Blog Archives
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Waiting for the Jetway Driver
- Tuesday November 23, 2010My informal poll of customer complaints shows that second to lost bags and going through security, what rankles passengers most is arriving early at their destination and then having to wait to deplane. Bad enough waiting for a gate, but then having to wait for the jetway produces significant frustration. As soon as the parking brakes are set and the captain beeps that it’s safe to stand, the aisles are filled with passengers and all their carry-on bags. The crowded conditions and jostling are exacerbated when the wait for a jetway is prolonged. I myself have waited as much as 20 minutes. And I have seen inexperienced jetway drivers have to make multiple attempts in order to line up the cabin door and the jetway opening. On... -
Ramp Automation
- Thursday October 14, 2010Waiting ... and waiting ... 35 minutes for my checked bag yesterday to finally show up at Logan got me thinking about a comment two blogs ago from a reader. He mentioned that a decrease in workers on the ramp was attributable to automation. My experience with checked bags on this and other flights (especially the last flight of the night) makes me wonder whether we haven’t cut too many ramp jobs, especially with baggage handlers. I won’t even think of checking a bag from Boston to DC, because I’ve had to wait longer for my bag at times than the flight took Surely automation of baggage handling has made the loading of wide-body aircraft faster and more efficient. There’s no question that the container system used to load... -
Lightning Striking Again
- Thursday September 30, 2010Traveling through the southeast this week, I saw some amazing lightning storms. The recent tropical disturbances brought wind and rain, but also thunder and lightning. Many of us think that once the summer thunderstorms are over, the risk of lightning strikes diminishes. But that is dangerous thinking if you work around airplanes on the ramp. Lightning can occur during any season but remains prevalent during hurricane season across much of the country, but especially along the coasts. Every year people die in lightning strikes. Some of those deaths occur on airports where simple precautions could have made the difference between life and death. It should be standard practice at airports large and small, that if lightning is visible anywhere... -
Aging Ramp Workers
- Tuesday September 21, 2010There was a time when you didn’t see too many older workers out on the ramp. It’s a tough job out there, day in and day out and it takes its toll on workers. In many ways, baggage handlers get the brunt of the physical assaults on the human body. Lifting, carrying and tossing bags is hard physical labor. And, with age and overuse injuries, the body starts to wear down. Back problems and knee problems are rife in that line of work. And workers often don’t take the necessary protections to protect themselves — until the problems begin. When back pain becomes a daily occurrence or knee pain makes it difficult to walk — and frequently both, that’s when workers suddenly realize that they have to bend properly to lift heavy... -
Management by Walking the Ramp
- Tuesday September 7, 2010Several weeks ago, in response to my blog regarding overriding safety devices, a commenter posted: “If managers and leads would get out of the offices … to oversee ramp operations there would be a lot less equipment damage.” I certainly agree with this. Sure it’s difficult in today’s environment for managers and supervisors to get out on the ramp. Emails that need to be answered, phone calls, staff meetings, reports for higher ups; all this combined with staffing cuts hinder even the most conscientious from getting out on the ramp and observing operations. But get out they must if they are to truly supervise their operations. I recently did an independent audit of a number of stations at the request of an airline... -
ISAGO Way to Go
- Tuesday August 24, 2010ISAGO is an acronym many of you may be familiar with — IATA’s Safety Audit program for Ground Operations. While I think the audit portions offer a lot of promise for standardization — which is a boon to safety, efficiency and cost-savings — I am most excited by the prospect of a standardized Ground Operations Manual (GOM) for use by airlines and ground service providers. Standardization in the cockpit has proven to result in safer and more efficient operations. There is no question in my mind that safety and efficiency could be improved on the ground by similar standardization of ground handling procedures. Certainly when it comes to a standardized GOM, I am all for it. I know from my experience running an FBO at Logan... -
Economic Green Shoots?
- Tuesday August 3, 2010As I hop around the country’s airports, it looks to me as though new equipment is finally starting to show up on the ramp. Just the other day, I was at Charlotte International Airport, returning from the Farnborough Air Show, and noticed new belt loaders and power units at various airlines on the ramp. Later that week I was at Philly and noticed more new belt loaders. And just yesterday, flying through Ft. Lauderdale, I saw a new van sitting at the gate. After years of seeing little new on the tarmac, I couldn’t help but notice these gleaming new additions. Could this be a harbinger of a turn in the aviation’s fortunes? I sure hope so. I’m hoping that this signals an uptick in the economy that has finally trickled down... -
Heat Wave
- Tuesday July 13, 2010Record-breaking, triple digit weather in the Northeast reminds me of how brutal these hot days can be on the ramp. The heat of the day combines with the heat from the equipment — including the aircraft — and with the radiant heat emanating from the tarmac. Men and machines are sorely tested by this triple whammy. Add high humidity to the mix, and the situation can rapidly become dangerous. My concerns are not just with the equipment that needs to function in the high heat, but also with the workers who are out where shade and access to air conditioning are limited. I have seen the effects of high temperatures and high humidity on coworkers and have felt them myself. Under pressure to move aircraft, we often forget how much water... -
New Standards for Diesel-powered GSE: Are You Ready?
- Tuesday June 22, 2010January 2011 is when some newly manufactured diesel-powered equipment will have to meet new, tighter standards for emissions. Diesel emissions are a major contributor to airport pollution. EPA’s standards are intended to address long-standing scientific concerns that diesel emissions can lead to or exacerbate serious health conditions, such as asthma, allergies, heart and lung diseases. Diesel exhaust is particularly harmful to the most vulnerable — the young and the elderly. My concern is that GSE maintainers may need to develop new repair procedures, as well as new methods for rebuilding these engines. This all comes at a time of extremely constrained resources. New equipment requires new inventory for new parts, new training... -
Overriding Safety Devices: Risky Business
- Tuesday May 25, 2010I was sitting at the terminal at Boston’s Logan Airport the other day, waiting for an afternoon flight. Like most of us airport types, I while away the time by watching the ground operations going on through the window. I couldn’t help but notice a number of belt loaders and baggage tugs zipping around the perimeter of the apron. They were zipping around at a pace obviously faster than the airport speed limit. As I was watching this, two more baggage tugs – one towing two carts and one towing three – came tearing out of the bag room; they actually seemed to be racing each other. It’s a wonder that the baggage didn’t come flying off! This isn’t the first time, of course, that I’ve seen excessive speeds on the ramp...
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