IT outage
07-21-2024, 02:58 PM
#91
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,371
Just sat there doing nothing, as opposed to what? This is why a lot of us get out of the flight deck during unresolvable IROPs rather than try to put on a show that makes it look like we have the power to do anything about it. Unless a trip was built and coverage for it was run by scheduling, there’s not much a pilot can do.
07-21-2024, 03:06 PM
#92
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Posts: 74
Just sat there doing nothing, as opposed to what? This is why a lot of us get out of the flight deck during unresolvable IROPs rather than try to put on a show that makes it look like we have the power to do anything about it. Unless a trip was built and coverage for it was run by scheduling, there’s not much a pilot can do.
From Reddit-
GET ON THE PLANE RIGHT NOW! Hero crew saves our flight at 3AM
In a comment in another thread, people were talking about how crew problems are crippling the operation now, especially in ATL.
Just wanted to relay this story from last night. I was connecting from Asia through ATL and was already delayed a day out of Asia, and I expected ATL to be a **** show and... Well yeah.
Most flights were already delayed, many cancelled, but my 10pm flight still showed good when I landed in ATL at 3pm so I figured I'd wait it out.
As expected, flight finally posted as delayed at around 930, with 11pm departure.
At 1130pm, none of our scheduled crew was available, but a whole other crew assembled at the gate, not the original crew, but the captain and FO were good for the equipment and the FAs, though off-duty, were all still good and volunteered their time to get the flight out.
I parked myself in a chair by the gate and watched and listened as the crew and FAs fought on the phone at the gate with DL scheduling for 2 hours, one crew times out, another walks up to gate and says "We'll fly this plane", volunteer FAs say "we're going to staff this flight as volunteers."
After another hour of them arguing on the gate phone with DL (it's around 2am now), they finally seem to get things settled and the crew goes down the jet bridge to prep the plane.
30 minutes later, just as we are about to start boarding, DL calls the gate and says they can't leave because one of the FAs ISNT IN UNIFORM. So this flight attendant, after trying to find a uniform to borrow for 15 minutes, runs back up to the gate desk to call DL and plead her case, then the rest of the FAs come up to help, and the jet bridge door closes behind them. Gate agent says she's not going to open the jet bridge door because DL says the crew isn't registered in the flight properly because of the 'technicality'.
Then, it happened. This HERO FA mumbles something like 'This is not going to happen on my watch' and makes a call on her cell phone.
3 minutes later, A RAMP WORKER blasts through the jet bridge door from the air side and LITERALLY shouts "If y'all want to go to XXX, then GET ON THE PLANE NOW"
At that point, the non-uniformed FA scrambles down the jet bridge, gate attendant HANGS UP on DL scheduling, and makes the announcement at 3am "Ladies and gentlemen, GET ON THE PLANE NOW. ALL ROWS ALL ZONES JUST GET ON THE PLANE"
We were wheels up at 330am and now I'm at home on Reddit.
Thanks, DL crew and gate workers. I tried to be vague about flight info because I got the sense that they are going to be reprimanded for their actions, but 130 of us on that flight all see you guys as HEROES!
07-21-2024, 03:38 PM
#93
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2022
Posts: 151
There is a lot front line folks can do including….pilots.
...
At 1130pm, none of our scheduled crew was available, but a whole other crew assembled at the gate, not the original crew, but the captain and FO were good for the equipment and the FAs, though off-duty, were all still good and volunteered their time to get the flight out.
I parked myself in a chair by the gate and watched and listened as the crew and FAs fought on the phone at the gate with DL scheduling for 2 hours, one crew times out, another walks up to gate and says "We'll fly this plane", volunteer FAs say "we're going to staff this flight as volunteers."
After another hour of them arguing on the gate phone with DL (it's around 2am now), they finally seem to get things settled and the crew goes down the jet bridge to prep the plane.
30 minutes later, just as we are about to start boarding, DL calls the gate and says they can't leave because one of the FAs ISNT IN UNIFORM. So this flight attendant, after trying to find a uniform to borrow for 15 minutes, runs back up to the gate desk to call DL and plead her case, then the rest of the FAs come up to help, and the jet bridge door closes behind them. Gate agent says she's not going to open the jet bridge door because DL says the crew isn't registered in the flight properly because of the 'technicality'.
Then, it happened. This HERO FA mumbles something like 'This is not going to happen on my watch' and makes a call on her cell phone.
3 minutes later, A RAMP WORKER blasts through the jet bridge door from the air side and LITERALLY shouts "If y'all want to go to XXX, then GET ON THE PLANE NOW"
At that point, the non-uniformed FA scrambles down the jet bridge, gate attendant HANGS UP on DL scheduling, and makes the announcement at 3am "Ladies and gentlemen, GET ON THE PLANE NOW. ALL ROWS ALL ZONES JUST GET ON THE PLANE"
...
At 1130pm, none of our scheduled crew was available, but a whole other crew assembled at the gate, not the original crew, but the captain and FO were good for the equipment and the FAs, though off-duty, were all still good and volunteered their time to get the flight out.
I parked myself in a chair by the gate and watched and listened as the crew and FAs fought on the phone at the gate with DL scheduling for 2 hours, one crew times out, another walks up to gate and says "We'll fly this plane", volunteer FAs say "we're going to staff this flight as volunteers."
After another hour of them arguing on the gate phone with DL (it's around 2am now), they finally seem to get things settled and the crew goes down the jet bridge to prep the plane.
30 minutes later, just as we are about to start boarding, DL calls the gate and says they can't leave because one of the FAs ISNT IN UNIFORM. So this flight attendant, after trying to find a uniform to borrow for 15 minutes, runs back up to the gate desk to call DL and plead her case, then the rest of the FAs come up to help, and the jet bridge door closes behind them. Gate agent says she's not going to open the jet bridge door because DL says the crew isn't registered in the flight properly because of the 'technicality'.
Then, it happened. This HERO FA mumbles something like 'This is not going to happen on my watch' and makes a call on her cell phone.
3 minutes later, A RAMP WORKER blasts through the jet bridge door from the air side and LITERALLY shouts "If y'all want to go to XXX, then GET ON THE PLANE NOW"
At that point, the non-uniformed FA scrambles down the jet bridge, gate attendant HANGS UP on DL scheduling, and makes the announcement at 3am "Ladies and gentlemen, GET ON THE PLANE NOW. ALL ROWS ALL ZONES JUST GET ON THE PLANE"
Just to be clear, I'm not saying we should screw over the operation. I like the job and getting people where they need to go. But it makes no sense to sit in the flight deck during this type of IROP and act like we have the power to control staffing. If passengers are still on the plane "waiting for a pilot" after about 45 minutes, and it is obvious that we are nowhere close to staffing the other seat, I'm making an effort to allow the passengers off and am getting myself off the plane, too. How long do people complaining about the pilots not "doing anything" expect us to keep everyone onboard and twiddle our thumbs? (Serious question.)
Finally, there is nothing more unprofessional than allowing passengers to watch crewmembers "fight on the phone at the gate" with OCC staff in the middle of an IROP, especially in a hub, which is probably the best spot to be during something like this.
07-21-2024, 04:10 PM
#94
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Position: 737 A
Posts: 1,029
We don't have the depth in crew scheduling, crew tracking or crew accommodations required for recovery. It doesn't make sense to carry that many extra people either. What we need is a group of crosstrained employees from another workgroup that could be brought in to help recover the operation. We would need a recovery group about 3x the size of our normal staffing.
07-21-2024, 04:38 PM
#98
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2020
Position: Enoch Powell Enthusiast
Posts: 2,283
Greenslip trigger now removed.
Wow.
I think that’s unprecedented.
Is that even contractually an option?
Needs must when the devil drives.
I hope Crowdstrike gets the butcher’s bill for this.
Wow.
I think that’s unprecedented.
Is that even contractually an option?
Needs must when the devil drives.
I hope Crowdstrike gets the butcher’s bill for this.
07-21-2024, 05:03 PM
#99
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2022
Posts: 930
Unilaterally modifying the contract, even in a way that they perceive as beneficial to us, isn’t acceptable or legal.
Last edited by ancman; 07-21-2024 at 05:23 PM.
07-21-2024, 05:19 PM
#100
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2020
Position: Enoch Powell Enthusiast
Posts: 2,283
Everything about this IROP reminds me about the Buffet quote:
“When the tide goes out you learn who was swimming naked.”
United got past this. American got past this. Even Spirit is back.
Yikes.
Would not want to be the head of Delta IT.
“When the tide goes out you learn who was swimming naked.”
United got past this. American got past this. Even Spirit is back.
Yikes.
Would not want to be the head of Delta IT.
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