly a number of seat dupes come up (SHARES again?) A few minutes later we're on our way, and since we got out to the runway fast, we left a half hour before planned wheels up.
The folks in CLT have my sympathy---they are embarrassed, and just plain done---I can only imagine how bad it is elsewhere. I send ALL gate agents a tip of my hat, and encourage all FFOCUS members to lend a helping hand where able--there is no excuse to be abusive to an agent just because a flight takes a delay.
I have suggested to Tempe that they enable some form of web capability at gates--perhaps limited to the FAA website and a weather radar display-my PDA phone came in very handy last night.
Next week will be another adventure--LGA-RIC-CLT-MIA-CLT-LGA. I hope I get to see some of you during the trip..
My best to you all....
