The Problems with PHL and this Company

[hp_fa]

Jimmy I can well understand your feelings but if you aren't active in trying to change things for the better then you are frankly part of the problem.

Huh?

Just as an exercise in alternative thinking, couldn't it be said that you and a number of FF'ers are "part of the problem" because you act as enablers? Instead of providing tough love and voting with your feet, you continue to rant, rave, pray, curse and a thousand other things rather then send the simplest message you could possibly send with no chance that the message would be misunderstood?

 

[NCFL]

No, the problem with the last 3 days in PHL started with the city. No significant snow/ice removal efforts were initiated by the city until after 1:00PM on Wednesday, a full 24 hours after the storm started. And when they started their half azzed process with 25 different private contractors, they took a snow/sleet covered ramp and turned it into a finely polished ice rink. The city of PHL couldn't have done a better job if they had used Zamboni's to clear the ramp and taxiways.

Go Spin, Go Spin. It's your birthday. Go Spin.
Great reply.
There was a job listed in the local paper for a Zamboni driver. I thought about it. How fun. How much less stress than being an airline employee.

 

[philly rocks]

Huh?

Just as an exercise in alternative thinking, couldn't it be said that you and a number of FF'ers are "part of the problem" because you act as enablers? Instead of providing tough love and voting with your feet, you continue to rant, rave, pray, curse and a thousand other things rather then send the simplest message you could possibly send with no chance that the message would be misunderstood?

 

[philly rocks]

I think all FF pax should get a permit from the Philadelphia Airport and let pax know that management must change in Philadelphia real soon. You can't get fired, we can ! We want to service all FF the way we always did, but Philadelphia local management holds our jobs hostage. Working conditions are deplorable and they get away with it. It is not very hard to get these permits, contact the city and they will direct you with all the details.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

hmmmmm... I'd think protesting at shareholder's meetings might be one thing, but I wouldn't expect to come between an airline and it's customers operationally and not expect the carrier to take action. I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me if they could legally ban you for picketing, even with a permit.

 

[DAYTON PACEMAKER]

Hire ex drill instructors who are not scared of the thugs and fire the employes who dont want to do there jobs let the union fight to get there jobs back. Make all managment accountable for the operation that they have control of.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Which is why I asked the questions. It's easy to blame the city/airport but the ramp area around the gate is US' responsibility. I know in winters past there would be pallets of granulated urea stacked under the overhangs of the concourses (literally tons of it) and after a storm like this one the ramp areas would be white with the residue.

Just wondering if that was the case this time.

Jim

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
JIM...(Boeing Boy), as he is Soooo many times is RIGHT, that in PHL, US operates like an airline that wants to be the LAUGHING STOCK of the Industry, an quite frankly......"IS".

Now I'm sure a lot of US people won't believe me when I say, that I DO NOT have an "ax to grind, with US".

The sad reality is, that US's #1 money making hub, is in a city that it's Operations is BADLY broken, the city SUCKS, and the physical airport itself, is "unfixable".

Similiar to a body with incurable CANCER, kept alive for "some time", with heavy medications.

The CEO, division manager, station manager, ramp/CS manager...DOES NOT exist, at ANY airline,ANYWHERE, that could operate PHL effeciently !!!!!!!!!!!

Oddly enough, EWR is almost in a similiar situation,(Not enough runways) but they had more room to build their terminals. I marvel often, that CO has been, and continue's to be as successful with their Hub, given the physical constraints there.

If you look at the major cities,(and airports) along I-95, from BOS to DCA,poor PHL stands out like a "sore thumb"

BOS is 99% maxed out, but they have the luxury of reliever airports, like MHT(NH), and PVD(RI), a mere 50 miles away in either direction.

NYC/EWR have several reliever airports, like HPN/ISP/SWF, not to mention all the runways at JFK.

BWI still has room to grow(runways and terminal space, if need be),...and DCA has IAD, who has a #### load of room, for possible futher expansion.

NH/BB's

 

[BuffaloJoe]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If you look at the major cities,(and airports) along I-95, from BOS to DCA,poor PHL stands out like a "sore thumb"

BOS is 99% maxed out, but they have the luxury of reliever airports, like MHT(NH), and PVD(RI), a mere 50 miles away in either direction.

NYC/EWR have several reliever airports, like HPN/ISP/SWF, not to mention all the runways at JFK.

BWI still has room to grow(runways and terminal space, if need be),...and DCA has IAD, who has a #### load of room, for possible futher expansion.

NH/BB's

The best thing that they can do in PHL is to relocate I-95 along the river and build a new runway where I-95 was. This will open up an area for dual approaches. Whatever option that they are going to do is going to be costly, so what options are the best?

Whatever they do, relocating I-95 has to be addressed first. Leaving it as is haults any kind of growth. And Philly is the largest Metro Area without a second feeder airport. Whoever pushes the expansion thru will take alot of heat. Its gonna take a long battle to win and build. It's not impossible, but almost impossible. Its going to take alot of money and where is it all going to come from? I pity the person who has that to deal with.

I would also tie in AMTRAK to reroute the tracks so that can be excessible easier that way, along with the SEPTA line. Just like at BWI and EWR. I just was at EWR and that is nice how they have done that.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I honestly think that, that was why Parker went after DL....to help solve the "unfixable" problem at PHL.
(he could have shifted a lot of PHL international traffic, out of DL/JFK.)
and,
If DP has any "clout" left, after getting "pinched", you can bet your A$$ that he'll be looking at CO(EWR) as well.


NH/BB's

 

[LD3]

Which is why I asked the questions. It's easy to blame the city/airport but the ramp area around the gate is US' responsibility. I know in winters past there would be pallets of granulated urea stacked under the overhangs of the concourses (literally tons of it) and after a storm like this one the ramp areas would be white with the residue.

Just wondering if that was the case this time.

Jim

Jim you are probably correct, depending on lease agreements. In CLT the AD priority is 18R T/W E, then move east with snow ops. The ramp areas from the terminal to the tug road is US responsibility, it is their leased area. E con is city, and part of D is city, E takes priority of D due to commutor ops. AS for PHL trying to make a determination of using salt or urea, it's kinda hard to believe that they would use salt in an aircraft environment, strictly urea and E36 in CLT...and at rare times, aviation grade sand..

 

[BoeingBoy]

LD3,

I still haven't heard an answer to whether urea was used in PHL, or how much if it was used. My wife & I did go thru PHL on 2/21 - not immediately after the weather - and the ramps didn't have the residue that was obvious in past winters nor did I see any stockpiles of urea in the usual storage spots along the shuttle bus route from F to A-west. Now that you mentioned sand, I do remember that being on the ramp after snow/ice episodes in previous winters but didn't see it on the swing thru PHL this time.

None of those observations prove anything, but what I find telling is that so far no one has said anything about using any treatment to melt the ice.

Jim

 

[muircross]

LD3,

I still haven't heard an answer to whether urea was used in PHL, or how much if it was used. My wife & I did go thru PHL on 2/21 - not immediately after the weather - and the ramps didn't have the residue that was obvious in past winters nor did I see any stockpiles of urea in the usual storage spots along the shuttle bus route from F to A-west. Now that you mentioned sand, I do remember that being on the ramp after snow/ice episodes in previous winters but didn't see it on the swing thru PHL this time.

None of those observations prove anything, but what I find telling is that so far no one has said anything about using any treatment to melt the ice.

Jim

Jim, I don't recall any urea being used 'til well after the storm, and then not in any volume. FWIW, the Ramp Mgr. was overheard telling a few rampers that they expected the temperature to rise above freezing and melt the ice. This never happened and we became socked in. The following day many senior mgrs. were making the rounds and apologizing for their ineptitude, I saw that firsthand.

Apparently, the new snow/ice removal contractor is the same guys that clean the terminal, Airways. I could only spot one pick-up truck with a small spreader, inadequate at best. The company then had to seek at the last minute contractors who could actually do the job, but at what price?

So, US's attempt to save a few bucks on urea because of an unreliable weather forcast ended up costing them a bunch of money not to mention the "Goodwill" they wasted. These guys continue to amaze me.