I'm no mx guy, but I didn't realize you could MEL something like that. This is why even as an FA I would go out of my way sometimes (time permitting) and also preflight the outside of our aircraft with usually the FO if I notice MEL stickers. We would also go through the maintenance log just to have each other's back if an emergency happens. I joked around a lot and got along with all my pilots, but I always take CRM seriously.

(Written on 05/18/2022)(Permalink)

Wow. Good luck. Frontier used to be a decent airline in my opinion but after they got bought out by Republic, I've heard they pretty much went down hill. Republic has been around for many years longer than Spirit. I can understand the shareholders balking on the $33 a share as they probably are the "old money" type. Spirit's reputation isn't exactly stellar and from what I've heard Frontier has gone to pot. On the other hand, JetBlue sounds like they are getting greedy and a takeover may drag them down as a decent airline.

(Written on 05/17/2022)(Permalink)

How do you have an FA not fully vetted in the system? I'm probably going to answer my own question as we had some "winners" sitting in Airport reserve. As a USAF veteran my fed background came back in two days, my company background check came back in a couple of weeks, but I had a three month window to start initial training. I was just lucky, flying for a regional airline, having an Air Transportation background, and a small crew base I only sat reserve for a month and still flew a lot.

(Written on 05/06/2022)(Permalink)

It does happen. Crew scheduling is not perfect. They wasted money on having to turn back, but saved money if they had landed Stateside on got a hefty fine from th FAA and have to deadhead a new crew out to JFK to pick up the return flight.

(Written on 05/06/2022)(Permalink)

As djames225 says, if there would have been a random audit by the FAA, it would have been major news.

(Written on 05/06/2022)(Permalink)

The show at Wizz Air must go on I guess. My gut tells me this is a bad idea, but this is a good way to get supplies and people directly into Ukraine legally. The problem I see is that the Russians will "accidentally" shoot down one of the planes.

(Written on 04/25/2022)(Permalink)

At the end of the day, people are way more important than an iconic aircraft. Goes to show you where priorities lay. That said, years ago, while stationed at Ramstein Yugoslavia fell apart. As the new Air Mobility Command changed hands from Military Airlift Command within the restructuring of all US forces at end of the Cold War, we shifted balance to a more "humanitarian" effort.At the same time we were also dealing with Somalia, a no fly zone around Iraq, and never really ceased flying over Russia and China. All while on a budget and new regulations. It was exciting and fun while a 20 year old Senior Airman as night shift supervisor of Terminating Air Cargo Processing at Ramstein. That said, I went through the "First Gulf War", airlifting "humanitarian" supplies to both former East Bloc countries as well as the Soviet Union, Somalia, and a staging effort within Kenya for the war going on on in Rwanda, and to cap it off the Yugoslavian Civil War. All that between 1990-'94. After I

(Written on 04/22/2022)(Permalink)

I wondered when this blunder was going to bite somebody in the end.

(Written on 04/18/2022)(Permalink)

While I was a flight attendant I always told people our pax are our "bread and butter." Without them we'd have no job. I used to tell my pax the same thing, especially when I worked United Express flights and United wanted pax to fill out forms about their experience. I came out with a favorable rating. My experience as a passenger on different airlines and as a former Air Transportation Specialist in the Air Force gave me a great opportunity to stick it to the airlines as a big FU. Plus I had a bet with my former boss after we got laid off from the industrial construction world that I'd be fired in six months because of my anger issues. Lol, I lasted 4 years but my wife had health issues and I couldn't be gone all the time and had to resign. My former boss still didn't pay me the bet, but unfortunately he passed away years ago. Great times though.

(Written on 04/01/2022)(Permalink)

I remember that quite well. I was pretty young at the time. My dad was offered to train for ATC. Instead, as a GS4 supply specialist for the US Army, he wound up training as a civilian logistics specialist at Red River Army Depot and moved up from there. He retired quite a few years back as Deputy to the Commandant of the Quartermaster School at Ft Lee, VA. Not too shabby as a civilian. Pissed a lot of high ranking active duty Army officers off. Even better, when Dad was a buck private, he did his AIT at the Quartermaster school at Ft Lee, around the time I was born.

(Written on 04/01/2022)(Permalink)