I enjoy my trips back to the USA, but I HATE HATE HATE our big airlines!

[DFW]

I was on the 11:35 AM flight from DFW (pure coincidence--NOT!) to Newark, NJ.

First, American Airlines said delayed to 11:50 due to weather. OK, I could live with that. Then, suddenly, it was 1:40 PM because the crew was still in Austin. But OK, Austin is just a 45 minute flight from Dallas. Then at 2 PM, they said the crew was at the DFW airport, but their plane couldn't get a gate to dock at. At 2:30, their plane had (supposedly) docked at C10 (we were at D34) and they would be at our gate 20 minutes later. Then a pilot showed up at 3:30. He went to the plane. At 5 PM, the flight was cancelled altogether when the pilot said the plane was not airworthy, which, of course, the airline maintenance could have determined six hours before. By this time, I had been at the airport almost 7 hours.

They said all flights to Newark were full, and I could get on the 11:35 flight the next day: 24 hours late! Or, I could try standby on the 5:00 flight, which was leaving at 7:00 PM. I said sure. I made sure they saw my status with Air Berlin, their German "One World Alliance" partner, which I take more often than most New Yorkers take the subway. Sure enough, that made me platinum U.S. grade A choice standby material, #1 on the standby list.

Except, here in the land of Governor Oops, the airlines do the oops routine as well. The airline's booking office transferred the whole waiting list to a flight for LaGuardia airport in New York--unbeknownst to the ticket agents at our gate. It took them 90 minutes to fix that, and then my #1 priority status got derailed when their computer suddenly changed my name to Fletcher, which is neither my first, last, or middle name. I managed NOT to yell at the frazzled gate agent (as opposed to most of the others), as she had been on duty since 6 AM, but I also reminded her that I had now spent ten hours at the airport and was beginning to reach the end of my rope.

So, I finally convinced them that I did appreciate being treated like the 1% on the waiting list, but my name wasn't Fletcher, and they got me on the flight (last seat, and only because a few passengers had gone home in disgust). I got to Newark between 9 and 10 hours late, and it was 2 AM before my heroic brother in law loaded me and my stuff into his car, and we started the 45 minute drive out to his "you-can't-get-there-from-here" part of New Jersey.

I think next time, I'll take a bus. It'll probably be shorter.

[Skittles]

1. I've noticed lately that all the flights are full and none are on time

[Arugula Latte]

4. We just flew Frontier

They SUCK.

Plane was delayed. Seats recline maybe two inches. No airline magazines anymore. They charge for all drinks (soda, everything). If you check your bag, you pay big $ (and it's called "an excess bag&quot . If you carry it on, they also charge you big $. Basically, their attitude is: "How dare you bring any luggage on our airplane?"

[DFW]

7. I took Frontier exactly once

It was in the mid 1970s, and it was from Little Rock to Hot Springs, Arkansas. It was on some old Lockheed Electra propeller plane. It managed to do the 20 minute flight (or whatever it was) more or less on time, and I have no recollection of whether or not they offered soda and nuts.

However, I have heard nothing but horror stories about them in recent years.

Unfortunately, now, the Europeans are starting to study the American model of bleed your passengers. Lufthansa is replacing almost all of their European service with their newly incarnated "German Wings," which means same planes, but with no leg room, charges for baggage, and $4 for a cup of tea or water. They are looking over their shoulder at Air Berlin, which is blowing them away. Air Berlin gives you a sandwich and something to drink, does not charge for luggage, and, if you book 2 days in advance, can book a REALLY great hot meal (big variety, too--I usually get chicken in spicy curry with saffron mashed potatoes, sort of a vindaloo variation) for €10.90. They ask you if you want the free sandwich, too, in case you're still hungry.

But even on flights to places like Bucharest--or even my daughter's trip a few years ago from Freetown, Sierra Leone to Dakar in Senegal on Gambia Airways (!!!), delays and BS like I got yesterday have not been matched.

[Skittles]

15. I would only use the seat incline if no one was sitting behind me

seriously

[Arugula Latte]

23. Normally I agree, but this one went back so little I don't think it made any difference.

[DFW]

8. I will beseech the Great Spirit for next week

I have to fly from Washington to Atlanta, and then from Atlanta to Düsseldorf. I have stuff I gotta do the moment I land in Germany, so if it's more than a few hours late, I am royally screwed. So far, Delta considers the ATL-DUS route one of their important ones, and they are probably required to perform more exacting maintenance on planes that go intercontinental.

Fingers crossed nonetheless.

[mnhtnbb]

10. Good luck. Hope you are not expecting your luggage to arrive with you.

Delta is the worst for losing luggage. Be sure to carry on what you need.

[DFW]

11. I know. But when I get to Düsseldorf, I'm sorta home, so I have what I need there.

I'm platinum for life with Air France, and that is Delta's partner in the "sky Team" alliance, so they do try to go the extra kilometer if I have a problem. I've taken the route several times, and not been messed with yet, although that may just be my dumb luck. I know their domestic services approach AA's in bad service.

[mnhtnbb]

2. I HATE flying and airports.

I'm at the point where I don't even want to go anywhere anymore unless I can get
there by train or car. It used to be so much fun--and exciting--to fly places.
Now it's just a major PITA and IF you manage to not have delays or cancellations you
are lucky!

Indeed, your BIL was a dear man to come pick you up at Newark at 2 am!

[DFW]

6. That he is!

But I HAVE to fly a lot. My family is spread out to the four corners of the earth, and my work takes me to many of the parts that my family forgot to colonize. I don't have the time to imitate Magellan--wish I did!

[OrwellwasRight]

3. I fly frequently for work and to visit family.

At least one round trip per month on average. The vast majority of my flights are on time, and the ones that aren't, I still get where I'm going without too much hassle. I know flying sucks what with the oppressive security process and the new radiation machines that take naked pictures of you, the tiny little seats, the nickel and diming us to death with fees, etc. etc., but I can't complain too much about being on time or getting the occasional free upgrade. That part of the system works for me, on average. I'm sorry you had a bad experience though. Perhaps it will even out next time.

I think the delay out of Dallas is more a Dallas problem than an American Airlines problem though. That's just Dallas.

[DFW]

5. No, this one was squarely on American

They didn't have to lie to us about where the crew was, and they sure as hell didn't have to lie to us for hours about the fact that they had not preformed a maintenance check on the plane before delivering it to the gate. When the pilot announced that the plane was not airworthy and said it was unsafe to take off in it with the plane in its present state, their cover was blown, but by that point, we'd been at the counter for six hours.

Once a month isn't frequent. You've just been lucky. I fly at LEAST an average once a week. In Europe, I sometimes get this, but never as bad as yesterday, at least not in the last 30 years.

There was one time in the seventies when I was flying out on the last British Airways plane from Brussels to London, and it had mechanical trouble. They sent us on a bus to the Belgian coast, and then on an overnight ferry to England, and then a train into London. It STILL took a shorter time than what I went through yesterday.

In the early eighties, I was on a plane from Havana to Montréal. The first time, the pilot didn't even bother to take off. He returned from the runway and said the plane couldn't fly (Ilyushin 62, Soviet imitation of the British Vicount 10). They worked on it for an hour and then we did take off. Somewhere over northern Florida, the plane did a 180, and we returned to Havana. I asked one of the crew what was wrong this time. He said it was the navigation system. A Canadian pilot sitting next to me asked what the crew member had said, and laughed when I told him. He said it was way worse than that, as they were dumping fuel the whole way back to Havana, indication they were scared of an explosion. When we got back to Havana, I asked how long to repair the plane this time. They laughed, told me we were lucky to have returned alive, and they had to wait for another plane.

But even THAT incident didn't involve the delay of yesterday, and that was over 30 years ago. Yesterday definitely took the grand prize. Albanian Airlines.

[mnhtnbb]

9. Sounds similar to what happened to us flying AA out of Miami to Peru

several years ago.

Delay, blah blah, new plane, blah blah, FINALLY a second new plane and we ended
up arriving in Lima about 5 am when we were supposed to have been there about 11 pm.

Miami is the worst, too, as far as airports go. I'd rather be stuck for several hours in Dallas
than Miami any day.

And yes, we figured it was all AA fault.

I kind of feel sorry for the ground/gate personnel. It's so obvious they've been told to lie
to passengers. My husband only heard the real story because he sidled up to one of the pilots--
and as a general aviation pilot struck up a conversation--while we were hanging around in the boarding area,
and heard what really happened.
Yes, they knew all along they were bringing a faulty first plane replacement.

[Blue_Tires]

13. Remember American is still adjusting to that U.S. Airways merger

and trying to work out all the organizational bugs post-integration; so it's probably best to avoid them for the time being...

And yes, I flew them last month, and yes, there were glitches and long delays on my return trip...

[OrwellwasRight]

14. I guess it's all in your perspective

A minimum of 24 flights a year is pretty frequent compared to a lot of my friends who do not travel for work and whose average lfight per year is 0 to 2.

[DFW]

21. 24 flights a year would be a dream luxury to me

I haven't taken that few flights a year since I was in college 40 years ago.

I'd kill to have a schedule that involved less plane travel, although I'd die of boredom if I got transferred back stateside and stuck in a desk job. Yin and Yang.

[lovemydog]

12. Yeah, flying stinks. I have heard that when you book

with an airline online, if you don't book the flight, and then check on it again later, the price may go up. Does anyone here know if that's true, or just my neurotic friend being slightly paranoid? He said that when he books stuff now he opens all the windows from the different airlines at the same time, and makes sure to book the flight at that time. I'm planning a long trip and would prefer not to have to do that just to save some money.

[mnhtnbb]

16. I have seen the price of flights I'm considering go up in a matter of 1 1/2 hours

later on-line.

I may be paranoid, but I do believe the airlines have a way to determine what flights/routes
are being looked at and respond to that with price increases immediately.

I have seen this not once or twice, but over and over again.

Last time it happened--last December-- I was looking at business class rates for a trip to Europe in May from the US.
Damn, in a matter of hours, the price went up $400/person.

[lovemydog]

27. Holy crap. Thanks.

I will tread lightly.

[DFW]

18. A lot of fares are computer calculated

If it's a route where many people are booking it and many are looking at it on the day and time you travel, the computer picks up on that. Also, if a few seats have been sold while you are looking, the computer picks up on that, too. If there is little activity, you stand a chance of seeing the same fare as when you looked last. If there is a lot of interest, all it takes is for one or two people to book the listed fare with a number of others looking, and the fare you saw will no longer be available. On the other hand, if you are booking far in advance, and the route is not something really popular (Chicago-LA, NYC-Miami, Dallas-Denver, routes like that), you might luck out.

[lovemydog]

28. Fuckin' airlines.

Thanks!

[Art_from_Ark]

26. I've seen that a lot

I often look at fares for Japan-to-US flights and notice that they will change within an hour or less even for the same route, same class, and same dates of travel. Once in a while, the price will actually be lower if I come back a little later, or it might increase or decrease if I change my departure and/or return date.

[lovemydog]

29. So good to know.

One cannot underrate skepticism when dealing with any corporation. Thank you very much.

[joeybee12]

17. Did they give you a meal?

Across the ocean part, that is.

[DFW]

19. This ordeal was just Dallas to Newark, so no, they didn't

They ALWAYS give you a meal transatlantic, at least on airlines I've taken. If there is an airline that makes you pay for meals and drinks on an intercontinental route lasting more than 7 hours, I promise you I would never even check out their routes and/or fares.

[joeybee12]

20. I haven't flown transatlantic in a few years...

I think the American airlines sitll feed you ONLY because the European-based ones still do...but you know if they could get away with charging you for the food, they would.

[DFW]

22. Could be

I took them exactly two times transatlantic since they dropped the Chicago-Düsseldorf route over 20 years ago (they JUST re-instated it, but too late: I'm sticking with Air France now). Both times were ho-hum, old planes, food so-so, etc. There was some buffoon screaming that he wanted another seat because he was seated next to a woman, which offended his religion (take a boat, fer Pete's sake, and leave us normal people alone!). I fly transatlantic often enough to care a LOT about how I'm treated on board, and whether or not my luggage gets there with me.

[Kali]

24. pretty sure my last flight from Dallas to Tucson

could have been faster (and cheaper) if I had just rented a car and spent the night in a nice hotel bed half way.

[lovemydog]

30. I'm planning on going Santa Fe to Maui

late fall or early next year. I feel like taking a damn boat from San Diego.

Also booking Santa Fe to Tucson in mid-November. May consider driving or a train.

And I have some friends who want me to visit them in NYC next year. May just tell them - come out here!

I'm just so sick of all the corporate bullshit with air travel.

[locks]

25. I know, I know

Even if you rack your brain it's hard to find anything pleasant about flying anymore. But I just learned that most of the African airlines and many of the "big" airlines are suspending flying into or out of the West African countries that have ebola cases. Soon it will be all trains, buses and ships too. Hard to imagine the patients, the workers, the families who have lost their loved ones including their children, the supplies including food, water and meds to alleviate some of the suffering, and how dependent all of us
are on planes, on time or not.

[lovemydog]

31. Geez, that's friggin' awful.

Sure puts some perspective on all my complaining. Frankly, I like where I am. I tend to travel 'cause others ask me to. Heck, I may just say 'Sorry I can't make it to your (wedding, family gathering, birthday party, yadda yadda fill in the blank). Any time you would like to visit me here though, you are welcome!'