Arrived early but gate occupied
Feb 27, 2018, 6:20 pm
#46
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
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I did write to AS customer service around Feb. 13 about this, but received no response over the past 2 weeks. Oh well, it may be a systemic problem that AS doesn't want to solve...
Feb 27, 2018, 8:38 pm
#47
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Feb 28, 2018, 11:21 am
#48
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And I can assure you that AS is not getting any additional gates in BOS within the next 5-10 years. Just not happening! The problem really is often the weather. The jetstream may allow flights to arrive an hour early on random days. There is really no way to predict this.
Feb 28, 2018, 5:29 pm
#49
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
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So, it is not a matter of full terminals, or GAs handling other flights. Instead, the terminal is empty and the GA is presumably sitting in a break room. What I suggested was that when a flight is early, that the GA receive a text message or other notification, so that he/she will be at the gate when the plane arrives. That's a much simpler issue than the problem with full terminals (which I agree is more intractable).
Feb 28, 2018, 7:59 pm
#50
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Actually, my original posting had to do with AS 2, the late evening arrival to DCA, where AS 2 is the ONLY flight arriving that late at that individual terminal. Yet, when it arrives early as it often does, the GA is nowhere to be found, and we have to sit and wait and wait for the GA to show up, 15-20 or more minutes after we reach the jetway.
So, it is not a matter of full terminals, or GAs handling other flights. Instead, the terminal is empty and the GA is presumably sitting in a break room. What I suggested was that when a flight is early, that the GA receive a text message or other notification, so that he/she will be at the gate when the plane arrives. That's a much simpler issue than the problem with full terminals (which I agree is more intractable).
So, it is not a matter of full terminals, or GAs handling other flights. Instead, the terminal is empty and the GA is presumably sitting in a break room. What I suggested was that when a flight is early, that the GA receive a text message or other notification, so that he/she will be at the gate when the plane arrives. That's a much simpler issue than the problem with full terminals (which I agree is more intractable).
Mar 1, 2018, 9:18 am
#51
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Actually, my original posting had to do with AS 2, the late evening arrival to DCA, where AS 2 is the ONLY flight arriving that late at that individual terminal. Yet, when it arrives early as it often does, the GA is nowhere to be found, and we have to sit and wait and wait for the GA to show up, 15-20 or more minutes after we reach the jetway.
So, it is not a matter of full terminals, or GAs handling other flights. Instead, the terminal is empty and the GA is presumably sitting in a break room. What I suggested was that when a flight is early, that the GA receive a text message or other notification, so that he/she will be at the gate when the plane arrives. That's a much simpler issue than the problem with full terminals (which I agree is more intractable).
So, it is not a matter of full terminals, or GAs handling other flights. Instead, the terminal is empty and the GA is presumably sitting in a break room. What I suggested was that when a flight is early, that the GA receive a text message or other notification, so that he/she will be at the gate when the plane arrives. That's a much simpler issue than the problem with full terminals (which I agree is more intractable).
That being said, this is not an excuse..let AS know.
Mar 1, 2018, 5:39 pm
#52
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 1,357
I would guess that the "GA" late at night in DCA is a contracted ramp agent. They may be handling flights for other airlines at the time that the AS flight arrives. That's why it may take them some time to get there. Also, keep in mind that AS has the 20 minute luggage guarantee so I'm sure that they want to have a full ground crew ready to unload the plane once it pulls in.
That being said, this is not an excuse..let AS know.
That being said, this is not an excuse..let AS know.
But, your last remark gets us right back to where I started -- I did complain to AS, but got no response. Oh well...
Mar 2, 2018, 4:35 pm
#53
Join Date: Dec 2005
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As Alaska ramps up flights into DAL, I am seeing more congestion at the 2 gates there. Today, the inbound E175 from LGA sat for about 20 minutes waiting for a VX Airbus to get out of the gate. I watched from the gate area and felt very bad for them...
Mar 6, 2018, 11:58 am
#54
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Just over a 10 minute delay between runways in SFO today.
May 6, 2018, 8:35 am
#55
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
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I was very frustrated to experience this on three out of my last four flights.
Flew SFO-LAX two weeks ago, landed on-time but had to wait 20 minutes for our gate, resulting in late arrival at gate. Clear and calm winds.
SFO-OGG week ago Saturday, landed a few minutes late due to headwinds, then had to wait on tarmac 51 minutes for our gate to open up, resulting in total delay of 1 hour! Weather at destination was fine.
OGG-SFO yesterday, landed early, weather was good, no ATC delays at SFO. Never-the-less, had to wait 27 minutes for them to tow an already unloaded RON plane off our gate. End result was 10 minutes late into gate. Out of the three flights, this was the only one where we didn't actually log a late arrival due to waiting on the tarmac.
I know airports are busy these days, but I feel like they can do better considering that none of these flights occurred during weather/ATC situations...
SFO-OGG week ago Saturday, landed a few minutes late due to headwinds, then had to wait on tarmac 51 minutes for our gate to open up, resulting in total delay of 1 hour! Weather at destination was fine.
OGG-SFO yesterday, landed early, weather was good, no ATC delays at SFO. Never-the-less, had to wait 27 minutes for them to tow an already unloaded RON plane off our gate. End result was 10 minutes late into gate. Out of the three flights, this was the only one where we didn't actually log a late arrival due to waiting on the tarmac.
I know airports are busy these days, but I feel like they can do better considering that none of these flights occurred during weather/ATC situations...
Last edited by sltlyamusd; May 6, 2018 at 9:08 am
May 6, 2018, 9:21 am
#57
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
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KOA was a mess yesterday afternoon (May 5). KOA-PDX was cancelled due to fuel gauge issue, KOA-SFO was slow getting out of the gate, requiring SAN-KOA (and my aircraft home) to sit on the tarmac for more than 1 hour, for KOA-SFO to eventually depart. To compound matters, the KOA gate area is barely large enough to comfortably support one departure, was a zoo with 3 sets of anxious passengers, KOA AS ground staff did a poor job handling the situation.
To make matters worse, Y+ snack was limited to fig bars - no trail mix on board (the horror)!
To make matters worse, Y+ snack was limited to fig bars - no trail mix on board (the horror)!