Which express operator is the least dependable?

Hello Newman

Senior
Aug 23, 2002
376
0
Lately, I''d have to say it''s Mesa. It seems whenever we have clear skies, no ATC, no thunderstorms. Mesa
still incurs operational irregularities. It''s either
crew rqmt or mtc affecting a prior flight. Last
week, after a mtc cancellation, flifo was NOT updated for over 2 hours. Just my opinion, but U has
obviously given them more routes than they can handle.
 
In a recent meeting in MDT with representatives of both Allegheny management and various labor groups, Express VP Ashby confirmed that Allegheny and Piedmont traded the top performance title back and forth almost on a weekly basis. When asked if that performance would be "rewarded" with new aircraft, it is reported (I wasn''t there personally) that Ashby hesitated, talked around the question, but would only confirm that there are "no plans to put RJs at either carrier in the near future". And this is while both carriers are scheduled to lose aircraft (ALG 4-5, PDT 7) by the end of the year as the leases expire.
Makes all that hard work real satisfying, doesn''t it? All the effort on making our operational performance as close to 100% as possible, only to see the rewards go elsewhere.
 
I agree with you. By far and away Mesa leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to updating flifo, and keep the stations involved as to what is going on. Granted they do get swamped, but even a 30-second phone call to the cities effected can make a difference. The folks who are on the line (inside and out)want and NEED to be advised so they do their job in a professional manner. There are times when I am very embarrassed to even be associated with Mesa..
( HINT: Wish someone would tell Mr. Siegel to tell Mesa to tell them to get their act together !!!!)
 
friend of mine (capt at mesa) told me that they were getting a lot of cancelations due to inadequate crew availability, she said people were leaving mesa left and right because of the really poor QoL now (due to their ta they passed)
 
airbrush,
The reward for any job well done is a paycheck. That doesn''t matter what industry you are in. A company is not obligated to give employees anything extra just because they do the job they are being payed to do. Of course if you don''t do the job properly they can terminate your employment and find someone else that will
 
Bassin, just a paycheck? That''s true if your only desire is to run a second rate company. Unfortunatley lots of companies are satisfied with second rate performance. You get what you pay for.
 
Bassin,

I''m fully aware that no company "owes" me anything beyond the pay and benefits that my position merits. What I am growing weary of is the weeks and months of pep talks, emphasizing that we must put out extra effort and focus to achieve specific results (usually with less personnel and resources at our disposal to do the job), on the premis that it will then supposedly gain us favor from Express division, only to find that it really all may not matter in the end. If they pull the "prize" away too many times, people will cease to even put out the minimum effort, which is no way to build a "team". I do my job the same way regardless, but it doesn''t make me excited about the long-term prospects.
 
piney,

I find your analagy of Jet blue and Walmart a little twisted. I''ve never seen Walmart build a new store and tear down the old one as a reward to the employees. That is equal to buying a bunch of new aircraft. You have to remember that it''s the little things that managers do that keep employees happy. Of course some people are never happy. You don''t have to spend a single cent to please employees. As far as the employees at walmart not making alot, your right. Retail doesn''t pay very much never has. Then again most employees working retail don''t have an education beyond high school. Once you get above department manager then you start to see more than a high school education. I''ve heard all these employees from U complaining about their wages now. Especially bag handlers and gate agents. They have no education beyond high school yet they feel the world owns them everything and the U should pay them 20 some dollars an hour to do something thats unskilled. It''s their own fault they never went on and furthered their education. If an employee doesn''t like their pay, working conditions,etc. they always have the choice of finding employment elsewhere. Of course the grass isn''t always greener on the other side.
 
I will agree with everything that is said here so far.
By far MESA is the worse performer of the US Express carriers. There is no question about that. CHQ AND TSA are already on the chopping block so no need to spend time comparing but they have been better than MESA.

I will also agree that PDT & AGL are the best performers 95% of the time. But everyone seems to think PSA does nothing and gets everything (RJ ORDER). There has been several times I have looked at the monthly stats and seen PSA at the top in some categories. And the three WO''s is never far apart in any category. Now here is what I can not figure out. PDT, AGL, & PSA, all fly out of the same hubs and PDT & AGL seem to always have very good Dep:00 and Arr:00 numbers. Why is that? PHL for example: Poor ramp and gate agents and all around poor workers keeps the delays at a constant level in PHL. Plus I dont really know who figures out the Block times for the segments we all fly but I can tell you they block the DO328 very tight i.e. 6 min taxi for TO and LDG. If you do not get off the gate at PHL, PIT, and DCA atleast 10 minutes early then you are already playing catch up with rest of the trip. Now I am not dogging the DASH 8 I think it is a great airplane. But, trying to make up time and arrive on schedule and then to check on with approach control and being told to reduce airspeed sometimes 40-50 knots to follow Dash 8 traffic is putting a disadvantage to the DO328''s short Block time. To add to all of that, it is hard to get parts for the Donier now since the BK by Donier. Please give PSA a little credit, I keep hearing and seeing that PSA has done nothing but cut all the WOs down and they seem to get all of the rewards.
Anyway enought of crap shooting.
Have fun and hold on while I go put my fire proof suit on because I know I will get flamed one this! So go ahead!

FlyingHillbilly