I’m just back from a study leave trip to California. I couldn’t have asked for a better trip, though there was the matter of both the flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco and the flight from San Francisco to Philadelphia being delayed by mechanical issues on the planes.  The outbound flight was flight was two and a half hours late because the original and the replacement plane required repairs of some sort. The passengers never knew exactly what that was all about.

The return trip left San Francisco 90 minutes late because of a missing screw somewhere on the tail rudder.  Apparently the repair took about 20 minutes and the paperwork to document the repair took over and hour to prepare and file.  The passengers were told all about it.

It is a tale of two pilots.

We boarded the San Francisco flight on time and seemed all ready to go when the pilot on Flight 412 told us there was a mechanical issue and they were working on it. About 45 minutes later he told us we’d have to disembark and go to a nearby gate to get on a replacement plane. Of course, they’d have to unload the original plane and put all our baggage on the new place. We got that.  But for over an hour we were told nothing as we waited at the nearby gate. The gate agent finally told us they were fixing a problem on the new plane, but no one had told her how long it might take or what it was. Then about five minutes later she said not much more than, “Okay, everybody let’s get on the plane.”

Once in the air, the pilot told us how long it would take to get to California, but I don’t recall an apology for the 150-minute delay.

The pilot got us from Philadelphia to San Francisco and the flight was smooth.  Competence is good.

We boarded the Philadelphia flight on time and seemed all ready to go when the pilot on Flight 855 told us there was a mechanical issue and they were working on it.  About ten minutes later he told us about the missing screw and that it was an easy repair.  For the next 80 minutes we’d hear from “Pilot Dan, up here in the cockpit” about every ten minutes. He would tell us how he’d gone down to see how the screw replacement was going and then about the paperwork that had to be filed. He invited us to come to the cockpit for a chat if we’d like, and then at one point walked slowly down the aisle stopping every four or five rows to ask if anyone had any questions.  When someone asked about their connection in Philadelphia he told her he’d have the gate agent check on it.

Once in the air, Pilot Dan told us how long it would take us to get to Philadelphia and how he thought they could make up some time so most people could make their connections. He apologized for the delay and thanked us for our patience.

When we landed in Philadelphia, Pilot Dan apologized again and asked us to let those with tight connection off the plane first. Competence comes first. Clear communication and caring are really nice. I think everyone liked Pilot Dan.

Our world values competence and it should. Sometimes we forget caring and clear communication.

I used the online response form on the airline’s website to commend the pilot for all he did.

The Apostle Paul instructs us to keep our eyes on those who are a good example for us (Philippians 3:17). Pilot Dan is a good example in a world that sometimes pays little attention to caring and clear communication.

See you Sunday