Originally Posted by Scoop

Just completed a 4 leg, 2 day trip and we were late 3 of 4 legs because we were gate checking a lot of bags at the last minute. I don't know if this problem is specific to the 737 or all Narrowbody aircraft but it seems to be getting worse.

The whole D-0 emphasis and the charging for checked baggage (forcing everyone to try to carry-on as much as possible) seem to be in direct conflict.

We better get this figured out pretty quick or we are going to have some pretty poor numbers this summer.


Scoop

Originally Posted by TOGA LK

ACL, don't mean to disagree all the time, it just comes down to the fact that I do. While customer service is huge, Delta has been a colossal failure in what matters most, getting people from point A to B and on time.

The equipment integration, to a point, has been a huge plus. The rebranding in cabin and out is stylish and clean, go go, in-flight entertainment and the onboard menus rival what most airports have available, aside from full service sit down.

I wish I had five bucks for every time it has taken 25 minutes past scheduled departure to start a taxi out (I notice this frequently when commuting and it doesn't matter what metal). This could likely be the result of CSA learning the older Delta software or perhaps it's really that much slower. What used to be a few clicks is now pages of commands for a CSA. Customers expect pilots to get them from point A to B safely and on time. To an extent, that is the pilots task at hand. If Delta cant push the numbers to the crews, keep the bags straight, keep a crew in one airframe most of the day and provide reliable metal (not 42 year old DC-9s that are broke every time you swap one out) then they can hire for all the customer service they want. But the reality is unless the systems supports customer service and efficiency, one can hire all the $12 an hour help they want. What is happening here is upper management is seeing the systemic failure and pulling their hair out in the process. I attribute 90% of the customers anger to the system and not the flight crews. The pilots can only pick up the pace so much, flight attendants can only do so much with a customer who has been dealt multiple cancellations, gate swaps, equipment maintenance hold times, etc.

Hopefully the best practices approach makes it's debut now that six months has elapsed since SOC, not holding my breath.

Originally Posted by johnso29

I did DTW-IAH a few months ago and we had 45 gate checked bags! That's ridiculous.

Also, in PHL the other morning the agent waited until 25 mins before departure to start boarding, & then in a scramble for ontime she just closed the door on her own. No asking if we were ready, no WDR preface, no taking the signed release.

We made her open the door back up, & then when I told her we couldn't leave without the WDR preface, she gave me a look because she knew it would make is late. I said, Im sorry, but we can't leave without it. IDK if she was a former NWA agent or not.

Any fdal guys having trouble getting the WDR preface/pax count before departure?

Originally Posted by maddogmax

Shortly this will not be a problem. If all you are waiting for are you weights at departure time, you will push and get your weights while taxiing. Part of RA's d-0 agenda.

Originally Posted by johnso29

Any fdal guys having trouble getting the WDR preface/pax count before departure?

Originally Posted by maddogmax

Shortly this will not be a problem. If all you are waiting for are you weights at departure time, you will push and get your weights while taxiing. Part of RA's d-0 agenda.

Originally Posted by acl65pilot

Getting a jet out on time is part of customer service. That means a lot of things. Initiatives like speeding up, or slowing down to hit the gate as it is open, keeping it cool, updating via PA or gate house presence, doing a post flight check of the fluids like we are required to do to identify issues so they can be promptly fixed, etc all tie in to the customer service that you see as a failure. When a ball is dropped here and there it adds up to what you term a failure. Make sure that we do everything we can, and HOPE that the other depts get in line with it.

See those yellow vests in ATL? Yep new hires on the ramp. That costs money. They are adding staff to get these birds off the gate.

I do not see us disagreeing, but identifying that we as pilots can only do so much. Agreed.

Originally Posted by 80ktsClamp

Never did that on the 75/76... I suck as a pilot.


Only became apparent to me watching the temps on the airplanes with the lower bleed outputs... the dividing line seems to be the CFM-56 and smaller with being able to keep up.

Since ftb is big bird, can I be a nerd version of another sesame street character? I can hold crayons too, but all I know what to do with them is draw on the walls.

Originally Posted by Denny Crane

So let me get this straight, you are required to go thru 10 DAYS worth of write ups that have already been cleared by MTC on former NWA aircraft and look up every MCO even if it was cleared? I missed the memo on this one. I understand the need to look at the history of the last few days and the need to look up any open MCO's from the logbook in the MEL but to look up write ups that have been cleared by MTC more than a few days before seems fairly ridiculous to me.

Denny