I agree, most seem to like to wait there. It is just one more way to cut a few more gate agents. I guess as soon as that jetway is pulled back they will be on to the next flight.

It seems that about once a month you need to yell something at them. Oh well......

If the way out of the plane is via a slide then I am getting paid no matter what. Beacon on!

Well of course the Captain will know in advance! Isn't he all seeing, all knowing with that fifth black stripe!?!?:D

My guess is they will watch, if they can, from a terminal window. My other guess is that it will only take a few late departures because Captains call them back for them to change this policy back. Lately, I've seen this happening more and more anyway.


Denny

I may have misunderstood this story when I heard it but did the gate agent watching the plane until it departs start because of the 727 no-flap crash in DFW?

Hitler Hates Continental pilots (this is funny)

YouTube - Hitler Hates Continental Pilots

When are we gonna get our own "Hitler" on youtube??

Don't think so. I think this was actually a recent development, started during Whitehurst's "Clockwork Orange", to focus the agent on an on-time departure, and make them feel responsible for the flight getting out.

When I started, you were lucky if you could get a glimpse of them as they made their way up the jetway, or as they raced through the concourse for the next donut.

I seem to recall many occurences when you needed them back because of a minor oversight, or because someone took a glance at me getting on, and needed back off. It took a looooong, long time to get agents back over to the aircraft, and help, because they were already into the next donut, and on the phone with Shaniqua, to talk about what Deondré had done to Jade. Stuff like that.

Ah, the good old days...

ACL:

Have you heard any good inside knowledge about our fleet modernization plan?

SD spoke about it in Atlanta many months ago but was unable to give any real specifics. They reconognize that we have too many fleet types.

Any ideas?

CAL-ALPA does some really good SPS stuff. My all time favorite is:

YouTube - Outsourcing Crew Scheduling to India

We're heard this song before. First we had too many, and we took a (bloody) axe to the fleet and the pilot group. Then, we added NW, and now, the fleet diversity was an asset, because we could deploy what we want, where we want it...

Now we have too many?

I think they need to be a little more consistent when they "reconognize" things like this. Adding and substracting leets cost a lot of money.