Airlines in trouble 2: American

American's troubles right now are more of a "oops, we'd better take all these planes out the sky and check they work properly before gravity does it for us" nature. This is the "sorry" they sent round after grounding thousands of flights last week:

As one of our most valued customers, please accept my apology on behalf of American Airlines® to you, your family and your fellow AAdvantage® customers for disrupting so many peoples' lives with the recent flight cancellations related to the inspection of our MD-80 aircraft fleet.

As you can imagine, American's decision to cancel thousands of flights this week was difficult, and it undoubtedly created concern among our best customers – even those who had no travel plans during the period.

If in your travels you were among the many who have been personally affected, I sincerely regret the inconvenience you have experienced. Our employees will continue to work around the clock to accommodate all who still need to reach their desired destinations. We anticipate returning to a full schedule by Monday.

While the media reports have documented the reasons why American took this action and the steps we're taking to re-accommodate and compensate affected customers, I've also attached an explanation of the events for your understanding. It's a bit complex, but at the end of it all, please know this:

First, your safety and the safety of our employees remains our number one priority.

Second, we will learn from this experience, and we will get better.

Finally, we wholeheartedly appreciate your loyalty to American Airlines, and we remain committed to earning your business each and every day.

Respectfully,

Dan Garton
Executive Vice President
Marketing

P.S. You may have already contacted us via AA.com® or by writing directly to Customer Relations. Let me reassure you that we will respond directly to your contact just as quickly as practical.


American Airlines MD-80 Fleet Inspections

Background: : In 2004, American Airlines was the lead airline working with Boeing to develop a Service Bulletin to correct wiring exposure and chafing in the MD-80 auxiliary hydraulic pump wire bundle. The concern was that exposure and chafing could cause fire in the wheel well. An Airworthiness Directive (AD) was issued in September 2006, giving MD-80 operators, including American, 18 months to address this issue. American completed the Service Bulletin in November 2006, followed by adjustments deemed necessary by American's structural engineers to comply with the AD well ahead of a March 2008 deadline.

In recent weeks the Federal Aviation Administration significantly increased its emphasis on monitoring the adherence to Airworthiness Directives that apply to various U.S. airlines. With respect to American Airlines' MD-80 fleet, we had a detailed issue that we believed had to be addressed immediately to remain compliant with the FAA; if found in non-compliance, we would have been instructed to stop flying our airplanes.

What is the specific nature of the issue?
The issue surrounds questions raised by the FAA about the way American implemented the Engineering Change Order (ECO) addressing the MD-80 auxiliary pump wiring Airworthiness Directive (AD). American fixed the item well within the specified AD timeframe. The work being done now centers on a need to change the way in which American complied with the AD regarding such items as the spacing of the ties on the wiring bundles and the direction of the retention clips and lacing cords. We are highly confident that this is not a safety of flight issue because the wire bundle is secure. It is a matter of how the work was done, not whether aircraft were protected from the threat of wire exposure and chafing that could cause fire.

Why ground the entire MD-80 fleet?
It became clear based on the number of questions the FAA raised that there would be a high percentage of aircraft that would not be found to be in full compliance of the Airworthiness Directive. Working with the FAA we were unable to find an alternative solution to regaining compliance – for example, a multi-day period to rectify the issues – so we had no choice but to ground the aircraft. While it has been a major disruption to AA's operation, everyone recognizes the need to ensure that the MD-80 fleet is in complete compliance and is working to restore the MD-80s back to service as quickly as possible.

Who is completing the work and why is it taking longer than the previous MD-80 inspections?
There are three levels of American employees accomplishing the work. American has assigned a team of employees – aviation maintenance technicians, quality assurance inspectors, and engineers – to inspect the aircraft and ensure full technical compliance, as well as to make any additional adjustments. As our aircraft return to service, the FAA is inspecting those aircraft to ensure compliance.

What is the airline doing for customers?
We are doing everything possible to take care of our customers as expeditiously as possible while facing the fact that our resources have been stretched to their limits. We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience and know that this kind of interruption of travel plans is unacceptable. While customers are dislocated we are providing meals, hotels and ground transportation; for those stranded overnight, we will offer vouchers for future travel on American Airlines. Customers who were inconvenienced with overnight stays can go to AA.com where a link will guide them to instructions on how to receive compensation.

What is the company doing to make sure it doesn't happen again?
American plans to contract with an independent third party to review American's compliance processes. This work will help ensure that all procedures strictly adhere to the technical elements of every directive so American can avoid this type of schedule disruption in the future.

Airlines in trouble 1: Frontier

It's not been a good week for airlines, what with a couple giving up together, and Frontier filing Chapter 11.

Oddly, the filing was prompted because their main credit card processing company had started to withhold funds from customers; presumably, with the airline's share price tanking and the selling-off of planes the credit card business was looking to stock up some dollars to refund anyone caught if the airline went down. Yes, of course, the withholding of funds made it more likely the airline would fall out of business in the first place, but I think we've all learned that banks don't quite know what they're doing any more.

This is the "don't panic" letter Frontier have sent to frequent flying customers:

ear EarlyReturns® Member,

As you may know, Frontier Airlines voluntarily filed to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Frontier is committed to delivering exceptional customer service and we intend to continue delivering on that promise with normal operations throughout our reorganization process. Our 6,000 employees look forward to serving you.

Your travel plans are secure - We are operating our existing schedule of flights - today and in the future - honoring tickets and reservations as usual, and making normal refunds and exchanges. You can count on Frontier, along with our codeshare partners, as we connect you through our Denver hub to 66 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica.

Your EarlyReturns® miles are secure - Our EarlyReturns® program is unaffected, and you can continue to enjoy the program's benefits, including the opportunity to earn and redeem miles on Frontier and AirTran flights. You can also continue to earn miles using the Frontier World MasterCard®, our new Frontier BusinessCard, or through our many other EarlyReturns® partners. All of our other award-winning customer service programs remain in place.

Frontier took this action following an unexpected attempt by our principal credit card processor to substantially increase a "hold-back" of customer receipts, which threatened to severely impact our liquidity. Frontier will now have the time and legal protection necessary to obtain additional financing and enhance our liquidity. We currently have adequate cash on hand to meet our operating needs while we take steps to further strengthen our company. You can learn more about our reorganization by visiting www.frontierairlines.com/restructure.

We are very proud of Frontier's focus on customer service and safety. Our mainline operation has one of the youngest Airbus fleets in North America and offers 24 channels of DIRECTV® service in every seatback along with a comfortable all coach configuration. Our commitment to safety is proven by our maintenance team's receipt of its unprecedented 9th FAA Diamond Award for safety training of 100% of our maintenance employees. We look forward to providing you with great service in the safest environment for years to come.

All of us on the Frontier team of aviation professionals appreciate your loyalty to our airline and the opportunity to serve you. Thank you for choosing Frontier Airlines.
Sincerely,

Sean Menke
President and CEO

We're only a little alarmed to discover that training all of your engineers in safety is considered worth an award.

British Airways not happy with BAA

Today's Observer claims that, while BAA has been making sure that Terminal 5 has lots of expensive shops and Gordon Ramsay cooking pork chops, they've forgotten the airporty bit:

In documents seen by Channel 4's Dispatches programme, BA states: 'Only 34 of the 61 gates in T5 will enjoy pier service when T5 opens ... This is the lowest share of pier-served stands at any terminal at Heathrow. Two to two-and-a-half million BA passengers per annum will not enjoy pier service. That will require, at Heathrow's newest terminal, a coaching operation for BA that will transport more than the entire passenger load of all but a handful of the other airlines at Heathrow.'

BA also attacks the lack of aircraft parking stands, saying: 'On a typical day, BA will have to tow 13 aircraft several miles from one end of Heathrow to the other, then back again, at significant cost to BA. BA is also having to build the parking stands for these aircraft at its own expense of £30m to £35m. No other airline will have to move any aircraft away from the terminal in which it operates.'

BA complains that, because of cost-cutting by BAA, Terminal 5 will not be big enough for all its Heathrow flights. Around 8 per cent of flights will have to depart from Terminal 3, already the most overcrowded terminal at Heathrow, adding significantly to its load.

It's a compelling argument against trusting BAA with anything, much less a third runway.

Going long haul? Don't take bags, says BA

Suggesting ever more strongly that British Airways has ceased to be an airline and turned itself into an experimental theatre group, it's broken its baggage system at Terminal 4 and so has come up with a brilliant solution: if you want to take luggage on the plane, you can't travel:

The following passengers flying from London Heathrow Terminal 4 on Wednesday 20 February should not bring luggage to be checked in.

Longhaul passengers in the following cabins
· World Traveller (economy)
· World Traveller Plus (premier economy)
As well as all transfer passengers

Passengers who do bring baggage to be checked in will not be able to travel.

Now, if you're going longhaul - and have paid for an upgrade to premier economy - you might think you'd like to arrive at your destination with a change of clothes or two. Perhaps some spare shoes. A razor, and maybe nailclippers.

Tough.

Actually, BA does have a separate solution. If you really MUST take suitcases for a trip abroad:

"passengers due to fly from T4 are eligible for a refund, can re-book to a different destination or travel on a later date".

If you're planning a trip home, and have to be back at work in the next couple of days, it seems you're being given a choice of not turning up or dumping your stuff.

Can we stop them being the flag-carrier? It's really embarrassing now, isn't it?

Hotel Review: Chicago Sheraton Gateway Suites

After the shambolic Sheraton Heathrow, the Chicago Airport branch of the same hotel chain was a bit of a faith-restorer.

The shuttle was prompt; the driver friendly. The hotel offers a view across to the city - although this is an airport hotel, you can nip into Chicago proper fairly easily by cab; beware suggestions you should take the shuttle back to the airport and get the train into town - it's cheap, and a great way to see Chicago's guts, but it'll eat a couple of hours out of your day in both directions. If you're hoping to squeeze a day in Chicago out of changing your planes, you'll need a cab in at least one direction.

Clean hotel; friendly staff; a bright, airy feel to the public areas. The rooms are arranged around the edge of an almost-courtyard like atrium, with glass lifts zipping you to your floor and back. There appeared to be ice machines and drinks dispensers on each floor; there was also a really well-stocked little shop, and it's nice to have a little shop.

We didn't stay here long, but I could have happily spent a week.

Hotel Review: Heathrow Sheraton

So, once again I'm falling behind with my hotel reviews.

This is one of two Sheratons for Heathrow; not to be confused with the Skyline Hotel. Perhaps the Skyline is nicer.

To be fair, the hotel isn't wretched, but compared with what other hotels near Heathrow manage - like the Marriott, for example - it falls disappointingly short. The rooms are clean, the bed good. It's the communal areas where things fall down.

There's one kitchen servicing three eating areas, all of which abut each other; each have slightly different menus and there seems a genuine reluctance to allow people to sit in the bar and order from the "cafe" menu, for example. To be honest, nobody would want to sit in the bar anyway - it's dark and noisy and uncomfortable.

You wouldn't really want to sit in the cafe area, either - it calls itself a cafe, but it's just chairs in the recepetion area. It's like sitting in an airport check-in queue, in fact, but since the only other option was the laughably poor and overpriced restaurant proper, that's where we wound up.

I tried to order the only vegetarian dish on the menu; the woman glumly told me I couldn't have it. "We don't do that here. I don't know why it's on the menu."

I see. To be fair, she did tell me there was a different vegetarian pasta available, which I had, and was edible, but the appearance of a non-existent item on the menus, that nobody had even bothered to cross out with a Sharpie, sums up the general feeling of this place: nobody does anything more than they have to. There's no attention to detail; there's no sense of care or pride. That Sheraton allow this to carry on under one of their luxury brands - and charges a luxury price for it - is a blot on their record, I'm afraid.

Calls for consultation... quietly

It's long been a suspicion of those involved in fighting planning decisions that those who would hope for a positive outcome attempt to skew things in their favour by being selective about where they solicit opinions. A public consultation is good, but you don't want all the public chipping in.

In the old days, you could simply put the adverts for the consultation in an obscure part of a little-read newspaper, or post bills in the middle of nowhere. But what in the internet age? How can you show you seek participation, while not overly encouraging that participation?

The government is currently seeking opinions about expansion for Heathrow, to see if the public agrees with conclusions it has already met. There's a website set up to gather responses and - to be fair - there are banner adverts running on other sites calling for everyone to join in.

Here's one. Now, this looks like a fairly standard banner ad - you think you'd click on it, and it would take you to the consultation, right?

Except it doesn't work like that - you have to click right in that little 'click here' lozenge. Now, since most people will be used to clicking anywhere in a banner and being taken to the advertiser's site, chances are many people will have tried to click the advert, rather than the lozenge and - when nothing happens - assume the link is broken and not bother.

Surely the Department For Transport and the groups keen to tarmac over more of the countryside aren't so cynical as to deliberately create an advert which flies in the face of usability standards to reduce participation in the debate, would they?

You can find the Consultation page here.

NASA releases safety data... almost

In perhaps the most grudging of festive season gifts, NASA has made public its data on airline safety in the US. Only it's been fudged and munged to the point of almost being unusable:

NASA administrator, Michael Griffin, said his agency had no plans to do additional work with the material, which he sought to disown in a conference call with reporters.

“It’s hard for me to see any data here that the traveling public would care about or ought to care about,” he said. “But it’s also not for me to prescribe what others may care about. We were asked to release the data and I said that we would, and I’ve done that.”

The agency went to extreme lengths to make the information useless, just stopping short of translating it into Reformed Egyptian and hiding it under a rock in the middle of the woods.

AirTran customer left to stew in someone else's piss

Apparently, some of the flight crew on AirTran think that when you pay for a seat, you should be thankful for getting a seat, regardless of the state it's in:

A Winchendon woman said an airline did not help her after she sat in a urine-soaked seat on a West Palm Beach, Fla., to Boston flight on Sunday night.

"I was sitting maybe 30 seconds to minute and realized that my pants were soaked," Jennifer Castellano said.
[...]
"A flight attendant told me that on the previous flight a man had urinated on himself in that particular seat. And I said, 'I'm not sitting on a three hours flight soaked in someone else's urine. That is absolutely disgusting,'" Castellano said.

US Airways staff "not proud" of their airline

US Airways encourages its staff to ask open, honest questions of its senior management. It sounds like about the only thing they get right:

“Who thought it would be a good idea to have pink Pepto-Bismol ads on tray tables talking about diarrhea?” a worker wrote in July. The Pepto ads were replaced in August.

Another employee wondered in October 2006: “Why can we not get better quality snack items for our coach customers? One customer recently compared the generic pretzel nubs we serve to the fish food you buy in a .25 gumball machine at any zoo or park.”

Actually, fish food would appear to be too costly. “We’ve worked with our purchasing team,” management explained, “to bring in many companies to compete on our main cabin tidbit item (pretzels). To date, no one has been able to match our current cost, about 3 cents per package.”

Now, we know that times are tight for airlines - but it's telling that they're only judging the quality of the customer's experience on the basis of how little they can spend on it.

Heathrow Terminal 5: Selling sofas while you miss your plane

Ominous reports from Terminal 5 at Heathrow, which is apparently crammed with shops, but nothing you could possibly actually need when flying:

“I want to be the first airport to sell a sofa,” said [Nick] Ziebland, ["retail strategy director" of BAA] dodging shopfitters at the Paul Smith store, which is waiting for doors from a French chateau.

There are practical shops alongside the luxury brands, but fewer than passengers might expect. “We’re not going to have a Primark . . . not everyday socks and underwear,” said Mr Ziebland

Who really wants to buy a sofa when waiting for a plane? Perhaps this is just a sign that BAA are expecting to port to T5 the long delays and discomfort which has made Heathrow a symbol of shame at the nation's gateway: you'll wait so long, you'll need to buy your own sofa to get comfortable.

It certainly seems so, to judge by the FT:

Even with the shops shut, trials have shown some passengers missing their flight; this is not representative and will be fixed, stresses BAA.

There is also going to be no capacity increase from the gleaming Richard Rogers-designed Terminal 5: as soon as it opens, other areas will be closed for much-needed refurbishment.

Maybe you should think about a one-seater rather than a sofa, to make sure there's room for you.

United Airlines: More cash than they know what to do with

It's not so long ago that United Airlines were in bankruptcy, accepting US taxpayers' cash to cope in the turbulent times after September 11th 2001.

Now, though, they've got so much money, they're talking about giving half a billion to shareholders.

Legally, they might not have to share this cash with American taxpayers or those who held debt in the company before it went into protective bankruptcy... but isn't there a moral case? If it's really got half a billion quid it doesn't know what to do with, after the American nation bailed them out, maybe it should think about a sizeable charitable donation?

Globelink carries 325 across the Atlantic in a month

Liverpool's much-trumpeted direct flight to New York, operated by Globelink, was yanked last month after five months. It now turns out the plug was pulled after the service was used by just 325 people in its last month of operation.

Chains changed: Carvery crumbles hopes

We've not been to the Toby Carvery for ages and ages, and so visiting this Saturday should have been a treat. And, to be fair, the vegetables were better than ever, but the vegetarian option was a crushing disappointment. The butternut squash crumble used to be a large, delicious ramekin full of vegetables and sauce, topped off with a tasty cheese crumble. It was delicious - a signature dish, in fact.

Now, though, it's been reinvented as half a small squash, served up like a baked potato. Actually, potato skin would be more honest, as most of the flesh has been scooped out - presumably to be used elsewhere. The void is filled with a watery topping, a kind of mushroom soup. But a mushroom soup like you'd get from KwikSave in a basic can, not a thick, creamy delight. And of the crumble? Not a glimpse.

If we go back - and, really, it's an if now - I think I'll save the money and just go with the vegetables option.

Spring forward, fall over: Gatwick forgets to change their clocks

We always wonder what sort of person manages to miss the many messages instructing you to change your clocks as Summertime gives way again to GMT. After all, you'd have to be a bit daft to forget, wouldn't you?

It turns out BAA is a bit daft. They somehow managed to leave Gatwick stuck in BST when the rest of the nation shifted to GMT this morning, thereby creating a whole new flavour of chaos:

Arrival and departure times at Gatwick airport are being published incorrectly on Teletext, Ceefax, the Gatwick website and within the airport itself.

Not every flight is affected. Airport operator BAA said it was mainly domestic flights and some European flights.

You have to take your hat off to BAA - just when you think their amateur-hour performances can't get any worse, they manage to surprise you some more.

Rumours that Ferovial executives spent thirty minutes arguing amongst themselves "is it spring back, fall forward or the other way around" before someone was able to check the correct details in their daughter's My Little Pony Pocket Diary are probably just cruel jibes.

JLA strikes; LHR scolded

As Liverpool prepares for its year in the Capital of Culture glare - it's not clear if it'll be searchlight or spotlight yet - staff at John Lennon Airport are set to strike over a long-running wages dispute.

The offer - a percentage point below what Unions were looking for - won't be recommended to the firefighters, maintainence staff and birdscarers at JLA.

In other airport news, the Competition Commission has oked a rise in fees charged to airlines using Heathrow, but has also called for larger fines for the times when BAA screws up:

The commission says that during its inquiry it received “strong criticisms of quality of service, particularly at Heathrow.”

The problems were not all due to BAA but were also caused by other organisations at the airports including the airlines and the immigration authorities.

The report says, however, that “important aspects of BAA’s performance have been poor.” The existing regime for penalising BAA for weak performance based on service quality rebates paid to the airlines must be “extended and strengthened,” it says.

It criticises the present scheme because it omits “key aspects of performance, including maximum lengths of security queues, and the security arrangements for transfer passengers, airline staff and perimeter control points where performance has been particularly poor.”

BAA, of course, isn't happy at suggestions that it be made to compensate airlines more generously. Understandable, as Heathrow is such a shambles at the moment it'd be losing money like a drunk playing poker with cardsharks. It admits as much:

n a statement on Wednesday, BAA said that the commission’s proposals “introduce a high degree of risk” over plans to refinance its debt.

In other words: their capacity to foul-up operations would leave its future financial plans looking very dodgy indeed.

Small security breach at John Lennon

Some bloke allegedly broke through the vehicle entrance and ran towards the planes. Fair enough, could happen anywhere. What's alarming, though, is the different stories coming from the airline and the airport:

The airport say the man was stopped at the top of the stairs but Thomsonfly say he got on board where he was discovered by cabin crew.

Even more interestingly, apparently, a man running through the airport and getting on a plane (or not) is, apparently, not a breach of security according to Liverpool airport:

Robin Tudor, spokesman for Liverpool Airport, said: "The man forced his way through a security barrier by the main access gate on the airport apron.

"Security guards saw this happen, gave chase immediately and the man was apprehended.

"We don't regard this as a security breach. There was no lapse in security - the man broke a barrier to gain access.

"As a matter of course we have informed the Department of Transport about the incident and they have not instructed us to alter procedures."

So a barrier that doesn't keep people out isn't breached if it is, erm, broken and someone passes through it. It's funny that, in an age where taking a half-bottle of shampoo on a plane is considered dangerous, John Lennon is so laid back about people running onto airside.

Glimpsing Terminal 5

BBC News has had a sneak preview of Terminal 5 at Heathrow, where they're testing the baggage system:

Security officer Mick Pearman, who gave the BBC News website a tour, explains: "We've got cases and bags just like normal but without passengers."

Actually, Mr. Pearman, cases without passengers and passengers without bags is also pretty normal for Heathrow.

BA must be very forgiving

After all its tussles with Virgin over the years, to say nothing of Branson's airline dumping them in the compost over the rigging of fuel surcharges, it's surprisingly generous of BA to be one of the first advertisers on Virgin 1, Dickie's new TV service.

Or perhaps they're just going to display a caption reading "SWITCH OVER TO SKY ONE NOW".

Living like Alan Partridge

To be honest, staying in a Travelodge is something we'd only do when there was no alternative. We don't know if we should squawk in admiration or hang our heads in desperation, then, as we discover a couple who've lived in a Travelodge for the last decade. Before that, they lived in a different Travelodge for twelve years.

The best bit?

"We only have to walk across the car park for meals."

Yes, ten years of eating at a Little Chef into the bargain.