USAirways Cargo

[Quickcall]

Just saw on the news in PHL that human remains were released to a pet store. A driver was sent to get a shipment of tropical fish but was given the coffin containing human remains instead.
It will be interesting to see how this is handled.

 

[luvthe9]

Just saw on the news in PHL that human remains were released to a pet store. A driver was sent to get a shipment of tropical fish but was given the coffin containing human remains instead.
It will be interesting to see how this is handled.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=...&id=6702305 Plus they killed all is fish!!!!

 

[N965VJ]

Whadaya know, Tempe really *can* screw up a one car funeral.

 

[ChockJockey]

Whadaya know, Tempe really *can* screw up a one car funeral.

I work with both Human Remains and tropical fish on a fairly regular basis and can say with some confidence that it's whatever cadre of Einsteins in PHL's cargo handling and whatever fool was picking up the fish that are responsible for this, although I would be very interested to see you explain how Tempe is actually responsible, if only to get a good laugh.

At the risk of running against the chic of unrestricted CHQ-bashing and being branded a corporate apologist, I would like to say that, for the sake of many here and in US proper, I hope we never receive a superior executive team to the one we have now, lest we lose our favorite scapegoats and flammable effigies and look for someone else to blame when we think we're being victimized. Some of the loudest whiners may even have to do their jobs, correctly.

Now normally I wouldn't write such a thing but this topic and your quip that I've quoted above serves perfectly to illustrate how a decent few will always endeavor to lay blame on nobody but Tempe when it's quite obvious they did nothing to cause this mix up any more than they were responsible for the birds ingested into the engines of N106US before it landed on the Hudson.

That this happened in PHL is wholly unsurprising; I recall working a PHL inbound in which a human remains container was loaded in the aft bin unsecured (none of the bin netting up), allowed to slide back and forth, to and fro for the duration of the flight when really it would have taken one minute to put the netting up properly. Having spent the last few years working PHL flights and seeing firsthand the sloppiness that characterizes how many of those flights are loaded (this is not to say PHX or CLT are perfect) it doesn't surprise me that this was PHL and it wouldn't surprise me if this was possibly not so accidental. Reason being that an HR can weigh over a quarter ton and the top of the box says "HEAD" where the head is, and usually "HUMAN REMAINS - HANDLE WITH EXTREME CARE". Boxes of tropical fish are nowhere the size of an HR, are much lighter, are obviously filled with water and say "TROPICAL FISH" on the side.

B) B) B)

 

[sharktooth]

That this happened in PHL is wholly unsurprising; I recall working a PHL inbound in which a human remains container was loaded in the aft bin unsecured (none of the bin netting up), allowed to slide back and forth, to and fro for the duration of the flight when really it would have taken one minute to put the netting up properly. Having spent the last few years working PHL flights and seeing firsthand the sloppiness that characterizes how many of those flights are loaded (this is not to say PHX or CLT are perfect) it doesn't surprise me that this was PHL and it wouldn't surprise me if this was possibly not so accidental. Reason being that an HR can weigh over a quarter ton and the top of the box says "HEAD" where the head is, and usually "HUMAN REMAINS - HANDLE WITH EXTREME CARE". Boxes of tropical fish are nowhere the size of an HR, are much lighter, are obviously filled with water and say "TROPICAL FISH" on the side.

B) B) B)

Actually, it is Tempe.

They are the ones who, not respecting "experience", fired all those who knew better and hired, in some cases, felons off the street in order to "save" a couple of nickels, which is costing more than a few bucks.

Sorry, the blame rests with the "leader" who seems to have problems interpreting data from the rather dull pencil points who can really whip a spreadsheet into pretty colors. That is where the blame should reside, your efforts notwithstanding.

 

[cltrat]

in Clt once the HR or the fish for that matter are taken to the frieght house it's out of US personals hands.can you say contracted out?

 

[Ramp Rogue]

in Clt once the HR or the fish for that matter are taken to the frieght house it's out of US personals hands.can you say contracted out?

Now you can see how important it is for us to have our own workforce handling our own mail and cargo. Contract companies don't give a damn about US, and it shows on a daily basis. That is the reason that we lost so many loyal customers when we were contracted out in 1996.

Rogue

 

[cltrat]

Rogue you could not be more right,as the saying goes you get what you pay for

 

[Travelpro72]

When I read the thread topic I thought it was in reference to passengers on US. Thats how ya feel sometimes.

 

[necigrad]

I'm with Ramp Rouge in that this is proof that outsourcing is bad. I'd like to make a point however. This shipment was not a Human Remains shipment, but a normal cargo shipment, probably FI or FG. I know a dead body is still a dead body, but it wasn't like the guy missed his funeral, he was going to be hacked up for experiments or training or something. I want to know what idiot truck driver accepted the shipment. Even if s/he didn't realize it on pickup, you can't mistake a box that size for anything other then what it is. WTF was he thinking delivering what appears to be a human body to a pet store?

 

[BuffaloJoe]

We all should be thankful that the fish market wasn't located at the Reading Terminal Markets, then everyone would have seen it. This news would have blown up 100x if that happened! :mf_boff: :jerry:

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

I'm with Ramp Rouge in that this is proof that outsourcing is bad. I'd like to make a point however. This shipment was not a Human Remains shipment, but a normal cargo shipment, probably FI or FG. I know a dead body is still a dead body, but it wasn't like the guy missed his funeral, he was going to be hacked up for experiments or training or something. I want to know what idiot truck driver accepted the shipment. Even if s/he didn't realize it on pickup, you can't mistake a box that size for anything other then what it is. WTF was he thinking delivering what appears to be a human body to a pet store?

How would you feel if the body was was one of your family members?

While I agree with your 'WTF' assertion I would still maintain the responsibility remains with the airline, outsourced employees or not. The US PHL cargo operation is a disaster.

Historically US (thru all their different management regimes) has regarded cargo revenue as disposable gravy.

Other serious airlines are serious about their cargo revenue and costs.

Good luck!

 

[usabusdriver]

How would you feel if the body was was one of your family members?

While I agree with your 'WTF' assertion ...

How would you feel if you were the guy in the pet store stockroom/loading bay when he opend the box!

That would definately be a WTF assertion moment!

 

[sharktooth]

I'm with Ramp Rouge in that this is proof that outsourcing is bad.

Tom Legow, former top marketing guru with United ('90s) and US marketing dude responsible for a US one billion dollar profit, fired by Wolfe to eliminate competition to his own position, opined before the US ALPA MEC that outsourcing is always a temporary solution, suggesting that anything conducted in-house is always cheaper and more easily controlled. His comments about how outsourcing is always more expensive referenced that when one must outsource, it is always because the corporation lost management control and it was always cheaper to quickly bring it back in-house.

After seeing the same situation, time and again, I can only agree with Tom.

 

[Ramp Rogue]

Actually, it is Tempe.

They are the ones who, not respecting "experience", fired all those who knew better and hired, in some cases, felons off the street in order to "save" a couple of nickels, which is costing more than a few bucks.

Sorry, the blame rests with the "leader" who seems to have problems interpreting data from the rather dull pencil points who can really whip a spreadsheet into pretty colors. That is where the blame should reside, your efforts notwithstanding.

Cargo and mail were contracted out back in 96. Those that were in power at that time are responsible for this, and the many other fiascos that the different contract companies have burdened US with over these years. US is punished for these misdoings while the contractors continue with business as usual. That is where Tempe should step in and straighten things out by bringing our own workforce back to handle our cargo and mail. Until then we can expect the same stupid mistakes over and over again. Which is what Tempe seems to be famous for.

Does anyone know if anything has happened to the contractor in PHL, or the worker(s) that mixed up the shipment?

Rogue