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WHILE PASSENGERS
will probably never
meet Al Dotson face-to-face, they would
definitely notice if the Denver Interna-
tional Airport lead ramp serviceman and
his co-workers were not on hand to help
keep things running smoothly. Dotson,
who’s been with United for 25 years, is
one of three employees who maintain
the radios that airport teams use to com-
municate, as well as the scanners they use
to get planes loaded and on their way.
Ramp employees work “below the
wing” to direct planes to the gates, con-
nect them to ground power and heat or
air-conditioning sources, and push them
back from the gates. They also load and
unload baggage and cargo, bring strollers
or wheelchairs to passengers, and per-
form walk-arounds on aircra to ensure
everything is in order. To communicate
with a range of other employees—at gates
and ticket counters, in maintenance and
cockpits—the ramp personnel use radios.
And for just about everything else, they
use handheld scanners.
“Because Denver is a United hub, it’s a
big transfer stationwith a lot of customers
passing through on their way to some-
where else,” Dotson says. “Obviously, we
want to get those planes in the air quickly
so people can get where they’re going, but
we also want to make sure customers get
there with their bags. For that, the scan-
ners are critical.”
The ramp employees use the scanners
to read the bar code on each baggage tag
and send the time and location of the
scan to a central databank, as well as the
identity of the employee scanning it and
the identity and destination of the pas-
senger who owns the bag. Dotson and his
co-workers are responsible for keeping this
vital equipment running, training ramp
personnel in its use and sometimes, in a
pinch, pitching in to make sure flights get
loaded and away from the gate on time.
“The scanners enable us to keep every-
thing moving with the most up-to-date
information. They give us gate changes
and aircra numbers to ensure we make
those transitions smoothly,” Dotson says.
“Just like with a shipping company, where
it’s nice to know where your package is, it
is nice to know where your bag is. With
the scanners, we can give customers more
complete information, and they like that.”
The bo om line, of course, is providing
every passenger with a smooth travel
experience. “Howcan I not think about the
peoplewho are flying?” Dotson says. “They
pay for a service, and theydeserve toget the
service theypay for.Wehave to thinkabout
them and the service we are delivering.”
Dotson came to United a er studying
aviation technology at Purdue University.
The company seemed like the right fit
for him because it meant spending time
aroundplanes, somethinghe truly loves.He
also appreciates his co-workers, especially
those he calls the true stars of the ramp.
“They’re out there in the coldeveryday, get-
ting everything done, and I help them,” he
says. “We’re all a team, and it takes everyone
giving their best—evenwhen it’s snowing.”
Tough winter weather gives Dotson
another reason to brag on the safety
team at Denver. “If you’re in the middle of
a snowstorm, we’re the best de-icing sta-
tion, hands down,” he declares. “You don’t
want to spend a lot of time on the ground.
You don’t want to waste a lot of fluid. Our
guys have it down to an art.
“It’s a great airport, too,” he adds. “If
you have to be in an airport, it’s a great
place to be.”
Behind
the
Scenes
Sometimes the things that
customers
don’t
see make
the biggest contribution to
a successful flight
BY A. AVERYL RE
14
MARCH 2012
•
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