Emirates tech problems to PER
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Location, Location
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But tcr2 has posted here because he felt he didn't get an explanation for his delay - an experience which left him less than gruntled.
Significant tech delays are relatively rare (for which thanks are due to the combined technical folks of the worlds airways). I've experienced two and in both cases I had a clear (no doubt simplified for my benefit) explanation of the cause and an estimate of the likely length of the delay, which kept me happy while I propped up the airport bar for an extra few hours.
I can see that there may be circumstances in which a general announcement may not be appropriate - some pax may be unduly worried or just bored to tears by an explanation. But I would hope that a polite request for information would receive a helpful response.
Significant tech delays are relatively rare (for which thanks are due to the combined technical folks of the worlds airways). I've experienced two and in both cases I had a clear (no doubt simplified for my benefit) explanation of the cause and an estimate of the likely length of the delay, which kept me happy while I propped up the airport bar for an extra few hours.
I can see that there may be circumstances in which a general announcement may not be appropriate - some pax may be unduly worried or just bored to tears by an explanation. But I would hope that a polite request for information would receive a helpful response.
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: SNA
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok, I don't so much think its an issue of the exact reason for the delay but a matter of communication and respect. My last trip, a week ago, the aircraft went tech. The crew handled it very well. It started as a "well folks lets see if we can handle it from up front its going to be 10 minutes" then to "well folks it looks like we have to get back to the gate and have our tech guys have a look at one of our misc ports, another 10-15 minutes" to finally "well gee folks, we're real sorry about this but we are unable to repair this aircraft, the gate crew will do everything possible to get you where you need to go". We got off, the gate crew gave us options announcing them over the loud speaker, we made our choice and had a new flight on a competitor airline to a nearby airport within 20 minutes. Were there unhappy people there?, you bet but we all knew the airline did a good job at making it as painless as possible by giving time and basic details at each step. We knew it wasnt the coffee maker or a missing bag of nuts. The information was relayed as it was known with a time estimate and appology. Good job Alaska Airlines by the way from pilots, on board crew to gate crew.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Hong Kong
Age: 68
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree Katlpax. I would add that "every problem is an opportunity" - from passenger's point of view there are BIG differences in the way airlines handle the occasional problem, and some of the attitudes we see recorded above would see me avoiding certain carriers if there is any choice in the matter - thankfully there is.
In particular:
1) I like to have frequent update on delays, with consistent messages as to what the GENERAL problem is. This means the messages have to come from one source e.g. the Captain or his / her designate, not different and erroneous rumours spread by the cabin staff. That really bugs me because the source of the problem is a poor attitude
2) Captain can if deemed appropriate elect to permit pax to use mobile phones to warn others of their delay
3) Captain can always make PR noise by pointing out the need to err on side of caution and empathise by saying he / she is also affected by the delay
4) Pilots who can't emphasise with pax on a basic level could consider becoming air freight dogs (but I strongly suspect that people shipping cargo raise any grumbles about delays at a much higher level in the airline).
No-one would argue that it is the Captain's perogative to make the decisions, but I feel it is also the Captain's duty to keep his pax informed.
In particular:
1) I like to have frequent update on delays, with consistent messages as to what the GENERAL problem is. This means the messages have to come from one source e.g. the Captain or his / her designate, not different and erroneous rumours spread by the cabin staff. That really bugs me because the source of the problem is a poor attitude
2) Captain can if deemed appropriate elect to permit pax to use mobile phones to warn others of their delay
3) Captain can always make PR noise by pointing out the need to err on side of caution and empathise by saying he / she is also affected by the delay
4) Pilots who can't emphasise with pax on a basic level could consider becoming air freight dogs (but I strongly suspect that people shipping cargo raise any grumbles about delays at a much higher level in the airline).
No-one would argue that it is the Captain's perogative to make the decisions, but I feel it is also the Captain's duty to keep his pax informed.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
{sniped} I have had it happen when some well meaning member of ground staff told pax at the gate what the problem is/was, it did not go down with the pax, quite a few went on another plane as they did not want to get on the "death-trap", cant remeber the exact prob but was bugger all, but the girl caused chaos, bags off, new loadsheet.....more delay.
Although I do believe most of the pax here who read PPRUNE are a little bit different from ordinary pax . . .
PS - KATLPAX - I like your username!
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: SNA
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Certainly the info should come from an appropriate source, one other story comes to mind in a small prop from San Juan to Culebra (small island). Took off from KSJU, just at lift off loud banging from port side, repeating bang bang bang...1000ft capt asks me sitting behind him to hold this lever back, he preceds to open the door to drag his seat belt in which had been banging against the side inches from prop, yes inches. Nothing said, then preceeds to turn to the north away from my understanding of where we should be generally heading...keep turning back on final lands aircraft..nothing said...taxis to terminal gets out. Ground staff comes back asks us to collect our things and says aircraft had "bad flaps". No info, who knows if correct. Don't think they are in business anymore under same name anyway...very different approach to customer service and understanding. I think most people can handle even bad news but it needs to come...
CattlePax "KATLPAX"
thanks AtlPax!
CattlePax "KATLPAX"
thanks AtlPax!
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: OZ
Posts: 313
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tcr2 I have just read through this thread for the first time and had a good laugh. From your first post it is obvious you were not on the flight as you refer to "those on the flight..." How many did you talk to before you came to the conclusion that the crew didn't care or that the pax were not cared for. Just your buddy perhaps who was just one out of 250+. I can accept that from time to time pax are left in the dark about what is happening with delays etc but any occurence is isolated and not a reflection of a companies procedure or a lack of care. More likely, as others have suggested, the tech crew didn't know the extent of a delay until the whole issue unfolded. As the Disco Duck has said in many words...It happens, if your buddy got sad and frightened all alone in the terminal then I say sorry, now is that better.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Read back through the replies again. It is amazing how much arrogance and 'I've got my head so far up my own arse I can see my tonsils' attitude has been generated from a simple request for information.
Several members of my family were on the flight, and from them and many of the other passangers they talked to on the flight, they were not treated that well.
My original post was a simple and polite request to know the technical nature of the problem that caused the delay. Some of the replies on a bulletin board usually awash with common sense and friendly responses are a bit over the top. If you dodn't want to give me the answer, fine! If you think the post is pointless, fine, don't read or reply to it!!
If the nature of some of the replies is an indication of your personalities, then enjoy the rest of your sad little lives!!
Several members of my family were on the flight, and from them and many of the other passangers they talked to on the flight, they were not treated that well.
My original post was a simple and polite request to know the technical nature of the problem that caused the delay. Some of the replies on a bulletin board usually awash with common sense and friendly responses are a bit over the top. If you dodn't want to give me the answer, fine! If you think the post is pointless, fine, don't read or reply to it!!
If the nature of some of the replies is an indication of your personalities, then enjoy the rest of your sad little lives!!
Too mean to buy a long personal title
tcr2: If you dodn't want to give me the answer, fine!
From that day on, I have despaired when I read posts such as the ones on this thread - particularly when I consider that (if the posters are to be taken at face value) some of these people appear to be trusted to make judgements about the operation of aircraft. Some of the responses here wouldn't encourage me to trust the posters with a telephone, let alone an airliner.
:-) (-:
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Austria
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rough guess:
One reason not more information was giving to the pax might have been that the crew did not know more either:
Aircraft has a problem and gets back to stand: pilots and engineers first have to find out whats wrong.
Pax get offloaded before they know it exactly. Not wanting to give wrong information the only info given is that there is a technical problem.
Aircraft and crew get changed:
New crew gets pulled out - all the info they might have gotten is: the aircraft before went tech. So what shall they tell the pax?
Tcr2 - I agree with you that more information would have been nice - if the pax remained on the same aircraft (I'd like to know what went wrong/ got fixed if I have to continue on on the same plane).
However - if there is an airplane change why start talking about a problem, which is not applicable anymore. Especially if the crew might not know exactly what was wrong since they are not the original crew.
I rather have no information than wrong information.
Cheers,
Eli
One reason not more information was giving to the pax might have been that the crew did not know more either:
Aircraft has a problem and gets back to stand: pilots and engineers first have to find out whats wrong.
Pax get offloaded before they know it exactly. Not wanting to give wrong information the only info given is that there is a technical problem.
Aircraft and crew get changed:
New crew gets pulled out - all the info they might have gotten is: the aircraft before went tech. So what shall they tell the pax?
Tcr2 - I agree with you that more information would have been nice - if the pax remained on the same aircraft (I'd like to know what went wrong/ got fixed if I have to continue on on the same plane).
However - if there is an airplane change why start talking about a problem, which is not applicable anymore. Especially if the crew might not know exactly what was wrong since they are not the original crew.
I rather have no information than wrong information.
Cheers,
Eli
