Mesaba OPS quote from RST debacle

[sperfly]

Anybody know why they didn't taxi over to the FBO?

 

[Jetjockey]

Why does this surprise anyone? Pay crap wages, you generally get crap performance. What's the incentive at such a low wage? Tell me you never noticed the difference between a mainline station, and a station run by a regional affiliate.

 

[xjgearbtch]

where's the website with the recordings. I could only find two from the startribune from a few days ago.

 

[Booker]

where's the website with the recordings. I could only find two from the startribune from a few days ago.

Try http://press.expressjet.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194171&p=irol-overview.

 

[CptMurf]

Tell me you never noticed the difference between a mainline station, and a station run by a regional affiliate.

I have. The regional station is helpfull, friendly, and understaffed. The mainline is grumpy, inconsiderate, unaccommodating, and overstaffed (yet no one will move faster than a snails pace).

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

I have. The regional station is helpfull, friendly, and understaffed. The mainline is grumpy, inconsiderate, unaccommodating, and overstaffed (yet no one will move faster than a snails pace).

Here I thought that was limited to UAL mainline stations ( most of them.)

 

[Whydoitry]

XJT DX did contact the station prior to the divert and was told to send the flight. It was supposed to be gas and go but that is irrelevant since the ops people should know that things can change in a second. There was a NWA aircraft there as well that was being denied access to the terminal.Those pax eventually got on a bus and a van, there was no space for XJT pax.

 

[ultrarunner]

OK, been reading this for a bit....here's my story...

Back in my previous life at the airlines, we had an en-route-divert to an off-line station VERY late at night. ATC had us in a hold 50 south of this airport, and while dispatch naturally wanted us to continue to the destination (it was closed due to severe wx) the CA finally made the call that we've wasted enough fuel and we're gonna land. I told the CA that I'd been to this airport dozens of times so WE told dispatch that's where we're headed since it was an approved divert airport. Given that, we had anticipated not having a gate. After getting the new "numbers" from dispatch and on the way to the divert, I quickly gave dispatch the 'after hours FBO phone number for this station (I came from Corp and still carried my AccuKwik).

We landed, taxied to the FBO and the lights we're on!

We had a fairly light pax load, under 100 folks or so, so it was a relatively easy matter to keep everyone contained between the aircraft and the FBO for the 4 hours or so we were there.

Now granted, this was just before 9/11 and before it became chic to leave folks stranded in a tube for un-godly amounts of time. But, with a VERY tiny amount of thinking, it worked out just fine. And I'm not that smart!

This stuff 'aint that hard folks!

JUST THINK!

 

[XJdriver]

Has anyone read the timeline?

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MTM2MDZ8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1

"23:40 While conducting the arrival procedure for MSP, 2816 was placed in a holding
pattern by Air Traffic Control (ATC) due to thunderstorms that had developed
over the field. The crew requested an alternate airport change to either RST or
Farmington, MN. Because both airports are closer to MSP than MSN, using
either airport as an alternate would give the aircraft additional fuel to circle MSP
in anticipation of a break in the weather and therefore an opportunity to land​

safely and nearly on time at MSP."





It is obvious to me how much thought was put into where they were going for an alternate. Farmington, MN doesnt have an airport. This is a VOR only, near KLVN Airlake Airport with a runway 4,098' long.

It was obvious that they didnt think that they would end up at an alternate. I have never heard of an airline using what would be questionable as an emergency diversion airport as a viable alternate. To me even a consideration of this speaks to where the real problem began. ExpressJet crew and dispatch put themselves in a bad situation from poor planning ahead of time. If they would have landed at KLVN instead, would it be the FBOs fault that they overran the runway and couldnt get back out or get fuel and there was no ARFF.

If there was a tornado that came through my city and my families homes were damaged and my house was safe, my family would come here and I would try to help them. If a family from another city came over and needed help do you really think I would help them before my family when they are not even from the neighborhood? Is it really reasonable that I am then blamed by this other family for their demise when they made a poor choice to come into my house instead of there own families when they could have?

I think there is plenty of room for blame to go around but the true source of the blame is ExpressJet had no business using RST as an alternate when no one in thier family provides service there. ExpressJet created there own emergency there and is now trying to blame it on somone who was trying to help but had no obligation to.

 

[flyboy06]

Has anyone read the timeline?

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9MTM2MDZ8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM=&t=1

"23:40 While conducting the arrival procedure for MSP, 2816 was placed in a holding
pattern by Air Traffic Control (ATC) due to thunderstorms that had developed
over the field. The crew requested an alternate airport change to either RST or
Farmington, MN. Because both airports are closer to MSP than MSN, using
either airport as an alternate would give the aircraft additional fuel to circle MSP
in anticipation of a break in the weather and therefore an opportunity to land​

safely and nearly on time at MSP."





It is obvious to me how much thought was put into where they were going for an alternate. Farmington, MN doesnt have an airport. This is a VOR only, near KLVN Airlake Airport with a runway 4,098' long.

It was obvious that they didnt think that they would end up at an alternate. I have never heard of an airline using what would be questionable as an emergency diversion airport as a viable alternate. To me even a consideration of this speaks to where the real problem began. ExpressJet crew and dispatch put themselves in a bad situation from poor planning ahead of time. If they would have landed at KLVN instead, would it be the FBOs fault that they overran the runway and couldnt get back out or get fuel and there was no ARFF.

If there was a tornado that came through my city and my families homes were damaged and my house was safe, my family would come here and I would try to help them. If a family from another city came over and needed help do you really think I would help them before my family when they are not even from the neighborhood? Is it really reasonable that I am then blamed by this other family for their demise when they made a poor choice to come into my house instead of there own families when they could have?

I think there is plenty of room for blame to go around but the true source of the blame is ExpressJet had no business using RST as an alternate when no one in thier family provides service there. ExpressJet created there own emergency there and is now trying to blame it on somone who was trying to help but had no obligation to.

Well I'm assuming that's why RST was chosen (roll eyes)

not to mention Dispatch confirmed with XJ operations that they could accept and handle our EMB-145 before SOCC authorized the diversion change. I have no doubt that DX would have told the CA, "sorry, continue to MSN and we'll get you gas" had XJ said "unable".

Why didn't XJ just say "sorry we can't help you" and tell the media that. They spent a week telling all the major outlets that XJt refused to deplane, refused to take a bus that was offered. Meanwhile we had XJ employees on a recorded line telling us the exact opposite. WOW!