luckypierre

I was surprised at the "holding connecting flight" solution, since it seems to me that such a solution simply transfers the misconnect later into the day. However, padding block time will slow the propogation.

Unfortunate that one of the chief solutions offered simply treats a symptom of the underlying operational disease.

DENviaLAX

What airports do they do that at? I don't think I've ever seen that personally, but maybe I just haven't been paying attention. As far as I know the cleaners arrive in a vehicle at the bottom of the jet bridge stairs, and exit out the same way. And I've actually been on a few flights where I was at the back of the plane, and they were already on the plane cleaning the seats upfront by the time I got off. So they're usually done pretty soon after the last people get off the plane, but the gate agents are generally unaware of when they're actually done for sure, because at many airports they can't actually see that side of the jet bridge from the gate area. Not to mention they're busy doing other things to visually monitor where the cleaners are at and when they're finished.

Suffice to say, I do think there would be some value in giving the GAs some notice of when the cleaners get off the plane. The chip idea seems a bit much and quite silly. But if it works, why not? Zone control could also just radio the GAs when they leave, since they actually have a visual on them with all the cameras everywhere. That would be a simple solution.

fly18725

I think you're confusing operating philosophy with the customer experience. Both CO and NW had maintenance programs heavily focused on preventative maintenance, ground operation and scheduling methodologies. All of these changed post merger for each company.

JBord

Now that you mention it, I think you're right. Maybe not all airports use the gate. I've only noticed it when I arrive at the gate early before the prior flight has deplaned, which probably isn't all that often. So I probably should not have assumed it's system-wide.

But I still agree with you the chip is silly. There are cheaper ways to do it. Plus, watch what happens when the chip malfunctions and they waste 20 minutes trying to figure out if the plane is ready to go. A simple phone call to the gate from the jet bridge by the cleaning crew when they leave works just fine.

cerealmarketer

He's saying PMUA's maintenance philosophy was unlike Northwest's.

Northwest had the industry's most aggressive preventive maintenance program and made for an unusally reliable operation for a fleet of its age. It was a remarkable operation.

PMUA was the other direction - lots of deferred maintenance during the prolonged bankruptcy.

PMUA ran its operation expecting above average cancellations due to maintenance, and having a domestic network that was stripped down to being hub to hub focused just reaccommodated quickly.

NW's network couldn't handle that gamble, it was more hub to point oriented, so invested more to avoid maintenance related cancellations.

And that's how DL operates today.

mh3265a

Sad but true statement. Also wonder how much of the operational challenges is due to subpar tech systems and integration? Ignoring some of the positives of pmUA has really hurt the new airline.

LarryJ

They're usually arriving/exiting via the outside stairs at the end of the jet-bridge.

The new system will add additional information into the decision to hold such as the actual flight plan's enroute time for that day, instead of just the scheduled time, if the airplane has the fuel to fly faster, and what the airplane and crew is doing next.

Richard Chen

Since all on-time calculations will service their #1 goal, profit for shareholders, one wonders what would be the best way:

1. spend minimum effort, pad every blocked time with 10-30mns & call it a day?
2. sell the least reliable airframes to Nigeria/Indonesia & cut EAS services to get closer to market rate?
3. use lawyers to sue those who're data collecting and analyzing UA's on time performance to kill bad press SkipLagged-style?
4. double down on staff who do things that cause delays

Who know$ what'$ mo$t profitable for $MI/J?

eticket99

5/5 of my last UA flights delayed, 3/5 due to maintenance, lasting greater than 4 hours.

Goodbye UA, i'll only fly you when i need to. Lucky oil prices have dropped or you'd be in real trouble.

exwannabe

And the crew (or some of it) is or is not on the plane already? If on the plane, how did they miss this? If not, what is the GA to do at that moment?

In theory this could make sense, in practice could go to {pieces].

First, pax will get pissed about departure delays even if they really did not matter.

Second, this will make the system run with less tolerance to downstream delays.

LarryJ

I don't understand your question. The idea is to notify the gate agent as soon as aircraft cleaning is complete. That's all.

This system will give better information to the people who decide when, and for how long, a flight will be held. Better information will result in better decisions.

EmailKid

Um .... Um ....

I'll just leave it at that

mlb1k

Agree...After 25 years of loyalty to UA switched to DL after being stranded in EWR and ORD on two different trips in the same week. Biz travelers need to get where they are going when they need to get there not the next day or day after.
Biz class trip to MAD this week will give me MDPL and should make Diamond before years end..So long Smisek

BearX220

I was in the AA concourse at ORD late Sunday night kibitzing as 250+ pax waited out a mech delay on an ORD-LHR 777. A four- or five-hour hold turned into a cancel as the crew timed out around 1100p. But there were maybe five AA managers working the crowd (in addition to the regular GAs) with vouchers, constant updates / advice over the PA, news about baggage being returned and hotel shuttle bus logistics, AA employees approaching upset customers and calming them down before emotions could flare, at least one AA person who spoke other languages... it was about the best way they could have handled a bad situation.

Point is, injecting leadership, authority, and empathy improves things dramatically.

I have not seen anything like that at a UA gate in years. Generally the opposite. Flight cancels, staff flees, good luck.

luckypierre

The following is a fictional quote meant to emphasize through sarcasm that United Airlines-in its desire to meet the demands of Wall Street-is losing sight of basic passenger service commitments in the face of all too frequent IRROPS. In this case, the ready dispensing of vouchers to soothe the crowd of frustrated passengers, a tool that pre merger United used frequently. It is a fictionalized takeoff on the famous Hunter Keays quote where upon observing flight attendants dispensing "free" soft drinks and juice that it "made his blood boil" the airline was not charging passengers for the material.

"When I read about airlines' handing out vouchers to frustrated passengers to soothe their frazzled nerves over delays and cancellations, it just makes my blood boil."

Wall Street airline analyst guiding United Airlines passenger treatment policies.