Passenger Priorities

Our ops manual prohibits running an engine while boarding or deplaning. In the CRJs, it wouldn't make a difference anyway, as one engine does not move enough air to make a difference. Swapping aircraft isn't an option when there's nothing else to take.

Mayhaps at AE it's easy to do, but in other places it's not. The other night in IND, I spent 40 minutes arguing with a certain codeshare's ops people about deplaning my APU-less wonder before people started passing out. The basic response was that they didn't want to deplane because then they'd have to deal with the passengers. Great CS, eh? We thought so. They finally hooked up ground air, but it did very little.
 
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They finally hooked up ground air, but it did very little.

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Wait a minute. You had no APU, they KNEW you were going to be on the ground for more then 10 minutes, and they didn't hook the air up right off the bat? Dude, THAT is poor CS right there. I know in the 737 that air gets pretty cold. I've had FAs tell me to shut the air off in the summer in FL b/c it was TOO cold. Does the air not flow as well in the CRJ?
 
The problem is that many ground ops agents do not realize that CRJs and ERJs have hookups for ground air. My first request was to deplane when the EDC for ORD turned into a ground stop; I was simply blown off.

Then I asked for an air start because it will pump enough air to freeze the plane in no time; unfortunately the only one they had would not do the job.

Then I asked for ground air and had to spend 5+ minutes convincing them that the CRJ will in fact accept a ground air hookup. The ramper and his attitude came out with relentless "Where does it hook up? Where? Where?" bs, then he just stared at the door I'd opened for him to plug it in. Another 5-10 minutes before he could get the hose rigged, and it didn't exactly blow very cold. The cabin was already at 90. Needless to say, our pax were not thrilled.
 
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The ramper and his attitude came out with relentless "Where does it hook up? Where? Where?" bs, then he just stared at the door I'd opened for him to plug it in.

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Minimum wage, minimal effort is what I always say.
 
I'm learning to appreciate our ramp more every day. We usually have a GPU and air cart plugged in and running before the cabin door is even opened or the jetway up to the aircraft. Those are the first two things they do after chocks are in, so we can power down the APU and save some cash.
 
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I'm learning to appreciate our ramp more every day. We usually have a GPU and air cart plugged in and running before the cabin door is even opened or the jetway up to the aircraft. Those are the first two things they do after chocks are in, so we can power down the APU and save some cash.

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Same thing at SWA. Only problem is that in MCO, you can't turn on the GPU or hook up the A/C until the jetway stops moving. It overrides the jetway and stops it. We'd chock the nose wheel (only chocked the mains on RONs), hook up the GPU, wait for the jetway to touch aluminum, turn on the GPU and hook up the AC. Now, if it was those two months of the year where it's in the 30s and 40s, then the AC was a "per request" item.
 
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Minimum wage, minimal effort is what I always say.

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Actually I figured several of these rampers were making more than I.
 
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Actually I figured several of these rampers were making more than I.

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Sad fact, but Bog is probably right. They get paid even while they play dominoes. I'm guessing these were United rampers, and they get paid upwards of $10-13/hr last time I checked (one of the guys I worked with in MCO was ex-United ramp). Now, they get full 40 hour weeks (if they're full time) plus OT at time and a half. They're easily clearing more than a first year Mesa FO. Seeing as a lot of the lower seniority guys have been laid off from United, that leaves the older guys pulling in bigger paychecks. Odds are, the guy DOES make more than Bog. We had a ramper in MCO that cleared $100,000 last year AFTER income tax. He's been with SWA for 11 years.
 
I was always taught to treat the situation as if your grandparents were on the plane. Flying the SF-34 is like flying an oven. We have delayed several flights because of not ground air and not being able to start #2 until all the bag were loaded. Ramp agent would constantly complain about the heat and noise of #2 running while loading bags. The capt and I were atonished to hear the ramp agent comfort comes before a paying passenger. So we had to delay the flight for 20 min until the cargo hold was closed and we could start #2 to cool a 100+ degree plane down. And everyone knows that A/C on a Saab isn't the best....

I would also error on the the side of safety to CYA. If someone gets heat stroke, etc you can bet yoru last dollar the company isn't going to stand behind your decision for an on-time departure.
 
Many times people forget that the airlines are about service first and flying second. Not saying anyone on here, just in general.
 
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I'm learning to appreciate our ramp more every day. We usually have a GPU and air cart plugged in and running before the cabin door is even opened or the jetway up to the aircraft. Those are the first two things they do after chocks are in, so we can power down the APU and save some cash.

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Matt,
Can you guys have the ground air plugged in with the doors closed? We have a limitation against this in the CRJ.

Edit: As far as the scenario goes, our gate people make the call when and when not to board. The Capt can pitch a fit, and something might get done. But if the folks were boarding, we could at least make sure there is no safety hazard by opening the service door, closing all the shades, turning off/down cabin lighting, and providing ice water. A high or low pressure air cart would be the trick here and as the Capt, I would demand one! That and a buck and a half might get me a small coffee at Starbucks.
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I think that they hook it up, just don't start it. I've never noticed any pressure bumps or problems from this. I'll ask sometime when I'm doing my walkaround.

All I know is that GPU is hooked up and available about 1.2 seconds after we set the parking brake.
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Many times people forget that the airlines are about service first and flying second. Not saying anyone on here, just in general.

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Amen, brother.
 
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Many times people forget that the airlines are about service first and flying second. Not saying anyone on here, just in general.

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Ideally, yes. Unfortunately, the rise of some LCCs and decline in service among Legacies demonstrate that Service takes a back seat to Price, as many customers now demand. Anyone remember when you could get a hot meal served on an airplane that wasn't crossing an ocean?
 
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Matt,
Can you guys have the ground air plugged in with the doors closed? We have a limitation against this in the CRJ.

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You can hook it up, but the galley door has to be vented (the top part folded down) before you turn it on.
 
I know we can in the -88's, as far as I know. That outflow value drives full open.
 
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