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Mr. Grossman USA TODAY article!

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hyperboy

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
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Flight delays are an inevitable component of business travel. Sometimes bad weather is unavoidable. Other times a malfunctioning airplane is the culprit. A computer crash can wreak havoc on flight schedules. The overburdened air traffic control system is often responsible for tardy departures. And runway gridlock may snarl traffic on the ground. But my recent US Airways flight was delayed for a most unexpected and unusual reason: The pilot forgot to show up.
Having dodged the recent snowstorms in Colorado and the Northeast, the tornadoes in the Midwest, the jetBlue meltdown, and the US Airways computer glitch that stranded thousands of passengers, I was feeling quite smug. But my traveler's karma came to a screeching halt that evening in Phoenix.

Boarding time came and went while 90 passengers sat anxiously at the gate. Departure time came and went and we were still sitting there with no explanation. It was one of those annoying, creeping delays where the airline tells you nothing. Babies cried, children whined, and adults grew restless and irritable. And yet the skies were clear. The airplane was parked at the end of the jetway. So why weren't we on board winging our way back to Oakland?

Finally the gate agent addressed the hostile crowd. "For all those passengers waiting to board US Airways flight 2790 opt. by Mesa to Oakland, we are waiting for our pilot to arrive," she said sheepishly.

Waiting for the pilot to arrive? Of all the bonehead reasons for a flight delay, this one topped them all. OK, now what do we do? "Is there a pilot in the house?" I wanted to shout.

The delay continued. Tensions were rising and mutiny was in the air. Sensing the escalating agitation, the gate agent grabbed the microphone again. "Paging the captain of US Airways flight 2790 to Oakland. Please come to gate 21. Your flight is ready to leave." Her message reverberated through every corner of the airport.
Could paging really solve this problem? Could it magically bring the pilot to his airplane? Perhaps he was stuck in traffic or having car troubles. Perhaps there was a family emergency. Maybe he was lost, or developed amnesia and was wandering from gate to gate trying to recall his own identity and locate his next flight. Or perhaps he was sitting someplace quietly engrossed in a book and he simply lost track of the time.

Then my mind led to more disturbing thoughts: What if the pilot was sitting in the bar on Concourse B, having one more for the road? It would not be the first time a pilot showed up drunk for a flight — just a few years ago two America West pilots were convicted of operating a Phoenix-bound airplane while under the influence (thankfully they didn't get further than the taxiway before police called them back to the gate after being tipped off by an alert security screener who detected alcohol on their breath).

By now I am wondering if I want this pilot to show up after all. I thought about defecting and finding another airline to take me home, but this was the last flight of the day, so I was stranded in Phoenix still not knowing if I was going to get home that evening or not.

Eventually a man dressed like a pilot came dashing up to the gate and was escorted onto the airplane. A few minutes later we were boarding and the worst part of the trip was over...well not quite.

Once in our seats Captain Bryan apologized to the passengers saying that everyone knew what time to arrive for the flight except him and that he had just received the call. Then Bryan promised he would try to make up some of time en route. But after taxiing for another 15 or 20 minutes around the Phoenix runways, Bryan came back on the PA to tell us we were returning to the gate because someone outside the airplane said that it looked like one of our cargo doors might be open.

Now we had crossed the line from annoying inconvenience to scary situation. Don't they check these things before a flight leaves the gate? An unlatched cargo door is no joking matter. Cargo doors blowing open in flight have caused numerous lethal disasters over the years including one of the worst crashes in aviation history when a Turkish Airlines DC10 cargo door blew open after takeoff in Paris killing all 346 people.

So we taxied back to the gate so someone could check the cargo door, and after another lengthy delay we were finally on our way again as I wondered what else could go wrong on an uneventful trip turned nightmare.

We eventually arrived in Oakland a couple of hours late, and now after decades of air travel I know what happens when the pilot doesn't show up for a flight.

What's the strangest reason you've ever heard for a flight delay? Share your stories below.

Read previous columns

David Grossman is a veteran business traveler and former airline industry executive. He writes a column every other week on topics of interest and concern to business travelers. E-mail him at [email protected].
 
Here is to you Grossman

My response sent to Mr. Grossman this morning!Enjoy!



David, you have it all wrong.....After watching the media constantly display their knowledge about aircraft by not knowing the difference between Airbus and Boeing, you display through the flaw of not knowing the whole picture, yet foaming at the mouth and using the power of a pen to make the pilot look like an idiot. I hope you know all the facts!

Was he notified for the trip or did the airline forget to staff the flight?

Was it his trip or was he just the patsy for someone else that did not show up for their trip?

Could it be that crew tracking dropped the ball? They do all the time...Look around in case you did not know there is a pilot shortage in America.

Could it be that the pilot woke up sick, wife having a baby, a car accident, death in the family (surely pilots are not immune to everyday life) and they had to call in a reserve pilot to do the flying and he was awaken out of bed to come fly the shift?


Could it be that they never had anyone to fly the shift because of the the pilot shortage and a pilot on his day off picked up the phone to help you get to Oakland, while behind his back you are blasting him since haha! he forgot to show up?

I am sure they called you right up and told you the whole and honest story, so you could once again slam the pilot that will clear about $17,000 dollars this year. Real noble!


I know only the pilot is liable....... but you next to your name, boast of formerly being a airline executive. Let's talk about manangement and executives greed during bankruptcy. What about executives in the airline industry selling their product or should I say the (PILOTS) product, for LESS than than it costs to offer. Kudos to this whole new art in business I am sure they a teaching this in schools like Yale, good thing Gates was a little smarter than that The kid down the street understands this a little bit already when he sells lemonade by the mailbox and he is 5!

Again thank you for your ignorance and how brilliantly it was displayed. For those of you out there that have seen the famous ESPN interview with Allen Iverson....."We're talking about MESA, not a game, not a practice, were talking about MESA" God forbid it could be anyone other than the airlines fault.

For the pilot that did show up thank you for SAFELY getting the flight to Oakland for Mr. Grossman and on a whole taking massive paycuts in one of the safest era's in avaition History. I have reread this last sentence several times and it still does not make sense, but the lack of making a profit has got to come from somewhere as well as the bame..the pilot..How classic!
 
Why the double post?
 
It was a late notification by crew tracking to the captain. (99% most probable cause, anyway)

The flight left 23 minutes late.

Mr Grossman somehow thinks this is equivalent to the THOUSANDS of passengers stranded for DAYS in Denver and the JetBlue meltdown in JFK.

A 10 minute delay to double check an external access panel is somehow equivalent to "one of of the worst crashes in aviation history".

Mr Grossman only raises two legitimate points:
  • The barrage of conflicting PA announcements to the passengers. That, more than anything, made it look like no-one knew what the hell was going on (if what he writes is true, which, I doubt.)
  • "Baby (ies) cried, children whined" . . . yeah, and the biggest baby there was named "Mr. Grossman."
By immediately assuming the pilot was lazy, forgetful, stupid, asleep, drunk, careless, caviler about safety, or anything less than a highly trained and responsible airline professional, Mr. Grossman has let you know EXACTLY what he thinks about pilots in general.

I submit that you drop a note to Mr. Grossman and let him know what you think of him.

[email protected] (c/o Mr. Grossman)
 
Here's what I sent the guy...

Your article about your delayed Mesa Airlines flight is way off base. You sit there and slam the pilot and make him look like an idiot. That pilot could have been covering another pilot who was in a car wreck or other emergency. He could have been covering your flight as a favor to the airline last minute if they were short on pilots. Comparing your flight to the JetBlue incidents or the weather messes in Denver this year is just plain ridiculous! Then, you have the guts to say that maybe this pilot is late because he's "sitting in the bar on Concourse B, having one more for the road." Did you know that we can't even step in a bar in uniform? When was the last time you saw a pilot picking up a few "for the road" in a bar?

Let me tell you a little bit about an airliner. There are many doors on the outside of an aircraft. The large doors have switches on them which tell us if they're open or closed. These doors are extremely important for obvious reasons. There are a few small doors which when left open usually do nothing more than make some annoying wind noise during the flight. Yes, the ground crews have to check them, but sometimes they do get left open. Or sometimes they might open on there own if the latch gets worn out and we hit a bump while taxiing. If they happen to be seen by somebody while taxiing out, we go back to the gate and get it closed. Would you rather we ignore it and just take off?

What really drives me crazy about reporters is that you are just as ignorant as the rest of the public is about aviation, but you have access to a "podium" and soap box from which to shout your ignorance. Why not do an article on airline management and the mistakes they make with these companies on a routine basis? A delay is frustrating for a customer. As pilots, we are perfectionists and professionals. We don't like being delayed any more than our customers do. All I'm asking is that before you go writing an article that bashes us and makes us look totally imcompetent, you attempt to get the full story first. Isn't that what a good reporter is supposed to do? Thank you for your time.
 
I didn't have time to write him, I was tying one on for the road, and I was late for my flight
 

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