Huddle with the Pilots and Dispatcher

[ehunyadi 0]

Not since the Haggis Incident of 2011 have we missed a deadline. We were on a great roll until yesterday when two loads were left half-delivered on the tarmac. When I checked into Ops and found the problem, I immediately called the pilot who was sitting in the pilot's lounge at KTRK.

 

"Walt? What are you doing?" I asked him knowing he should have been flying and not relaxing.

 

"Well, the plane disappeared with Mark. The dispatchers told me they had it all under control, so I just picked up my bag, grabbed a Dr. Pepper and took a seat. You know, this Dr. Phil guy is an idiot."

 

"Wait. You mean to tell me Mark was there and took the plane from you?" I was surprised at what I was hearing.

 

"Exactly. He said he was scheduled to take the plane to KSFO for some hauls to KVNY and that the dispatcher cleared him for it. Who am I to argue?" he asked.

 

"You're our senior captain, the most senior guy in the pool. Don't you think you should have maybe called the dispatcher to find out? Maybe call me to make sure?" I was getting a little hot about this.

 

"Well, that's the thing. I did. I called Rachel in KVNY and she said that Mark needed it first and that I could complete my hauls when he was done."

 

"Who dispatched Mark?" I was homing in on the root cause of the problem.

 

"Wasn't it Rachel? Who else would have.... aww shoot." Walt realized his mistake. With our new base opening this past week, we brought on another dispatcher, Patty, who handles our SFO traffic. Patty dispatched Mark without checking with Rachel first.

 

"I think we both know what happened." I told him. "No problem. I'll get Patty and Rachel in a room together to discuss this. Need me to send a plane up to get you, or do you know anyone there who can give you a ride?"

 

"I've got a former student of mine about to make a trip to KSNA and my wife can pick me up from there, so I'm good." Walt had trained so many of the pilots in Southern California that he runs into them almost all the time. Being with him in a pilot's lounge is like being with a celebrity.

 

"OK Walt. I'll take care of it here. See you on the schedule later!"

 

After getting off the phone with him, I sent a message for Patty to catch our next flight down to KVNY where we could set up a process to ensure that these issues don't arise again in the future.

 

When she arrived, she was all apologies. "No problem," I told her, "It's a rookie mistake. Just don't make it again." We then sat down in my office (which is still in KVNY until I move it up to KSFO later this month) and drew up processes to ensure that the jobs we take are prioritized properly and that both dispatchers are working from the same schedule and not their own. I think we have it all hammered out now, and Patty flew back up to KSFO with all smiles. I told them the next time this happens, their punishment will be to eat haggis in memory of what should have been our first last missed deadline haul.

 

[allardjd 1,853]

I HATE it when that happens.

 

John

[brett 2,316]

Remember, the owner is technically responsible for all mistakes regardless who, why or how it happened.    

[ehunyadi 0]

Remember, the owner is technically responsible for all mistakes regardless who, why or how it happened.    

 

That's exactly right, and in our case, very true. lol