Airline Pilot Central Forums - Are you kidding me Pinnacle?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bored (Post 524150)

Give me a break... as previously posted the root of the problem lies in the fact that we're talking about DTW here. THe work ethic is some of the worst I've ever seen. You see the same issue over at mainline, to a certain degree. On top of the the ramp/gate positions pay like you know what... who you gonna attract with those wages? Mesaba is constantly trying to fix the problems quite contrary to your belief Higney. Oh yea... we at XJ wait to park too. Stop trying to create this victim image. Nobody is immune here. IN the end, no matter who is running the ramp, there is no excuse for rude and lazy behavior.

The majority of the agents and rampers try their best given the tools they have. I've never had a problem with an agent and their authority... because I let them know if they're overstepping their bounds and politely push them in the right direction.

My favorite question to the PCL folks is this... do you think the ramp/gate issues would be better if Pinnacle ran the ramp in MSP and DTW?

While I dont disagree that the personnel may be a PART of the problem let me share this story from yesterday while doing out and backs from DTW. First turn back, parking on the outside, we got to the gate 10 minutes before scheduled block in. We're stopped with the brake set going on 10 minutes, when a Saab pulls up next to us, gets parked almost immediately. We were parked about 5 minutes later.
Next turn, again outside of the alley, we're parked with the brake set for about 5 minutes. A Saab pulls up a few gates away, gets parked within a minute or two. A few minutes go by and another Saab asks on ground if we can pull up so they can get by. CA says no go....zipper road obscured by snow, doesn't feel comfortable pulling up more. I call ops tell them we're blocking a Saab in the road and need to get parked...Within 2 minutes rampers come from the gate next door that was getting ready to push and park us. It may have been coincidental timing yes, but I had to ask myself; how much longer would we have sat there if we were blocking a 9E RJ and not a Saab.....food for thought

We are all in this together!!!!!! Were they the same rampers thatparked the Saab?? The ground staff cannot think outside the box enoughto work outside their 'zone'. I have seen it work both sides ofthat senerio........

Amen to that... don't shoot the Pinnacle boys/girls in the foot if it's Northwest/Delta's problem. I've jumpseated with them many times and they are very gracious.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bored (Post 524216)

Exactly my point... and Pinnacle pays less than XJ does for hub ramp/gate operations. And judging by the PCL run outstations... well... 'nuff said.

Pinnalcle run outstations are far better then XJ... and i think 9E sucks at everything as far as operations go. the flight crews are the only thing that even keeps that airline running.
but XJ stations are the worst... and DTW and MSP are a joke.. DTW taking the cake. The gate agents are terrible at best.

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiskey72 (Post 523841)

Captains,
Please take the time to make sure there are no non-revs / js in the boarding area. I try to go out on every flight and find out if there are. Usually on my flights, if there is plenty of room, I like to board them ahead if I can. Professionial courtesy. I know how much I hate sitting in the boarding area wondering.

As well, if someone has approached you, it's only common sense to make sure they made it on. I know things get busy, but I've never had an instance where I couldn't take two minutes to walk up the jetway to make sure we weren't leaving anyone behind. I always check the windows tomake sure someone isn't trying to flag me down. Numerous times I've had the door closed and someone ran up. Jetway was pulled and I still brought them on. ACARS you wonder, at least with us, once we register a push time, it sticks. If we open the door, it asks wether we have returned to the gate. I hit no and go on with my life. I've never ONCE been questioned by my company.

It's the holiday time guys and gals, let's help our fellow crew members out. We should be doing this year around, although right now it is more important than ever. With the changes in schedules, work rules and concessions we take, don't overlook the one benefit that is for us and could be the most important benefit we have.

Take the time, it's everyone's responsibility.

Thanks to all.
Whiskey

You are good man Whiskey.

Merry Christmas,

AAflyer

No wing walkers required for a saab, unless the markings cannot be seen on the pavement. So... its quicker and easier to park a saab than it is to park a CRJ. It's not a 9E vs. XJ thing.

9E vs. XJ outstations... ever been to MLI? LNK? Everytime we go, there's a new bass ackwards procedure. There are also horrible XJ out stations. The worst ones however are the outsourced outsourced ones like WFS. This isn't a ****ing match between the two companies. Mine isn't better than yours. There are some horrible mainline stations too.

I really think that you need to think before you start comparing 9E outstations and XJ stations.........Its a real pot calling the kettle black thing!!!!!!! We all have our short comings. Like bored said..... This isn't a Mine is bigger than yours competition.... Its a how do we fix the problem....thing!! We can fix the blame or fix the problem....but the majority of us on here really like to point!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by heywood (Post 524346)

First of all, why do you even care? Why are you defending those rampers? Do you really have do much pride in Mesaba that you feel the need to convince everyone they are better than Pinnacle people too? Plus if you want to compare a 9E station to an XJ station why don't you compare two hubs, say MSP and MEM, or DTW and MEM. Either way the work ethic is bad in MEM as well, but the operation is much much smoother because of the volume of staff. Who controls the volume of staff, Pinnacle; and Mesaba in DTW and MSP. So don't even start to tell me that XJ is better at running a ramp.

If you really want to bring MEM into the comparison, then you're comparing apples to oranges. What do you think the MEM ramp staff is doing after the push? Answer: they're waiting for the next push, in about 4 hours. The MSP and DTW ramp/gate have arrivals and departures so close together if one flight is late arriving, things get crazy. MSP/DTW are totally different animals then MEM.

im sitting here reading this thread and thinking to myself you guys are describing phl. I sat there last night with the whole alley between the c and d gates blocked for 45 minutes waiting for marshallers. While we were waiting had a fun conversation with several mainline guys and a south west guy about where the rampers were and what drugs they were enjoying at the time. wouldnt have been so bad if we werent already 3.5 hours late on the go home day.