Pilot scrap with dispatcher at LGW
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Pilot scrap with dispatcher at LGW
Haven't seen this on any of the forums yet, thought R&N was the best place.
I know its from the Daily Mail (sorry all) :
Aegean Airlines flight from Gatwick cancelled after pilot 'assaulted ground staff' | Daily Mail Online
As a one time dispatcher i can understand if things can get occasionally heated. Most flight crew are great, but occasionally some treated us like something on their shoe, when our goal is simply to get the flight away on time, and safely.
Would appreciate any thoughts from FD on dispatchers in general. Personally, i got on with most, but took no bull from anyone, they never paid me nearly enough for that gig.
I know its from the Daily Mail (sorry all) :
Aegean Airlines flight from Gatwick cancelled after pilot 'assaulted ground staff' | Daily Mail Online
As a one time dispatcher i can understand if things can get occasionally heated. Most flight crew are great, but occasionally some treated us like something on their shoe, when our goal is simply to get the flight away on time, and safely.
Would appreciate any thoughts from FD on dispatchers in general. Personally, i got on with most, but took no bull from anyone, they never paid me nearly enough for that gig.
No one defends violence from anyone. Full stop.
However, one raises an eyebrow at ground staff getting pilots sacked.
I wonder who the managers will support ............
As an aside, there was a Captain punched in the face by a passenger in MAN recently, and the passenger did not go to prison.
(Great reporting by media: 'dispatcher responsible for advising on the route'. WTF?)
However, one raises an eyebrow at ground staff getting pilots sacked.
I wonder who the managers will support ............
As an aside, there was a Captain punched in the face by a passenger in MAN recently, and the passenger did not go to prison.
(Great reporting by media: 'dispatcher responsible for advising on the route'. WTF?)
To answer the OP.
Like most things in aviation, 90% of all people are simply great. Nice to deal with, good at their jobs.
It's the 10% that spoil it.
Applies to dispatchers. What seems to happen with the 10% is they allow themselves to be pressured by management. Pressure causes mistakes, rudeness, etc.
An example might be agreeing a delay code. The obvious delay is suggested, but we are told that management won't allow that code. ??? When we ask what other code to use, no suggestion is forthcoming.
Another example is not being truthful when ground staff are late to the aircraft. People are frightened of getting BLAMED for delays. Pressure from management again.
The trick is not to take it out on your fellow workers, or those you work for.
Rightly or wrongly, many Captains don't appreciate getting barked at by people when at work, either. Security, managers, and yes - even dispatchers.
It goes both ways, but you did ask.
Like most things in aviation, 90% of all people are simply great. Nice to deal with, good at their jobs.
It's the 10% that spoil it.
Applies to dispatchers. What seems to happen with the 10% is they allow themselves to be pressured by management. Pressure causes mistakes, rudeness, etc.
An example might be agreeing a delay code. The obvious delay is suggested, but we are told that management won't allow that code. ??? When we ask what other code to use, no suggestion is forthcoming.
Another example is not being truthful when ground staff are late to the aircraft. People are frightened of getting BLAMED for delays. Pressure from management again.
The trick is not to take it out on your fellow workers, or those you work for.
Rightly or wrongly, many Captains don't appreciate getting barked at by people when at work, either. Security, managers, and yes - even dispatchers.
It goes both ways, but you did ask.
Great reporting by media: 'dispatcher responsible for advising on the route'. WTF?
Only in that the maggot that wrote it hadn't a clue what a dispatcher was and looked it up on Wiki but didn't have the wit to realise that the description given was of a US dispatcher, not a european one, nor that there is a difference.
Proof of the sloppiest of journalism, as if any was ever needed.
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Only in that the maggot that wrote it hadn't a clue what a dispatcher was and looked it up on Wiki but didn't have the wit to realise that the description given was of a US dispatcher, not a european one, nor that there is a difference.
European or UK? Working for a central european carrier our dispatchers work in the network operation center, mainly preparing longhaul and north atlantic flight plans as well as any other flight plans that do need manual interaction (over 80% of all flight plans are purely computer created though). And they do of course have an EASA dispatch license (which includes full ATPL theoretical training).
Looks more like they just read some tweets (which used the term dispatcher) and then made a quick article out of it.
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The local snooze is stating that it was a member of cabin crew who did the punching.
Cabin crew member arrested for alleged assault on Gatwick flight to Crete | Crawley News
Cabin crew member arrested for alleged assault on Gatwick flight to Crete | Crawley News
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"A 52-year-old man, of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of assault and was later released without charge due to there being insufficient evidence."
Wow, Aegean really are low-cost . . . . . .
Wow, Aegean really are low-cost . . . . . .
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To the ex dispatcher:
Yes, flightcrew need to be able to control their temper at all times.
However: the Captain always has the final dicision NO DISCUSSION. Know your place.
Yes, flightcrew need to be able to control their temper at all times.
However: the Captain always has the final dicision NO DISCUSSION. Know your place.
As with many industries, you get what you pay for. In the low-cost world, this is particularly true.
I'm a cheerful and polite guy and treat colleagues with respect, yet I regularly see a poor attitude and sometimes barely concealed loathing from our dispatchers. Happily, there are some very pleasant professionals out there too.
Don't get me started about the rest of the ground crews though....
I'm a cheerful and polite guy and treat colleagues with respect, yet I regularly see a poor attitude and sometimes barely concealed loathing from our dispatchers. Happily, there are some very pleasant professionals out there too.
Don't get me started about the rest of the ground crews though....
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Would appreciate any thoughts from FD on dispatchers in general.
As for Dispatchers, the majority do a superb job, even when the system tries its hardest to make their job impossible. The best make sure normal turnarounds remain normal by anticipating the things that will slow the process down and will take medial action in a timely fashion. They will also keep you informed as the turnaround progresses.
The crap ones are unable to predict failures, fail to observe them and do nothing when it does. To cap it all, they either don't tell you that the handling it not going as expected or worse, lie about what it happening. These people are in a small minority.
Generally, I find the highest standards of handling in Scandinavia. What sets them apart? Firstly, the stations charge three to four times of what we pay in the UK. Secondly, the staff enjoy their jobs. Possibiy because they generally perform more than one function which may lead to more job satisfaction. Lastly, I think they are well educated and that allows them to perform better.
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A very wise Training Captain once said to me "Ground Crew don't tell the Pilots how to fly, so Pilots shouldn't tell Ground Crew what to do when on the ground"......it led on to then if the ground crew don't know they find out.
In other words there is none of this "The Flight Crew are always right" rubbish.
Don't condone any of this behaviour. CRM principles need to apply between crew and ground as well but sadly it seems to lack for both parties.
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Captain always has the final dicision NO DISCUSSION.
Heard of a few "Drunk Captains" the final "dicision" was had by the Judge "NO DISCUSSION"
Any person that makes your statement is dangerous
Heard of a few "Drunk Captains" the final "dicision" was had by the Judge "NO DISCUSSION"
Any person that makes your statement is dangerous
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Despeque, there are many recorded incidents where the Captain did not entertain any discussion with his crew and the NO DISCUSSION principle led to disaster. Holding a Command does not make anyone infallible.
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I think Despegue means the no discussion part refers to the the captan having the final decision, which is actually a fact. Not, as some of you seem to think, that the captain will make his final decision with no discussion.
At least they had a dispatcher, we now have TCOs who have no practical aviation training or experience. I tried telling one that the a/c was out of trim and he didn't know what I was talking about! And he was one of the few that spoke English!!
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Captains decision has to be final as it is him/her who take the responsibility. Unfortunately despatchers in Europe are no longer given adequate training. One incident comes to mind.
Despatcher lack of knowledge of APS weight & DOW. (Wrong one used on load sheet)
I found it prudent to listen to all inputs then make the decision but have on occasion as above ended up making the decision that caused the dispatcher to "get the hump" .
Despatcher lack of knowledge of APS weight & DOW. (Wrong one used on load sheet)
I found it prudent to listen to all inputs then make the decision but have on occasion as above ended up making the decision that caused the dispatcher to "get the hump" .