My First Day

[cencal83406]

Hey all,

Just figured I'd let everyone know how it was on my "first day" of OE. Not usually a ground-breaking experience or anything, but I never thought I'd be introduced into customer relations so quickly.

I showed up at 12:45 for a 12:55 check-in at Memphis for a dead-head up to Minneapolis, four-day trip. Flight gets to MSP on-time around 3:50 PM. Well, my flight is at 7:15 PM so I decide to grab the Rev 36 of Jepps (the yearly inventory, yuck!), and start working it in. During a break from doing that, I notice the flight is now delayed until 8:45 or so. I keep revising, and end up finishing, when I get a call from the check-airman telling me to meet him at the gate around 8 PM (he's on the flight that is now delayed coming in). Since no-one had told me about the handy way of checking to see if the flight is actually on its way in the crew room (and it's not my base either), I grab my gear and head to the gate about 10 to 8. By the time I get there, the flight is delayed (again) until 9:30. I head back to the crew room. Now I finally get the low-down on checking, so I remain in the crew room until the airplane actually shows "IR" on the webpage.

The airplane actually is here by now at around 10:15, so I get the release from the gate agent and hurry down the jet-way (because we're already 3 hours delayed and it's my first freakin' flight). The captain then gives me the bad news, that he's dutied out. So after some calls to scheduling (which weren't answered really to anyones satisfaction), we venture off the airplane, back up the jetway, to head out because we're not going anywhere.

As we leave the area, a passenger turns around and says "f&#$ng a&#holes" and yet another mentions something about our union which I couldn't make out. Check airman ends up turning around and asking who said that, the guy owns up and says "you heard me" and CA explains that he's dutied out, 16 hours, etc. Said pax doesn't give a hoot and wants us to get him there. Call airport police, they probably didn't do much except to talk to him.

Anyways, very long story for a short outcome but I just thought it was interesting that I hadn't flown a single leg before being harassed by a passenger.

[CRJDriver]

Originally Posted by cencal83406

Hey all,

Just figured I'd let everyone know how it was on my "first day" of OE. Not usually a ground-breaking experience or anything, but I never thought I'd be introduced into customer relations so quickly.

I showed up at 12:45 for a 12:55 check-in at Memphis for a dead-head up to Minneapolis, four-day trip. Flight gets to MSP on-time around 3:50 PM. Well, my flight is at 7:15 PM so I decide to grab the Rev 36 of Jepps (the yearly inventory, yuck!), and start working it in. During a break from doing that, I notice the flight is now delayed until 8:45 or so. I keep revising, and end up finishing, when I get a call from the check-airman telling me to meet him at the gate around 8 PM (he's on the flight that is now delayed coming in). Since no-one had told me about the handy way of checking to see if the flight is actually on its way in the crew room (and it's not my base either), I grab my gear and head to the gate about 10 to 8. By the time I get there, the flight is delayed (again) until 9:30. I head back to the crew room. Now I finally get the low-down on checking, so I remain in the crew room until the airplane actually shows "IR" on the webpage.

The airplane actually is here by now at around 10:15, so I get the release from the gate agent and hurry down the jet-way (because we're already 3 hours delayed and it's my first freakin' flight). The captain then gives me the bad news, that he's dutied out. So after some calls to scheduling (which weren't answered really to anyones satisfaction), we venture off the airplane, back up the jetway, to head out because we're not going anywhere.

As we leave the area, a passenger turns around and says "f&#$ng a&#holes" and yet another mentions something about our union which I couldn't make out. Check airman ends up turning around and asking who said that, the guy owns up and says "you heard me" and CA explains that he's dutied out, 16 hours, etc. Said pax doesn't give a hoot and wants us to get him there. Call airport police, they probably didn't do much except to talk to him.

Anyways, very long story for a short outcome but I just thought it was interesting that I hadn't flown a single leg before being harassed by a passenger.

Welcome to the airline industry

[Snuggle]

Originally Posted by cencal83406

As we leave the area, a passenger turns around and says "f&#$ng a&#holes" and yet another mentions something about our union which I couldn't make out.

That guy sounds like a f&#$ng a&#hole himself. Don't you just love people in airports? Their brains start to shrink as soon as they step inside the terminal... by the time their at the gate they are already back to their teenage years...once their in the plane there's not much left up there.

[mastermags]

I might have punched him.

[mikecweb]

Boxes don't_______
What year did you graduate Riddle?

[cencal83406]

2006. One thing that seems very positive about 9E is the "cross-pollination" between them and FedEx.

[ChrisH]

Welcome to my world, LOL. I work currently as a CSA for an airline. I think passengers lose their common sense, when they walk through the airport doors.

I once had a passenger, who claimed to be a "licensed airline pilot", and not only that, an "aviation law expert", who, during a ground hold, ensisted that the weather was not preventing the airplane from flying. This passenger harrassed me, the FA, the FO, the CA, and the other gate agent. I was finally about to LMAO, so I went down to the CA, who was now at the bottom of the jet bridge, to inform him of the passengers claim of being a "licensed airline pilot", and how the weather is not preventing this flight from going. The captain walks back up to the gate area, up to the passengers, and gives him "1-800-WX-BRIEF", and then informs him that since he is a "licensed airline pilot", he should try to call and file to IAH. The passenger shup up after that.

[HOTDOG]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

Welcome to my world, LOL. I work currently as a CSA for an airline. I think passengers lose their common sense, when they walk through the airport doors.

I once had a passenger, who claimed to be a "licensed airline pilot", and not only that, an "aviation law expert", who, during a ground hold, ensisted that the weather was not preventing the airplane from flying. This passenger harrassed me, the FA, the FO, the CA, and the other gate agent. I was finally about to LMAO, so I went down to the CA, who was now at the bottom of the jet bridge, to inform him of the passengers claim of being a "licensed airline pilot", and how the weather is not preventing this flight from going. The captain walks back up to the gate area, up to the passengers, and gives him "1-800-WX-BRIEF", and then informs him that since he is a "licensed airline pilot", he should try to call and file to IAH. The passenger shup up after that.

That is great...LOL

[HOTDOG]

Originally Posted by cencal83406

Hey all,

Just figured I'd let everyone know how it was on my "first day" of OE. Not usually a ground-breaking experience or anything, but I never thought I'd be introduced into customer relations so quickly.

I showed up at 12:45 for a 12:55 check-in at Memphis for a dead-head up to Minneapolis, four-day trip. Flight gets to MSP on-time around 3:50 PM. Well, my flight is at 7:15 PM so I decide to grab the Rev 36 of Jepps (the yearly inventory, yuck!), and start working it in. During a break from doing that, I notice the flight is now delayed until 8:45 or so. I keep revising, and end up finishing, when I get a call from the check-airman telling me to meet him at the gate around 8 PM (he's on the flight that is now delayed coming in). Since no-one had told me about the handy way of checking to see if the flight is actually on its way in the crew room (and it's not my base either), I grab my gear and head to the gate about 10 to 8. By the time I get there, the flight is delayed (again) until 9:30. I head back to the crew room. Now I finally get the low-down on checking, so I remain in the crew room until the airplane actually shows "IR" on the webpage.

The airplane actually is here by now at around 10:15, so I get the release from the gate agent and hurry down the jet-way (because we're already 3 hours delayed and it's my first freakin' flight). The captain then gives me the bad news, that he's dutied out. So after some calls to scheduling (which weren't answered really to anyones satisfaction), we venture off the airplane, back up the jetway, to head out because we're not going anywhere.

As we leave the area, a passenger turns around and says "f&#$ng a&#holes" and yet another mentions something about our union which I couldn't make out. Check airman ends up turning around and asking who said that, the guy owns up and says "you heard me" and CA explains that he's dutied out, 16 hours, etc. Said pax doesn't give a hoot and wants us to get him there. Call airport police, they probably didn't do much except to talk to him.

Anyways, very long story for a short outcome but I just thought it was interesting that I hadn't flown a single leg before being harassed by a passenger.

Thanks for that story...I will now steer my aviation career towards freight

[cencal83406]

Heh I guess I had another thing to add to this.... I was reading about that "school" over on APF and on page 7 came across this gem:

"So what happens when you get dispatch with no FMS in your CRJ? cry to your CA because you don't know how to make a crossing restriction, or have to figure out a hold with raw data, because Jet U didn't teach you that right? I'm willing to bet that most of my CFI friends can figure it out in a heart beat since they been flying raw data all their life. That's one of the many things you will see on the line that you will wish you had that CFI experience."

How ironic, because the aircraft we were dispatched with had a deferred FMS! It was AWESOME flying green needles from DTW to PWM to DTW to APW and back finally to MSP! Our dispatcher must have listed us with the wrong suffix because the controllers kept trying to get us to go direct from departure. "Unable negative RNAV"

Loved every moment of it! Old school, as they say.

BTW I'm not a JU guy I just thought the no FMS thing was a strange coincidence.

[ERfly]

Originally Posted by cencal83406

Our dispatcher must have listed us with the wrong suffix because the controllers kept trying to get us to go direct from departure. "Unable negative RNAV"

I'd be willing to bet they had the right suffix on there. It's just that controllers are so used to the normal way, they forget for a second that you're unable, especially when a couple hundred of your company are.

[OldTownPilot]

I've heard BGR approach try to give BigSky direct to intersections and such. Their entire fleet is /A. It was'nt just you.

[ERfly]

Potomac Departure tried to do that to us all the time at CJC. We never had any RNAV capability in the SAAB.

[falconvalley]

Originally Posted by cencal83406

Hey all,

Just figured I'd let everyone know how it was on my "first day" of OE. Not usually a ground-breaking experience or anything, but I never thought I'd be introduced into customer relations so quickly.

I showed up at 12:45 for a 12:55 check-in at Memphis for a dead-head up to Minneapolis, four-day trip. Flight gets to MSP on-time around 3:50 PM. Well, my flight is at 7:15 PM so I decide to grab the Rev 36 of Jepps (the yearly inventory, yuck!), and start working it in. During a break from doing that, I notice the flight is now delayed until 8:45 or so. I keep revising, and end up finishing, when I get a call from the check-airman telling me to meet him at the gate around 8 PM (he's on the flight that is now delayed coming in). Since no-one had told me about the handy way of checking to see if the flight is actually on its way in the crew room (and it's not my base either), I grab my gear and head to the gate about 10 to 8. By the time I get there, the flight is delayed (again) until 9:30. I head back to the crew room. Now I finally get the low-down on checking, so I remain in the crew room until the airplane actually shows "IR" on the webpage.

The airplane actually is here by now at around 10:15, so I get the release from the gate agent and hurry down the jet-way (because we're already 3 hours delayed and it's my first freakin' flight). The captain then gives me the bad news, that he's dutied out. So after some calls to scheduling (which weren't answered really to anyones satisfaction), we venture off the airplane, back up the jetway, to head out because we're not going anywhere.

As we leave the area, a passenger turns around and says "f&#$ng a&#holes" and yet another mentions something about our union which I couldn't make out. Check airman ends up turning around and asking who said that, the guy owns up and says "you heard me" and CA explains that he's dutied out, 16 hours, etc. Said pax doesn't give a hoot and wants us to get him there. Call airport police, they probably didn't do much except to talk to him.

Anyways, very long story for a short outcome but I just thought it was interesting that I hadn't flown a single leg before being harassed by a passenger.

I've found that people like that will search for the path of least resistance for their big mouth. If you don't acknowledge them, they'll eventually find someone to listen and maybe just get themselves in trouble. Your captain had every right to answer him, but in most cases I just ignore people like that. 80% of pax have enough common sense to know that we have alot of responsibilities and have to make unpopular decisions regularly. If I intervene with anyone, it's usually indirectly if 2 or more pax are having at it or complaining loudly.

I had a couple pax arguing one time, when I was crewing a downgrade from the 32 seater to us (19 seats). The 2 in question had the same seat assignment. I think one of them had theirs from when they checked in before the downgrade and was still referring to the old assigment. Anways, my FO came up and said that one of them just got off the airplane and was visibly upset. I looked outside and sure enough, she was standing there, looking angry and confused. The other passenger would not give up the seat. I had a feeling he was the one who was referring to the old seating assignment, but it didn't matter. I could hear him, back there, talking loudly and just basically making useless noise. So, I got up on the PA and told everyone to take their seats immediately, so we could depart. I told the FO to find her an empty seat as I cross checked the pax list. Everyone sat down, shut up, and we were on our way. I never referred to either passenger, but everyone knew who I was talking to. It's important for me to not show any anger, because that can just make things worse. Funny thing was, all the pax on the return leg were giddy as heck because they were just beginning their trip and wanted me to do everything I could to get them to their connections. Ah, the ups and downs of flying

[cencal83406]

My "up" for my finally flown first leg was that there were 2 young pax with "first flight" certificates that I got to sign as the FO. Oh the irony.