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N62XS

Well Known Member
Just wanted to relate a recent experience on my flight #1784, from SNA to ATL, on 22 June 07. About 15 minutes after departure, the Captain notified the cabin of an issue with the right engine requiring a diversion to LAX for inspection and repair. Landing at around 3:00PM EDT was uneventful. Upon arrival at the gate, the LAX maintenance crew connected a GPU to the aircraft and immediately opened the engine cowling and completed the inspection. The passengers on the aircraft, a B757, were unloaded and the repair and subsequent paper work and testing were completed in under 3 hours. Crew change and reboarding of the aircraft took another 45 minutes, with departure at 7:30PM PDT.

In this day of complain and condemn companies for not performing as expected, I thought it was necessary to write a post concerning the commendable performance of the crew of 1784 for making a quick decision to divert to LAX in the name of safety. With that said, the crew that I credit with the most outstanding performance of the day would be the Delta maintenance team at LAX. There were at least four technicians or specialists at the gate when we arrived. Their quick inspection and rapid repair of the engine saved the flight from cancellation and allowed many of us to make our final destination with only minor inconvenience.

After unboarding, I was present at the gate waiting on a meal voucher. One woman was berating a gate agent about how the delay was unacceptable. While printing my meal voucher, she turned to me and asked how this issue could be worse. I told her that if we did not divert, we COULD HAVE CRASHED! She then turned and quietly walked away with her $7.00 meal voucher in hand.

I post this in the hope that the LAX maintenance crew gets a big thank you from one loyal Delta customer. Their expertise and hard work in hot conditions was greatly appreciated.
 
Always great to hear about these types of stories and customers that understand! However, as you know, at lot just don't get alllllllllllllll that's involved in getting a loved one safely (and FAA compliantly) from one place to another. I always say that if we could show every customer each aspect of the operation then they'd understand that there's no way we're making money getting them from east coast to west for $89 round trip.
 
A Happy Airline Story?

Wow, Robbie, are you sure? While reading this forum, I have been getting the impression all airline personnel were inept, and airline travel was hopelessly inefficient. Are you sure your perceptions are correct? Is it possible those Delta pilots acted professionally, or did they just drop into LAX to see a babe?
 
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Another positive experience

Nice Robbie,

Good write up. It would be nice if more people appreciated examples like you give where there safety is the primary concern. It seems like the old joke that people just want the cheapest ticket to the scene of the crash are true.

Here's a positive experience that I had at DFW involving United. In the gate area I saw a captain and first officer approach a group of soldiers in uniform and shake each of their hands. The captain then went to the gate agent and asked for upgrades for each of the soldiers. The gate agent resisted, but the pilot became insistant and stated that he would take responsibilty for this. I don't know what kind of pull the pilots have, but this man was able to make this happen. I just sat there smiling and feeling really happy and proud of this crew. This was one of the most feel good patriotic acts that I have witnessed in a long time.

Best,
 
Scott Will said:
Always great to hear about these types of stories and customers that understand! However, as you know, at lot just don't get alllllllllllllll that's involved in getting a loved one safely (and FAA compliantly) from one place to another. I always say that if we could show every customer each aspect of the operation then they'd understand that there's no way we're making money getting them from east coast to west for $89 round trip.
Click to expand...
And yet, Northwest Airlines, in bankruptcy, gave Doug Steenland, the CEO, a little $26 million dollar options bonus.

SOMEONE's making money in this business that specializes in losing it.

I still think it would be a great idea in any ground hold or gate delay to pipe the tower through the intercom. Give people something to listen to.

BTW, Les Abend's article in Flying this week was really good in explaining the pilot side of these sorts of things. He and Lane Wallace are about the only reasons I still subscribe to the darned thing.

OK, now that I've procrastinated long enough, taken enough deep breaths... I'm going out in the garage to make my first cuts on plexiglas now.
 
Just my experience

Many of my friends and many people I have met through the RVs work or have worked for Delta or American. Everyone of them have, through even the tough times, supported their company and demonstrated a positive attitude in doing their jobs. When it takes about $400-$500 in AVGAS and 12 to 16 hours to fly my RV CTC one way, I believe my $450/7hours round trip CTC Delta ticket is an outstanding value. For years I have been a loyal Delta customer and after my most recent experience I will remain so. My experiences on American have been equally good, but flight selection out of my area is much better on Delta.

My hat remains off to the new Delta employees and the sacrifices they made during Chapter 11. Is any company perfect, no, but my recent experience of a flight crew following safety protocals and an outstanding response to a challenge by the LAX maintenance staff only serve to reinforce my opinion of Delta Airlines.

Thanks to all of you.
 
LAX AMTS

Robby,

I am a Lead AMT for Delta based in ATL. I have sent the AMT's in LAX your posting and sent a copy to head of Line Maintenance.
 
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