It's sad how accurate this is.

 

Was JA’d last month into a SAT overnight. We got to the airport for the Cinnabon opening. Saw the crew coming out at the hotel.

 

My favorite is when you get to hand the plane over to the AM crew. Originator? Security sheets? First flight checks? Nope, just another through-flight. I've only had that happen once, but we've been darn close quite a few other times.

 

Sounds like doing red-eyes.

 

Whatever it is we call what we do, it’s very close to red-eye flying. Maybe we can call it “red-eye adjacent” or something. Getting up at 2 am for a 4 am show is as painful as any red-eye flying I’ve done in the past - same with getting up at midnight body clock time for a 5 am show time on an East coast overnight.

We also have plenty of 2 am-ish scheduled arrivals. And when those run late, we can easily be saying hello to the AM crews as we walk out of the airport. At MDW the other night, the hotel shuttle van was packed with passengers and crew - standing room only - leaving the airport at 3 am.

 

Standing? Doesn't sound very safe. I'd wait for the next one. Ad infinitum if necessary.

 

I can’t believe that MDW shuttle is our transportation. 4 overnights there this month. Waited at least 20 minutes each time. Standing room only each time. Shuttle left 5 early from the hotel in the am too, making us wait an additional 20 minutes leaving no time before report, especially with 100% harassment at security.

 

um, Uber and expense it

 

You MAKE time before your report. If you need coffee to function in the morning then the flight can leave late. IMSAFE

I’m so ******ing tired of this get the mission done at all costs mentality at SWA. I brief my entire crew that we cover each other’s asses on food, rest, physiological needs, etc and if we leave late because of it then so be it. Surprisingly, some of the responses I receive are as if I’m crazy for even suggesting that we delay a flight because of these basic human needs.

Just got into it with a gate age…..er “ops agent” 🙄in PHX because we had a plane swap and the FO and I went off to get food. She literally lied to scheduling and I called her out on it in a tactful but GFY kind of way, basically telling her that we don’t get crew meals, nor is there actual “real” food on the corndog airplanes so we need to go take care of food and bathroom breaks at some point in the day.

Does anyone have any friends at FedEx or UPS that can recommend me? I’m so done with dealing with FA drama, crowded terminals, diversity and inclusion, ground ops bu!!$hit, rampers with major attitudes, death by RBFs, tech debt, a “laser focused” and “right where we want to be” operation that’s in complete shambles, making “sorry about the Wi-Fi not working” PAs, and having a woke CEO that’s more concerned about apologizing about his “bullet points” than the operation that is crumbling around him.

What a freakin’ clown show this airline is.

 

Out of curiosity, what did the gate agent tell scheduling?