Southwest Airlines: "Upgrade Your Software"
Dec 31, 2022 08:31:22 #
Manglesphoto wrote:
My daughters job was to make the software screw up, the hard part was keeping track of and in the order of what she did.
Yup. A problem may not show up until a certain sequence of events occur. Then one has to backtrack to analyze the conditions that led up to the hiccup.
Dec 31, 2022 08:32:40 #
Longshadow wrote:
Yup. A problem may not show up until a certain sequence of events occur. Then one has to backtrack to analyze the conditions that led up to the hiccup.
That's why the early astronauts used old, outdated computers. If they used something new, a once-in-a-million problem could develop, leaving them "Lost in Space."
Dec 31, 2022 08:43:36 #
jerryc41 wrote:
That's why the early astronauts used old, outdated computers. If they used something new, a once-in-a-million problem could develop, leaving them "Lost in Space."
Yea, don't want any hiccups there!!!
Dec 31, 2022 08:47:19 #
Longshadow wrote:
Yea, don't want any hiccups there!!!
Definitely not. I have no desire to go into space. The thousands of sci-fi movies have made it seem too easy and too normal. Everything is too far away.
Dec 31, 2022 08:55:24 #
jerryc41 wrote:
Definitely not. I have no desire to go into space. The thousands of sci-fi movies have made it seem too easy and too normal. Everything is too far away.
The movies....
For trips that take months+, where do they store all the food?
Dec 31, 2022 09:55:41 #
OwlHarbor
Loc: Pacific North West USA
I agree there is a disconnect and it is about money. It amazes me that our society continues to let corporate, state, federal, and county governments run our country the way they do. It appears that there is an inordinate amount of power given to leaders or those in control to make decisions without the knowledge required to make great decisions. I get that our form of democracy allows the biggest corporations to drive politics thus our government. Regan in his two terms set the motion for what we have today. You can see his thoughts and ideas years before his two terms in office. I'm proud that my dad understood something really important, that we should meet in the middle, it's not left or right, up or down it's meeting the core of this nation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXBswFfh6AY Many in both parties see Regan as a great leader and that alone should make people want to understand, and how that has worked for America. Our first president saw this coming and showed great concern as he was leaving office. https://www.georgewashington.org/farewell-address.jsp
Dec 31, 2022 10:04:19 #
I rarely have had problems with Southwest. Glad I drove 400 miles for the holidays instead of flying. We think of American as the World's Largest Non- Scheduled airline out our way.
Dec 31, 2022 10:43:40 #
The nationwide storm created "the perfect storm" for the airlines and airports. I try to understand situations that lead to newsmaking events such as this. The airlines are at the mercy of the airports where they have terminal agreements. They can not simply fly to any of them that they want to. Also, the airport can only handle a finite number of planes on the ground at a given time.
When terminals close, it becomes a game of "Whack-a-Mole" for the airlines as to where they can go and when. Add to that getting pilots and crew that are "flight capable", ground support, in-terminal support, etc becomes monumental.
Add to this a tidal wave computer needs that interface with other airlines and terminals as agents try to get customers on alternate flights as they are angry and downright hostile.
Computer software plays a part yet there are many, many other factors that came into play in this historic event also. Again, I am not defending Southwest Airlines, I believe that in order to control something we must first understand how it works....Just like our cameras.
When terminals close, it becomes a game of "Whack-a-Mole" for the airlines as to where they can go and when. Add to that getting pilots and crew that are "flight capable", ground support, in-terminal support, etc becomes monumental.
Add to this a tidal wave computer needs that interface with other airlines and terminals as agents try to get customers on alternate flights as they are angry and downright hostile.
Computer software plays a part yet there are many, many other factors that came into play in this historic event also. Again, I am not defending Southwest Airlines, I believe that in order to control something we must first understand how it works....Just like our cameras.
Dec 31, 2022 11:19:23 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
jerryc41 wrote:
Yes, traffic is much worse everywhere, it seems. And it's a fact that driving has gotten worse since the pandemic began. Fast and rude.
Not just the pandemic. The problem is the lack of interest in a robustly funded infrastructure program in these United States. Not only at the federal level but the state and local level. The problem is that everybody wants the best highways and roads, water and septic systems, but nobody wants to pay for it. Politicians run and get elected on the “low taxes” platform and perpetuate the decline. The taxpayers (working folks) can justify their reluctance to pay more taxes because incomes have not paced with inflation, leaving little room for extracting more in taxes from marginally sufficient incomes. Meanwhile the wealthy keep getting a bigger and bigger slice of the pie.
Sorry for the rant. . . . .
Stan
Dec 31, 2022 11:59:58 #
sippyjug104 wrote:
The nationwide storm created "the perfect sto... (show quote)
But the last day I heard the data reported, Southwest was responsible for 90% of the cancellations. Both pilots and stewardesses for SW were interviewed and said that SW had known for many years that their IT system was severely outdated. So when the weather hit, aircrews and pilots couldn’t be notified electronically like other carriers of flight information and where to report, each had to be called separately - 1600 calls as I recall. Add to that the fact that unlike other airlines, SW doesn’t use a hub and spoke system and you end up with planes stuck all over the country and a terrible problem getting aircrews and pilots to them. None of these problems were news to SW - both the pilots and stewardess unions had been pointing them out to management for years.
Dec 31, 2022 12:10:37 #
jerryc41 wrote:
It's been called the largest meltdown in aviation ... (show quote)
I have NO regrets about staying current. I never regret upgrades. But I don’t ride on the bleeding 🩸 edge!
Dec 31, 2022 12:23:30 #
rck281
Loc: Overland Park, KS
jerryc41 wrote:
It's been called the largest meltdown in aviation ... (show quote)
I would bet that old software is still being used in our utility companies. Some day the electricity grid will collapse. Are the utilities secure from attack? I bet not.
Dec 31, 2022 13:54:37 #
OwlHarbor wrote:
I agree there is a disconnect and it is about mone... (show quote)
Remember Eisenhower warning us of the "military-industrial complex." Money is all that matters.
Dec 31, 2022 13:59:33 #
rck281 wrote:
I would bet that old software is still being used in our utility companies. Some day the electricity grid will collapse. Are the utilities secure from attack? I bet not.
The recent terrorist acts in NC and other states prove the need for better utility security. It's far too easy to damage million dollar transformers and other components with common weapons.
Dec 31, 2022 14:56:21 #
olddutch
Loc: Beloit, Wisconsin
jerryc41 wrote:
It's been called the largest meltdown in aviation ... (show quote)
Do not forget the Meltdown that United had with their computers about Seven years ago. I was stuck in Wichita for an extra eight hours through that ordeal
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