malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3183 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4911 times:
It looks like according to the IAM, that United Airlines will handle customer services for UAX gates at SFO in april.
so SkyWest will no longer handle the customer services at SFO? Is UAX at IAD above wing handled by AWAC? well is the goal to integrate and now have mainline handle all UAX customer service at all hubs such as ORD and IAD as well?
I was at IAD and noticed AWAC still handles UAX ramp after it use to be DGS, and I even noticed AWAC had IAM representation.
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as739x From United States of America, joined Apr 2003, 5820 posts, RR: 23 Reply 1, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4881 times:
UAL will take over customer service and Operations here at SFO. Ramp contract extended 3 years. (SFO)
Other cities with other carriers, your guess is as good as mine.
The trend appear to be UAL looking at taking over more customer service. That is what was basically told to OO employee's in SFO. Again, as above we will see station to station.
Personally I do not see them taking over any UAX ramp operations anywhere.
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malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3183 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4869 times:
Quoting as739x (Reply 1): Personally I do not see them taking over any UAX ramp operations anywhere.
Somewhere I would see union rampers cringe at the idea of touching express operations for hub at other airlines. Maybe they had the reserved to work big airplanes attitude?
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swa4life From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 369 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4838 times:
Quoting malaysia (Reply 2): Somewhere I would see union rampers cringe at the idea of touching express operations for hub at other airlines. Maybe they had the reserved to work big airplanes attitude?
It's actually the other way around. Union rampers should cringe that covered work has been outsourced away from them..
malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3183 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4802 times:
Quoting swa4life (Reply 4): It's actually the other way around. Union rampers should cringe that covered work has been outsourced away from them..
But UAX equipment and policy is outsourced anyway. for SFO, it is all SkyWest operations and aircraft, so they could come with their own handling operation regardless of thinking work is outsourced from mainline
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swa4life From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 369 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 4778 times:
Quoting malaysia (Reply 5):
But UAX equipment and policy is outsourced anyway. for SFO, it is all SkyWest operations and aircraft, so they could come with their own handling operation regardless of thinking work is outsourced from mainline
You're right, the entire regional operation for the most part is outsourced and labor as a whole is NOT happy about it. It's out sourcing plain and simple. These companies come in and pay way lower wages to their employees. It's not much different than sending work overseas to poor nations with low labor costs.
malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3183 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 4716 times:
Quoting swa4life (Reply 6): You're right, the entire regional operation for the most part is outsourced and labor as a whole is NOT happy about it. It's out sourcing plain and simple. These companies come in and pay way lower wages to their employees. It's not much different than sending work overseas to poor nations with low labor costs.
Well a SkyWest employee might be unhappy having their someone else (mainline UA) handle their own equipment.
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Goldenshield From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5441 posts, RR: 12 Reply 8, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 4682 times:
Quoting malaysia (Reply 7): Well a SkyWest employee might be unhappy having their someone else (mainline UA) handle their own equipment.
Coairman From United States of America, joined Dec 2010, 89 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 4436 times:
At CO in the hubs in CLE, EWR, and IAH all above and below the wing positions are carried out by mainline CO employees. I think that maybe the new approach with the new UA will be to have this trend carry forward toward the PMUA hubs of SFO,DEN,LAX and IAD.
CLE for CO is mostlly a regional operation of Expressjet, RP, Commutair and Gulfstream. All positions in Customer Service and Ramp are by CO Mainline personnel. CO in CLE provides excellent customer service with CO agents. You do get what you pay for and this is one fine example in my own opinion.
dl767captain From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 2539 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 4420 times:
How is this handled by other airlines? Every time I fly United I have a problem if it involves a "United Express"flight. There's a problem and UA basically tells me to call SkyWest etc to deal with it and they refuse to do anything. Maybe this will make UA do more when there's a problem with UAX?
Coairman From United States of America, joined Dec 2010, 89 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (2 years 5 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 4378 times:
Quoting Coairman (Reply 9): At CO in the hubs in CLE, EWR, and IAH all above and below the wing positions are carried out by mainline CO employees. I think that maybe the new approach with the new UA will be to have this trend carry forward toward the PMUA hubs of SFO,DEN,LAX and IAD.
I apologize. What I meant was that all CO Express and Connection flights in the CO hubs has for a long time, and currently, is being serviced by CO agents only. This is ramp and customer service. I am hoping with the new UA that alot of the outsourced united express positions in the PMUA hubs will be insourced back to mainline, which was just announced in SFO.
ilovepabst From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 98 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 5 months 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 3299 times:
Quoting as739x (Reply 11): Incident 1, though all SkyWest crew, could happen to anyone and probably does every winter
niele1 From United States of America, joined Jun 2008, 4 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (2 years 5 months 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 3270 times:
UA mainline employees have been working UAX in ORD, both above and below the wing, for the past few years. Every three years or so the express contract comes up for rebid. In DEN OO was the lowest bidder so they got to keep the express operation. The IAM has been working with UA for the past few years trying to bring UAX work back to mainline employees
briguy1974 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 133 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (2 years 5 months 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 2823 times:
niele1, for the record oo is almost never the lowest bidder in the express contracts. While ua was in bankrupcy oo bid on ord and was not the lowest bidder. Bankrupcy judge told ua they had to take the lowest bidder. It went to air wisconsin and turned out to be a disaster. UA had to take over due to air wisc failure. The story is that UA asked oo to come back to ord after that. OO had shut down the whole ord region after losing the ord contract and told ua...thanks but no thanks. Three years ago when oo bid on cs and ramp at sfo oo was not the lowest bidder. Ua picked oo bases on performance.
For the record ORD has been the worst performing hub in the express system for all of UA for three years running. In all areas...from baggage to on time to damage equipment.
FWAERJ From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 3172 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (2 years 5 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 2761 times:
Quoting briguy1974 (Reply 16): For the record ORD has been the worst performing hub in the express system for all of UA for three years running. In all areas...from baggage to on time to damage equipment.
I believe that. I've had nothing but bad service on the ramp from UAX at ORD. Flights from FWA arrive at the ground-level E gates, so you have to encounter the ground crew. 20-minute connection at ORD due to delays? Frostbitten on the tarmac from 12-degree snow and freezing rain? Valet-checked luggage with your business laptop dropped by rampers into a puddle? The UA rampers don't care about it. Eagle's ground at ORD is infinitely better than UAX at the same airport - and Eagle (Connection, too) gates all have jetways for those nasty ORD winters.
On the other hand, CO's ground at CLE was very good back when I flew through CLE last year, when the FWA-CLE route was still running. The Q200 headed toward FWA had a delay, but the CO staff kept us informed about flight delays and were very nice. I hope that the PMCO employee spirit will transfer in some form or another to PMUA employees.
skyrat From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 173 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (2 years 5 months 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2558 times:
Quoting briguy1974 (Reply 16): niele1, for the record oo is almost never the lowest bidder in the express contracts. While ua was in bankrupcy oo bid on ord and was not the lowest bidder. Bankrupcy judge told ua they had to take the lowest bidder. It went to air wisconsin and turned out to be a disaster. UA had to take over due to air wisc failure. The story is that UA asked oo to come back to ord after that. OO had shut down the whole ord region after losing the ord contract and told ua...thanks but no thanks. Three years ago when oo bid on cs and ramp at sfo oo was not the lowest bidder. Ua picked oo bases on performance.
Actually OO lost the ground handling contract to Comair which turned into REAS. I believe this is after they exited Bankruptcy. Comair underbid OO by 30% at our station(according to our regional mgr.). SKW didn't lose the whole Chicago region either. However, they lost quite a number and ended up telling UA that it wasn't worth it to keep the remaining stations. I believe the contract is up this coming spring for the chicago region, as it's been 3 yrs now(the length the contract was according what was told to my station). UA would be smart to dump REAS and go with SKW. This coming from someone that has worked both companies. REAS is horrible and has such a horrible relationship with their employees compared to SKW. But I'm not seeing SKW coming back to the ORD region to ground handle, but could be wrong.
bhmdiversion From United States of America, joined Dec 2008, 443 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (2 years 5 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2445 times:
SkyRat... THat is exactly what is going on. Being that I was furloughed from OO, the RD have told us that we need to make sure our addresses and phone numbers are still current so (if and when a recall happens) we can be notified first. I know in some stations, OO is not too happy with DGS, ZW, or RE. It would be nice to get that travel seniority back, but I dont think it will happen before my furlough expires.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21242 posts, RR: 19 Reply 20, posted (2 years 5 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2388 times:
Quoting swa4life (Reply 6): You're right, the entire regional operation for the most part is outsourced and labor as a whole is NOT happy about it.
...which is sort of ironic, since it's labor that chose that path.
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skyrat From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 173 posts, RR: 0 Reply 21, posted (2 years 5 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 2267 times:
Quoting bhmdiversion (Reply 19): SkyRat... THat is exactly what is going on. Being that I was furloughed from OO, the RD have told us that we need to make sure our addresses and phone numbers are still current so (if and when a recall happens) we can be notified first. I know in some stations, OO is not too happy with DGS, ZW, or RE. It would be nice to get that travel seniority back, but I dont think it will happen before my furlough expires.
Maybe they can extend the furloughs. I see it as a no brain decision to go back to SKW in the chicago region. Not a ground handling company that has nothing to do with UA except ground handle them.
malaysia From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 3183 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (2 years 5 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 2174 times:
Piedmont probably would do very well over REAS anyday, as an alternative to AWAC or Mesa. but I am sure OO is overall one of the best in regard to ground handling maybe along with maybe QX?
I do not know much info in regard on how well MQ does in comparison
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skyrat From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 173 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (2 years 5 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 2146 times:
I believe MQ does a good job ground handling. Compared to REAS and DGS who doesn't? Nothing against REAS employees as there are some really good people out there. REAS is just not run very well and doesn't give their employees the tools they need.
commavia From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 10191 posts, RR: 62 Reply 24, posted (2 years 5 months 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 2141 times:
Quoting skyrat (Reply 23): I believe MQ does a good job ground handling.
At least from an above-wing, customer-facing standpoint, I've always found Eagle among the best among the U.S. regionals.
They're also pretty much the highest-cost operator in their peer group, so it makes sense, and while I know Eagle's attrition and turnover is horrific (by mainline standards), I'm guessing it's probably better than some other regionals - I would guess that it almost certainly has to be better than, say, Mesa, et al.
Unlike some of the horror stories I've heard about regional customer service agents - particularly in hub cities - who are either under-trained, under-staffed, under-resourced, or all of the above, Eagle agents seem to be quite proficient at their jobs. I've flown Eagle quite a lot, and I've never found an Eagle agent who didn't know how to handle any issue I've seen them encounter, from baggage issues, to delays and cancellations, to re-routes (including international PNRs), etc.
While some mainline operators have had to take over customer-facing functions from regionals at hubs to maintain service standards, Eagle still - to my knowledge - handles itself in all AA/Eagle hub cities, and most smaller stations as well.
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