You know what? I really don't think any of us knows what United likes, or who they want to do more flying...Unlike the issue at hand between XJet and CAL (ego-mania), this one really can't be answered by any of us Chicken-Littles unless you happen to be one of the big-wigs calling the shots at United Corp...

well i know we're (skywest) not getting it. united thinks 68% of their regional flying is too much for any one carrier to have, and given their past history of getting burned, i guess i can't blame them.

I know the new awac ground ops in IAD sucks tail as much as the old conractor, I sure hope things get better....waiting 45 minutes to get pushed is BS. or the 2 hours we waited to get bags loaded the other day...........

Interesting times for sure....

Dulles is just a bad place to work. When AWAC flew out of there the ground ops was run by someone else and it was terrible. I can't promise anything, but I think AWAC will try to make it better. It will take time.

I was based at IAD for 8 months and it was an eye opener. Getting anyone who even speaks a bit of English is a huge challenge.

You're more likely to win the lottery, than find an english-speaking ramper in IAD...

Yep...I'm sure of it!

I hope it gets better as well..... but when the NEW Airwilly ramp coordinator tells the CA he will "get to it when he gets around to it" concerning bags laying in the pouring rain and taking 2 hours to load them..... we will just have to wait and see.

UAX in IAD............... same people.... new uniforms............for now!
It will take time for AWAC to get some new people trained and on the ramp. Most of AWACs other stations for both United and Northwest lead the other contract companies in ontime departures and low mishandled baggage.

I remember when IAD UAX ground ops was absolutely awesome. Of course, the only ones that ever got to enjoy it was ACA...cuz it was their rampers and not a contractor. But there was a time when everyone spoke English, planes didn't wait for bags/services, and very rarely did you ever hear the term "ramp delay".

A few years back we were waiting to push so I asked the tug driver what country he was from. His answer (in broken english):
"I am from my country"
HAHA
Later the captain was telling me he felt like it could be a violation of SOP to push at IAD because it was impossible to "establish communication" with the ground crew. Amazing anything worked at all there. ;)