First airline horror story

[PJSprog]

I've never really had much trouble flying over the years. I had one trip to New Jersey to work on a pipe organ in Scotch Plains that extended an extra day because the plane for the flight back to St. Louis never arrived, as it had been grounded in Ohio due to severe storms there. The airline (AA) wasn't very helpful that day. I called their 800 number to rebook, and the number given to us by the gate personnel was the wrong number. Another passenger found the right number for us. The CS rep on the phone said there was a flight from Laguardia leaving in about an hour. I asked if the airline was going to get me from Newark to Laguardia in time to catch that flight, and the rep simply repeated the flight information. I found a flight the next morning and booked that instead. Not only did I miss my scheduled recording studio time that night, but I also missed a golden opportunity at The Juilliard School. The head of the organ department had extended an invitation to come over to NYC and visit while I was in the area. I had to decline that offer in order to get to the airport in time to catch my flight home ... which then didn't happen until the next day. That part aggravated me more than anything.

 

[Sigarms]

By the way, if I was going to miss half my meetings, I would have canceled and went home.

The thought seriously crossed my mind to pack it in and head home as I got as far as to ask for a refund which they agreed to, but I also had a full day of meetings on Tuesday with a couple Weds morning before flying out, so even though it was a hassle on my end, thought better to go.

Next time around, if it ever becomes the itinerary again for flying the same day across the country for a meeting that same day, I'm going the day before.

 

[Dftodd]

Lost luggage twice. First time wasn't a big deal, other then the fact I saw my luggage being pulled off the plane before it departed the airport. I was headed home, so I had extra clothes and the luggage could catch up when ever. Next flight out were canceled. No way my luggage would have made a flight to my destination. Person in lost luggage wouldn't take my report as soon as I got to the airport. Had to wait till the off loaded the luggage for the flight. Then had a line of 30 people in front of me.

Second lost luggage was on my way to a reunion. Airport called the next morning and couldn't figure out how to find me to bring us our luggage. Ended up driving an 2 hours to go get it. Airline reimbursed my wife and I for a change of clothes and a jacket each My wife likes to argue. Pretty sure they gave in just to shut her up

Had flights canceled and a honey moon extended do to hurricane Sandy. Spent 3 extra days in Vermont. Did ditch the hotel and rental car though to save some cash, stayed with some relatives and borrowed an extra car.

Got stuck overnight twice in Chicago. One time they paid for the hotel, second time I got stuck with the bill do to weather. Had a connecting flight canceled in Houston and couldn't get a flight out till the next day. Ended up renting a car and driving the 9 hours home. This was after circling houson airport for an hlour and then geting diverted to San Antonio. Got stuck on the runway there for 3 hours.

A.c. was out on a flight from Midland tx, to Houston tx. New we were in trouble when I boarded the plane and the pilot was drenched in sweat Sat on the runway after we landed in Houston for an hour to get to the gate. Then driveable stairs malfunctioned. Airline almost had a riot on there hands and the emergency exits popped, if they didn't get us off the plane when they did. Temps on the plane were 135 degrees. I could keep going

 

[Firemanbuck82]

There isn't anything I can't drive to and enjoy the trip getting there.

Hawaii comes to mind....

The worst experiences I've had flying were on American and United, the best was on Lufthansa to/from Saudi Arabia. Alaska is my preferred domestic and they are, if nothing else, consistently average to above average.

Flying is merely a way to get from point A to point B anymore. Used to be people dressed up a little for the flight, now you have folks in pajamas and slippers boarding the plane like they could barely be bothered to get out of bed for the trip. On overseas trips, I spend extra to get out of economy class (and yes the drinks are free and the food is a bit better quality) so I get a seat that reclines.

Other than that, no real horror stories. I've had luggage show up late because of missed connections (American) and the last trip to Kenya in September, my bag stayed with TSA for a bit more "scrutiny". I kind of knew it was coming since I had spools of cable and other tools in my checked bag.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Have the usual lost baggage ( old days they lost your baggage to kodiak 1/4 the time) weather complications, being stuck on the plane for 3 hours at the gate while they tried to fix a mechanical. Plane was there for 7 hours but several of us parents rioted at 2 ahours so we could get our kids off the plane.

But one time......I was coming back from a xcountry ski trip in the brooks range and had to go meet the boat in Dutch Harbor instead of returning to kodiak.
Got on Reeve-Aleutian Electra to fly from anchorage to Dutch. We stopped in Cold Bay(huge lend/lease runway but not much else) weather was bad in Dutch so the plane was going to turn around there in cold bay so they booted everyone(5 of us) off to stay in cold bay! Next day they came again, weather was still bad in Dutch so they dropped 9 more off in cold bay. The next day they came this time in a dc3, weather still bad in Dutch, we told them **** no not staying again in cold bay and forced our way onto the plane but there were only seats for 11 of us I was better set up than most so I stayed. Next day horrible weather in Cold Bay as well, but day 4 it was beautiful everywhere including Dutch so made it in finally. It wouldn't have been too bad except for the accommodations in Cold Bay were a bit Spartan.

Terminal was a warehouse, semi heated, and there was an atco trailer over heated with 8 minuscule rooms that could be had for 100$ a night. Fine dining consisted of Bologna n cheese sandwiches 2x a day except sometimes it was 1 and sometimes the Bologna was forgotten. Entertainment consisted of one asteroids machine that was making a fortune!

Fortunately for me I had all my cold weather camping gear so had a pad, sleeping bag, and camp stove went down to the beach most low tides to keep an endless pot of slumgullion going.

 

[dmccarty]

I fly about once a month for work (less now, thankfully). I try to avoid O'Hare like the plague!! My step son says "O'Hare - where travel itineraries go to die!" LOL!!...

We have only been to O' Hare once or twice. The first time we flew in we could see a HUGE plume of smoke as we were coming into land! :shocked: It looked like a plane had crashed. :shocked::shocked::shocked: This was NOT something you wanted to see when you were landing. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Turned out the fire department lit up one of their practice "planes" and was training. Honestly, they need to do that at night so passengers don't see what looks like a smoke plume from a downed plane! :laughing::laughing::laughing: I am not a nervous flyer buy I bet that scared the who who out of some people.

Later,
Dan

 

[MossRoad]

My in-laws took us to Hawaii for their 50th, our 25th and my wife's sister's 15th wedding anniversaries... and our kids and niece. Flying to Hawaii from South Bend to Chicago ORD to Honolulu, we had 20 minutes to make our flight in ORD. Suprisingly, we made it in 17 minutes and ALL of our bags made it to Hawaii. 17 minutes and everything went off perfectly for all 9 of us. Splendid!

On the way home, Honolulu to ORD, we then had a 2 hour layover at ORD before flying back to South Bend. NONE of our bags made it. IT TOOK 3 DAYS TO GET OUR BAGS!!! All our our chocolate macadamia nut candies and cookies melted into unedible, unrecognizable blobs while sitting in a warehouse at ORD.

So, 20 minutes is plenty of time to transfer bags from a plane on one end of a terminal to another, but 2 hours isn't long enough??? Good grief. At least I got frisked.

 

[Furu]

Turned out the fire department lit up one of their practice "planes" and was training. Honestly, they need to do that at night so passengers don't see what looks like a smoke plume from a downed plane! :laughing::laughing::laughing: I am not a nervous flyer buy I bet that scared the who who out of some people.

Later,
Dan

When they do it at night it is even more impressive as the fire ball and flame spread is rather significant as well.
Big smoke pall inthe day or big fire ball both are impressive.

 

[MossRoad]

They have a pretty good fire training center at our South Bend airport.... right next to the end of the main runway! Makes people on the highway stop and gawk!

 

[Arky217]

This story is not really quite on subject because it's military,
but it is about a plane ride; well, almost a plane ride.

It's about my 'almost flight' with no seatbelt, or no seat for that matter !

Winter, nighttime, 1967, Dover MAC base, Dover, Del.

Crew of C141 already had engines going while going over preflight checklist.
Found service oil change on some piece of equipment hadn't been done.
Couldn't take off until it was done, so me and another airman (I'll call him Rick)
were sent to do the service.

Normally, we did this in the daytime by pushing a roll-up ladder to the wing to access the
service hatch which was on top just aft of the wings, but the crew wanted it done ASAP
so we went up on top through the cockpit hatch.

After crawling to the service hatch, the crew shut the cockpit hatch, I guess
to drown out the engine noise.

We finished the service and had just buttoned up the service hatch
when suddenly the engines revved up and the plane started to taxi off.

Well, we didn't waste much time thinking about it; it was a long ways down to
the tarmac, not to mention the jet engine exhaust on the way down.

So, we scrambled along the top of the plane to the cockpit hatch,
took hammers from our toolbags, and did some significant
pounding on the cockpit hatch.

Finally, the engines slowed down and the crew opened the hatch.
They had forgotten that we were up there !

Well, I don't remember saying much, but Rick sure laid it in to
that crew of embarrassed officers with a cussing they took without
complaint.