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The Seven Most Annoying Myths About Flying
From airfares to safety to the roles of the captain and copilot, ASK THE PILOT take a look at seven of the most persistent and irritating myths and quasi-truths about flying. (www.askthepilot.com) More...
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I'll add one to the PEF, (Passenger Embellishment Factor)..."Before takeoff, we sat on the RUNWAY for FOUR HOURS!!"...
While in many cases, pointy end crew is busy waiting on and trying to listen to ATC, hoping a hole will open up and they can jump quickly and go. However, not all that time is spent doing that and a word or 2 to the pax from the Captain or FO, with regular updates, would go a long way. It would not help the situation any but it might appease some of the pax. People need to be kept informed. Some crews are goo at this and some are afraid of the mike. Been several years, but I wound up on US Air(Mesa) out of MEM to CLT. We kicked off the gate OT and went out to the runway end, shut down engines and sat. About 2 hours but never a word as far as what was going on. It was CAVU at MEM and not until engines fired did we get told that there was a ground stop at CLT because of a monumental Tstorm sitting right over the field, which in the space of that 2 hours, dumped 4" of rain plus the wind and lightening. We could not have done a thing about it but it would have been nice to know, rather than have to put up with all the rumors and crap floating around.
I, too have been there and done that. The worst situation for me as Captain was the scenario "ORD is ground stopped, next update in one hour" and on and on. I'd keep the pax informed but there wasn't much to tell.
This was before the Passenger Bill of Rights BS. Every time I'd authorize meal service on the ground (back when there were meals!) that ATC hole would open up. My point was the passenger exaggeration amount. If John Doe said that they sat on the runway for four hours, it probably wasn't four hours and they certainly weren't on the runway.
This was before the Passenger Bill of Rights BS. Every time I'd authorize meal service on the ground (back when there were meals!) that ATC hole would open up. My point was the passenger exaggeration amount. If John Doe said that they sat on the runway for four hours, it probably wasn't four hours and they certainly weren't on the runway.
dee9bee..i fully understand your statement..i was a gate agent for years and the atc ground stops, or whatever were always a pain for everyone involved..boarding,unloading and reboarding because of quick changes..trying to get snacks or meals or whatever for passengers sitting and waiting..waiting for and calling the dispatcher over and over..and last but not least having passengers who were less than understanding about such delays and seemed to think the airlines created the bad weather situation or wanted the plane to sit on the tarmac with no gate or parking place available,and the multitude of "what about my connection" questions..my group of agents (not because we were required to)would make an announcement about every 10 or 15 minutes in the lobby or onboard the aircraft if it was at the gate,to advise passengers of what the dispatcher was telling us with regard to the situation....we also advised the captain and the f/a's as to what was going on either by radio (if on the tarmac), or in person if at the gate..common courtesy and good customer service/communication with all concerned...
It's been my experience, when flying as a pax that the carrier would not pass on information they had. Communication usually solves problems and apprehension. You were so busy trying to appease the ticket holder you didn't solve any of his problems in the example above. A snack, while keeping him/her busy doesn't answer any questions about connecting flights. You don't need details as much as telling the pax there is more than one flight for their next leg.
I remember a trip to DNR from BWI delayed by additional deicing at BWI. My connection at DFW was long gone by the time I got there with family in tow and NO ONE helped me find a way from DFW to DNR The line at a makeshift information desk had 50 or more screaming pax in front of it so I resorted to the pay telephone to call AAL reservations who directed me to a boarding flight at another gate. My point is that we just spent all the time from BWI to DFW, a couple of hours and no mention of connecting flights was made and any question was rebuffed. All that time wasted and all the resources could have been available.
There have been no changes since the days of Stapelton Intl except that communications has improved 100 times. FAs act just like stewardesses. It's 'coffee, tea or soda and I don't know anything about connections or ground ops, or how to help you once we land.'
I remember a trip to DNR from BWI delayed by additional deicing at BWI. My connection at DFW was long gone by the time I got there with family in tow and NO ONE helped me find a way from DFW to DNR The line at a makeshift information desk had 50 or more screaming pax in front of it so I resorted to the pay telephone to call AAL reservations who directed me to a boarding flight at another gate. My point is that we just spent all the time from BWI to DFW, a couple of hours and no mention of connecting flights was made and any question was rebuffed. All that time wasted and all the resources could have been available.
There have been no changes since the days of Stapelton Intl except that communications has improved 100 times. FAs act just like stewardesses. It's 'coffee, tea or soda and I don't know anything about connections or ground ops, or how to help you once we land.'
I recall back in 98 (looooooon gbefore Passenger Bill of Rights), my family and I flew UAL KIAD-KLAS for my uncle's wedding. We boarded on time, but sat at the gate for over an hour before pushing back, then we sat at the end of the taxiway for another 90 minutes before getting clearance to depart. The flight crew were considerate enough to let us know that they were waiting for corporate to file a new flight plan to route us around a long line of T-storms, and corporate decided that everyone would get free headphones and everyone who was legal would get free booze. I heard very few complaints once the free booze was announced. :D
