What's happening......

[Dude]

I don't know about you, but I seem to have an unpopular opinion about the current state of affairs at our airports. I have now noticed that the TSA has the new bomb machines required and are still taking people's belongings out in full view of the public. Can they not do this in private? I am beginning to wonder why people continue to fly. Rude ticket and gate agents, indifferent TSA and police, incompetent personnel virtually at every turn and thankfully the public still turns out to travel.
Dont' misunderstand me, I am truly grateful for the flying public but wonder how much more they will tolerate before taking their money elsewhere. I have excellent flying privileges at my airline and avoid nonrev'n at all costs. My temperment will not allow me to complete a day of nonrev travel without coming close to a stroke or heartattack.
To be in the service industry, the airlines and their employees(including my own airline's) don't behave in a way that fosters consumer confidence or compassion for our brethren that are ]now employed at Home Depot or the local car dealership due to furlough.
The public does not care about us, because "we" do not care about them.
I pray daily that someone gets it and holds other employees accountable for their behavior instead of the flight crews. A gate agent and supervisor can tell a passenger almost anything and suffer no consequences, but a crewmember calls in sick and is threatened with discipline.
If the industry doesn't adapt and learn to accomodate its patrons, there will be no more indursty worth speaking of.

Thanks for tolerating my vent.

Dude

 

[Dep676]

I can agree with you. The whole TSA thing is a joke. Us at the fractionals that fly a lot oneway trips. I get searched all the time. It especially makes me feel good when I am in uniform. I know it is because we have oneway tickets. So I guess a terriorist can't buy a round trip ticket.

This whole thing was just a knee jerk reaction. I don't believe we are any safer now than we were before 9-11-01. They rummage through my bags and then just zip it up with my clothes all messed up. Then when I try and help them get it back to somewhat of an order. They say I can't touch it. Can't touch my own bag that's a bunch of crap.

I know I wouldn't fly and pay these prices to be treated the way travelers are treated. Rude ticket agents. They are lazy also. I had a ticket for a flight and wanted and earlier flight. The agent told me that is was full and he couldn't get me on it. I told him I just talked to the airline and was told that there was 10 seats open. He just said you will have to try and go standby and get on that way. It was a full fare ticket also. So there was not cost of changing involved. I asked the agent at the gate and she said yes there was seats open. She came up with some bullcrap story why she couldn't get me on it either. I know why because they are rude and lazy.

 

[lookup]

Great points, and I would say that this is where the senority only based system has failed...

Just like in teaching in public schools, when the person with 15 years of service with a crappy attitude and failing kids makes the same pay as the 15 year person who loves the kids, goes the extra mile.... what do you do? If there is no way to really recognize excellence or punish poor performance, then there is little reason to not just scrape by. Sure, I know darn good and well that without some protection, it can get nasty if you don't cower to the right people, but dam-n, there has to be some middle ground.

Lead by example, expect the best from your peers, and develop the new people to become the future leaders. Don't just put someone in a position because they can stomach the sh$t longer.

I did see an example recently of a AE Captain that was helping a gate agent out when he was solo and swamped. I thought that was spot on. He pitched in, answered customer questions, and generaly tried to create a sense of order so the agent could process the pax. Too bad there is not good way to thank him for that.. Too bad it is a rare thing. (not that I think the agent should have been solo, but sh$t happens)

L

 

[Dep676]

Don't get me started about teachers.