I've had Capt's who have added fuel w/o a single hesitation and I like that. I've also had Capt's whose attitude is "GOC/dispatch says we can make it, so we will make it. And if we don't, it's not on me, it's on them." And I kinda like that one too but the old fighter pilot guy in my noggin' always likes extra gas.

 

Many people have spent a lifetime building the reputation of FedeEx. Management is squandering that reputation trying to squeeze a dollar. Who's fault that is, I don't know. I just work here and collect my paycheck.

I don't play the game of, "that's the gas they gave me, they have to deal with the consequences". Gas makes my decisions easier.

 

They may have to deal with the consequences, but I have to suffer the consequences. I have yet to fly a Memphis arrival as published, and I've never regretted landing with too much gas.






.

 

We had a GOC guy on JS and FWS was at GOC after mass divert. We had two alternates and 1 hour of cont. the rest of the week.

 

What you guys MAY be seeing is your version of what we at UPS have dubbed "The Davis Doctrine" (our recently departed CEO who is still on the BOD despite several huge failures).

Up until this bean counter showed up, UPS was all about service at pretty much any cost. The stories of launching a Lear to guarantee service for ONE next day letter were true. The "chrome dome" orbiting of DC-8s over various cities were true. Flying DC-8s at optimum altitudes at barber pole from the west coast to maximize the sort were everyday events. Having extra gas was common. The massively fat reserve coverage to cover contingencies was common. A "service failure" of any kind was akin to drawing cartoons of Mohammed.

Pffffft....not anymore.

Since we got a bean counting outsider in charge who would be better suited to running a third rate car insurance company you see on late night TV:

Service failures are not only acceptable, they are part of the business plan. Lie to customers about refunds and let business go.

Run the airplanes...literally...into the ground with pencil whipping maintenance, poor payload control and dangerous schedules.

Run your people...literally...into the ground adding more work for the same pay. Create massive grievances and let them rot. Harass everyone into fearing their jobs.

This is what you get when your "leaders" come from the outside, have no loyalty to the core product and frankly have no moral compass.

Pray Fred isn't replaced with "that guy"...or you may become us.

 

Also, lack of gas makes the decision making process even easier. You arrive at your destination, or even approaching the area, and you find out you are going to be delayed, held, etc, and you are on min fuel already, then there really isn't much to think about. You are off to the alternate. If there isn't even enough fuel for one turn in holding, there are not many choices you have at that point.

It's not rocket science, it's just probability and statistics, with a bit of luck thrown in. Which is good if you are happy being a second or third rate box hauler, and don't really care what your customers think if the box doesn't get delivered on time. However, if you try to sell yourself as a premier carrier, with premium service, and charge accordingly, then as part of the cost of doing business, then you need to spend the extra money to do it right, every time, to the highest level of probability of success, that is possible. That might include carrying a bit of extra fuel, just in case. I wonder how much was saved with fuel sense over the year, and then blown out the tailpipe with planes getting diverted, extra fuel burned, and packages delivered late, and getting refunded. Let's not forget customers getting ticked off, and leaving for other carriers. What price are you willing to put on good will? Or what cost are you willing to associate with the loss of that good will? It seems that many companies don't care much about good will these days. But they should.

Btw, I did notice the usual "atta boy" email for all the good work, professionalism, and performing at such a high level during the event. No contract yet for you. No real recognition, or respect, for the work that is done day in and day out, but here's your email. Now back to work.

 

When we went to flag ops I had a standards guy crowing to me about how much money it would save. I asked him if they calculated the increased divert rate and he reluctantly said no.

When we first went to flag on the 777 I flew an HKG-MEM, rereleased, with no alternate. This is in summertime. I pointed out to the captain that we were relying on weather that would be 18 hours old when we got there. We quit doing that after an Asia 777 flight diverted to Dallas.

I sure hope the story that started this thread is true. But I'm pretty pessimistic that even Fred won't stop our trajectory. The sad but undeniable truth is - Valujet made scads of money. Right up until the crash. Nobody's ever SEEN the margins they were earning, and the stock went through the roof. Again.... Right up until the crash.....

 

I'm usually the latter, but won't hesitate to be the former if I see something the dispatcher didn't see, etc.

 

Irregardless of who replaces Fred, the fact that UPS does have a bean counter mentality now will force FedEx to follow suit or bear the wrath of Wall St.

 

Irregardless? Is that a word? Is it's meaning different from regardless?