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Nowadays with forecast weather events and the very high load factors, if you are a low priority customer, you aren't going anywhere for days. Back in the ol' days, you got from A to B but were simply delayed. I'm hoping you get a chance in the near future to "enjoy" the passenger bill of rights.
The key to getting there quicker as a low value flyer during IRROPS is to get your seat first. An airline will clear space for the super elite top 0.5% sorts during ground stop recovery chaos but will generally not move a no status sort with a confirmed seat for the more common mid tier elites.
Quote:
Originally Posted by artillery77
Why does snow in Kansas disrupt my SFO to LAX?
Why are the stressed out front end workers always asking for people to take crappy vouchers to give up their seats?
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Because a plane not in the air costs the airline money and they just can't keep extra planes hanging out at non-hubs. The plane they need for that route is currently inbound from Chicago where it is snowing hard.
As for oversold flights, lots of people really collecting vouchers for them. We almost bit a few days ago- oversold ATL-LHR was up to $2000 and could be used on any Skyteam flight (Delta vouchers have very generous terms for the passenger they're attached to) and we agreed we'd be in at $2500. Not bad compensation for losing a day of a two week holiday.
Folks are complaining that they are going to miss their international connection that only leaves once per day. Really, you booked a 1 hour connection on the only flight that day? I love your gambling spirit....
Have to say, I agree with this one wholeheartedly. If you book an international connection that is two hours or less, you're gambling. If you lose, don't whine please.
A layover is far better, and maybe some extra fun. Can't afford the layover, then you should probably make different vacation plans with more flexibility.
Ok, a plane takes awhile to check. What airline wouldn't realize planes break and wouldn't have spare planes ready?
Airlines do have spares, but not at evey airport. Usually just the hubs. To move a spare airplane takes time as crews have to be called in, the plane made ready to fly, etc. Usaully it is quicker just to wait till the original plane is fixed, the weather clears, etc.
Why does snow in Kansas disrupt my SFO to LAX?
Because the plane may be coming from Kansas. Or maybe the crew is coming from Kansaa.
Why are the stressed out front end workers always asking for people to take crappy vouchers to give up their seats?
Airlines overbook because statistically a certain percentage of passengers don't show up for a flight. I've had flights where up to 30 passengers no-showed. It's cheaper to give out the occassional voucher if you can double-sell several seats on each flight. I don't agree with this process, just explaining it.
Why is the wait time to get rebooked an hour to get to a person?
Well if there are 150 people on a flight and each rebooking takes the ticket/gate agent 1 minute, that's two and a half hours till they get to the last passenger. With two gate agents, an hour and 15 minutes.
Why are seat sizes smaller?
Because only the passngers with the longest legs are affected. Passengers whose knees aren't being forced into the seat in front of them don't really care if there are 10 inches of extra space or only one inch of extra space. I have long legs and can't stand having my knees massages the whole flight, but can usually either spread my legs or twist my whole body so my legs are both to one side.
Why are additional fees now added for bags?
Carry-on fees are used to discourage passengers from filling up the overhead bins, which causes passengers who board later to have to check their bags. This requires them to open up their bags to take out medicine, documents, etc., which delays the boarding process. Checked bags are charged because you are paying for the service of the baggage handlers which would otherwise not need to be hired. Believe it or not, there are passengers who travel very lightly. Think about a grandparent who frequently visits their grandkiids. They can have enough clothing at their kid's house that they don't need to carry much.
Finally, why are airlines breaking records for profits right now?
Because the above policies are working. But wait till the economy takes a dive and businesses curtail travel and people stop taking vacations.
The answer is the same. The airlines are putting everything that could go wrong onto the consumer. They've gotten better at it and people are upset. And I'm honestly surprised to hear mechanical problems, because often that's not noted until it's too late for people to take a competing airline's flight.
The problem with mechanical problems is that it is difficult to give a time estimate as to when they will be fixed. If a pilot has a bad indication in the cockpit, it could be the indicator, it could be the sensor, it could be the computer, it could be the actual component. A computer reset takes only a minute. A component replacement could take hours to have the part shipped from another airport. And, no, airlines don't keep a complete set of spare parts at every airport.
How bad is it? My father's last flight nearly caused him to run out of oxygen. As a man who needed assistance in a wheelchair, he was not the first to the line. It took 3 days to fly domestically. That airline has lost over a million dollars in airline travel because of it.
The airlines have lost the people's trust. People are entitled and self-advocate because they have been well trained that not doing this will get them nowhere.
Welcome aboard captain. Please try to keep your liquor drinking to a minimum as you stare at the auto-pilot for 5 hours.
As for the last comment, really? You expect pilots to be understanding of passengers, then you throw in this little gem of ignorance.
We are all stuck in a metal tube in a seat that might be 18 inches wide, yes both armrests have to be down,
if you can't fit in one seat, buy two.
If you need a seat belt extender you need two seats.
Ha. Ha.
Given that all flights seem to be oversold, good luck with that second seat next to you. That will be taken first for the looooooooooong list of standby passengers.
How about not stuffing 3-4-3 in a 777? That plane was configured 3-3-3 for the longest time but now virtually every airline crams another seat in there making them very narrow.
Nothing like sitting in coach for 16 hours to Beijing in a 3-4-3 777.
So you would have no issue sitting in an aircraft for 8 or 10 hours on the tarmac, unable to get off or use the bathroom? The passenger bill of rights were put in place because Airlines took advantage of their passengers just like overbooking. I guess you are just fine with airlines taking advantage of you.
100% AGREE!!! Airlines who made passengers sit for hours while the toilet backed up and kids were hungry should be fined!!! If the aircraft can't move after an hour they should let passengers of the plane, IMHO!
As far as mechanical delays, well that does suck but I'd rather be delayed than the plane crashing; however, it seems to occur way more on certain airlines than others. And I also now avoid those airlines.
Honest question, is sitting for your highly exaggerated 8 or 10 hours better than being stranded for 3-4 days in the airport?
Nowadays with forecast weather events and the very high load factors, if you are a low priority customer, you aren't going anywhere for days. Back in the ol' days, you got from A to B but were simply delayed. I'm hoping you get a chance in the near future to "enjoy" the passenger bill of rights.
Due to all of the ambulance/lawyer chasing customers, the new paradigm is to simply remove all passengers from the aircraft to fix a disturbance. Enjoy the delays and cancellations now being caused by one single idiotic passenger. Folks like you deserve what you get.
If I was stranded for 3-4 days I would rent a car (provided not an overseas or overwater flight). I wouldn't want to be stranded for 3 hours on a plane without use of the facilities and 4 hours would be pushing it claustrophobically wise. Your attitude, however, tells me maybe you need to get out of the cockpit. I have a friend who is a mechanic on a major airline, at this moment in time he wouldn't be complaining about a passenger's comments, he would be up and out of his seat to the cockpit asking what he can do. He loves his job, he loves the people. There is probably nothing you can do, however, you can sympathize with someone who probably doesn't fly much and doesn't understand that something as simple as a light that isn't working means the plane can't take off even if it is only a burned out bulb.
Ok, a plane takes awhile to check. What airline wouldn't realize planes break and wouldn't have spare planes ready?
Why does snow in Kansas disrupt my SFO to LAX?
Why are the stressed out front end workers always asking for people to take crappy vouchers to give up their seats?
Why is the wait time to get rebooked an hour to get to a person?
Why are seat sizes smaller? Why are additional fees now added for bags?
Finally, why are airlines breaking records for profits right now?
The answer is the same. The airlines are putting everything that could go wrong onto the consumer. They've gotten better at it and people are upset. And I'm honestly surprised to hear mechanical problems, because often that's not noted until it's too late for people to take a competing airline's flight.
How bad is it? My father's last flight nearly caused him to run out of oxygen. As a man who needed assistance in a wheelchair, he was not the first to the line. It took 3 days to fly domestically. That airline has lost over a million dollars in airline travel because of it.
The airlines have lost the people's trust. People are entitled and self-advocate because they have been well trained that not doing this will get them nowhere.
Welcome aboard captain. Please try to keep your liquor drinking to a minimum as you stare at the auto-pilot for 5 hours.
as a potential opposing and someone who flies nearly every week and have had some of worst experiences this year
Ok, a plane takes awhile to check. What airline wouldn't realize planes break and wouldn't have spare planes ready? Do you realize how expensive planes are and the cot to have extras (of which they do have some not always in the right places when needed) having more pares would drive up the cost of flight significantly
Why does snow in Kansas disrupt my SFO to LAX? can be two-fold; either weather to fly through or around (think about the Jet, had a PHL to SFO 14 hours experience where we had to land in KC to refuel because of both weather at SFO and headwind fuel capacity (A321)) or other equipment needed for later flights that is delayed. Use Flight aware and see where your incoming flight before going to the airport is a suggestion
Why are the stressed out front end workers always asking for people to take crappy vouchers to give up their seats? Well its a complex model to estimate supply and demand that doesn't always work and maximizes profit. Going to an it restaurant usually has a wait and is over capacity at demand moments and have to make it work, airlines have far more issue on regulation/safety etc and miss sometimes
Why is the wait time to get rebooked an hour to get to a person? weather usually is the big culprit with canceled and delayed flights and missed connections so again is a supply and demand issue. I guess I am lucky with good status I can get someone within a few minutes generally
Why are seat sizes smaller? Why are additional fees now added for bags? weight and fuel and costs
Finally, why are airlines breaking records for profits right now? yes and no but newer fleets with greater fuel efficiency and decently priced oil also some recent consolidation has created some synergies with fewer overall flights on larger more fuel efficient aircraft. Again I don't deaminize companies for being profitable unles excessive and the airline is not excessive long run profits
Have to say, I agree with this one wholeheartedly. If you book an international connection that is two hours or less, you're gambling. If you lose, don't whine please.
A layover is far better, and maybe some extra fun. Can't afford the layover, then you should probably make different vacation plans with more flexibility.
It's not always the customer's fault. On my trip to Europe last summer I booked a flight that had a 4 hour layover. Several months after I booked it, they changed the flight times and my layover was reduced to 90 minutes. Now that was still enough time and I didn't mind it but that certainly gives less room for error.
I'm going to Wyoming in August. When booked my ticket the layover going out was 2 hours. Just last week I got a change notice and it was reduced to 55 minutes. I'm very nervous about that because if I miss that flight then I'll be stuck in Texas overnight.
Last fall I went to Michigan and initially booked a flight with a 2 hour layover. Months later they changed the 2nd flight on that leg and it made me have a 6-hour layover in Reagan airport. That sucked!
So yeah, that's one of the reasons why most of us hate airlines. I have been getting big schedule changes (and hour or more) on most of my trips lately. Don't know why this has become a bigger issue for me all of a sudden. Bad luck, schedules just moving around more often now, etc?
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