It's an hour past departure time...

[surreal1221]

#OneTeam.

Minus the hashtag, but it is a concept that I fear is not expressed in enough upgrade classes because I definitely don't see it from my real estate on the rightside of the cockpit with a lot of supposed "Leaders" on the left.

Our industry needs a significant revisit to CRM and how the crew environment includes everyone...not just those who are at the pointy end or on the ground developing releases and giving vectors.

 

[derg]

#OneTeam.

Minus the hashtag, but it is a concept that I fear is not expressed in enough upgrade classes because I definitely don't see it from my real estate on the rightside of the cockpit with a lot of supposed "Leaders" on the left.

Our industry needs a significant revisit to CRM and how the crew environment includes everyone...not just those who are at the pointy end or on the ground developing releases and giving vectors.

It's all about "servant leadership"

We were being pressured to push early and catering hadn't even been onboard yet for a flight from MSP to BIL. The gate agent didn't care about any of that noise and wanted me to hand her the flight release so we could push. She nearly have a heart attack when I handed the signed flight release to the lead flight attendant and said, "After catering arrives, when you're satisfied, hand this back to me and I will hand it to the gate agent, but not until you're completely confident you have what you need for service".

That way the pressure is off the lead, the gate agent knows I'm completely serious about catering for our customers and, at the end of the day, they knew damned well I wasn't going to fly for two hours with HVC's and no food and beverages. D-0 doesn't mean jack when you've paid a lot of money to fly on SouthernJets and probably turned down less expensive options from other airlines to fly on us.

 

[Avalon781ML]

MSP agents are awesome.

We found out mid boarding that one of our flight attendants had a death in the family. He said he wanted to continue, but it was obvious that he was a mess, so we decided to replace him.

Gate agent was fully supportive, dealt with some pretty irate passengers, and ordered pizza for everyone as soon as it became obvious that the delay was going to be significant.

This industry can be awesome when we all have each others back.

There are lots of awesome people in MSP... And always room for more awesome people who want to move here!

 

[Screaming_Emu]

There are lots of awesome people in MSP... And always room for more awesome people who want to move here!

 

[dasleben]

You show up to the airport on time, get your morning coffee, head to the gate, tell the gate agent you'll be ready to board in 5, and settle in for a four leg day. The plane is ready, the FAs are ready, the pax are ready. 15 min to departure, and there are no pax to be seen. Departure time comes and goes, still no pax. 15 min past. 30 min past.

Meanwhile, you've already talked to the gate agent several times. She's refusing to board because the flight is oversold and no one is volunteering. You've explained that your company has procedures in place to deal with this situation, and now she's going to have to reroute everyone, not just the bumped pax. She still refuses. You can't get a hold of company ops. You've called the MOD to see if he has advice/can do anything.

WWYD?

As an aside, I'm currently sitting in BUR, exactly 1 hour past our departure time...

What do your FOM and CBA say?

 

[Xcaliber]

What do your FOM and CBA say?

I'm pretty sure there's no section labeled "What to do when other employees refuse to do their job".

CBA...does not compute

 

[Luigi]

Having been a gate agent and ops agent long ago in a previous life, I agree with @Derg and the most reasonable thing to do would be to call ops and inquire about getting some assistance for this gate agent. If you call dispatch I'm just going to call ops. Cut out the middle man.

 

[dasleben]

I'm pretty sure there's no section labeled "What to do when other employees refuse to do their job".

No, but it tells you what your responsibilities are.

 

[JetDoc]

It's all about "servant leadership"

We were being pressured to push early and catering hadn't even been onboard yet for a flight from MSP to BIL. The gate agent didn't care about any of that noise and wanted me to hand her the flight release so we could push. She nearly have a heart attack when I handed the signed flight release to the lead flight attendant and said, "After catering arrives, when you're satisfied, hand this back to me and I will hand it to the gate agent, but not until you're completely confident you have what you need for service".

That way the pressure is off the lead, the gate agent knows I'm completely serious about catering for our customers and, at the end of the day, they knew damned well I wasn't going to fly for two hours with HVC's and no food and beverages. D-0 doesn't mean jack when you've paid a lot of money to fly on SouthernJets and probably turned down less expensive options from other airlines to fly on us.

I was told, to my face by the director of operations at my airline, which incidentally is a FFD carrier for SJI that I will not, under any circumstances, take another delay for catering. When I made the argument to him as you did @Derg about HVC's, a full airplane, albeit only 76 people going from SEA to SAN without any food or drink I was told that D-0 and not impacting people later down the line was more important. I was flabbergasted.

 

[mshunter]

You ask for a supervisor, call company and let them know what's going on, and do your job (moving the airplane). Beyond that, is there much else you can do?

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I wish more people would take that approach with MX especially.

"These packs suck, they won't cool down."

"Wanna write them up?"

"Nah, we only have this 2 more legs."

Jesus yes, this.

"Hey we noticed four legs ago..."
"And now you're giving it to me in the late evening - thanks a heap."

On minute six after the initial five, we weren't boarding, I'd be at the gate inquiring about delays.

If the agent isn't following procedure, it's time to send a detailed ACARS to OCC about a potential delay because the agent is making up her own rules and call ops to send down a second agent and a supervisor. If there's no action in five minutes or you can't reach OPS, physically walk in.

I know my chief pilot isn't going to think too kindly if I put the "captain" thing on pause and sat around waiting for magic to happen when you know darned well it isn't.

I'll do one better and just get on the phone to OCC SOC and the Regional Controller instead of messing with ACARS; scorched earth, given our emphasis on performance, will follow thereafter, as will boarding.

But hey - perhaps things are different when you're not a sub-contractor and you're physically representing the brand that is painted on the side of the aircraft. Mainline agents will do whatever they wish, whenever they wish, to whomever they wish. Not much a sub-contractor can do but sit around and wait for the third-party to do their duties.

No, they most certainly will not.

It's your names on the dispatch release, not theirs.

(just saying)

 

[Blackhawk]

Actually there is something you can do about third party contractors who don't perform. Write them up. If you don't you are part of the problem. If you do and it's not fixed, then someone else is the problem.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Actually there is something you can do about (stuff and/or people who are broken). Write them up. If you don't you are part of the problem. If you do and it's not fixed, then someone else is the problem.

FIFY

 

[TUCKnTRUCK]

D-O rules all. Just close and push. The pax can catch the next one

 

[ORDinarily]

You show up to the airport on time, get your morning coffee, head to the gate, tell the gate agent you'll be ready to board in 5, and settle in for a four leg day. The plane is ready, the FAs are ready, the pax are ready. 15 min to departure, and there are no pax to be seen. Departure time comes and goes, still no pax. 15 min past. 30 min past.

Meanwhile, you've already talked to the gate agent several times. She's refusing to board because the flight is oversold and no one is volunteering. You've explained that your company has procedures in place to deal with this situation, and now she's going to have to reroute everyone, not just the bumped pax. She still refuses. You can't get a hold of company ops. You've called the MOD to see if he has advice/can do anything.

WWYD?

As an aside, I'm currently sitting in BUR, exactly 1 hour past our departure time...

Detailed message to dispatch, go get another cup of coffee.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

D-O rules all. Just close and push. The pax can catch the next one

Fee for departure problems: no departure means no fee!

 

[Blackhawk]

Fee for departure problems: no departure means no fee!

No fee for the FFD. Thus the gate agent, who happens to work for the FFD's client, doesn't care if the delay gets coded on the FFD.