I just want to give a shout-out to United Airlines Captain Colin Adams, who transported me and a full Boeing 767-400 from Houston to Newark earlier this week on UA557. Although we ran into an annoying delay upon landing, his superb communication kept everyone calm onboard.
Captain Adams, The Great Communicator – Making The Best Of An Annoying Delay
There are few things more annoying when it comes to flying than arriving on-time only to find that your gate is occupied. This is happens often, however, in heavily-congested Newark.
Let me first commend Captain Adams for his warm welcome onboard and his gentle yet firm announcement noting that masks must be worn at all times over the nose and mouth except while eating or drinking. It is so important that the Captain set the tone for the flight and Adams did so here, reminding passengers without unnecessary threats of the importance of wearing masks.
As we neared Newark, Adams provided a detailed weather report, thanked every passenger for traveling on United, and wished everyone a happy holiday season. A small touch, but it is always nice to be thanked for your business.
After a smooth landing, we taxied for a bit before coming to stop well short of the gate. Without further delay, Adams informed us that an aircraft was delayed in pushing back and that we would move as soon as possible. He was apologetic, but his quick update took away any doubts as to why we had just stopped.
It took longer than expected to clear the alleyway so that we can pull into gate 90, but every few minutes Adams would give us an update, essentially stating just a bit longer. When we were cleared to start taxing, he proactively informed us that we would stop just short of the gate and be towed in, because of the sharp angle of the gate.
Consequently, when the aircraft came to a stop, this time much closer to the gate, no one got up.
Soon enough, we made it to the gate…30 minutes late. But people were not upset. Sure, many rushed off to make connections which suddenly were much tighter, but everyone had information…we were not left in the dark.
CONCLUSION
This flight was a small but important lesson that keeping passengers informed is just as important as the delay itself. Transparency and clear communication go a long way toward alleviating anxiousness and anger over delays. Well done Captain Adams.
If only the captain had informed airport management MJK was on board a gate would have been vacated instantly. Missed opportunity.
At least he gave the mask warning/threat….
Keep complying sheep
After all this time, you’re still this ignorant? Wow.
Besides, it’s a federal law. You’d like your flight crews to disregard federal laws? Or just the ones you don’t agree with? Just go away.
federal law? passed by which congress?
The mask mandate has the force of Federal Law. Technically, it is a TSA Security Directive (TSA SD) which requires airlines and airports to enforce the mandate. The TSA SD was issued in accordance with a Presidential Executive Order signed on the President’s first day in office.
The current TSA SD has an expiration date in March (March 22nd?) but can easily be extended again, as it has been a couple of times already. Short of that, it would take another Executive Order, or Congressional action, to end the mandate.
Gordon Bethune’s old line to pilots was something like “if the plane’s not moving, your lips should be flapping.” In our modern age of personal devices we have no need for almost any purser or pilot announcements. But when there’s a delay, we want to hear all about it.
“There are few things more annoying when it comes to flying than arriving on-time only to find that your gate is occupied.” On of the more annoying things is arriving EARLY only to find your gate is occupied. Agreed, that it happens at often EWR, also quite frequently at DEN where the arriving flight is punished by being placed in the penalty box (deicing area at the end of the concourse). And it often occurs when there are several other EMPTY gates nearby and often NOT due to a delay for the departing flight.
It’s an excellent example of their incredibly poor management skills, snatching defeat (late arrival) from the jaws of victory (early arrival). Flying LGA to DEN for example, United knows for about 4 hours the EXACT time of arrival yet they still refuse to assign a different (empty) gate for the arriving flight. Their explanation that changing gates would mean departing passengers (on the next flight for the arriving aircraft) would have to walk to a new gate and the luggage carts would have to be re-routed stretches the limits of incredulity, pure spin-doctoring nonsense.
Fascinating also how pilots ALWAYS brag about “we got you here 25 minutes early” but they never confess and apologize that “we got to the gate and allowed you off the airplane 25 minutes LATE”.
Sorry Matthew, but all the great communication in the world cannot compensate nor soothe the anger of The Twilight Zone embarrassment of landing early but deplaning late.
One of …
Nice little column today, Matthew. Great to hear about any positive things in the industry.
We hate it when staff is making announcementa all the time.
It’s so annoying to hear every statement in 3 different languages.
The amount of noise should be kept to the bare minimum so everyone can sleep, watch movies or work as much as possible.
Must be a slow news day.
United pilots, overall, have been really good at keeping pax informed.