Eagle FO CLT to MIA on 2/2 ...

[Snakum]

February 2nd I'm trying to leave from CLT with the wife for a long overdue vacation to Miami with the in-laws (mean-arsed Cubanos :laugh: ). My father-in-law is flying in from Mexico to MIA about the same time we were, he's nowhere to be found, mom-in-law is calling wifey every five minutes in a panic because we've found out our FO didn't make his commute and we don't know WHEN we're ever gonna make MIA either. Everyone's trippin.

A young FO who was deadheading to Chicago for his next trip is at the desk, fielding questions from angry passengers, and using his own cellphone to ask for permission to fly OUR flight so we can leave on time. I mean this kid is literally answering call-backs from scheduling while calmly explaining to angry pax what went wrong and that he's going to to try and make this happen. For at least 15 minutes this guy is doing a desk agent's job (even though a couple of them were RIGHT THERE ... standing around looking bored) with unbelievable calm and professionalism, and busting his butt to get himself rescheduled so we can get to MIA on time. Pretty awesome. He finally got the 'OK' and received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Some of you may say he shouldn't have done it, given what you have to put up with already and Eagle ought to be taught a lesson about staffing, or ask "Was he wearing his full uniform?" (he was ... hat, too), but I say ... "Props to the guy", I don't remember his name (if I did I'd write a letter to AE/AA), but he went WAY beyond the call to make an ERJ full of folks very happy that Saturday. imp:

I thought it was so cool that I forgave CLT rampers for not loading my bags and having to go back to MIA Saturday night and chase them down (they eventually came down on a US Air 737 ).

If you know this guy (Last name was 'somethingski') tell him my wife says the massage offer (she's an LMT) was for real.

 

[spudskier]

Great story, nice to hear. Glad there are some customer service oriented pilots still around. The gate agents sound like they received training in Atlanta...

 

[DOVPILOT]

nice story...I only hope that AE threw him a couple extra green backs for his dedicated service.... way to go Mr. Somethingski

 

[mamba20]

nice story...I only hope that AE threw him a couple extra green backs for his dedicated service.... way to go Mr. Somethingski

Rest assured he will be rewared with many junior mannings in the next couple of months.

 

[johnsonrod]

Finally we get a positive story on these boards. I am very impressed. Too bad he will be completely jaded and burned out in one year.

 

[USMCAirWinger]

LOL I was expecting you bitch about how he stole your jumpseat or something like that.

 

[OPECJet]

Good story.

 

[wacoflyr]

As an eagle fo I can safely say that this was not me. I am impressed, particularly since I know for a fact that this guy has been abused beyond comprehension by screw scheduling. They violate our contract on a daily basis. The word, however, is that they are as understaffed as we are, underpaid, and under a tremendous amount of pressure. If this guy maintains this attitude while suffering through what we get, all while being paid at a rate that renders some of our FO's homeless (really, I'm not kidding) then kudos to him. I'll try to follow his example.
Wacoflyr

 

[Flywrite]

Write a letter anyway. AMR will be able to find out who it was and just maybe he'll get an attaboy.

 

[Skyliner]

Wow, small world. Based on your description ("-ski" name, young FO who actually wears a hat), I thought that sounded like a friend of mine. I asked him, and sure enough, it is. Although his first reaction was, "How the h$#l did you hear about that?"

According to him, the FO that was supposed to work your flight was being deadheaded in from ORD, but that flight was running very late. My friend says he felt bad for the guy though, because as soon as he did get to CLT, they company deadheaded him off to another assignment.

And I hear you about the gate at CLT. It's been a while since I've been there, but I think the staff is non-Eagle, and they don't have a lot of incentive to be...overly helpful.

I'll certainly pass along your thoughts, and Snakum, if you do want his name, please PM me.