To all of you who still want to work here, read, weep and discover what type of "management" team you get to deal with once you descend into this freak show they call Horizon that so much loves to preach about the "shared" values of integrity, heart, partnership, innovation, and continious improvement.
From the union website (reading about how disconnected from reality they really are just pissed me off today)
October 20, 2005
Mr. Haugaard,
Per your request is the narrative of events that occurred at the Medford station on September 30, 2005. I follow with some relevant questions for your office.
Landing in Medford, we arrived on schedule and proceeded to turn the aircraft for our outbound leg of flight 2425 to Eugene and then on to Seattle. It was a very nice fall day with sunshine and light winds. A great day to fly at Horizon.
I did a walk around of the aircraft and then proceeded into the station area on my way to use the restroom. As I walked by the station manager’s office, I observed one of our flight attendants, who lives in Medford, engaged in conversation with the Medford station manager. The flight attendant introduced me to the station manager and we exchanged a few short pleasantries as this was our first interaction.
I then proceeded through the counter area and into the air terminal to use the restroom. Some times things take a little more time than others and this was one of those times. Eventually I was all squared away though, and upon leaving the rest room noticed that nobody was at the Horizon ticket counter to allow my return access to the aircraft. Accordingly, I stepped in line at security with the intent of proceeding through the gate area to go to the aircraft. It was now 12 minutes prior to departure and with about 5 minutes of checklist and weight and balance procedures ahead of us; we were still in great shape for an on time departure.
As I stepped up into the security line I was number 2 no pun, behind a gentleman having his documents and identification check by a gruff old screener. The screener looked up at me and asked what I was doing? I responded that I was going out to fly the Horizon flight. He asked me why I didn’t go through the ticket counter. I pointed out that there was nobody there. He asked if I rang the bell and knocked on the door. I responded that I was not familiar with this station and that I felt that this would be the quickest way to the aircraft. He responded with “just a minute.”
As I waited to be let through, I observed that now standing behind me was a young Alaska native lady who was sobbing uncontrollably. I asked her what the matter was.
She, between sobs, responded that her cat was not going to be going with her because she didn’t have the required papers for the cat. She indicated that her boyfriend had went back home to pick up the papers but he had not yet returned and that airline people had said the cat could not fly without them.
I asked the lady where she was going. She indicated Alaska via Seattle. I asked if she was flying on Horizon. She said she was. I then told her that I was flying the Horizon airplane to Seattle and that everything was going to be alright. About this time another young man stepped up into the security line out of breath. He said that he thought he was going to miss his flight. I asked him where he was going. He said Seattle. I asked Horizon? He said yes. I said no problem; we are going to Seattle too, as I motioned to the crying lady and myself.
At about this time, the security fellow motioned me through and a Horizon ticket agent stepped up and informed the lady from Alaska that they would forgo the paper work requirement and that her cat would be getting aboard the flight.
I proceeded through the security screening and stepped into our boarding area to just see a boarding agent walking onto the tarmac and closing the door behind her. I stepped up to the door but could not get her attention through the window as she proceeded away from me toward the aircraft.
I went back to the security area and waited for the young lady who, just to make matters worse, had been selected for the full security screening. She was still very upset and appeared confused by the screening process. I once again gave her assurances that everything would be alright. The other gentlemen going to Seattle cleared security without a hitch and we all proceed back to the door overlooking the ramp. Because the angle of the widows relative to where the aircraft was parked is very fine, I did not believe that anyone near the aircraft could see me waving, but each time I saw someone I tried to get their attention but with no results. The gentlemen asked what was going to happen. I said that eventually they would come up missing something and come looking for me. I could see that some of the agents appeared a bit confused as we moved closer to departure time, and at 2 minutes prior to our scheduled departure, the door was opened from the ramp side by a ramp supervisor. This was a different person than the lady who had said the cat could get on board or the boarding agent who had closed the door.
The supervisor said, “Come on lets go” and motioned just to me. I said “we are all going to Seattle” and motioned to the two passengers standing next to me. She said that they, the passengers, were too late and that the flight was already closed. She said that they could not go. I once again stated that we were all going to Seattle. I did not want to get into any argument in front of the passengers and I knew that it would take me, on average, 5 minutes to complete my pre departure duties… so that putting these two folks on board would have no bearing to overall situation.
The supervisor then said, “John, do I have to call the Duty Officer?” I was now getting a bit frustrated with the situation and I said that she could call the duty officer, the chief pilot or the president. Whereupon she closed the door and walked away leaving myself and the two passengers once again locked behind the door in the boarding area…
While standing there I remember looking up at a Horizon poster that says… Are you running late? Are you missing your bags? Also listing 20 things that can go wrong in our crazy business, with a big picture of a smiling gate agent, and a big punch line…
At Horizon we are here to help. The gentleman asks me what is going to happen. I said I’m not absolutely sure, but I think we are going to Seattle. The lady has now stopped sobbing.
At about 5 minutes after our scheduled departure time, I see someone go aboard the aircraft and my First Officer walk briskly back into the operations area. He indicated to me later that they told him what was going on and asked him if Captain K was waiting for someone? He indicated to them that as far as he knew, I just went in to use the restroom. They then asked him what they should do. He said that he told them that they could do what they were currently doing, or they could put us on the airplane and we would depart.
Apparently at 12 minutes after departure time they took the First Officers second recommendation. The boarding agent then opened the door up and said we could all go to the airplane. Immediately upon arriving in cockpit and fastening my seatbelt and I asked the A Flight Attendant if she would be so kind as to “give the lady some extra love on the way to Seattle” and went on with our normal duties. We taxied out at 15 past the hour and when asked by my First Officer what we should call the delay, I said crew delay because none of this would have happened if I didn’t use the restroom. He called it in as a crew delay.
The next week I stopped by the Medford station manager’s office and said to her that I had just met her the week before, and that I had apparently had a communication problem with her people. I asked if she would like to hear my side of the story. She said yes, so I proceeded to share the events from my perspective. When I was finished she looked at me in a very intense manner and said this… ’The only thing I what to know Captain K is did you have any alterior motives?” Somewhat angry by the question I responded by saying that I hired into this outfit and worked for a man by the name of Milt Knolt, who said that we all did the work and that it wasn’t about my job or your job. In addition I added that I had also worked for a guy by the name of John Kelly who taught us about empowerment.
Mr. Haugaard, since the station manager in Medford has now determined that given the above circumstances I should be subjected to this investigation by your office, I think that it is very appropriate to ask the following questions.
1. Is the Medford station manager running a customer service organization as outlined by our Mission Statement.
2. Since the station manager received the oral version of this briefing, just one week after the events took place, did the station manager include my perspectives in her original report or in an addendum, or did she omit my perspectives.
3. Given her omission of this relevant material, just what exactly are her alterior motives in this matter?
4. Can I expect a formal apology from the station manager for her omission or agenda?
5. Will I be receiving a formal kudos in the Leading Edge and our company website for my heart and integrity in customer service?
