'Blue cleaning crew

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I just remembered another one of these-"It's not my job to clean the windows! I'm the janitor, not the window-cleaner!"-type attitudes.

Some months ago, a USAir 767 was departing, and there were no working tugs to be had (late at night, I think in PIT). The ground crew rounded up as many people as they could, and they manually, physically pushed back the 767 from the gate so that the flight could go.

The CEO of the company singled them out as a great example of teamwork and a great attitude to get the job done when everything went wrong. If I was a PAX on that flight, I'd appreciate all of USAir's employees working to get me out on time. Customer service is the bottom line.

Cliff
DTW

 

[jjbiv]

You've got to be kidding -- U employees manually pushing a loaded 767 in a HUB?!?

joe

 

[Capt. Haddock]

10 years ago I got hired with a foreign airline that introduced the concept of helping out in the cabin when time permitted.

At first it was an unexpected little extra that was highly appreciated. Cabin crew and ground staff were grateful and impressed when we did this. It was certainly a good team builder. After a while it became a habit and it was expected. In fact the schedule was often based on this help because the cabin crew had to have their required break and ground staff was cut back. If the cockpit did not help we could get delays. The pilots that did not help would feel guilty. Eventually it became a team breaker if you did not help.
At first I thought this was a good idea. But when I look back today, I wish we would have been a bit more restrictive or at least introduced this concept in a better way because there are times when you just don't have the time. You might wish to study the next SID or just need stretch your legs outside for a few minutes……

 

[klhoard]

Some months ago, a USAir 767 was departing, and there were no working tugs to be had (late at night, I think in PIT). The ground crew rounded up as many people as they could, and they manually, physically pushed back the 767 from the gate so that the flight could go.

I sure would have loved to see the NTSB report and the insurance company's reaction on this one if that 767 gotten away from them!!