Comments on: Flying Lessons http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/ The Baby Boomer's Guide To Travel Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:27:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Wanderluster http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-2238 Wanderluster Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:07:13 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-2238 Argh. I feel your pain and so appreciate that you added "lessons learned". So often we rant about what went wrong without considering what we might do to change the situation in the future.<br><br>Glad you made it back safely... Argh. I feel your pain and so appreciate that you added “lessons learned”. So often we rant about what went wrong without considering what we might do to change the situation in the future.

Glad you made it back safely…

]]> By: Wanderluster http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1099 Wanderluster Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:07:13 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1099 Argh. I feel your pain and so appreciate that you added "lessons learned". So often we rant about what went wrong without considering what we might do to change the situation in the future.<br><br>Glad you made it back safely... Argh. I feel your pain and so appreciate that you added “lessons learned”. So often we rant about what went wrong without considering what we might do to change the situation in the future.

Glad you made it back safely…

]]> By: Jennifer Margulis http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1056 Jennifer Margulis Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:50:27 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1056 This sounds so frustrating. Sorry it happened. I have some flights coming up and I'm DREADING the flying part. Not just the hassle -- the whole thing... I wish there had not been so many crashes lately. It makes me (completely irrationally) even more fearful than I already am... This sounds so frustrating. Sorry it happened. I have some flights coming up and I'm DREADING the flying part. Not just the hassle — the whole thing… I wish there had not been so many crashes lately. It makes me (completely irrationally) even more fearful than I already am…

]]> By: judy Stock http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1052 judy Stock Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:15:28 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1052 Donna-<br>A similar incident happened to me changing planes in Atlanta going home from Tampa last year. There was no gate agent to help, they'd already changed my gate, and I had no idea. No notice on my cell phone until hours later. So I had to run from terminal to terminal trying to find the correct gate. Finally did but much confusion. Not fun. I hope to never have to change planes in Atlanta. The worse airport ever!! Donna-
A similar incident happened to me changing planes in Atlanta going home from Tampa last year. There was no gate agent to help, they'd already changed my gate, and I had no idea. No notice on my cell phone until hours later. So I had to run from terminal to terminal trying to find the correct gate. Finally did but much confusion. Not fun. I hope to never have to change planes in Atlanta. The worse airport ever!!

]]> By: pen4hire http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1049 pen4hire Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:02:56 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1049 I particularly agree with the "Don't ask the gate agent when you alight" advice. Same thing happened to me on a connection and the agent told me to take the handicapped car to get there faster. Since I had to wait around for the cart I would have gotten there faster--and made the plane--had I walked. Instead I missed the flight (They had just closed the gate and although it was 10 minutes until take-off, would not let me board) and had to overnight unexpectedly, making me miss the beginning of a tour the next day. I particularly agree with the “Don't ask the gate agent when you alight” advice. Same thing happened to me on a connection and the agent told me to take the handicapped car to get there faster. Since I had to wait around for the cart I would have gotten there faster–and made the plane–had I walked. Instead I missed the flight (They had just closed the gate and although it was 10 minutes until take-off, would not let me board) and had to overnight unexpectedly, making me miss the beginning of a tour the next day.

]]> By: Donna Hull http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1037 Donna Hull Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:56:25 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1037 Julie, thanks for the tips. I'll give them a try the next time I have plane issues. Yes, we always worry about having to gate check our carryon that has Alan's camera gear. Always keep our fingers crossed until we're onboard. Julie, thanks for the tips. I’ll give them a try the next time I have plane issues. Yes, we always worry about having to gate check our carryon that has Alan’s camera gear. Always keep our fingers crossed until we’re onboard.

]]> By: Donna Hull http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1036 Donna Hull Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:54:58 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1036 I agree, Joan. But when an industry is in the driver's seat they have no reason to change unless it benefits them. I sure miss the days where customer service counted for something. Although a few airlines give it a valiant effort, Southwest for one. I agree, Joan. But when an industry is in the driver’s seat they have no reason to change unless it benefits them. I sure miss the days where customer service counted for something. Although a few airlines give it a valiant effort, Southwest for one.

]]> By: Donna Hull http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1035 Donna Hull Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:53:26 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1035 Susan, what a mess. Thanks for giving us the tip about taking down the agent's name and confirmation number. I've always wondered why Alan is such a stickler for doing this, no matter what type of call he's making. It sure makes sense to me now. Susan, what a mess. Thanks for giving us the tip about taking down the agent’s name and confirmation number. I’ve always wondered why Alan is such a stickler for doing this, no matter what type of call he’s making. It sure makes sense to me now.

]]> By: Susan http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1021 Susan Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:24:32 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1021 Ugh, Donna, sorry you had to deal with this! I had a similar string of disasters a couple of years ago. I actually paged the flight attendent before we landed to ask if they would ask passengers without tight connections to stay put (one time I did this and they moved me to the front of the plane so I could run to catch a connecting flight to London - love that!). This time they repeatedly told me that I would not miss my connecting flight and to please stay seated until the people in front of me were deplaning. They insisted that I would NOT miss my flight, so pipe down! <br><br>We landed and sat on the tarmac for, oh, 30 minutes. During this time I called Delta to check the status of my connecting flight. "Don't worry, your flight has not departed yet, and there are several people on your flight going to Boston." <br><br>"OK, but just in case miss it, when is the next flight to Boston?" <br><br>"That is the last flight of the evening, but we will pay for your accomodations if you miss that flight."<br><br>I thanked him and hung up. Sure enough, all 15 or so of us missed our flight and the airline blamed the airport so they could get out of paying for our hotel accomodations. I told the Delta representation that a phone representation had promised me 10 mintues ago that the airline would pay for a hotel if we were stuck in NYC overnight. He asked me for a confirmation number on that call, and I didn't have one, so I ended up paying $70 for a cab to stay with a friend in the city. (No way was I sleeping in an abandoned airport terminal with 15 strangers!) Delta eventually reimbursed all of my expenses for that missed flight, but now I ALWAYS ask for a name and confirmation number after speaking with phone representatives. Ugh, Donna, sorry you had to deal with this! I had a similar string of disasters a couple of years ago. I actually paged the flight attendent before we landed to ask if they would ask passengers without tight connections to stay put (one time I did this and they moved me to the front of the plane so I could run to catch a connecting flight to London – love that!). This time they repeatedly told me that I would not miss my connecting flight and to please stay seated until the people in front of me were deplaning. They insisted that I would NOT miss my flight, so pipe down!

We landed and sat on the tarmac for, oh, 30 minutes. During this time I called Delta to check the status of my connecting flight. “Don't worry, your flight has not departed yet, and there are several people on your flight going to Boston.”

“OK, but just in case miss it, when is the next flight to Boston?”

“That is the last flight of the evening, but we will pay for your accomodations if you miss that flight.”

I thanked him and hung up. Sure enough, all 15 or so of us missed our flight and the airline blamed the airport so they could get out of paying for our hotel accomodations. I told the Delta representation that a phone representation had promised me 10 mintues ago that the airline would pay for a hotel if we were stuck in NYC overnight. He asked me for a confirmation number on that call, and I didn't have one, so I ended up paying $70 for a cab to stay with a friend in the city. (No way was I sleeping in an abandoned airport terminal with 15 strangers!) Delta eventually reimbursed all of my expenses for that missed flight, but now I ALWAYS ask for a name and confirmation number after speaking with phone representatives.

]]> By: Joan Nova http://myitchytravelfeet.com/2009/07/14/flying-lessons-flight-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-1017 Joan Nova Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:17:49 +0000 http://myitchytravelfeet.com/?p=4005#comment-1017 I had a bummer trip last week from Palm Beach to Laguardia, NY, and then back again, only worse! 4 hour delay one way, 5 hours the other with lame excuses on both legs. I spent 9-10 hours for what should have been a 2.5 hour flight getting to each destination. The industry really needs to shape up! I had a bummer trip last week from Palm Beach to Laguardia, NY, and then back again, only worse! 4 hour delay one way, 5 hours the other with lame excuses on both legs. I spent 9-10 hours for what should have been a 2.5 hour flight getting to each destination. The industry really needs to shape up!

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