Delta Airline vent

[kymom99]

There is a pilot shortage, but it isn't as HUGE as it is going to get in the next 5 years. However, they keep extending the retirement date. It used to be 60. Then it went to 65. Now they are trying to pass 67. (I have someone in my house who is not pleased with this announcement.)

Also, airlines know how to get pilots to fly. Offer them overtime (which can be done legally per FAA) with double pay and they will show up. No doubt, for years airlines have been counting on pilots taking overtime. Win-Win for both parties.

The big shortage you will see will be with regional carriers. The legacy are hiring the regional pilots and leaving them with the void.



You can check luggage as standby. You will get a pass that says STBY to get through TSA.



You are correct, there is no C5. Only A and B concourse. C concourse used to be Comair and was demolished eons ago.

Right, I remember comair. The gate was corrected eventually.

 

[focusondisney]

Offer them overtime (which can be done legally per FAA) with double pay and they will show up.

Interesting. How can they be doing OT but then we hear about crews timing out so they can’t do flights they were supposed to? Not being snarky, just never realized they could do much OT

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Interesting. How can they be doing OT but then we hear about crews timing out so they can’t do flights they were supposed to? Not being snarky, just never realized they could do much OT

Good point, granted it was international but there were two reasons our flight from Athens to Heathrow was delayed for an hour for an 8am flight (first one to Heathrow that day for British Airways from Athens)---first one was flight crew including pilots needed to have the mandatory rest period and this happens with domestic flights too (happened to my husband pre-pandemic). The second one was then a sensor related to engines that necessitated the engines to run for about 5 mins and a few more tests. But it was going to be delayed no matter what due to the crew rest period.

 

[fly girl]

ETA: crucial point I didn't mention! Overtime for crew is not extending your day. Overtime for crew is working on your off day.

You have different legalities. Flight hours, Duty hours, Crew rest, etc.

When you are flying and pilots "time out" that is typically due to duty time. They cannot exceed a 14 hour duty day. That starts when they sign into a trip, or when they pick up at the hotel on a layover. The clock starts then for 14 hours on duty. (For example, a pilot signs in for a start of a trip at 0600. They will "time out" at 2000.)

Pilots cannot fly over 30 hours of actual flying time in 7 days. They also have minimum crew rest which depends on domestic/int'l flying as well as domicile layover versus duty "hotel" layover. Lots of variations.

When they pick up overtime it is on their off days, days they weren't scheduled to fly. They still have to have legal crew rest at domicile, and not go over the 30 in 7 rule to pick up overtime. However, they can be on an overtime trip and "time out" due exceeding a 14 hour duty day.

Hope that makes sense. I know, it is confusing.

 

[focusondisney]

Thanks @flygirl, you explained it perfectly. Definitely helps understand some of the problems.

 

[goofyernmost]

Interesting. How can they be doing OT but then we hear about crews timing out so they can’t do flights they were supposed to? Not being snarky, just never realized they could do much OT

Absolutely, about 13 years back, I was flying from Raleigh to Vermont with a small layover in Pittsburgh (I think) we arrived with plenty of time to spare but when we got to the gate the plane was gone and had left, according to the people in the gate area, some hour and a half before we got there and two and a half hours before it was even supposed to leave Pittsburgh. The excuse was they had to leave early otherwise the crew would have gone over the allotted time they are allowed to work a day. Somebody didn't plan something very well and was a pain for me for no good reason. That was the last time I ever flew Continental.

 

[fly girl]

Absolutely, about 13 years back, I was flying from Raleigh to Vermont with a small layover in Pittsburgh (I think) we arrived with plenty of time to spare but when we got to the gate the plane was gone and had left, according to the people in the gate area, some hour and a half before we got there and two and a half hours before it was even supposed to leave Pittsburgh. The excuse was they had to leave early otherwise the crew would have gone over the allotted time they are allowed to work a day. Somebody didn't plan something very well and was a pain for me for no good reason. That was the last time I ever flew Continental.

I don’t doubt that’s what you were told, but no way is that accurate. Never in 25+ years have I heard of a flight leaving 2.5 hours early due to crew duty day legalities. They can’t arbitrarily move up departure time without any notification.

Furthermore, the plane itself wouldn’t even be there yet as no plane except for international routes sit over 2.5 hours in the day. (And that’s for customs)

That was a made up excuse.

 

[goofyernmost]

I don’t doubt that’s what you were told, but no way is that accurate. Never in 25+ years have I heard of a flight leaving 2.5 hours early due to crew duty day legalities. They can’t arbitrarily move up departure time without any notification.

Furthermore, the plane itself wouldn’t even be there yet as no plane except for international routes sit over 2.5 hours in the day. (And that’s for customs)

That was a made up excuse.

The excuse doesn't really matter. That fact of the matter was that the flight was scheduled to depart at 6pm and we arrived at the gate 45 minutes before departure time and were told that it left early (that's the time they said, which was 2.5 hours), but even if it left only 5 minutes before we got there. The scheduled departure time was still 6pm, it was gone and that is the time and reason they told us.

 

[fly girl]

The excuse doesn't really matter! That fact of the matter was that the flight was scheduled to depart at 6pm and we arrived at the gate 45 minutes before departure time and were told that it left early (that's the time they said, which was 2.5 hours), but even if it left only 5 minutes before we got there. The scheduled departure time was still 6pm, it was gone and that is the time and reason they told us.

Hey, I am not blaming you. No need to come in with the exclamation.

The only reason you mentioned the scenario in this thread was because of crew duty limits. I only responded that whomever told you that fabricated it because there was no way that was reality. I am not fighting that is was wrong it left before posted departure time. I would have been upset too.

 

[kymom99]

Hey, I am not blaming you. No need to come in with the exclamation.

The only reason you mentioned the scenario in this thread was because of crew duty limits. I only responded that whomever told you that fabricated it because there was no way that was reality. I am not fighting that is was wrong it left before posted departure time. I would have been upset too.

When my sons flight was cancelled, the airline representative blamed weather. But no other flights were cancelled from there with that itinerary at the time. I’m going to assume they say whatever will upset the customer the least.

The representative on the phone worked really hard to make it right, so we were happy with how it was addressed.

 

[fly girl]

When my sons flight was cancelled, the airline representative blamed weather. But no other flights were cancelled from there with that itinerary at the time. I’m going to assume they say whatever will upset the customer the least.

The representative on the phone worked really hard to make it right, so we were happy with how it was addressed.

Not necessarily.

It legitimately could have been weather if the plane he was scheduled to use was behind because it was in a city that had weather. (ex: his plane was coming from ATL and it was delayed because it couldn't initially get into Atlanta because of weather and naturally late getting out of Atlanta because of it.)

When I was flying I always told passengers the truth. That is what the company wanted us to do. I believe that is still what they want employees to do.

You may not see the weather where you are, heck you may even be in the city with the "weather" (I'm looking at you NYC) and because ATC shut it down over a tiny cell that isn't over the airport the airlines are told the airspace is shut down due to weather.

 

[morgan98]

Absolutely, about 13 years back, I was flying from Raleigh to Vermont with a small layover in Pittsburgh (I think) we arrived with plenty of time to spare but when we got to the gate the plane was gone and had left, according to the people in the gate area, some hour and a half before we got there and two and a half hours before it was even supposed to leave Pittsburgh. The excuse was they had to leave early otherwise the crew would have gone over the allotted time they are allowed to work a day. Somebody didn't plan something very well and was a pain for me for no good reason. That was the last time I ever flew Continental.

It was probably also the last time you flew Continental because I believe the merger with United was in 2010.

 

[john7994]

Not necessarily.

It legitimately could have been weather if the plane he was scheduled to use was behind because it was in a city that had weather. (ex: his plane was coming from ATL and it was delayed because it couldn't initially get into Atlanta because of weather and naturally late getting out of Atlanta because of it.)

When I was flying I always told passengers the truth. That is what the company wanted us to do. I believe that is still what they want employees to do.

You may not see the weather where you are, heck you may even be in the city with the "weather" (I'm looking at you NYC) and because ATC shut it down over a tiny cell that isn't over the airport the airlines are told the airspace is shut down due to weather.

Amen ....
Per a study ... https://airadvisor.com/en/worst-air...rport in,International, LaGuardia, and Denver.

"The overall worst airport in the US for delays is JFK, based on our study of over 40,000 flights from the summer of 2022. JFK is followed by Chicago Midway, Newark, Orlando International, LaGuardia, and Denver."

 

[goofyernmost]

Hey, I am not blaming you. No need to come in with the exclamation.

The only reason you mentioned the scenario in this thread was because of crew duty limits. I only responded that whomever told you that fabricated it because there was no way that was reality. I am not fighting that is was wrong it left before posted departure time. I would have been upset too.

Why not, I'm exclaiming the fact that it didn't matter. I also didn't say that you were wrong in what you said. I was just tell you the situation that happened and since I was in the busing business and leaving before the time was a mortal sin, it shocked me that the airline would do that. There were no particular rules about whether or not you can arrive late, but leaving early was a major no - no. However, since it doesn't matter to me at all, I will take the exclamation point out.

 

[goofyernmost]

It was probably also the last time you flew Continental because I believe the merger with United was in 2010.

Haven't flow with them either. This was in 2008 if I remember correctly.

 

[Miffy]

My JetBlue flight from SYR to MCO was canceled last month about 12 hours before scheduled departure. No excuse given and the person I spoke with on the phone (after being on hold for something like an hour) had no idea why the flight had been canceled.

Not only was my nonstop flight canceled, but JB booked me on a flight a day later than my original departure--a flight that had a stopover and would take 7.5 hours instead of 2.5 hours.

There's no way that weather was an excuse, because I ended up booking a flight on Spirit for my original departure day.

My inbound flight was, thankfully, not canceled. And, amazingly, was on time. I said something to the flight attendant when I was leaving the plane, and she indicated that she was also relieved the flight was on time.

Later, I learned that the connecting flight they'd booked me on was also canceled! I learned this because they sent me an email even though I'd declined the rebooking and had gotten a refund. I guess my email address was still in the system.

My point? It's not just Delta. It's every airline, I think. I'm hesitating to book my flight for December because if it's canceled, I'll miss an entire day at WDW since the outbound flight leaves in the evening.

 

[fly girl]

Why not, I'm exclaiming the fact that it didn't matter. I also didn't say that you were wrong in what you said. I was just tell you the situation that happened and since I was in the busing business and leaving before the time was a mortal sin, it shocked me that the airline would do that. There were no particular rules about whether or not you can arrive late, but leaving early was a major no - no. However, since it doesn't matter to me at all, I will take the exclamation point out.

It’s hard to read intent. To me, your post read that you were irritated I mentioned it was crew duty day fabrication. Since your original post on this was specifically on that topic, I didn’t understand why you then said it didn’t matter. (I get why in the whole scheme it doesn’t but to the original post it was specifically on crew duty day. Maybe you can see why I read the exclamation that way.)

You are correct, it is a huge problem to leave early without warning. In fact, I’ve never ever heard of a flight leaving early without it. Even on delays when the plane and crew is ready to go we cannot go before the published time if we are missing passengers. You’re right, that’s wrong and inexcusable.

 

[sam_gordon]

Currently sitting in ATL waiting out what is now a 3 hour delay. Another line of storms washed over ATL. You could not see the adjacent terminal it was raining so hard.

 

[sam_gordon]

It’s hard to read intent. To me, your post read that you were irritated I mentioned it was crew duty day fabrication. Since your original post on this was specifically on that topic, I didn’t understand why you then said it didn’t matter. (I get why in the whole scheme it doesn’t but to the original post it was specifically on crew duty day. Maybe you can see why I read the exclamation that way.)

You are correct, it is a huge problem to leave early without warning. In fact, I’ve never ever heard of a flight leaving early without it. Even on delays when the plane and crew is ready to go we cannot go before the published time if we are missing passengers. You’re right, that’s wrong and inexcusable.

I wondered if it was a case of the plane going back and forth between two cities and the flight that "left early" was actually the earlier flight and someone (not saying PP) Got the information confused.

I have had flights that were delayed, then returned to "normal" (or not as late) departure time.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Absolutely, about 13 years back, I was flying from Raleigh to Vermont with a small layover in Pittsburgh (I think) we arrived with plenty of time to spare but when we got to the gate the plane was gone and had left, according to the people in the gate area, some hour and a half before we got there and two and a half hours before it was even supposed to leave Pittsburgh. The excuse was they had to leave early otherwise the crew would have gone over the allotted time they are allowed to work a day. Somebody didn't plan something very well and was a pain for me for no good reason. That was the last time I ever flew Continental.

That's crazy. I wonder if there were even any passengers on it because how many people would be at the gate ready to go 2.5 hours early?