Comair CX all flights for 12/25 & 12/26

[CF34-3B1]

Ok Surplus.....I always thought of you as a sort of allie. But, now I have to say your comments have turned me the other way. Nice job bashing your "brothers" at ASA. I'll bet you 1 Billion, zillion dollars that if you moved your entire Comair team from CVG to ATL you would fare NO BETTER. ATL is the worlds busiest airport, not a podunk little airport like CVG!!! BIG DIFFERENCE! How many more flights are operated out of ATL than CVG???? Nice of you to take a shot at ASA, though. Sorry we are the "joke of the entire aviation industry!" Sorry we are such a "mess".

Now I do get it....Comair is THE BEST!!!

ATL being the busiest airport may be a factor, but 99% of the problem lies with management and their insisting on under staffing the ramp, and staffing with unmotivated, minimum wage level people. If you look at the demographics of the ATL airport, and the potential entry level employees in that area, you'll understand the problem. It's not just an ASA problem, it's a Burger King problem, a Wendy's problem, a hotel van driver problem.

The reason you can't get a windshield wash at C24 is the same reason you can't get a ride from the Red Roof van. The Renaissance spends the extra couple of bucks an hour for their van drivers, and what do you know, he shows up on schedule. (And he'll take you to the Red Roof for a few bucks)

It's the same reason the on time performance spikes downward during the Superbowl, NCAA or NBA finals. The same reason we used to have a big portion of our bag tug fleet parked at the MARTA station after shift changes on the ramp. Professionalism is not something you can get for free. If ASA wants motivated people on the ramp, they need to spend the $ and recognize it's a cost of doing business, just like gate space or fuel.

Once you hire decent people, you need to treat them as assets, not as the enemy. Does SWA pay it's entry level people THAT much more than ASA? Nope, but they treat them entirely differently. "What can we do to make this a better place for you to work?" vs "Up to and including termination......"

When management makes the decision to not spend the extra $ to either attract or import motivated workers, and then insists on treating them like 18th century peasants, the results are the same, no matter what the business.

Ya get what ya pay for. And I guarantee, the army of MBA bean counters have run the numbers through the spreadsheet programs. They WANT it this way, they LIKE it this way, if they didn't, it would have been fixed by now. As far as the suits on Virginia Ave are concerned, the numbers just aren't there.

Copy dat.......................


(I do need to add however, there ARE a lot of really good people on the ATL ramp, who continually bust their a$$ to get the flights out on time. If we could hire more like them, and get them to STAY here, we'd be at the top of the on time performance list every time, busiest airport or not)

 

[Dave Benjamin]

I don't have time to read the whole thread but I'm wondering if General Lee has called for CMR to be sold and replaced by Xjet. After all that was his response to the Cat 2 issues at SkyWest.

 

[surplus1]

And by the way, you did say you were better off before Delta bought you.

Yes, I did say that and I meant every word of it.

We have become bigger since Delta bought us. We would have become bigger with or without Delta. Perhaps not as big as we are now, but certainly more efficient and since our business is about making money, and not about being "bigger", that would be fine. The truth is we were a much better run Company before we were acquired by Delta than we are today. We were also much more profitable, when we were paying our own way and running our own business.

In fact we are still one of the best run regionals in the country and that is in spite of Delta's efforts, rather than because of them. We didn't need "mama Delta" to teach us how to run the airline and we don't now. There are lots of things we've been "forced" to do by Delta that we would never have done before. None of them has been beneficial to Comair and few of them have been beneficial to Delta.

Left to our own devices we were a better run Company. You can believe otherwise if you wish and that's OK with me.

As far as this computer crash is concerned, I say again, it should never have happened and it is our management's fault. There are no excuses and no denials. It's a major screw up and there's no two ways about it. We will fix it.

However, having our airline run by a collection of Delta bottom feeders such as those panned off on ASA would not have prevented it. I will agree with you that ASA is better run today than it was 5 years ago, but plain and simple, Comair is not.

The Delta people that are running ASA and DCI are substantially inferior as managers than the people running Comair, both before the acquisition and since the acquisition (which created DCI). Delta's management doesn't know how to run a "legacy airline" that has existed for 75 years and have run it into the ground. They know far less about how to run a "regional airline".

From my perspective, ASA's problems in ATL do not result from congestion. They are the result of management's failure to deal with the congestion. They are "people" problems (excluding flight crew) and physical plant problems, but principally the former. They don't hire the right people and they don't manage the people that they do hire. That results in atrocious customer service and the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of your "Delta" management team.

AirTran lives and operates out of the same "congested" airport, without the chaos. How is that possible? If Delta managers are so "hot" at running ASA, why haven't they fixed the problem (which has been going on for years and only gets worse)?

I would be willing to bet you that if Delta's DCI managers were not "meddling" Comair would most probably never have gone to ATL, certainly not in such quantity. Secondly, if Delta managers were to permit Comair managers to operate their own station in Atlanta it would be functioning and would not be so adversely affecting the airline's overall performance. Comair management would never permit the things I have personally experienced in ATL both as a pilot and a passenger on ASA.

I certainly don't blame any of that on ASA's cockpit flight crews. I know very well that on most days it would not function at all were it not for the efforts of ASA pilots. But, we're not talking about pilots, we're talking about management, ground personnel, customer service and even flight attendants. The fact is that ASA management sucks and every one of them is a hand-me-down of a Delta flunky.

Thefore, when you try to tell me that ASA is better run by Delta than it was before and that Comair is too, I have to call you on it. Comair is NOT better run by Delta, was much better run before Delta, and I pray every day that we will not wind up being saddled by another bunch of Delta flunkies trying to run this Company. You are welcome to all of them. Hopefully, we'll never see their faces in CVG.

Hopefully we can fix our "problem" sooner than later and get back on track.

Happy New Year to you. Nothing personal about this; hope you understand that.

 

[surplus1]

Ask the CMR MEC that question! They seem to be quite good at it!
737

We learned it all from the Delta MEC. You cast your bread upon the waters. You should not be surprised that you got some of it back.

 

[surplus1]

Ok Surplus.....I always thought of you as a sort of allie. But, now I have to say your comments have turned me the other way. Nice job bashing your "brothers" at ASA. I'll bet you 1 Billion, zillion dollars that if you moved your entire Comair team from CVG to ATL you would fare NO BETTER. ATL is the worlds busiest airport, not a podunk little airport like CVG!!! BIG DIFFERENCE! How many more flights are operated out of ATL than CVG???? Nice of you to take a shot at ASA, though. Sorry we are the "joke of the entire aviation industry!" Sorry we are such a "mess".

I'm sorry you're such a mess too, believe me. Before you get your panties all in a wad, I did not say a single word that has anything to do with cockpit flight crews. We are talking about management problems, not pilot problems. There is no pilot bashing anywhere in my post, I'm bashing your management.

Yes, I know that ATL is a much busier airport. See my post to StiflersMom and you'll know what I think about that.

I'll take your bet of "1 Billion, zillion dollars". If Delta were to get rid of the flunkies they assigned to ASA and give Comair management a free hand, we've have that ATL mess straightened out in six months. I'll guarantee you it would never be tolerated for years, like it has been.

I'm sorry but the truth is that ASA had incompetent management before Delta bought it and the "Delta people" that replaced the old are obviously no better. You didn't get the cream of the crop from Delta, you got the bottom feeders, and it shows.

Now I do get it....Comair is THE BEST!!!

Congratulations! In terms of the quality of Comair's management, you got that exactly right! Feel free to compare it to any other regional airline in the country. Comair was the best managed rigional carrier before Delta, and it remains the best managed in spite of Delta.

I can't apologize for the truth.

 

[Flywrite]

737 pylot:



Do you live in Miami? I wished (against my better judgement) some Delta loser a Merry X-mas the other day while waiting for my flight home. I got the usual, "You're not a Delta pilot, so, I won't acknowledge your presence." Well, he sure changed his mind when the gate agent told him the flight was full and there wasn't a seat for him. This tool walks over and asks me if I'm on the jumpseat. Before I can answer he proceeds to lecture me on how I need a seat in the back because I can't sit up front. I explained to him that I am sitting in the back and that I'm not listed for the jump. He then gets real pissy with me and tells me how he can't get home because "I" scammed the gate agent into giving me a seat before him, when I clearly don't work for Delta. I let Capt. POS rant and rave a few more minutes until I drop the bomb on him. You should have seen his face when I told him I'm a frac pilot and have a postive space ticket. He huffs and puffs something about being an a#$hole and walks off. When I boarded the flight, I saw him sitting in the corner stewing, so, I flipped him the bird. Merry X-mas you Delta F@gs.

Sounds like you should have got his name and sent a strongly worded letter to DAL about how their employees speak to revenue passengers.

 

[N2264J]

Re: Comair CX all flights...

Other airlines are doing the right thing in realizing it very well could have happened to them, and to check their scheduling systems for the same or similar bug.

Once again, Comair is on the cutting edge, leading the industry into the 21st century.

I expect Comair will have this problem fixed in a few days but 737 Pylt will still be a moron-incapable of developing beyond the mental age of 8 -12.

(Hey, maybe it's just the merlot talking).

 

[N813CA]

DOT 211-04
Contact: Dave Smallen, Tel.: (202) 366-5568
Friday, December 17, 2004

Weekly News Digest


BTS Reclassifies Airlines for 2005. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics has issued the 2005 airline groupings based on annual revenues. For the first time, Comair and JetBlue Airways are classified as major carriers with more than $1 billion in annual revenue. Sun Country Airlines and USA 3000 Airlines have been classified as national airlines – those with $100 million to $1 billion in revenues – and SkyKing Airlines was included in the large regional airline category, consisting of carriers with revenues of $20 million to $100 million. For the complete listing, see http://www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information/accounting_and_reporting_directives/number_276.html. Contact: Dave Smallen: 202-366-5568.

 

[737 Pylt]

737 pylot:



Do you live in Miami? I wished (against my better judgement) some Delta loser a Merry X-mas the other day while waiting for my flight home. I got the usual, "You're not a Delta pilot, so, I won't acknowledge your presence." Well, he sure changed his mind when the gate agent told him the flight was full and there wasn't a seat for him. This tool walks over and asks me if I'm on the jumpseat. Before I can answer he proceeds to lecture me on how I need a seat in the back because I can't sit up front. I explained to him that I am sitting in the back and that I'm not listed for the jump. He then gets real pissy with me and tells me how he can't get home because "I" scammed the gate agent into giving me a seat before him, when I clearly don't work for Delta. I let Capt. POS rant and rave a few more minutes until I drop the bomb on him. You should have seen his face when I told him I'm a frac pilot and have a postive space ticket. He huffs and puffs something about being an a#$hole and walks off. When I boarded the flight, I saw him sitting in the corner stewing, so, I flipped him the bird. Merry X-mas you Delta F@gs.

Gordon:
That's a funny story. No I don't live in MIA. I live in the cold Northeast. Sorry to hear that you weren't treated fairly. I bet its because you are an a$$hole!
Merry Christmas to you too!
737

 

[737 Pylt]

We learned it all from the Delta MEC. You cast your bread upon the waters. You should not be surprised that you got some of it back.

Care to elaborate, or are you taling more jibberish as usual. I think you need to go back to taking the prozac, you used to make sense. How about taking more cheap shots at the folks at ASA.
737

 

[bvt1151]

Once again, Comair is on the cutting edge, leading the industry into the 21st century.

I don't know if you were being sarcastic or not, but aside from the scheduling system, Comair really is at the leading edge.

 

[FDJ2]

DOT 211-04
Contact: Dave Smallen, Tel.: (202) 366-5568
Friday, December 17, 2004

Weekly News Digest


BTS Reclassifies Airlines for 2005. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics has issued the 2005 airline groupings based on annual revenues. For the first time, Comair and JetBlue Airways are classified as major carriers with more than $1 billion in annual revenue.

The big difference is that JBLU's revenue comes from the actual passengers buying the tickets, whereas CMR's revenue does not. CMR makes money even if the flight is empty, since CMR is paid by Delta for the lift regardless of the actual passenger revenue on the flight.

 

[Rook]

Sucks that the CMR guys were turned away in ATL. When ASA still had SPS I commuted on them all the time and one time when i got stuck in the airport they took me down into their crew lounge tossed me some blankets and some grub and I camped out in DFW till the morning. So I know Candler guys arent all bad. 73pylut I'll wish you a merry x=mas and hope you didn't have any problems around the holidays. I'm sure that story may have been sliiiiiiiightly exaggerated. I could go on and on about the mainline vs. regional thread but it's an argument I'll only lose. You guys fly safe and have a safe new year (ok I'm done koom-bye-yawing).

Rook

 

[surplus1]

Care to elaborate, or are you taling more jibberish as usual. I think you need to go back to taking the prozac, you used to make sense. How about taking more cheap shots at the folks at ASA.
737

Did I ruffle your pin feathers? Soooo solly kimosabi. Since I know, scratch "know" replace with think, you're not intellectually challenged I'm sure you can figure it out without any elaboration. Try again now, slowly.

There; feel better?

 

[N2264J]

Re: Comair CX all flights...

I don't know if you were being sarcastic or not, but aside from the scheduling system, Comair really is at the leading edge.

What makes you think I was being sarcastic? 737 Pylt really is a moron.

 

[~~~^~~~]

You guys talk about ATL and call it a "management failure." Apparently you have not been to the "State of the Company" meetings. Last year, when we saw ASA in a battle for last place with Eagle, we were told that ASA was not aiming to lead the industry. That achieving numbers like Skywest's ( where the weather is nicer ) was cost prohibitive and just would never happen in Atlanta. Instead, ASA's goal was just "not to be last" and embarassing to Delta. Mid pack performance was perfectly acceptable. ( Our D0 goal is only 61%, when has Airtran, or Southwest ever posted numbers as lousy as our goals? )

So, we have what we managed for. You ever seen a clock on the ramp? Seems at the least a company concerned with performance would have the measurement tool in plain sight.

I have no doubt that the economics on the CRJ200, particularly the 40 seat version, are lousy when oil is at $40 to $50 a barrell and Delta lacks the credit to hedge.

The squeeze is on folks.... The Company does not want a fair deal from its' employees, it demands an unfair advantage. They have given up on loyalty, it is all management by screaming and coercion. If you don't like it leave and we will replace you with someone cheaper. This is the same management philosophy that was so richly rewarded by US Air employees and I have little doubt ASA will begin seeing the turnover they desire ( getting in the cheaper pilots ).

I don't think ASA management particularly cares that the employees are disgruntled. They are not running a Daisy Farm.

For those of you, like me, who take pride in your work - tough. We just can't do it by ourselves and any pride you show will be used to its maximum extent by an unappreciative and ungrateful management team with a quarterly time horizon and a deep envious hatred for their pilots.

 

[michael707767]

The squeeze is on folks.... The Company does not want a fair deal from its' employees, it demands an unfair advantage. They have given up on loyalty, it is all management by screaming and coercion. If you don't like it leave and we will replace you with someone cheaper.

I agree with you. The problem is where can you go that pays more and values its employees? Southwest can't hire everyone.

 

[FmrFreightDog]

\ Congratulations! In terms of the quality of Comair's management, you got that exactly right! Feel free to compare it to any other regional airline in the country. Comair was the best managed rigional carrier before Delta, and it remains the best managed in spite of Delta.

I can't apologize for the truth.

Funny. I don't recall ASA's management ever single-handedly stranding 30,000 people in one day. But, yeah, you guys are the best!

To tell you the truth, since ASA has been going into CVG, I haven't been all that impressed. Maybe things on A are different than they are on C, but having to twist arms to get the airplane cleaned and the trash emptied and having to argue with a ramp supervisor about whether or not we were "ready to board" while we had two open maintenence items are not my idea of paradise. Most of the Comair crews I have met are top notch guys. However, Surplus, if you want to see the root of the problems Delta pilots and others have with you guys, you need not look any further than yourself.

 

[737 Pylt]

What makes you think I was being sarcastic. 737 Pylt really is a moron.

That's right, you need to have a brain to be sarcastic. Idiot!
737

 

[JI Gone OH]

Funny. I don't recall ASA's management ever single-handedly stranding 30,000 people in one day. But, yeah, you guys are the best!

To tell you the truth, since ASA has been going into CVG, I haven't been all that impressed. Maybe things on A are different than they are on C, but having to twist arms to get the airplane cleaned and the trash emptied and having to argue with a ramp supervisor about whether or not we were "ready to board" while we had two open maintenence items are not my idea of paradise. Most of the Comair crews I have met are top notch guys. However, Surplus, if you want to see the root of the problems Delta pilots and others have with you guys, you need not look any further than yourself.

You must feel like you're right at home in ATL... Why don't you focus on getting a contract signed and forget about these little b*tch boards....