Bossy Agent

The bossy agent was in the military and still likes to give orders. Things should be done ON TIME, and done right (her way).

Ok I admit it, the bossy agent is me. I can however be convinced to do things in a different way, as long as it makes sense. (Then everyone else will be convinced too). LOL

The think I can not tolerate is the being ON TIME thing. Damn it, if your start time is 4:30am then you should be outside working at 4:30. You should not be clocking in, or making coffee, or standing at your locker getting your gear on for 15 mins.

This morning for example, the ticket counter opens at 5am. I am walking in at 5:15 (I start at 5:30am and I am scheduled to work the ramp today), there are 5 people in line at the counter, I apologized on my way in and told them I would get someone to come out.

The agent scheduled to work the counter at 5am, " Penny"said "Why are they so early!"

Jen: "You are scheduled for 5am why aren't you out at the counter."

Penny: "Well I was running late today, and I don't have my make-up on yet." "Al, will you go
out for 5 mins please?"

Al: grumbling, "It will take you 20 mins." but he goes out to the counter.


Note to self... should have added pic of agent applying make-up.

Bossy agent pic

 

The Clean Freak

 

The princess

This is one of the agents I work with. She is cute and knows it. Somehow she can time it just right so that she doesn't really do much of anything.


 

De-icing

 

De-icing

Every time there is even a small coating of frost on the plane, we have to de-ice (spray glycol on the plane).
We have a rule that the first person that comes in, (4:30am) goes outside and starts up the de-icer so that the fluid warms up. If it is just a little frost and not snowing, we just spray before the crew or the passengers get there and it saves us a lot of time.

Donnie was the first one in. No matter how many times we have told him to do this, he forgot. Keep in mind that Donnie has been working with us for 5 years. He was more concerned about getting the computer entries done, (entries which can be done after the flight).

We would just have to spray the aircraft after the flight was boarded.

Al gets up in the bucket to spray and Donnie is driving. I am up in the jetbridge watching. Al starts spraying the wing, then I hear him yelling in the radio, "Donnie turn it off!" He is holding the hose away from him and it is still spraying. I hear again "Donnie turn it off!.... Turn it off!!!!."

Donnie finally gets out and walks up to the deicer and moves the handles around.... (not the ones that turn it off).

Al: "No!, turn off the switch!".... the fluid is still spraying all over him from the side of the hose, I can see now that the hose has a leak.

Donnie finally turns off the fluid.

I call another airline to come and spray our plane, after I stop laughing.

The Band

"The Band" arrived on time, unfortunately their luggage and equipment did not. They started to freak out a bit, they had a concert the next day, and they had to rehearse.

We found out their bags were in the connecting city and would be arriving in a few hours, we assured them we would put a rush on the delivery and get the bag to them ASAP.
We did as promised and the bags and equipment arrived safely within 4 hours of their arrival.

Steve was on vacation the next day and went to the concert, which was held in a local amusement park. Before they even started playing they announced " ______ Airlines lost their luggage." Steve got upset and left, thinking..."this has been band, doesn't even appreciate how we went out of our way to get their bags to them."
Of course he told his co-workers about the "announcement" at the concert.

"The Band" was checking in for the return flight. They had a lot of equipment and bags.

Yvonne checked them in "Ok sir you have two excess bags, and three of your bags are overweight, that comes to $235."

"The Band just looks at her shocked, "But they didn't charge us on the way out." you know they were thinking... "but WE ARE THE BAND!"

Yvonne: "Cash or charge sir?"

The Band: "Charge." mumbling under breath and to each other.... "this is unbelievable" "I can't believe this" "didn't charge us on the way here."

Yvonne: "Thank you sir, here is your receipt." "Oh and by the way, we heard about your announcement at the concert."

The Band: ( mouths falling open) "How did you hear about that?"

Yvonne: "Its a small town." "Have a nice flight."

The Adventures of Donnie (Part 1)

To get in and out of our baggage area, we swipe our badge, enter a code, and wait for the door to open up. (Like an automatic garage door opens).

A really simple operation.

Donnie is attempting to leave the baggage area, he is driving a tug with bag carts attached, there is another guy ahead of him who puts in his code and opens the door. (Donnie is supposed to wait until the door comes down again, swipe his badge and enter his code... waiting for the door to open.)

Instead... this is what happens.....

Donnie hesitates a moment, wondering if the door is going to come down, he decides that it will stay up. He attempts to exit, the door is comes down.

Donnie panics and hits the gas... the top of the tug gets caught on the garage door... somehow the front wheels of the tug are up in the air. Donnie is a complete panic... saying NO NO NO.... everyone is just looking at the thing wondering "What the hell happened ?"

The manager was called and she calmly took charge, talked Donnie out of the tug and called maintenance.

Donnie did not get fired.... took a drug test and passed.... and got three days suspension....with pay.

Hold on to your teeth

Everyone was already onboard the aircraft when we were notified of an Air Traffic Control Delay. Steve was up front talking to the crew when the flight attendant tapped him on the shoulder.
FA : "Excuse me, we have an ill passenger in the back, she threw up in the lav. and lost her teeth, she is requesting that someone retrive them for her."

Steve: Thinking to himself.... "How in hell am I going to do this?" "Maybe if I use a garbage bag up to my shoulder, I could reach in through the access panel and..... eeewwww. Oh my God WHY would she want them back! "Can't imagine any method of cleaning them that would enable someone to put that back in thier mouth."

Once the lav. on the aircraft is flushed everything goes into a holding tank. (Think small septic tank).

Lucky for Steve, the delay was lifted and the aircraft departed.

Message to the next station, Attention Maintenance: Please retrieve teeth from lav. tank for Passenger Smith seated in row 10A,

Thanks for your help!

How can your bag can get lost on nonstop flight ?

Simple... because every airport has at least one dumbass agent.

Our agent (Lets call him Donnie) happened to be working the gate yesterday. He boarded the flight but he was missing one person, who had checked in at the counter with one bag.

He paged this person twice, finally 10 mins prior to departure we decide to pull the bag and go.

We kept asking Donnie, did you check with the flight attendant to see how many people she has, maybe you forgot to pull the boarding pass.
Donnie, "Yes, I checked, I pulled all the boarding passes, he is not here."

English is Donnie's second language (barely)

I was working the ticket counter and ran up to the gate to check with the flight attendant, but it was too late, jet bridge was already pulled back.

Five minutes after the flight left I get a phone call.... (Donnie from the gate)... "Oh I just realized that I did not get a count from the flight attendant... and I found the boarding pass, it was just misplaced."

We send the bag on the next flight, arriving a few hours after the passenger.

That is one way a bag can get "lost" on a non-stop flight.... even if you checked in early.