SWA Gate Agents?

[Kharma Police]

You guys have 2 agents I guess for each flight? What's the difference between them and how can you tell them apart? I always seem to ask a question to the wrong agent and then am directed to the other.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

Always ask the one behind the counter. The one taking tickets is called the Ops Agent and is not the same as a Gate Agent. The Ops Agent just takes tickets during boarding and the computes the weight and balance along with coordinating with the Flight Crew and the Ramp. Clear as mud?

 

[CaptainKiwi]

OPS agents stand by the jetway entrance. They board the flight and only take tickets as you board. There is only 1 per flight.

Customer service is where the tickets are handed out. There can be 1 or more of them.

You must get a boarding pass from either the Internet or customer service in order to get past the OPS agent.

The OPS agent coordinates the flt, handles the gate, the fuel load, wt and balance, coordinates with dispatch, coordinates with mx. There are other duties but I can't think of them at the moment.

 

[humveedriver]

Gate agent works the the larger podium in the passenger waiting area. They handle passenger issues, ticketing and issue the jump seat. Ops agent works the smaller podium by the door. They handle weight and balance, boarding, moving the jet way and collects the small jump seat stub. Not sure if there is a uniform difference. They just stand in different spots. If I have a question about getting on a flight, I ask the gate agent. If I want to know where a plane is or a door code, ask the ops agent.

 

[GIZMONC]

Most SWA cities has 1 customer service agent (CSA) at the desk between two gates so that agent and sometimes there are two. At the boarding gate there is the OPS agent who drives the jetway, works up the preflight weight and balance, sends fuel ticket the fueler, prints the flight release, prints the weather, boards the flight, pushes the wheel chairs, tags the baby stroller, answers countless questions from passengers as to where the plane came from ( WHO CARES ) what time do they arrrive? When do we board (no plane at the gate) How long is the delay? SWA sends text messages if there is a change to the departing time. Pages for final passengers who do not realize that a flight that leaves at 1650 can not board at 1640 with up to 143 passengers and leave on time. Then have the nerve to tell the OPS agent that he/she boarded to early. Advises passengers holding B49 that they can not board with A1-30. Closes the flight sending all passenger flight info to the next city so the next ops agent can do it all over again.

 

[StopNTSing]

Let me try to explain it once more for ya, Kharma, since the previous four attempts may have been a little confusing:

You see at SWA, we have Ops agents as well as Gate agents and they.......

 

[Ty Webb]

Believe it or not, this is a source of confusion for us operating on the FL side; at FL, they are crosstrained and asking one is as good (or as bad) as asking another.

At most of the outstations they were actually trained to work the counter, gate and ramp. More than once, I've seen a CSA in a skirt drive a tug.

As such, we're a little confused about who to ask for things such as DX release, to be let down to the aircraft, etc. . . . which usually results in a "Not my job" response.

Thanks for helping clear it up.

 

[scoreboardII]

Always ask the person (Ops agent) by the jetway door for flying type stuff.

If you need a ticket to ride, ask the person (CSA) at the workspace with the flight boards.

Sometimes they might know each others job, but only because they worked that job before and there is only one person per position, if there are more, its usually a supervisor helping out.

 

[NEDude]

Can someone explain it one more time, the first five explanations were not enough...

 

[Phlintstone]

Always ask the person (Ops agent) by the jetway door for flying type stuff.

If you need a ticket to ride, ask the person (CSA) at the workspace with the flight boards.

Sometimes they might know each others job, but only because they worked that job before and there is only one person per position, if there are more, its usually a supervisor helping out.

Thanks. I was in HOU the other day and actually asked the right person the first time!

Phred