jetblue closes the door 20' prior to departure.

[firstthird]

I'm surprised you can leave 20 minutes early, even with all paying pax onboard.

at SWA it is only 5 minutes early with all expected customers onboard and I hope that most flight deck crews are cruising the top of the jetway to make sure that we aren't leaving any j/s we could be taking. sometimes agents get their priorities wrong (and put efficiently on time before customer service).

I don't know if the thread starter was commuting or not but I'm surprised how many people jumped on him. closing the door 20 early seems more like a legacy thing than an LCC trying to keep good customer service thing. then again, I'm just a pilot and I just fly the plane.

then again with 20-30 minute scheduled turns, it'd be almost super-human to leave 20 early; so we don't run into this problem much, FOM 5 minute limitation or not.

 

[ultrarunner]

Honestly closing the door 20 mins prior is not standard and anything beyond 10 mins early requires redispatch.

I believe it was the door to the jetway.

Gate agents doen't close the plane door!

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Gate agents doen't close the plane door!

Uhh, yes they do.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

I'm surprised you can leave 20 minutes early, even with all paying pax onboard.

at SWA it is only 5 minutes early with all expected customers onboard and ...

GASP -- you mean swa and jb may have different FOMs with different regulations? Who are the ad wizards that came up with that one?

 

[ultrarunner]

Uhh, yes they do.

Really? They close the FED? I never knew that.

 

[firstthird]

GASP -- you mean swa and jb may have different FOMs with different regulations? Who are the ad wizards that came up with that one?

good one.

sort of proves the point there.

a few years ago there would have been 5 or 10 jetblue guys apologizing and saying that shouldn't happen (leaving people at the gate). instead, all this guy is getting is attitude about how he chooses to commute, that is our FOM so screw you buddy, etc.

doesn't this bother you?

SWA guys are pretty pissed at our new boarding procedures where jumpseaters beyond the first 2 end up boarding at the very end of the cycle, usually meaning their bags get checked. but at least they get on board.

this guy asked a legitimate question, why is the door shut 20 minutes prior. all he got was grief.

If I was a jetblue guy, I'd be wondering how many other people get left to make a 20 minutes early push. that isn't the way to win hearts and minds but judging by this thread, some of you guys just don't care.

I guess when your company is 7 years old, the been there done attitude that settles in.

 

[Dogwood]

Ouch the poor guy was upset for missing a commute but now he is probably going to eat a bullet after that one.....


Honestly closing the door 20 mins prior is not standard and anything beyond 10 mins early requires redispatch.

I don't think a re-dispatch is required any more, just a nod from System Ops, and you're good to go. (Up to 60 mins early)

I'm sorry this happened though.

 

[clickclickboom]

good one.

sort of proves the point there.

a few years ago there would have been 5 or 10 jetblue guys apologizing and saying that shouldn't happen (leaving people at the gate). instead, all this guy is getting is attitude about how he chooses to commute, that is our FOM so screw you buddy, etc.

doesn't this bother you?

SWA guys are pretty pissed at our new boarding procedures where jumpseaters beyond the first 2 end up boarding at the very end of the cycle, usually meaning their bags get checked. but at least they get on board.

this guy asked a legitimate question, why is the door shut 20 minutes prior. all he got was grief.

If I was a jetblue guy, I'd be wondering how many other people get left to make a 20 minutes early push. that isn't the way to win hearts and minds but judging by this thread, some of you guys just don't care.

I guess when your company is 7 years old, the been there done attitude that settles in.

I do a 45min drive to a 2 leg commute to an airport express bus for my commute,,,,,, Trust me i feel his pain in more ways than one.. What I can say is that I very seldom see a doors closed 20 early unless there is a very good reason. Take that back in 3 years at JB I have never pushed 20 early ever.. Push 10 early in the Caaribean all the time

 

[ultrarunner]

Maybe I'm missing something..but why would an airline NOT close the door with all the bill-payers on board??? Am I missing something?

A gate agent just hanging around with the doors open just in case a JS or a Non-rever shows up?

Hey, I'm all for the free ride, but it's just that.

 

[firstthird]

all I know is SWA, but the reason that we can only push 5 early is to get that last full fare passenger.

If someone has the later flight, gets to the airport early, decides he wants to go now, he can upgrade to a full business fare (assuming the cheap seats are gone) and go now.

used to be we couldn't close the door even 1 minute early unless all 137 seats were filled, just waiting for that one last guy. but with security and all now, it isn't likely that someone shows up that late anymore. but I think there is still the chance someone upgrades to go early, thus why we wait.

works out well for commuters too though.

I guess I've always just associated the 'close the door, flight is closed' mentality to the old school legacies (pre-9/11) where no one seemed to care. the plane wasn't leaving early, just the door had to be shut at a certain time. and if you and your family sat there and watched it pull away, so be it.

don't get me wrong, I'm almost always way early when I'm a pax and understand how a little late here and there = a lot late at the end of the day.

just was surprised at the cavalier attitude about leaving someone and about the 'it's only 20 minutes early' mindset.

different strokes I guess.