About three years ago we taxied our narrowbody jet to the international ramp in ATL to de-ice.
This was a two-step operation, at the busiest airport in the US. Luckily, this was about 2000, but dark, and little traffic.
The point about the location is that this should have been a first-rate de-icing procedure.
Not only was the radio at the de-icing cabin inop, but the de-icing crew walked away with no indication to us that we received a wave-off. But we saw them about 200 feet away.
She gave us the start time for the first step, not the second step, as
required, then unplugged from the intercom.
How is de-icing done for the other US airlines at "spoke" airports? 'Wino'? 'Airb'?
Does this happen with other crews?
As bad as they were at standard communications, one can only imagine how it could be with either a language problem or other problems with training, standardization and/or morale.
Last winter, a de-icing crew in the upper midwest only sprayed one of the wings on a jet. Snow was on both wings and the tail etc.
A Line Check Airman told me about this. Luckily, the passengers noticed and said something.
Outsourcing. Less pay, less results, more job turnover, reduced safety. And this is in the US, with management's blessing$ (indifference).