Mobile Devices are Changing the Aviation Travel Experience

Who Owns the Passenger?  How Mobile Devices are changing the Aviation Travel Experience

As technology has been rapidly advancing and the proliferation of more electronic devices in the hands of the public becomes the norm, the airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have dealt with the safety issues associated with these devices and flying.  Several safety concerns have surfaced and subsided as the technology in the public’s hands and in the cockpit have changed substantially over the years.  Opinions considerably differ between agencies influential to regulating the use of Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) on commercial flights and recent rulemaking from the FAA has determined that expanded use of PEDs on flights will not pose risks to safety. 

Primarily the concern of using PEDs during flights is the possible interference with the aircraft’s avionics and instruments.  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) compiled a list of pilot submitted Airline Safety Reporting Systems (ASRS) reports of incidents arising from passengers using their PEDs.  Most notably in the report are incidents of radio communication interference, directional instrument deviations, and Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) anomalies.  Additionally, several cases of devices catching fire or emitting electrical smoke fumes in-flight are of concern in the future.  It is important to note that none of these reported cases were the cause of, or contributed to an accident flight. 

The NASA report above also highlights another concern for use of mobile phones on flights: unruly passengers.  A number of the cases reported involved a passenger’s unauthorized use of their mobile device, and a subsequent confrontation with a flight attendant.  It is apparent to almost everyone who travels on commercial airlines that complete cooperation from passengers to turn off their PEDs during critical phases of flight is never complied with.  The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) supports the expansion of devices that passengers can use, but press the FAA for a standardized procedure to impose on flights, such as standard for stowage and PED tolerance.  The AFA’s first concern is cabin safety, and they were given a voice in the rulemaking hearing due to years of experience in the cabin environment.  While their position is supportive, they require standard stowing procedures of devices such as laptops, having a number of these devices loose during emergency situations may cause further injuries.

The recent rulemaking, however, is somewhat misleading and in a general sense does not permit passengers significant new freedoms.  It is feared that FAA’s ruling will be misinterpreted, as it does not grant passengers to use two-way voice communications and are still recommending devices be turned off during the taxi, takeoff, and landing phases of flight.  More accurately, the regulation change will grant airlines that are approved by the FAA the option to lessen restrictions on PEDs.  The airlines wanting to take advantage of this rule must undergo a technical evaluation that will determine how their fleet of aircraft will react to transmitting devices. 

I suppose having this blessing from the FAA will make an airline somewhat more appealing to customers, but have passengers not been using their devices at their whim already?  It seems to me the FAA is approving of passenger actions that have been occurring for years, and all in the name of safety.

References

Association of Flight Attendants. (2013, October 31). Coalition of flight attendants unions calls for standardization of PED policies for consistent flight experience. Retrieved from http://www.afacwa.org/

Federal Aviation Administration. (2013, October 31). Press release – FAA to allow airlines to expand use of personal electronics. Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/

Friedrich, J. (2013, November 1). Airlines are misleading passengers about new electronic-device rules. Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2013, July 31). ASRS database report set passenger electronic devices. Retrieved from http://www.asrs.arc.nasa.gov/

The Merger of American Airlines and US Airways

The Merger of American Airlines and US Airways

Ever since the Deregulation Act was passed in 1978 airlines have been merging with one another to reduce costs, avoid bankruptcy, increase revenues, and remove redundant and competitive flight schedules.  The benefits from a merger is intended to outweigh the consequential aspects such as combining aircraft types and labor forces, and differences in technologies onboard each company’s aircraft.  Consideration must also be made in regards to the consumer, and how a merger will change his or her air travel experience and ticket price.  Once American Airlines and US Airways are combined, there will be substantially less competition, and may cause ticket prices and baggage fees to increase.  Consolidation of the two airlines could cause airport hubs in relatively smaller cities to close as flights are cut, costing jobs and downsizing suburban airports.   Opponents of the merger are chiefly concerned with the potential raise in airfare and the reduction of in-flight services; all costing the consumer more money for less service.  In contrast, the Government Account Office determined there are only twelve routes that overlap between the two companies, making the two airlines complimentary to one another.  Additionally, once the merge is concluded the airline network created will offer more choices to customers for both domestic and international connections.  As the airlines combine their respective connections they will be able to offer more efficient routing options, providing a better service to customers.

A significant task when merging two airlines is integrating the seniority lists of both company’s pilots.  A commercial pilots’ place on the seniority list determines what schedules and routes are available to them, income levels, types of aircraft flown, and upgrades to captain.  It is clear why pilots of merging airlines do not take this issue lightly.  There are four essential goals when merging the seniority list of two companies.  The first is to preserve jobs and avoid any and all layoffs or furloughs.  Second, do not favor the seniority of one company’s pilots over the other, it creates a hostile environment.  The third goal for pilots merging is maintain their status at the very least, if not improve it.  Finally, do not hinder a pilot’s career expectations once the companies are successfully combined.  It is painfully obvious not all of these goals will be achieved in the process of merging two airlines, as was the case with US Airways and American West airlines.  The merging of these two companies took place in 2005 and is yet to compile a pilot seniority list that fairly represents pilots from both airlines.  Proposed agreements have strongly favored those of American West airlines, causing US Airways pilots to create their own union in opposition.  Integrating seniority lists cannot be given the same approach to each merger and with the four goals above in mind a dynamic solution can be reached.  Some aspects to consider when making a seniority list as fair as possible include pilot status and category before the merger, and avoid placing them lower in order if possible.  A pilot’s longevity with the company is also important to note, and includes time in service, date of hire, and furlough time (if any).  If any substantial safety record exists on a pilot’s record, this too may be a factor affecting their seniority. 

As the American Airlines and US Airways merger continues toward completion, the next process will be gaining approval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division.   This is an essential step in determining economical outcomes from the merger include public interest.  Specifically, the Antitrust Division will decide if the combining of these two businesses will lessen competition to the extent the mergers are in a position to create a business monopoly.  It is likely the merger will happen and although the competition will be considerably less, it will also potentially benefit the consumer sufficiently to consider it a sound economical action. 

For anyone aspiring to a career in the airline industry, this merger is welcome news.  US Airway’s profits will very likely increase with the absorption of their chief competition.  The outcome will be an increase in routes, passengers, and aircraft, all of which demands more jobs to support this flying.  New pilots will be needed to fly an expanding fleet, which is complimentary to the looming pilot shortage we will possibly experience concurrent to the merged airlines acquisition of new aircraft and routes.  This means more baggage handlers, flight attendants, Boeing mechanics, and many more qualified personnel will be in demand throughout the next decade.

References

Perez, E. (2013, August 13). US government seeks to block American-US Airways merger. Cable News Network. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/

Reed, T. (2013, August 9). US Airways pilots look to endgame in seniority dispute. The Street. Retrieved from http://www.thestreet.com/

Steenblik, J. (2006, May). Managing the inevitable: What every pilot needs to know about mergers. Air Line Pilot, 14-17.

U.S. Government Accountability Office. (2013). Issues raised by the merger of American airlines and US airways (NIH Publication No. GAO 13-403T) Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/assets/660/655314.pdf

Professionalism

Professionalism

Every career field has different expectations of employee conduct, and aviation is an industry that demands high levels of professionalism from all personnel involved.  There is a wide spectrum of positions related to flight operations, from airport security personnel, to baggage handlers, to pilots: everyone is expected to perform their respective duties competently.  It is difficult to define professionalism in certain terms as it is a multi-faceted set of personal attributes and an individualistic entity that characterizes your conduct.  Although it can be difficult to define exactly what makes someone a professional, it is incredibly easy to identify someone who is lacking professional qualities. 

Maintaining a positive attitude is a significant factor that improves a work environment and employee interaction considerably.  The antagonistic coworker destroys workplace cohesion and reduces motivation, the grumpy or irritable member of an organization commits a disservice to those around them.  In addition to a positive approach, the professional is committed to the betterment of their own work, as well as affecting those around them in a manner conducive to self-improvement.  This may be characterized by a willingness to help without regards to personal agendas, and creates lasting impressions on others.  Endeavoring to maintain proficiency through research, study, and experience is a highly desirable initiative that sets an individual apart as one who preserves high standards.  An individual’s professional bearing is the staple of composing their conduct, manner, and attitude.  Above all, exercising control and comportment of oneself is the foundation upon which every professional plants their feet.  From what elemental experience I do have, I am convinced this is the most difficult quality a person may obtain and is a cornerstone that will take a lifetime to develop.  Consequently, these qualities are what I strive for everyday; as an Eastern Michigan University student, as a dispatcher at the Eagle Flight Centre, and on duty at Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

In 2011 the Flight Safety Foundation awarded several Professionalism in Flight Safety Awards to the crew of Qantas Flight 32 after experiencing an uncontrolled engine failure shortly after takeoff.  The engine failure adversely affected several aircraft systems and caused a fuel leak from the wing.  The crew exhibited calm and collected demeanors while utilizing crew resource management to systematically address the state of the aircraft.  Working together and adhering strictly to approved procedures, the aircraft touched down without leading edge slats, only one working thrust reverser, and managed to avoid a runway overrun.  There were no reported injuries. 

Conversely, a cockpit environment lacking professionalism can erode a crew’s ability to perform optimally.  As was the case in January of 2010 at Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia, when the crew of a Bombardier CRJ-200 rejected a takeoff too late and overran the end of the runway.  The aircraft subsequently encountered arresting materials bringing it to a stop ahead of a steep slope.  Among a number of factors that contributed to the accident, violation of the sterile cockpit rule was the initiating event, the last was the aircraft being improperly configured for takeoff.  While the crew was delayed at the gate, they began a conversation not related to flight operations and it continued through taxiing, checklist callouts, and while configuring the aircraft.  This led to the takeoff flaps being improperly set and the rejected takeoff.  Cockpit discipline and adherence to the regulations was not observed, and the unprofessional manner with which the aircraft was operated did not show a lack of skill, or deficiency in training on the pilots’ part, but a gross negligence to professional conduct.

The more we get involved in the field of aviation, the more apparent it becomes this industry is a small community of professionals with one thing in common: we are passionate about airplanes.  One principle I will aspire to follow throughout my career is to never irreversibly end a professional relationship unpleasantly.  Or, to use the appropriate idiom, ‘burn any bridges’.  Create a network of professional contacts and remain in touch.

There is no reason to stop building my résumé throughout my career.  Getting involved in community activity and charitable work, furthering yourself professionally, and receiving education in a field of which you have no experience are all methods I plan to utilize, essentially for life.  There are many great ways to get involved in positive learning experiences and become a varied and well-balanced person: embrace new opportunities, and never stop learning.