I agree... conditioned air should be used whenever and where ever available. Crews have to proactive, step up to the plate, write a report when the conditioned air is providing adequate cooling. When appropriate, take a picture of the MFD, with a date and time stamp, showing the cabin temperature.

Management needs to ride around the system... especially to stations known to have defective conditioned air carts. Let them stay on the jet and experience the wonderful climate of the inside of a jet where its 85 degrees plus on a CAVOK day.

Otherwise let them write everyone up until they run out of paper. Crews were given COM, GOM, FOM, etc. to assist them in exercising judgement to ensure the crew, and passengers are safe.

What country do you fly in?

I turn on the APU the moment I get onboard and the walk-around is complete. I turn off the APU when the aircraft has an unattended sit or is a RON. The APU is far more reliable than any ground equipment provided. Added reliability and better customer service, at the expense of someone else’s profit sharing. You can be sure, if my assigned airplane is hot, it’s an equipment issue, not a mental one!

Yea I was recently on a flight and the pilots had the PC air but it was blowing hot air. It was so hot you felt like you were actually breathing hot air like when you walk around PHX in the middle of August. The FA was sweating yet she wasn’t doing anything. Totally clueless. The pilots had their feet up probably playing candy crush or browsing APC... they finally disconnected when the doors closed. This whole time the APU was on too but not selected. Please pay attention.

A320 has an issue with valves chattering if the APU is running the packs while there is external conditioned air plugged in, so don't expect 320s to have the APU running the packs while external air is plugged in. Getting ground to unplug it can take quite a bit of time.

737 may not have that issue but I've been told it's "not good" to have the packs running while external air is plugged in, and it seems like some crews won't turn on the APU bleed and packs until after external air is disconnected. Again, that can take quite a while at some stations.

Yea, excuses, whatever. The CAs I've been flying with have been perfectly happy to turn on the APU and packs at the first word or hint that it's getting warm in back and I've done it a couple times myself when the CA wasn't around to confirm first.

Finally, yea. If there is a crew swap, the APU gets shut down until the next crew gets on the plane. One can only hope the incoming crew checks cabin temps when they arrive to see if they need the APU back on immediately.

Don't know if you're VERBOTEN to touch it, but I usually run down and hit the red "off" button for the air unit.

Never have heard any negative feedback. I've heard loaders may be using a cool tap off the main line for the cargo areas, will pass on killing it in that case.

Union rampers don’t appreciate people doing there job. I just walk up to whomever I find first and ask them to turn off the air. I stand politely until they do. If they ask why I’m standing here I say I need it done ASAP but I don’t want to “take anyone’s union work” They usually get the picture that I would have done it myself but out of respect to my fellow union member I am letting them take care of it. If at that point they say no then I just do it myself. I gave them the chance. Lots of rampers aren’t informed that the cabin can get hot with the air on, also.

You're pulling air yourself? Why not pull power yourself too, or maybe go ahead and hook up the tow bar or load some bags?

Thanks but I'll continue doing MY job, and ONLY MY job.

I don't know if I'd call hitting a red button before walking up the stairs after my walk-around "doing someone else's job".