Southwest Says Planes Could Not Land Without Air Traffic Control

[j41driver]

This is a non-event. Plain and simple.

I agree that it's pretty much a non-event. It certainly serves as a reminder to choose your words carefully when making PA's in any "abnormal" situation.

 

[slaquer5]

Are all SWA 737 CATIII capable?

Yes , they all have the HUD.

 

[SWA GUY]

Let's not assume that the Captain said only this, " We can't land because the tower is closed".

He may have said, "Folks, due to the our delay in XYZ, the tower closed in PVD while we were in enroute. Unfortunately, the weather has gone down below what the forecast indicated it would, so we are going to have to go elswhere".

You know all the pax would remember is the tower closing part.....

I've noticed the press always gets everthing right, amazing isn't it?

 

[j41driver]

You know all the pax would remember is the tower closing part.....

...which is exactly why nothing needs to be mentioned about the tower closing. All they need to know is that the weather has worsened, it is now below legal landing minimums and we are proceding to XYZ since the weather will allow us to land there. Too much information is not always a good thing.

 

[TexaSWA]

...nothing needs to be mentioned about the tower closing...quote]


Monday morning quarterbacks are funny to watch. Annoying too. No one even knows what he really said.

 

[j41driver]

...nothing needs to be mentioned about the tower closing...quote]


Monday morning quarterbacks are funny to watch. Annoying too. No one even knows what he really said.

Why single me out? This entire thread is full of Monday morning QB's. All I'm saying is that how much info we give to our passengers along with our word choice when speaking to them makes a big difference in how the message is received.

 

[Mugs]

Things like this happen in some way, shape, or form at every airline. I was commuting in the cockpit of an RJ flight 2 months ago that diverted late at night. The forecast was CLR and 5 miles vis. in mist. By the time we checked in with approach, it was 600 RVR with no improvement likely. As we held for a little while, there was a view of the airport all lit up below looking down through the fog for all on board to see. After the divert, an unsucessful attempt was made to charter a bus (it was after midnight). So, we all ended up spliting rental cars and drove two hours back to the destination in the middle of the night. Since I was in uniform, I fielded a number of complaints / questions at the diversion station after the flight was canceled due to the now corrected forecast. Some passengers had all kinds of crazy ideas about what had happened and why. I can only imagine what they would have said to a reporter who would have happily printed their outbursts as fact.

 

[FedEx1]

Do you guys realize you are taking the word of tired, frustrated, non-aviation related passengers?? Perhaps the captain did the right thing, and properly explained what happened? But in their haze of anger and confusion, the pax didn't register the info?

Why do you guys jump all over the pilot and assume WHAT YOU HEARD ON THE NEWS FROM A PAX was truth? What about the captains authority and his decision to conduct the flight safely, and make a decision that mighta sucked in the convenience category, but was on the spot with regards to safety and legality? He had his priorities straight.

Awful.... totally awful....

 

[filejw]

I don't if this will help anybody but in the past when I made the decision to divert my Pa's have always said "I have made the decision to divert ".Or 'in my judgment".Never do I talk very much about the wx or ATC or fuel.Let them blame me right there in person.

 

[Bringupthebird]

How would SW handle a late departure for SNA if it appeared they were not going to make curfew? Send the folks on other flights or leave them stranded at the departure city?

By the way, was THE AIRLINE film crew in BWI that night?

 

[RVSM]

I'll save the speculation crowd the enegy.
PVD is one of the few CAT II/III airport without 24 hour ATC coverage.
They normal close at 2400L but will stay til 0200L local on request.
Request was made, miscommunication occurred at PVD. It happens.
The BDL station was already closed.
As far as mishandling the customers the next morning at BWI I will make no excuses for others. Someone dropped the ball. Again it happens, people make mistakes. It was unfortunnate that it happened but I like to think a lesson was learned and that it wouldn't happen again.
All of respective our carriers have made customer service mistakes that have made the media, it happens.

 

[TexaSWA]

Why single me out? This entire thread is full of Monday morning QB's. All I'm saying is that how much info we give to our passengers along with our word choice when speaking to them makes a big difference in how the message is received.

Youre right about being careful as to what you say to passengers. But no one knows what this guy said. Unless you believe some news reporter. So leave out the "he made a bad decision about what to say...". Thats my only problem.

 

[slaquer5]

How would SW handle a late departure for SNA if it appeared they were not going to make curfew? Send the folks on other flights or leave them stranded at the departure city?

By the way, was THE AIRLINE film crew in BWI that night?

Bring up the rear, why the hate for SWA ? Did someone at SWA bang your wife( or in your case boyfriend ).

 

[SWA/FO]

Do you guys realize you are taking the word of tired, frustrated, non-aviation related passengers?? Perhaps the captain did the right thing, and properly explained what happened? But in their haze of anger and confusion, the pax didn't register the info?

Why do you guys jump all over the pilot and assume WHAT YOU HEARD ON THE NEWS FROM A PAX was truth? What about the captains authority and his decision to conduct the flight safely, and make a decision that mighta sucked in the convenience category, but was on the spot with regards to safety and legality? He had his priorities straight.

This post sums it all up folks - end of story. Highlighted for effect.

Bring up the rear, why the hate for SWA ? Did someone at SWA bang your wife( or in your case boyfriend ).

Yeah, baby!! Southwest Airlines - we rule the World and the bedroom!
(that was humor for you sensitive types :laugh: )

 

[j41driver]

Youre right about being careful as to what you say to passengers. But no one knows what this guy said. Unless you believe some news reporter. So leave out the "he made a bad decision about what to say...". Thats my only problem.

I never said "he made a bad decision about what to say..." in any of my posts.

 

[xanderman]

not surprising really....

As far as getting what you pay for...#1 in customer service how many times over???

Well of course! When you set their expectations as low as you guys do then you (SWA) are bound to find plenty of happy people.

 

[scoreboard]

How would SW handle a late departure for SNA if it appeared they were not going to make curfew? Send the folks on other flights or leave them stranded at the departure city?

By the way, was THE AIRLINE film crew in BWI that night?

We won't leave the departure airport if curfew is going to be an issue, been there done that, we explain it to the customers, they take the next flight the next day. How would you have us handle it seeing as you have all the answers?

 

[ivauir]

Monday morning quarterbacks are funny to watch. Annoying too. No one even knows what he really said.[/quote]

Another 5 pages of wasted bandwidth by SWA hating idiots who will jump on any and every excuse to say something negative about SWA. The only thing more shocking than thier disregard for facts and evidence is their hatful attidutes:

Idiot list:

I hope the weather was below minimums for the sake of these superior airman.

Boston is an hour drive from pvd. Charter a few buses and they would be home in no time. This is SWA we are talking about though. As people have said before, you get what you pay for!

They should have taken Northeast Airlines, they have more experience in the north eastern regional air operational district zone area thingy.

Typical Southwest super pilot attitude. Lucky they didn't auger another one in.

What about dispatching to an airport that is below minimums (considering the tower being closed)?[/quote]

"You are now free to roam about the country" Sort of: had it been any legacy carrier someone might have been at BOS to receive a divert. Were the hotels sold out in BWI? CA made a poor choice of words to blame it on the tower being closed. Sounds like the wx was too poor because the tower was closed.

I agree that it's pretty much a non-event. It certainly serves as a reminder to choose your words carefully when making PA's in any "abnormal" situation.

...which is exactly why nothing needs to be mentioned about the tower closing. All they need to know is that the weather has worsened, it is now below legal landing minimums and we are proceding to XYZ since the weather will allow us to land there. Too much information is not always a good thing.

Well of course! When you set their expectations as low as you guys do then you (SWA) are bound to find plenty of happy people.

So there you have it. The whole thread summed up in one post. Like so many of the threads these days it is nothing more than hate filled idiots taking their best shots and the airline industry's customer service leader.

 

[xanderman]

It's not hate my friend...

Another 5 pages of wasted bandwidth by SWA hating idiots who will jump on any and every excuse to say something negative about SWA. The only thing more shocking than thier disregard for facts and evidence is their hatful attidutes:

So there you have it. The whole thread summed up in one post. Like so many of the threads these days it is nothing more than hate filled idiots taking their best shots and the airline industry's customer service leader.

I have noticed that some of the SWA guys are a little sensitive to criticism. Are you worried that some of these things said here on this board might be approaching the truth? And you might also want to note the "smiley wink." It means I am poking some fun at you! Relax!
Andy

P.S. please send me a link to any 5 pages of bandwidth on this site worth two dead flies....

 

[ivauir]

. Are you worried that some of these things said here on this board might be approaching the truth?

Nope, I am just tired of losers thinking they can spout off unfunny, untrue, insults and then think it is ok or won't be challenged just because they put a smiley face on it.

You want to poke fun? Work on being funny. In the mean time expect someone to challenge you just about every time you insult their employer.

Be a LUVr not a H8er