Which one of you guys... (DL/F8 6227)

[SpiraMirabilis]

I don't give a crap about D0 or A14 and I don't think pilots should give a crap about it. Rushing things doesn't help. I'll do my stuff in the same speed I always do it, if we're late I will not care about it.

However, it is the pilot's job to communicate these delays to the rest of the crew (FA) and to the passengers so they're not in the dark but personally I think I could work another 40 years and not once ever care about any D+0, A+14, or any other statistical metric.

All those metrics are management's problem. They want the meet their D+0 then don't overschedule the crews s that every turn is a minimum service time turn (18-19minute turn on the dash), they want to meet their A+14 they should make the block times something realistic with the given weather and delays forecast. The only one where the crew has any impact is the customer service metrics, pilot notification metrics, communication metrics, etc. Those are the only one that I'd actually work at improving.

 

[Trip7]

Sure - just never had that happen before.

I made a PA in position and hold in VPS when we were told to expect a 10 min delay for missile launches.

 

[v1valarob]

I made a PA in position and hold in VPS when we were told to expect a 10 min delay for missile launches.

So they put you on the runway, then said they expected a 10 minute delay?

 

[BobDDuck]

VPS does some goofy stuff. I've been cleared for take off and then asked to maintain 500 AGL (about 20 knots before V1) due to F18s in the overhead. I've also been asked to land "at least" 5000 feet down the runway there due to men working on the arrival end barrier cable.

 

[Trip7]

So they put you on the runway, then said they expected a 10 minute delay?

That's affirmative. They cleared us position and hold, and cleared us to taxi past the cables on the runway. Once we were set then they said expect 10 min delay for missile launches and that we were ok to stay right there on the runway.

Ethan's right, VPS does some goofy stuff. Flying into there if you don't do any decent planning they will leave you high and fast.

 

[Rocketman99]

Ethan's right, VPS does some goofy stuff. Flying into there if you don't do any decent planning they will leave you high and fast.

Well you can always come up initial for an overhead break over the numbers.

 

[killbilly]

You hit the nail right on the head. I'm not usually a Mesa basher, but dirty beat up airplanes are very common in their system.

I couldn't believe I did this, but after my last Mesa-operated flight, I put in a standing order with my travel agent that I won't fly Mesa-operated flights anymore. I can deal with wear and tear, but it was the frakkin' SMELL on the planes. The seat cushions and cabins just stank. No more.

Passengers don't even know they are flying Mesa until they show up - they wanted to fly Delta.

Doubtful. Delta happened to be going where they were going when they wanted to go for the right price. Except among your really, really hardcore biz travelers, there isn't even much left in the way of brand loyalty anymore, because they let any dolt with a credit card rack up frequent flier miles. And yes, I'm one of those dolts, but for all the miles I have, there's not a lot I can do with them on seat restrictions and upgrades. There's not even any point anymore.

Except on SWA. They have a great program.

We were holding short of the runway forever in AUS yesterday after two MX delays, but I couldn't do a PA since we were next in line.

Dude. You were in town and didn't holler at me. Tell me you were just passing through and it wasn't a layover. Don't break my heart here Steve.

 

[kellwolf]

Billy, I was in town for 40 minutes. 1:15 if you count the MX issues after we blocked out. I never left the airplane.

I thought about getting the FO to do the announcement, but the company's got this things about both pilots monitoring ATC during certain phases of flight. I'd consider being cleared onto an active runway (especially one they're doing back taxis on) a critical phase of flight.

 

[SoCalAprch]

The old lady and I were non revving back to the parents house in LA on Airways a couple months ago. It was mainline to PHX and a Mesa -900 to Burbank. I was telling her that the plane should be nice since it was a new 900. When we got on it looked like they had taken a bunch of old Pan Am 727 interiors and installed them in the new 900. It was mind boggling that such a new airplane could have seats that had dirty 80's style cloth seats and cusions that were so worn out it felt like you were sitting on a park bench.

I realize it isn't anyones fault but management. But its just BS that the pilots and FAs have to deal with that kinda stuff. I know here we take pride in trying to impress people and I think that kind of mentality trickles down from management. I feel horrible for the pilots (except the A listers) but JO and his minions have got to go.

 

[AngelFuree]

Let me guess.

This was at gate 25.

It was my first time connecting through JFK a few days ago. I can't believe how much of a circus it was. That gate 25 has almost every letter in the second half of the alphabet coming out of it, I think. The Comair captain who was jumpseating home was saying it is quite a bit nicer now that they have at least put the plexiglass up on the walkway leading around the ramp. The passengers that did not speak English were totally lost and I felt bad for them. I almost missed my flight because the first boarding announcement they made was "final boarding, your airplane is ready for departure." Then we sat from 7PM (departure time) to 8PM in that parking spot awaiting clearance to push.

That terminal is not exactly the way to treat anyone who has come off a flight in business class and shelled out big bucks.

LOL, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. I went through that about a month ago. I couldn't find the damn plane. Gate 25P or whatever it was.

 

[BobDDuck]

It was mind boggling that such a new airplane could have seats that had dirty 80's style cloth seats and cusions that were so worn out it felt like you were sitting on a park bench.

Not doubting you at all on it's cleanliness but just because it was a 900 doesn't mean it was that new. Their first 900s (from FreedomA) are close to 10 years old.

 

[H46Bubba]

Not doubting you at all on it's cleanliness but just because it was a 900 doesn't mean it was that new. Their first 900s (from FreedomA) are close to 10 years old.

Yeah, those thing have been to hell and back before Delta even thought about getting their -900's! It's getting worse from the contacts I still have there at MAG. The wallet's pretty much bare and whatever's still in there; they're holding on to like a tightwad rich uncle!

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

Mesa recently cut back on their contribution to the employee health insurance, which saw peoples rates for a family policy go up nearly 65% or more per month. Like 100-200$/month extra.

In one case it is cheaper for one of the pilot to get his insurance COBRA because of the govt paying 65% of the COBRA costs right now.

 

[kellwolf]

Mesa recently cut back on their contribution to the employee health insurance, which saw peoples rates for a family policy go up nearly 65% or more per month. Like 100-200$/month extra.

In one case it is cheaper for one of the pilot to get his insurance COBRA because of the govt paying 65% of the COBRA costs right now.

Wait. They can DO that? Our contract limits that.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

The only thing our contract states is that if Mesa offers any employee health insurance they have to offer the pilots the same coverage.

So, if they reduce it for everyone it is OK.

 

[derg]

This morning I'm flying asa flight 5223 to Atlanta.


Don't make rat on you guys like I did F8!

 

[SpiceWeasel]

This morning I'm flying asa flight 5223 to Atlanta.


Don't make rat on you guys like I did F8!

Coming for the ATL Meet and Greet huh?

 

[SoCalAprch]

Not doubting you at all on it's cleanliness but just because it was a 900 doesn't mean it was that new. Their first 900s (from FreedomA) are close to 10 years old.

I didn't realize they had been around so long...

 

[kellwolf]

I didn't realize they had been around so long...

Yeah, they were America West -900s pre-merger. Used to work ground service for the one that did PHX-MEM-PHX back when I was a ramper at XJT. Pretty sure the Airways -900s are still in the 86 seat config, or did they change that after the merger?

 

[Polar742]

This morning I'm flying asa flight 5223 to Atlanta.


Don't make rat on you guys like I did F8!

Doug, a Tory spy.....:crazy: