Comments on: Take the poll: Airline tarmac delays http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/take-the-poll-airline-tarmac-delays/ The last honest travel site Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tweets that mention Take the poll: Airline tarmac delays -- Topsy.com http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/take-the-poll-airline-tarmac-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-15607 Tweets that mention Take the poll: Airline tarmac delays -- Topsy.com Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:13:16 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=18998#comment-15607 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Carol Margolis and Travel_Tweet. Travel_Tweet said: Take the poll: Airline tarmac delays: Other than debating health care proposals these days, Washington D.C. seem.. http://bit.ly/4CQ0Rk [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Carol Margolis and Travel_Tweet. Travel_Tweet said: Take the poll: Airline tarmac delays: Other than debating health care proposals these days, Washington D.C. seem.. http://bit.ly/4CQ0Rk [...]

]]> By: Frank http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/take-the-poll-airline-tarmac-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-15587 Frank Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:56:46 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=18998#comment-15587 Of course, the crews won’t like this since they don’t get paid until the flight pushes back. If fact, I’ve had crew members tell me that they shut the door in situations like this so they can go “on the clock.” ==================================================== You're confusing two issues. There's DUTY TIME and FLIGHT TIME. Two ways the crew has issues with being on duty. A crewmember can work up to 15 hours in one day. You're duty day starts when you arrive at the airport for a scheduled flight. If the flight is delayed, you STILL ACCRUE duty time. A crewmember can FLY UP to domestically, 8 hours in one day. You're flight time begins when the plane leaves the gate. Some airports have 70 departures PER HOUR. Wait to board until there is a reasonable chance the flight may depart. ADD bad weather and the wait and number of planes keeps adding up. Fix that one. Of course, the crews won’t like this since they don’t get paid until the flight pushes back. If fact, I’ve had crew members tell me that they shut the door in situations like this so they can go “on the clock.”
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You’re confusing two issues. There’s DUTY TIME and FLIGHT TIME. Two ways the crew has issues with being on duty.

A crewmember can work up to 15 hours in one day. You’re duty day starts when you arrive at the airport for a scheduled flight. If the flight is delayed, you STILL ACCRUE duty time.
A crewmember can FLY UP to domestically, 8 hours in one day. You’re flight time begins when the plane leaves the gate.

Some airports have 70 departures PER HOUR. Wait to board until there is a reasonable chance the flight may depart. ADD bad weather and the wait and number of planes keeps adding up. Fix that one.

]]> By: John http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/take-the-poll-airline-tarmac-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-15566 John Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:45:26 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=18998#comment-15566 Here's an idea ... how about airlines don't board people until there's a reasonable chance that the flight will depart. That way the crews hours won't start (they start at push back) and the flight can depart when the weather clears. This would keep crew hours from being an issue (if the crew can't take off after the delay, then they wouldn't have been able take off after sitting on the tarmac). Of course, the crews won't like this since they don't get paid until the flight pushes back. If fact, I've had crew members tell me that they shut the door in situations like this so they can go "on the clock." Here’s an idea … how about airlines don’t board people until there’s a reasonable chance that the flight will depart. That way the crews hours won’t start (they start at push back) and the flight can depart when the weather clears. This would keep crew hours from being an issue (if the crew can’t take off after the delay, then they wouldn’t have been able take off after sitting on the tarmac).

Of course, the crews won’t like this since they don’t get paid until the flight pushes back. If fact, I’ve had crew members tell me that they shut the door in situations like this so they can go “on the clock.”

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