Wow, after reading many of the posts... (UA pilot post)
Apr 17, 2017, 6:31 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
So there are several things the captain can do which significantly improve the passenger experience.
The first is to communicate, frequently, candidly, and sympathetically, about delays. It's really frustrating to be kept in the dark, particularly when the status of the departure affects the likelihood of making an onward connection, or making an important appointment at the destination.
Another is to turn off the seatbelt sign as soon as it's safe. Sometimes it's left on for five hours of absolutely smooth flying. That's a really uncomfortable place to be as a passenger, particularly if you didn't have time to hit the restroom before take-off.
The first is to communicate, frequently, candidly, and sympathetically, about delays. It's really frustrating to be kept in the dark, particularly when the status of the departure affects the likelihood of making an onward connection, or making an important appointment at the destination.
Another is to turn off the seatbelt sign as soon as it's safe. Sometimes it's left on for five hours of absolutely smooth flying. That's a really uncomfortable place to be as a passenger, particularly if you didn't have time to hit the restroom before take-off.
Apr 17, 2017, 6:31 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Cleveland, OH
Programs: UA-GS 1MM), Hertz Pres Circle, Starriott Titanium)
Posts: 1,966
Apr 17, 2017, 6:32 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SRQ, PDX
Programs: UA 1 MM, AA, DL
Posts: 930
As far as the role of safety in air travel, I bet not a single FT-er would disagree with you.
FYI, the content of FT has not been "normal" most recently, as you might expect. FT'ers understand that UA doesn't normally drag passengers off their airplanes, but unfortunately that's what happened last week...for all the world to see. And since actions have consequences, UA must now face the music they created, to the regret of many loyal FTers, as you have observed by the volume and content of FT posts since you joined. The good news is--if we are to believe Mr. Munoz, who ironically was recently awarded for his communication skills--important lessons have been learned and will be implemented by UA management in the future.
"Normally," FT is a priceless forum of information/comments/queries shared by frequent or inquisitive customers of UA, information that UA does not necessarily disclose, but nonetheless is privy to. Hopefully, you will continue to participate as desired and share your unique perspective with us.
Apr 17, 2017, 6:32 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
While some people do use the term kettle with disdain or implied negative connotation (from the whole Ma and Pa Kettle), it's really taken on its own meaning of 'inexperienced traveler' (as linked in the official glossary). If you replace kettle with 'inexperienced traveler' in your mind next time you see it, you'll see it's not usually used maliciously.
Apr 17, 2017, 6:33 pm
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
Apr 17, 2017, 6:36 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: LIT
Programs: Blinged Out
Posts: 716
Agree on the 75-76 being the best birds in the sky-still.
It will be a sad day when the 75's are replaced. Especially if Boeing doesn't attempt a new MOM design and instread relies on the tubular torture chamber in the sky known as the 737-900...
It will be a sad day when the 75's are replaced. Especially if Boeing doesn't attempt a new MOM design and instread relies on the tubular torture chamber in the sky known as the 737-900...
Apr 17, 2017, 6:37 pm
#22
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,007
And to those who refer to the traveling public who don't fly often as kettles, come on, if you were so damn important, you would be flying private aviation, not pontificating over how important you are because you fly more often than someone else, and complaining you didn't get a PDB on a flight.
That said, the term used at the other "professional pilots" online forum for kettle is self-loading freight
Apr 17, 2017, 6:37 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
over the past week, there has been a massive influx of people from outside of the 'core' of the FT UA forum. generally, i think the forum on a day-to-day place is fairly civilized and has a lot of productive, professional discussion (i.e., spin88's economic analyses).
anyone visiting the forum in the past few days is certainly not getting an accurate sample of how this place normally functions. i've purposely avoided the discussion in UA3411 related threads (there are way too many of them, btw) because of how heated some people get, and how deeply invested they become in proving their opinion. it's not worth my time.
i'm not sure if you've lurked for longer than your join date, but if that's the case, i'd urge you to stick around. as aacharya said, we're not that bad! a few of your colleagues are active posters, and threads like the "ask a pilot" thread are full of great discussion that goes both ways. many of us participate in events like SFO family day, and there are neat programs like FFG (frequent flyer giving) that team up with UA to give to charity. to many here, UA employees are extended family.
and if it helps, the 757/767 is probably the most preferred fleet on UA FT! especially when channel 9 is turned on.
anyone visiting the forum in the past few days is certainly not getting an accurate sample of how this place normally functions. i've purposely avoided the discussion in UA3411 related threads (there are way too many of them, btw) because of how heated some people get, and how deeply invested they become in proving their opinion. it's not worth my time.
i'm not sure if you've lurked for longer than your join date, but if that's the case, i'd urge you to stick around. as aacharya said, we're not that bad! a few of your colleagues are active posters, and threads like the "ask a pilot" thread are full of great discussion that goes both ways. many of us participate in events like SFO family day, and there are neat programs like FFG (frequent flyer giving) that team up with UA to give to charity. to many here, UA employees are extended family.
and if it helps, the 757/767 is probably the most preferred fleet on UA FT! especially when channel 9 is turned on.
Apr 17, 2017, 6:38 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
Yep, I have some "trash hauler" friends and they love to joke about that!
Apr 17, 2017, 6:49 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,866
My first flight was on United 48 years ago. Since then have paid for and flown thousands of flights and millions of miles.
Since then the planes have become far more crowded, cramped and the seats are much harder. The passengers, the gate agents and the flight attendants are in a very toxic situation.
The 737 width was based on the 707 width set in the early 1950's allegedly sized to accommodate the body width of US military personnel who grew up in the great depression and subject to food shortages during WW II. The 767 had a coach cabin of a comfortable 2-3-2, and Airbus 330 / 340 a comfortable 2-4-2, and the 777 a little less comfortable 3-3-3. Now the 777 is seeing 10-across in coach, and the A-350 and 787 a tight and uncomfortable 3-3-3 in a more narrow cabin width. The new seats are park bench hard and you bottom sides hurts when you get off the plane. The new 737 bathrooms even have an indentation to accommodate the seat back and the sinks are so narrow you cannot even wash your hands. You have obnoxious seat poachers in E+. You have the Kettles, when they are not poaching E+, who stick their bare foot and the back of your armrest actually touching your elbow. The Kettle next to you keeps sticking their elbow in your side. No consideration for others. etc. etc.
Too many flights with smaller planes selectively cancelled due to weather delays. Your flight is late landing because of a mechanical and your connecting flight is sitting with its door closed right across from your arrival gate 9 minutes before scheduled departure with several connecting standing there in amazement. etc. etc.
You get off a plane ready to explode like a volcano, and you turn to FlyerTalk and other outlets to let off the steam. Certainly a far better way to raise the issue and hope the airlines listen rather than complaining on the airplane.
Complaining to the staff on an airplane often only adds tension to an already stressed day for both the airline personnel and the passenger. Often the gate agent and flight attendant are also the victims of a same tense environment that created the situation that we are all subject to.
So even if I am dissatisfied with the service and the flight, on departing the plane I generally say thank you giving the employee the benefit of the doubt.
Since then the planes have become far more crowded, cramped and the seats are much harder. The passengers, the gate agents and the flight attendants are in a very toxic situation.
The 737 width was based on the 707 width set in the early 1950's allegedly sized to accommodate the body width of US military personnel who grew up in the great depression and subject to food shortages during WW II. The 767 had a coach cabin of a comfortable 2-3-2, and Airbus 330 / 340 a comfortable 2-4-2, and the 777 a little less comfortable 3-3-3. Now the 777 is seeing 10-across in coach, and the A-350 and 787 a tight and uncomfortable 3-3-3 in a more narrow cabin width. The new seats are park bench hard and you bottom sides hurts when you get off the plane. The new 737 bathrooms even have an indentation to accommodate the seat back and the sinks are so narrow you cannot even wash your hands. You have obnoxious seat poachers in E+. You have the Kettles, when they are not poaching E+, who stick their bare foot and the back of your armrest actually touching your elbow. The Kettle next to you keeps sticking their elbow in your side. No consideration for others. etc. etc.
Too many flights with smaller planes selectively cancelled due to weather delays. Your flight is late landing because of a mechanical and your connecting flight is sitting with its door closed right across from your arrival gate 9 minutes before scheduled departure with several connecting standing there in amazement. etc. etc.
You get off a plane ready to explode like a volcano, and you turn to FlyerTalk and other outlets to let off the steam. Certainly a far better way to raise the issue and hope the airlines listen rather than complaining on the airplane.
Complaining to the staff on an airplane often only adds tension to an already stressed day for both the airline personnel and the passenger. Often the gate agent and flight attendant are also the victims of a same tense environment that created the situation that we are all subject to.
So even if I am dissatisfied with the service and the flight, on departing the plane I generally say thank you giving the employee the benefit of the doubt.
Apr 17, 2017, 6:54 pm
#26
Senior Moderator; Moderator, Eco-Conscious Travel, United and Flyertalk Cares
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Fulltime travel/mostly Europe
Programs: UA 1.7 MM;; Accor & Marriott Pt; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 17,831
If you truly want to learn and perhaps find a captain to emulate, I would suggest googling Captain Denny Flanagan. You perhaps heard of him or knew him at UA. He was certainly well loved here and made time to meet many of us on his layovers. And FlyerTalkers were generous in giving to his charities. He was without doubt the best of United.
Welcome to FlyerTalk
Welcome to FlyerTalk
Apr 17, 2017, 6:59 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Programs: UA 1k, HH Diamond
Posts: 146
Curious if you could further expand on "when able" and what decision making goes into channel 9 being on or off?
Recent trip ORD>GRU was on after I asked then turned off somewhere over SA, return flight was off the whole time.
Recent trip ORD>GRU was on after I asked then turned off somewhere over SA, return flight was off the whole time.
Apr 17, 2017, 7:02 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,775
Thank you for joining us 757FO. Sadly there are very few employees on this board. I think that's one reason why it seems so awful. We have no one to complain to except each other.
When I read your initial post I thought "oh gee another jerk UA employee" but after reading the replies and your replies I can see it's just a miscommunication of terms. "kettles", "gate lice" etc are terms we use against each other, kind of like pilots refer to "Bi...in' Betty" on the MD-80 (only example I can think of, and yes I realize that kettles are real people whereas Bi...in' Betty is a computer).
It would be nice to have UA gate agents or flight attendants on this board, but I suspect they would have a hard time getting anything to post to the forum because the foam that comes out of their mouths clogs up the keyboard.
I've never had an issue with an airline pilot, on any airline. The other staff, on the hand, need some retraining or this airline is going bu-bye.
When I read your initial post I thought "oh gee another jerk UA employee" but after reading the replies and your replies I can see it's just a miscommunication of terms. "kettles", "gate lice" etc are terms we use against each other, kind of like pilots refer to "Bi...in' Betty" on the MD-80 (only example I can think of, and yes I realize that kettles are real people whereas Bi...in' Betty is a computer).
It would be nice to have UA gate agents or flight attendants on this board, but I suspect they would have a hard time getting anything to post to the forum because the foam that comes out of their mouths clogs up the keyboard.
I've never had an issue with an airline pilot, on any airline. The other staff, on the hand, need some retraining or this airline is going bu-bye.
Last edited by Kevin AA; Apr 17, 2017 at 7:06 pm Reason: FT censors out the name of the computerized voice on an MD-80?!!
Apr 17, 2017, 7:08 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
If you truly want to learn and perhaps find a captain to emulate, I would suggest googling Captain Denny Flanagan. You perhaps heard of him or knew him at UA. He was certainly well loved here and made time to meet many of us on his layovers. And FlyerTalkers were generous in giving to his charities. He was without doubt the best of United.
Welcome to FlyerTalk
Welcome to FlyerTalk
Apr 17, 2017, 7:11 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: Does Non Rev count?
Posts: 588
Thank you for joining us 757FO. Sadly there are very few employees on this board. I think that's one reason why it seems so awful. We have no one to complain to except each other.
When I read your initial post I thought "oh gee another jerk UA employee" but after reading the replies and your replies I can see it's just a miscommunication of terms. "kettles", "gate lice" etc are terms we use against each other, kind of like pilots refer to "Bi...in' Betty" on the MD-80 (only example I can think of, and yes I realize that kettles are real people whereas Bi...in' Betty is a computer).
It would be nice to have UA gate agents or flight attendants on this board, but I suspect they would have a hard time getting anything to post to the forum because the foam that comes out of their mouths clogs up the keyboard.
I've never had an issue with an airline pilot, on any airline. The other staff, on the hand, need some retraining or this airline is going bu-bye.
When I read your initial post I thought "oh gee another jerk UA employee" but after reading the replies and your replies I can see it's just a miscommunication of terms. "kettles", "gate lice" etc are terms we use against each other, kind of like pilots refer to "Bi...in' Betty" on the MD-80 (only example I can think of, and yes I realize that kettles are real people whereas Bi...in' Betty is a computer).
It would be nice to have UA gate agents or flight attendants on this board, but I suspect they would have a hard time getting anything to post to the forum because the foam that comes out of their mouths clogs up the keyboard.
I've never had an issue with an airline pilot, on any airline. The other staff, on the hand, need some retraining or this airline is going bu-bye.