Simviation Forums

I have found the reason that the airlines are hurting, and it has nothing to do with high fuel prices.

Personally I don't think there's too much you can complain about - and certainly not crew duty/hours. That would just be bad luck that your crew was approaching the end of their crew duty day (they wouldn't have "timed out" during the flight, but sometime just after it if they'd been planned efficiently). Another day and you may have been lucky with a crew flying their first sector of the day - all just a consequence of flight crews needing to fly multi sector days - if they didn't most airlines would be bankrupt quite quickly.

Weather and diversions are just one of those things. An "act of God" so to speak (unless of course you take off with the weather at the destination being forecast to be unfit around the time of your arrival - in which case a delay is probably prudent - again upsetting the pax!).

Personally I don't think there's too much you can complain about - and certainly not crew duty/hours. That would just be bad luck that your crew was approaching the end of their crew duty day (they wouldn't have "timed out" during the flight, but sometime just after it if they'd been planned efficiently). Another day and you may have been lucky with a crew flying their first sector of the day - all just a consequence of flight crews needing to fly multi sector days - if they didn't most airlines would be bankrupt quite quickly.

Weather and diversions are just one of those things. An "act of God" so to speak (unless of course you take off with the weather at the destination being forecast to be unfit around the time of your arrival - in which case a delay is probably prudent - again upsetting the pax!).

From what some passengers heard when the flight attendents were talking amongst themselves in the galley, their schedule was so tight that they would have barely made it into our destination if we were on time.  They were timed out before we made it to our divert.  My biggest complaint deals with the customer service aspect of the whole deal.  There was no one in the terminal at the divert field to help rebook or even update us on the situation.  When we finally made it to our destination, once again no agents there to help, just one way overworked customer service desk and a two hour line to get rebooked and hotel accomdations.  The real kicker, I was listening to ATC the whole flight.  The destination airport reopened to arrivals less than five minutes after our crew decided to divert, and it took 35 minutes to reach the divert.  The flights immediately behind us in the holding stack made it in.

If I can just sneak in here for a moment! I have always thought that every crew is different. Sometimes you can tell when things are clicking as soon as you board. And sometimes, I can feel the tension in the air when the crew is overworked. All that said, we, as customers,
are often herded to our destinations. I remember the Hudson River landing a few months ago,that crew was clicking that day. Passengers were quite happy to stand on the wings, in middle of the Hudson, and shake hands with the pilot. They get thier underwear back after the authorities are through with them.  ;D But they are happy.
The way I am treated by airline ground and air staff dictates the way I spend my money!  (This means I agree with you )

[quote]The destination airport reopened to arrivals less than five minutes after our crew decided to divert, and it took 35 minutes to reach the divert.

Working on the other side of the fence, it does not matter what reason you give a passenger as to why something happened, they never accept the reasons given and think that they have been short changed (even when they have only paid change for the flight). Also when you have 100 plus people giving you the same hard time about the same problem and each one thinks that they are the most important person in the room............we wonder why the people in customer service switch off give the minimum required and spout the party line. Sometimes shit just happens, we (airlines) are only human, but everyone expects be treated like the president on Air Force One and when it does not go like clockwork it is the end of the world and a personal attack against them. Ironically these are the same people who when at work talk to co-worker about the jerk they just had to deal with at the front desk who would not accept any answer or reason given to them

Matt

PS just to clarify, I a talking in general here and not about you Davysims

...every time I watch the British TV programme; "Airline", (filmed at real Airline Check-in Desks), I am firmly convinced never to go anywhere by Commercial Passenger Jet Aircraft!...... ...

Its mostly a nightmare!.... ....!!

Paul....visiting my Back Garden.... 8-)...!

There certainly is a lot wrong with the industry as a whole, but every time my airline troubles begin with a weather (or maintenance) delay, I'm the one sitting there smiling and thinking "thank you for not just 'going for it!'"  :)
I'd rather spend 5 agonizing hours squirming on a gate bench (and I have, more than once) than be on board while a crew decides to be daring.
And I definitely don't like to fly with a tuckered-out crew.

"Time to spare? travel by air! More time yet? Take a jet!"
That saying predates deregulation and all the rest of it...  ;D

Like I said, I know weather happens, and didn't even mind having to divert (safety first).

[quote]Like I said, I know weather happens, and didn't even mind having to divert (safety first).

From what was overheard from the flight attendents they were out of time before we landed at the divert field.  The FAA requires all aircraft flying IFR to have enough fuel to fly to the destination, then to the alternate, plus 45 minutes beyond that.  One would think if we had to have enough fuel for that possibility, then the crew would have to have time for that.

[quote]From what was overheard from the flight attendents they were out of time before we landed at the divert field.

[quote]now to write that letter to the airline CEO.

i was told to my face by upper management once and i quote directly

"We arent worried about angry or unhappy customers, they will just switch to some other air carrier like Delta... but i promise you that Delta has the same number of angry customers switching to our airline so - it works itself out."

And that is it in a nutshell.

Matt