G Gates

[Prop2Jet]

I have flown there for the last 3 months at Dulles and I have to say G gates blows.

1. You ready to board?
2. NO release
3. No Fuel
4. Pushed the wrong way...
5. No marshallers
6. No Gate Tards. Yes I said tards
7. Can't talk to ops cause Ghandi does not speak english
8. Suppervisors in the back room puttin back a second box of Jelly
Doughnuts while we call in range.
9. No bags..... O wait, No people to load the bags
10. Groups of refuggees in yelllow vests all speaking different languages
11. No GPU
12. No wheelchairs
13. No ramps! When you need one at least...
14. NO GREEN CARDS!

I am certain that if pilots had a remote that would activate a shock collar on these slugs things would move a bit faster, bags would be delivered and o yeah the "r u ready to board BS" would stop.

Man that place just sucks....

Done ranting!

Merry X mas !

 

[Capn Lucky]

The best part is when they walk people past a swinging prop because its suits them, The enitire IAD operation is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Also, I wonder how many old people will need new hips after this winter on the stairs at the C and D gates?

 

[SiouxHockeyFan]

Lost my bag

The "G"hetto gates......
They decided to leave off my crew bag last night when I went to YYZ...oh even better they can't find it now!! They are awesome!

 

[LearLove]

The "G"hetto gates......
They decided to leave off my crew bag last night when I went to YYZ...oh even better they can't find it now!! They are awesome!

you can find it on ebay. Happy bidding.

 

[logolight]

You think the G gates are bad, come to Philly.

 

[AutoCars Armed]

Been flying out of IAD for over a year now. They are the worst I have ever seen.

1. Tug driver tried to drive under plane. ooops gears now bent
2. Tug driver pushes plane through glass wall...ooops again
3. Blue juice guys flood several planes...
4. Tug driver floors in at bends nosegear
5. Plus all the complaints above.

I have to agree, the G gates are a fatality waiting to happen. It is only a matter of time before a pax or rampie walk into a prop or get run over.

 

[SlapShot]

At least there is food there now. When we first started there, the "terminal" was not even open. They used to bus the people from C30 over to the airplane. It was at least a 45 minutes process. Now the pushy gate agents, classy operations agents and the fresh off the boat rampers make the IAD experience a highlight of my day.

 

[suupah]

At least there is food there now. When we first started there, the "terminal" was not even open. They used to bus the people from C30 over to the airplane. It was at least a 45 minutes process. Now the pushy gate agents, classy operations agents and the fresh off the boat rampers make the IAD experience a highlight of my day.

Yes ops, ------52** needs a lav service and commisary. "Copy that". 1.5 hours later...Ops, ------52** we called 1.5 hours ago and still need that lav service, commmissary and we need our release. "Copy that" 30 minutes later....Ops ------52** still waiting on that lav service and our release. "copy that"

Hey Ops....Copy this "#$%$^&%#$%"

 

[millhouse21]

Also, I wonder how many old people will need new hips after this winter on the stairs at the C and D gates?

Seriously, how do those stairs not violate some kind of code. How is it that nobody has killed themselves on them yet?

 

[rjet24]

Told ops we were ready to board because no ramp agent had been around, Ops replys that the gate agents said we were already boarded. I told them that no pax were on the plane, ops talks to agents again and comes back that we were already boarded. This went on for 15 min.

 

[LearLove]

Been flying out of IAD for over a year now. They are the worst I have ever seen.

1. Tug driver tried to drive under plane. ooops gears now bent
2. Tug driver pushes plane through glass wall...ooops again
3. Blue juice guys flood several planes...
4. Tug driver floors in at bends nosegear
5. Plus all the complaints above.

I have to agree, the G gates are a fatality waiting to happen. It is only a matter of time before a pax or rampie walk into a prop or get run over.

not to be confrontational, but what do you expect for 8 bucks and hr?

They really can't fire thoes guys as its hard to find workers at thoes rates and working conditions that can pass the 10yr history check. Thats why they don't fire alot of the guys in PHL. These guys know they can slack off big time and get away with it. In fact if you and I had that job we'd probibly do the same thing (when in Rome....). Not only that if you do manage to get canned its not like you wouldn't be able to score another min wage job and any number of locations w/in a day or so. The way we're going min wage job will be the only ones left. Have you seen the "BIG BOX MART" cartoon on the net?

Although it might not be money anyway as I've seen the once $60,000+/yr U mainline workers with 20+ years on the job in stations such as SYR, ROC, BUF, ALB and BDL provide the same piss poor service.

 

[smellthejeta]

Told ops we were ready to board because no ramp agent had been around, Ops replys that the gate agents said we were already boarded. I told them that no pax were on the plane, ops talks to agents again and comes back that we were already boarded. This went on for 15 min.

Shoulda said "oops, my mistake" and pushed just to make a point. Imagine what the pax would have said when they were told their plane has left without them.

 

[smellthejeta]

not to be confrontational, but what do you expect for 8 bucks and hr?

I really enjoyed my time on the ramp (and I'm still there, just no longer with the airlines) but I can't work for $8/hr. The thing with getting fired from an $8/hr airline job is that your next job probably pays better.

 

[LearLove]

I really enjoyed my time on the ramp (and I'm still there, just no longer with the airlines) but I can't work for $8/hr. The thing with getting fired from an $8/hr airline job is that your next job probably pays better.

Yeah I agree, if I had to get a min wage job (wait what am I saying, I have one) I'd work the ramp also rather than walmart or wendy's but the way the hiring situation is, is that they can exploit it and thus you sub par service.

 

[Snaab]

Prop2Jet,

I hear ya, bro! I have seen everything you have described. My favorite is:

Told an older lady on the ramp these words after she was ready to board us sans fuel, release, and rampers. "DO NOT BOARD THIS PLANE UNTIL MY CAPTAIN OR I TELL YOU TO. UNDERSTAND?" She said 'yes' as she looked right at me. Within 90 seconds, 33 people are standing in the blowing snow wondering why the FLIGHT CREW isn't ready. My captain got everyone's name and got the ramp supervisor on board and chewed her out.

I'd schlep over to DCA to purposely avoid IAD if I lived in Northern Va. I'll tell you this, though, Prop2Jet. I'm Manassas-based and the USAir/Z-gates stuff we do out of IAD is MUCH, MUCH smoother than the Ghetto Gates/United side. Where you based??

Snaab

 

[PapaGiorgio]

Any you guys there the day when the bus drivers decided to go on strike for about 30 minutes. Talk about some pissed off pax, and crew. The G-gates were about to exploed from over capicity. Hell, I bet the bus drivers make more than most 1st yr pilots working out of the g-gates.

Something has to be done about that freakin place. I'll bet United losses passengers on a daily basis becuase of that place. Thank the sweet lord I'm no longer based there.

 

[smellthejeta]

Any you guys there the day when the bus drivers decided to go on strike for about 30 minutes. Talk about some pissed off pax, and crew. The G-gates were about to exploed from over capicity. Hell, I bet the bus drivers make more than most 1st yr pilots working out of the g-gates.

Something has to be done about that freakin place. I'll bet United losses passengers on a daily basis becuase of that place. Thank the sweet lord I'm no longer based there.

Are you guys trying to tell me that UAX/IAD is worse than the T2 situation at ORD before ACA left? If so, that is pitiful. ORD was so bad, I would tell my friends and family NOT to buy tickets on my own damn airline. (Okay, I know from a revenue stand point it made no difference, but it's the principle.)

 

[smellthejeta]

Yeah I agree, if I had to get a min wage job (wait what am I saying, I have one) I'd work the ramp also rather than walmart or wendy's but the way the hiring situation is, is that they can exploit it and thus you sub par service.

What I don't get is how WN pays their rampers $8.75/hr for the first year and people actually work for that kind of money. I refused a job with them at BWI because I couldn't afford to work for them. I got paid more on ACA's ramp. My current FBO job is about the farthest thing from a minimum wage ramp job you'll ever see. If we whipped out W2's, you wouldn't believe what I made without proof. I'm a FIRM believer in that you get what you pay for, and on the corp side, you NEED good employees, and you NEED to pay them. I got four other competing FBO's on the field; it's pretty easy to pack up your $15,000 fuel order and take it to the competition if you're not happy with the service levels.

 

[PhatAJ2008]

Actually, starting pay for a ramper where I worked was $6.85/hr... The attitudes of most my fellow employees were hoping they could get fired so they could go on wellfare and make more money.
...Sad

 

[Mr Wu]

Prop2Jet,

I hear ya, bro! I have seen everything you have described. My favorite is:

Told an older lady on the ramp these words after she was ready to board us sans fuel, release, and rampers. "DO NOT BOARD THIS PLANE UNTIL MY CAPTAIN OR I TELL YOU TO. UNDERSTAND?" She said 'yes' as she looked right at me. Within 90 seconds, 33 people are standing in the blowing snow wondering why the FLIGHT CREW isn't ready.
Snaab

Dude, sure that wasn't laGarbage?

 

[CoolSidePillow]

There is one answer for all the problems everyone complains about. "Welcome to America" USofA in the 21st century. Scary thing is we havent even hit bottom yet. Walmart economics. Spreading the limited wealth that 95% of the population fight over so thin you can see through it while 5% control most of the money and power while we still pat ourselves on the back and say how great it is here and how much better we are than anyone else. Yeah no kidding those 5% ruined every other place on earth and we are the last to exploit. We here say the french are wimpy and gutless and so bad. Hmmmm not only did they overthrow their powerful but they cut their heads off. Viva la France!

 

[Prop2Jet]

I am proud to be in that 5% class and I enjoyed ruining everypart of G-gates! Now onto Paris and the battle of the Bulge encore!

 

[FCNelson]

I have flown there for the last 3 months at Dulles and I have to say G gates blows.

1Man that place just sucks....

Done ranting!

Merry X mas !

Oh! Aren't you something special! So you've been flying out of IAD for a whopping three months! Aren't you just the grizzled veteran airline pilot who's been there, done that, seen everything, and lived to tell about it. And I suppose because the rampers don't move quick enough for your liking, thats UNSAT in your books and UAL should spend millions to fix the problem. I suppose your next complaint will be that you've been with your airline for six months, haven't got awarded an upgrade, and are pissed, because all your buddies are going to JetBlue, SWA, and FedEx while you're still an FO.

Kid, you don't even have enough hours for an ATP. Get real. I suppose you're perfect and don't get off your airspeed one knot on approaches. Live a bit, then come back and post a bit more. I'm going to enjoy reading your posts, you certainly seem to have mastered the art of complaining like a 25yr Eastern veteran.

FCNelson

-An over 5yr vet off/on of IAD-basing.

 

[suupah]

Oh! Aren't you something special! So you've been flying out of IAD for a whopping three months! Aren't you just the grizzled veteran airline pilot who's been there, done that, seen everything, and lived to tell about it. And I suppose because the rampers don't move quick enough for your liking, thats UNSAT in your books and UAL should spend millions to fix the problem. I suppose your next complaint will be that you've been with your airline for six months, haven't got awarded an upgrade, and are pissed, because all your buddies are going to JetBlue, SWA, and FedEx while you're still an FO.

Kid, you don't even have enough hours for an ATP. Get real. I suppose you're perfect and don't get off your airspeed one knot on approaches. Live a bit, then come back and post a bit more. I'm going to enjoy reading your posts, you certainly seem to have mastered the art of complaining like a 25yr Eastern veteran.

FCNelson

-An over 5yr vet off/on of IAD-basing.

Dang Nelson, if it takes someone longer than 2 weeks to figure out that the G gates suck, they probably shouldn't be a pilot. I have been going there regularly for the past 2 months and clearly see that it is really inefficient.

 

[NEDude]

I think the piss poor service is due to a few factors. And I don't believe pay is really the root. As mentioned SWA doesn't pay much better than anyone else, but the folks there seem to work harder.

I think the root cause is the bean counters at most airlines. As pilots we have not been the only victims of cost cutting. At many stations I have been to the staffing has been greatly reduced over the last few years. As a result, the fewer employees are having to do more work, many times for the same or less pay then before. I have come into a station several times only to find three people trying to handle two flights at the same time. Nobody called in sick, only three people were scheduled for that shift. The flights were on time, so it wasn't like one of the flights wasn't supposed to be there. It was just three people to check in PAX, off load PAX, load/unload bags, get paperwork, call the fuelers and cover anything else that was needed. That, I believe, is the root of the problem.

When I used to pump fuel for the airlines, it struck that me that the biggest difference between SWA and the other airlines was that when a SWA plane came in, there were anywhere from 10 - 12 rampers that worked the plane. At other airlines there were three, maybe sometimes four.

 

[millhouse21]

I think the piss poor service is due to a few factors. And I don't believe pay is really the root. As mentioned SWA doesn't pay much better than anyone else, but the folks there seem to work harder.

I think the root cause is the bean counters at most airlines. As pilots we have not been the only victims of cost cutting. At many stations I have been to the staffing has been greatly reduced over the last few years. As a result, the fewer employees are having to do more work, many times for the same or less pay then before. I have come into a station several times only to find three people trying to handle two flights at the same time. Nobody called in sick, only three people were scheduled for that shift. The flights were on time, so it wasn't like one of the flights wasn't supposed to be there. It was just three people to check in PAX, off load PAX, load/unload bags, get paperwork, call the fuelers and cover anything else that was needed. That, I believe, is the root of the problem.

When I used to pump fuel for the airlines, it struck that me that the biggest difference between SWA and the other airlines was that when a SWA plane came in, there were anywhere from 10 - 12 rampers that worked the plane. At other airlines there were three, maybe sometimes four.

You can really see that in PIT where SW parks right where we used to park. We still park nearby and the difference is stunning. When one of their jets arrives, it is literally swarmed with rampers trying to get the thing turned. We just have the gate saying "are you ready to board?" and coding the delay on the crew since the answer was "no."

 

[NEDude]

We just have the gate saying "are you ready to board?" and coding the delay on the crew since the answer was "no."

Or worse, you tell them yes and they take 25 minutes to start boarding, and then code the delay on the crew.

 

[CFIse]

FCNelson

-An over 5yr vet off/on of IAD-basing.

Wow - that's great news then - if you do it for 5 years either the rampers recognise your high and mighty 5 years and provide better service or you become immune to the incompetence.

Anybody who spends 5 minutes at the G gates can tell it's the gateway to hell, it doesn't take 3 months.

 

[shuttlepilot]

I was one of the lucky ones who broke in the rampers on the g -gates. They were a whole lot worse at first, try being nice to the rampers, gate agents and smile. I rarely had any problems..., I may have waited for a ramp twice, always had great service from those guys and gals.

 

[BRA]

Oh! Aren't you something special! So you've been flying out of IAD for a whopping three months! Aren't you just the grizzled veteran airline pilot who's been there, done that, seen everything, and lived to tell about it. And I suppose because the rampers don't move quick enough for your liking, thats UNSAT in your books and UAL should spend millions to fix the problem. I suppose your next complaint will be that you've been with your airline for six months, haven't got awarded an upgrade, and are pissed, because all your buddies are going to JetBlue, SWA, and FedEx while you're still an FO.

Kid, you don't even have enough hours for an ATP. Get real. I suppose you're perfect and don't get off your airspeed one knot on approaches. Live a bit, then come back and post a bit more. I'm going to enjoy reading your posts, you certainly seem to have mastered the art of complaining like a 25yr Eastern veteran.

FCNelson

-An over 5yr vet off/on of IAD-basing.

Actually at colgan if you wait over 6 months to upgrade people do complain. 6 month upgrades do happen there if people have the time. I upgraded in 14 months. And that took forever. You didn't happen to be one of those colgan people that quit to go to ACA around the 2002 time frame were you???