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Contact Smisek If You Don't Like Ground Staff Training Jetway Driving w/ You Onboard

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Contact Smisek If You Don't Like Ground Staff Training Jetway Driving w/ You Onboard

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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:13 pm
  #1  
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Talking Contact Smisek If You Don't Like Ground Staff Training Jetway Driving w/ You Onboard

So, I arrived ORD today on an A319.

The door took a while to open and the pilot came on and said something like: "Our CEO's name is Jeff Smisek. If you have meetings or connecting flights and don't think we should be doing jetway training with real passengers onboard, please contact him."

The funny thing is that I was on a UA flight into ORD last year with Smisek and they could not line up the jetway right to open the door. We were stuck like 10 minutes onboard.

Maybe Smisek ordered the training
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:15 pm
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Originally Posted by username
So, I arrived ORD today on an A319.

The door took a while to open and the pilot came on and said something like: "Our CEO's name is Jeff Smisek. If you have meetings or connecting flights and don't think we should be doing jetway training with real passengers onboard, please contact him."

The funny thing is that I was on a UA flight into ORD last year with Smisek and they could not line up the jetway right to open the door. We were stuck like 10 minutes onboard.

Maybe Smisek ordered the training
I'd probably rather report the pilot for being unprofessional in front of paying customers.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:18 pm
  #3  
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This.

Had a pilot the other day when coming into EWR state "our gate will be C113. That's C, like Continental, the airline. C113. Continental"

I couldn't believe it.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:26 pm
  #4  
 
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Originally Posted by username
So, I arrived ORD today on an A319.

The door took a while to open and the pilot came on and said something like: "Our CEO's name is Jeff Smisek. If you have meetings or connecting flights and don't think we should be doing jetway training with real passengers onboard, please contact him."

The funny thing is that I was on a UA flight into ORD last year with Smisek and they could not line up the jetway right to open the door. We were stuck like 10 minutes onboard.

Maybe Smisek ordered the training
How long and disruptive was the delay? Sounds like overkill from the pilot and definitely should keep his opinions to himself.

I was on a flight and a pilot openly complained about a refueling process. But then again, the flight was 45+ minutes late leaving, so he had a sympathetic ear from the pax. He was frustrated, and so were we.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:30 pm
  #5  
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Contact Smisek If You Don't Like Ground Staff Training Jetway Driving w/ You Onboard

This is why I still keep a few "classic" GTEMs buried in my backpack.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:31 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by valor155
How long and disruptive was the delay? Sounds like overkill from the pilot and definitely should keep his opinions to himself.

I was on a flight and a pilot openly complained about a refueling process. But then again, the flight was 45+ minutes late leaving, so he had a sympathetic ear from the pax. He was frustrated, and so were we.
The training delay was like 5 minute-ish and we were early....and I don't think the pilot was saying this in response to any passenger complaints. He was very nice when he said it.

He also decided to depart with an inop lav in F so you know he is probably not a problem employee...he wanted to do the company right...

Last edited by username; Mar 10, 2014 at 4:42 pm
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:41 pm
  #7  
 
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That pilot is the one that needs training.

Originally Posted by glx
This.

Had a pilot the other day when coming into EWR state "our gate will be C113. That's C, like Continental, the airline. C113. Continental"

I couldn't believe it.
The pilot should have used "Charlie" C113. I wonder if a plane parks at D gates if he/she would say "Delta", like the airline Delta D113?

This is two cases of very unprofessional workers that get away with this cr*p as they know they are protected by a group of thugs they pay dues to each month.

Question. Do the Pilots and FA's get paid from when the plane arrives at the gate or when the door is opened?

Last edited by kettle1; Mar 10, 2014 at 7:20 pm Reason: remove text.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 4:51 pm
  #8  
 
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Wow....and all the time they spend in the right seat training to sit in the left seat...should it be without passengers on board?
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:02 pm
  #9  
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Originally Posted by villox
I'd probably rather report the pilot for being unprofessional in front of paying customers.
+1. No excuse for that.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:03 pm
  #10  
 
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I agree this is slightly unprofessional, but still... it's funny
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:11 pm
  #11  
 
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Good for the pilot because This is happening a lot lately. Sorry if the Smisek fan club is offended
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:17 pm
  #12  
 
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Originally Posted by kettle1

The pilot should have used "Charlie" C113. I wonder if a plane parks at D gates if he/she would say "Delta", like the airline Delta D113?
Well, that would actually correspond to the phonetic alphabet, so probably.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:20 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by fastair
Wow....and all the time they spend in the right seat training to sit in the left seat...should it be without passengers on board?
$10 at Home Depot and I will construct you a way to practice this procedure. However with the financials that UA is showing (and the fab 5 keep defending) it may be too expensive.
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:25 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by username

Maybe Smisek ordered the training
No, a new year, a new bid, a new schedule. People working areas they hadn't before or have expired on their training. New bid started a couple of weeks ago, many peoplpe to requalify on different equipment. A few stations outsourced their work. Some of those people choose to move to ORD (and other places) vs collect UAL/taxpayer funded unemployment.
Pilots get to go to DEN (I'm guessing alson HOU) to work for weeks in the simulator when they bid a new piece of equipment. CSR's get run around to meet inbound aircraft of differing types at different jetbridge types to train. The CS method is much cheaper than taking us out of service for weeks and paying for sim/hotel/meal time. I'm betting our trainers are cheaper than theirs too, but if the pilot would like, I would be happy to take a few weeks off with pay, go to DEN, and train on a jetbridge simulator. I'd venture we have more types of jetbridges than types of aircraft, and we'd like to meet at least one of each type on 1 of each type. You know, a single successful meeting ensures no aircraft damage ever (/sarcasm)
...and we pass the savings on to you!

Last edited by fastair; Mar 10, 2014 at 5:30 pm
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Old Mar 10, 2014, 5:44 pm
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by fastair
The CS method is much cheaper than taking us out of service for weeks and paying for sim/hotel/meal time. I'm betting our trainers are cheaper than theirs too, but if the pilot would like, I would be happy to take a few weeks off
It takes weeks to learn jetbridge operation? Is that a serious response or sarcasm?
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