Gertjaars

Flew from JFK-SFO in the am, and there were lots of gate lice before D1/DMs were called to board - Obviously the fault of the Gate Agent for not reminding/for not enforcing people to sit down until their boarding zone is called. Lots of folks arguing and finger pointing at how the Gate Agent should have done a better job, and that this was delaying boarding.

Red Coat comes over because she sees boarding has not started and voices get louder. Red Coat makes her way to the gate and pulls the GA to the side. Overhearing of how the RC says she can get the gate agent fired because this is a safety concern of overcrowding and not enforcing proper boarding procedures. GA makes up an excuse of how she did not do anything wrong and that the RC is not her boss. RC wasn't having any of this and mentioned she can get the GA fired for this mistake as there are cameras all by the gate recording each second. That definitely shut down the GA, and the RC took over, enforcing everyone to sit down and board by zone correctly and strictly.

SM folks and passengers were definitely appraising the RC, but some passengers said she went way too far with the firing claim.

Do DL Redcoats really have that much authority over Gate Agents? Can they get the gate agent fired/reprimanded for this?

I know she was sassy, but more importantly our flight left on time thanks to the Red Coat

Yellowjj

Fired in this sense probably means writing up a report about the GA, at which point corporate reviews the camera's and determines if the GA was violating any policy. Hence the mention from the GA about the redcoat not being her boss and the redcoat reminding her, that camera's capture everything.

GA at the very least should definitely be reprimanded.

bitterproffit

How does a gate agent 'enforce people to sit down'?

And if they did, would there be yet another outrage thread about a gate agent on a power trip because they told someone to sit down?

Goodoldflyer

How hard is it, really, to ask people to stay out of the way until their section is boarding?

Saves an awful lot of anxiety on the part of passengers.

Gertjaars

By enforcement I meant calling out in the loudspeaker which zones to board first, second, etc by medallion status/ticket class.

Ex: if anyone in Economy tried to board when D1 or so was called, they would refuse them boarding and tell them to go sit backdown until their zone was called.

bitterproffit

Well, that makes a lot more sense than not making people sit down.

tennessetom

Delta could avoid a lot of their boarding issues if they actually stuck to their boarding times. I notice with american that the boarding time is always either 35 or 30 minutes prior to flight time and you can count on boarding to start when they say it will unless there is an issue. Delta has boarding times all over the place and it seems more of a suggested time than this is when boarding will start. This causes people to be at the gate earlier and to be anxious.

hotturnip

I wish I had the popcorn concession at that gate.

flyerCO

Red coats are not supervisors. They simply are GA with power to do more than a regular GA.

Telling GA they can fire them is probably grounds for RC to be fired/coached.

Some RC think they are some time of DL law enforcement. I wrote in another thread how I know one was fired after not one, but two incidents with me.. She went as far as documenting what she had done in my PNR. She was that sure of herself, but ended up getting fired.. (Both incidents involved DOT rule violations)

Goodoldflyer

Seems like if it's over a safety issue, "because this is a safety concern of overcrowding and not enforcing proper boarding procedures", the RC is in the right here.

I mean, a public reprimand is bad, but SOMEONE should be in charge, and following the rules, right?

flyerCO

They're in the right that rules should be enforced. However they're in the wrong acting as they have authority to direct the GA.

Back when I was in college I was a CSM at Walmart. (They managed cashiers back when WM still actually had them..) We had what we called a lead cashier. They didn't supervise, but were there to be called on to answer questions. If a cashier was doing something wrong she couldn't order them to stop. She could say they're not doing it correctly. However a CSM was needed to discipline or order the cashier to stop.

KDCAflyer

Glad to see someone reining in the ATL GAs. I'm sure that it's not the first time that this one has gotten in trouble

jrl767

OP is referring to JFK, but point taken

javabytes

As if people actually listen to the announcements telling them to stay seated until their zone is called. Gate lice gonna gate lice.

exwannabe

Just to be clear, this was before boarding even started. Who care where the lice are then?

Once boarding starts there are 5 minuets of pre-boards and such. If the lice prevent those pax from getting through I see a reason to be upset. But that was not the case here.