Lambourne

That would agree with what a recent a ALPA rep told me recently. There is a major overhaul coming to UAX this fall, he said. Reducing the number of carriers serving each hub. Altering the type of flying from each RJ hitting numerous hubs in one day to a single hub out and back route structure. This supposedly gives them better flexibility and the ability to recover from IROPS.


Killing off a few of the UAX carriers from our list of contractors is a hot rumor. The sooner the better.

air101

Yes, they have been talking about this for quite sometime. Of course it wont solve the problem with ground workers who don't care, show no effort, and have little to no resources to get the job done.

GravyRobber

Yes. I've mastered the surprise attack, and can snatch that sweet, sweet gravy right off their plate.

NVUS

I don't know if I would go as far as to cal it a huuuuge overhaul, but the express carriers will no longer fly routes like IND/IAD/LIT/IAH/ASE/DEN/SBA/LAX (over exaggeration, but anyone that's flown something similar gets the idea)

Nevets

Mainline calls the shots on which flights get cancelled when weather hits. And usually that means that the 19-76 seat flight gets cancelled instead of the 150 seat flight. The only time a feeder will cancel a flight is when there is no crews left for the day or a broken airplane that won't be fixed that day. Feeders will operate a flight many hours late because that's how they are paid, for completed flights, even if they are empty. I operated a flight from YYZ to IAH six hours late that was completely empty because every passenger was re-accommodated on other flights. But many times mainline will cancel a flight anyway.

Mainline also controls ramp, ground crew, gate agents, catering, lab service, etc. It is extremely rare that a flight is late because of a crew. Usually that only happens if someone accidentally sleeps in.

MaxQ

Scrooge: well, a few more dying off would be just fine, we are overpopulated anyway
Parson: yes, but no one can agree on WHOM is doing the overpopulating

Intelligence officer 1st Air Cav 1970: Statistics are very absolute when they apply to you.

TheFly

As of now UAX is doing longer routes. LAX-MSP, in an RJ sounds like it should be a 737 or A320, but it's a CRJ700. UA is notorious for outsourcing flights 2, 3, 3:40+ hrs long.

FlyingKat

LOL have you ever dealt with Swissport? Trust me it will get worse. The only reason Swissport won the contract is they underbid Air Whiskey. Dulles had been abysmal for years, regardless of the contractor.

FlyingKat

For those of you who enjoy the excellent customer service in GRR, MDT, CVG, and other places United outsourced its customer service from mainline to Envoy, DGS or whoever.....this fantastic plan by Smisek is soon to come to all the UAL hubs as well. According to a 787 CA on the jumpseat last week, the rumor is UAL is going to outsource its entire customer service operation....no kidding...

air101

Wouldn't surprise me... this goes back to the offhanded comments he has made in the past stating that the first actual United employee a passenger will come in contact with would be the crew.