Its the Monday after Thanksgiving 2010 and I'm on Ready Reserve at Chicago O'Hare. Sitting Ready reserve means that you are physically at the airport within 10 minutes of your airline's gates. Airlines will usually have at least one flight attendant at the airport at a time in case another FA gets sick at the last possible moment, or someone doesn't show and the pilot calls Crew Support to get a replacement just before take-off.
Let me back up...I spent last night in a hotel just around the corner from the airport and had my alarm set for 4:30 so I could get up and shower then arrive at the crew lounge just at 5:30 am, and Officially "Check-In" for my Ready Reserve duty. Yesterday evening I was so tired I fell asleep before 8 PM. I awoke at 2:30 AM and was aware that if I tried to go back to sleep I would oversleep my alarm and not make it to the airport, so I got up, showered, shaved, dressed and called for a shuttle to the airport at 3:00 AM.
Arriving at the crew lounge at 3:30 and completing some necessary paperwork, I decided to wait in the "Quiet Room" (a dark room with a dozen or so very comfortable reclining chairs). I plugged in my iPod and leaned back to relax and await a potential call from CS asking me to cover a plane flight.
I was more tired than I thought. I was jerked awake by the EXTREMELY loud ringing phone in my ears (don't ever plug your iPod ear-buds in when you know you could be called). Sure enough it was CS. The lady was talking so fast I didn't understand the first couple of sentences she spoke. When I was finally aware enough to communicate i informed her I had fallen asleep in the QR, she backed up and explained I was needed on a flight to Atlanta.
I asked her what time the flight was scheduled to leave, to which she responded 6:07 AM. I then asked what time it was, when she said 5:59 AM.
I was awake as I ever had been at that moment.
I told her I was out of the room and headed to the gate. She thanked me and said to have a great flight.
Rushing to the gate when you've been awake less than a minute gets your adrenal glands working at 190%, way too much juice for such a time as this.
I arrived at the gate and finding no gate agent I let myself through the security door, and rushed down the Jetway. Now remember the flight was supposed to leave the gate at 6:07 and I was called to cover at 5:59. taking less than 3 minutes to get to gate I expected to find the people inside the terminal and NOT on the plane. WRONG!
When I got to the end of the Jetway, looked into the plane, there were already 2 flight attendants on board. One I recognized as the one I was to work with. When I explained that CS had just called me, the second one explained that she could not "Check-In" due to system problems at the gate. She gave me her name and employee number, asking me to call CS and let them know she was on the plane. The agent then told me the captain was ready to push back and I needed to let them go.
I stepped back onto the Jetway and called CS. They said "okay, we'll put you back on standby till 1:00.
I think I deserve something else, like something to remove my stress, and adrenaline!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Calling Crew Support
I have been out of training for nearly 2 months now and am just beginning to figure out when and more importantly when NOT to call Crew Support. Crew Support is that function within the company who is responsible for scheduling Flight Attendants, First Officers, and Captains for the various flights and trips that each airline has going on a any given day. In training we were instructed that Crew Support will become your best friend, if not your only friend in this industry. Quite the contrary is becoming readily apparent as I begin to navigate my way around the aviation industry.
Since completing my IOE (Initial Operating Experience - think on-the-job training) I have been in Chicago waiting in Reserve, which means I am waiting for Crew Support to call me stating they have a plane flight that needs me to be its flight attendant, anyway, I've been in Chicago O'Hare Airport for 14 days without so much as a phone call asking if I was really there. I've called them daily to let them know I am there and would like to fly IF at all possible each day. When I call I usually get a different person everytime, in fact I've never spoken with the same agent twice. I even sign myself up for "first call", and still have not flown much.
That was until this week!
It is Thanksgiving week in the USA and I was in Denver, with my family, until Tuesday when I decided it would be in my best interest to get to DIA early enough to beat any holiday travelers late Tuesday afternoon. I arrived at the gate for the 11:25 am flight on United to ORD in time to be told it may not happen because of a couple of pilots with more seniority had last minute decided to fly their 6 member families to ORD for the holidays (story for another post). Long story short, I was bumped off of 7 flights on Tuesday afternoon.
When at last I was becoming nervous about making it to ORD to begin my shift of waiting in Chicago, I called to "S"Crew Support to get help and maybe some sympathy, or at the very least some form of understanding. Little did I know THEY DON"T CARE....
Seriously?!?!?! I am new to this industry and lifestyle and you are going to laugh, belittle, and blame me?
I was livid! I decided I would waste my night by flying to Las Vegas on the 10 pm flight only to immediatly board a midnight PST flight back to ORD, putting me on the ground 1 hour beyond my potential 4 am CST on-call time. I asked the agent to remove me from "first call" for the next morning thinking this would ensure that I again would not be getting called out.
Not 7 minutes later my nearly-dead cell phone is wringing and the caller ID shows it to be "S"crew Support. I answer thinking they have found me a better alternative to flying all night long, or maybe they will let me sit in Denver (since they obviously haven't needed me in Chicago).
To my unbelieving ears, Roe is on the other end telling me I have a 4 day trip beginning at 7:45AM CST.
Lesson learned! NEVER call and tell CS you can't make it to your base on time. They will find a way to place a black mark on your employee record.
Just so you know...I made it to Chicago and did not miss out on the opportunity to spend my first Thanksgiving in Canada (again a story for another post)
Since completing my IOE (Initial Operating Experience - think on-the-job training) I have been in Chicago waiting in Reserve, which means I am waiting for Crew Support to call me stating they have a plane flight that needs me to be its flight attendant, anyway, I've been in Chicago O'Hare Airport for 14 days without so much as a phone call asking if I was really there. I've called them daily to let them know I am there and would like to fly IF at all possible each day. When I call I usually get a different person everytime, in fact I've never spoken with the same agent twice. I even sign myself up for "first call", and still have not flown much.
That was until this week!
It is Thanksgiving week in the USA and I was in Denver, with my family, until Tuesday when I decided it would be in my best interest to get to DIA early enough to beat any holiday travelers late Tuesday afternoon. I arrived at the gate for the 11:25 am flight on United to ORD in time to be told it may not happen because of a couple of pilots with more seniority had last minute decided to fly their 6 member families to ORD for the holidays (story for another post). Long story short, I was bumped off of 7 flights on Tuesday afternoon.
When at last I was becoming nervous about making it to ORD to begin my shift of waiting in Chicago, I called to "S"Crew Support to get help and maybe some sympathy, or at the very least some form of understanding. Little did I know THEY DON"T CARE....
Seriously?!?!?! I am new to this industry and lifestyle and you are going to laugh, belittle, and blame me?
I was livid! I decided I would waste my night by flying to Las Vegas on the 10 pm flight only to immediatly board a midnight PST flight back to ORD, putting me on the ground 1 hour beyond my potential 4 am CST on-call time. I asked the agent to remove me from "first call" for the next morning thinking this would ensure that I again would not be getting called out.
Not 7 minutes later my nearly-dead cell phone is wringing and the caller ID shows it to be "S"crew Support. I answer thinking they have found me a better alternative to flying all night long, or maybe they will let me sit in Denver (since they obviously haven't needed me in Chicago).
To my unbelieving ears, Roe is on the other end telling me I have a 4 day trip beginning at 7:45AM CST.
Lesson learned! NEVER call and tell CS you can't make it to your base on time. They will find a way to place a black mark on your employee record.
Just so you know...I made it to Chicago and did not miss out on the opportunity to spend my first Thanksgiving in Canada (again a story for another post)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
God Winks in the Hallway
Feeling frustrated and alone on my birthday of all days, I was in the hallway connecting the E & F terminals of O'Hare Airport to hide out and just read; God had other ideas of more importance.
While reading The Jesus Chronicles; Luke's Story , I was focused into the meaning of Stoicism, which is the practice John was raised to believe in before meeting Jesus. I had been reading for several minutes when my peripheral vision caught sight of a man obviously looking for a power plug he could use between flights, I happened to be using one of the few plugs in the hallway. Being aware of this fact, I stood and offered to share the plug by moving to the center of the row of chairs, allowing my new friend, Slade, to take the end seat for ease of access to the power. I thought nothing of this simple gesture other than , "the man is in need of power", he on the other hand believed this to be a most generous act of servitude. A few minutes later a young lady was in the same predicament, looking for power. I had been silent since Slade had arrived, but upon sensing the lady's distress I again stopped reading and offered assistance in the form of knowledge of a bank of power plugs hidden down the hall. She was most grateful and nearly ran down to them sitting quietly for some time later.
I am writing this, not to brag about my willingness to serve but because of what transpired next. Slade was so taken aback by my willingness to interrupt my solitude and assist a complete stranger he stopped working on his "urgent" emails and engaged me in conversation about why I would be so giving. He explained that this very morning he met a woman at the Hotel he had stayed at last night. This woman was in a sour mood and not forthcoming to engage in casual conversation with patrons of the hotel. Slade was attempting to encourage her through engagement and a friendly conversation. He relayed to me that this woman, although at her work station on time, in uniform and ready to "serve" was no more ready than the man on the moon.
She was wearing a company shirt which was displaying the core values of the company on the back. Unbelievably she did not exhibit these values. When asked about them she responded, " I don't have a clue what they say or what they mean".
Slade looked at me and said, you and this woman are complete polar opposites, she was neither wanting or looking for ways to engage or encourage people to better their day, while I; not on duty; was willing to interrupt my solitude and improve someones life, albeit with a simple piece of knowledge.
Slade and I then became more aware of the others interest in life goals as opposed to career and work. We engaged on a level of Brothers in Christ for the next 40 minutes until it was time for his flight home to Southern Alabama. Slade gave me his business card and we agreed to connect online and continue building an Earthly friendship that will last throughout Eternity!
The Moral: Proverbs 5:21, " Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make; He's aware of every step we take".
While reading The Jesus Chronicles; Luke's Story , I was focused into the meaning of Stoicism, which is the practice John was raised to believe in before meeting Jesus. I had been reading for several minutes when my peripheral vision caught sight of a man obviously looking for a power plug he could use between flights, I happened to be using one of the few plugs in the hallway. Being aware of this fact, I stood and offered to share the plug by moving to the center of the row of chairs, allowing my new friend, Slade, to take the end seat for ease of access to the power. I thought nothing of this simple gesture other than , "the man is in need of power", he on the other hand believed this to be a most generous act of servitude. A few minutes later a young lady was in the same predicament, looking for power. I had been silent since Slade had arrived, but upon sensing the lady's distress I again stopped reading and offered assistance in the form of knowledge of a bank of power plugs hidden down the hall. She was most grateful and nearly ran down to them sitting quietly for some time later.
I am writing this, not to brag about my willingness to serve but because of what transpired next. Slade was so taken aback by my willingness to interrupt my solitude and assist a complete stranger he stopped working on his "urgent" emails and engaged me in conversation about why I would be so giving. He explained that this very morning he met a woman at the Hotel he had stayed at last night. This woman was in a sour mood and not forthcoming to engage in casual conversation with patrons of the hotel. Slade was attempting to encourage her through engagement and a friendly conversation. He relayed to me that this woman, although at her work station on time, in uniform and ready to "serve" was no more ready than the man on the moon.
She was wearing a company shirt which was displaying the core values of the company on the back. Unbelievably she did not exhibit these values. When asked about them she responded, " I don't have a clue what they say or what they mean".
Slade looked at me and said, you and this woman are complete polar opposites, she was neither wanting or looking for ways to engage or encourage people to better their day, while I; not on duty; was willing to interrupt my solitude and improve someones life, albeit with a simple piece of knowledge.
Slade and I then became more aware of the others interest in life goals as opposed to career and work. We engaged on a level of Brothers in Christ for the next 40 minutes until it was time for his flight home to Southern Alabama. Slade gave me his business card and we agreed to connect online and continue building an Earthly friendship that will last throughout Eternity!
The Moral: Proverbs 5:21, " Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make; He's aware of every step we take".
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