Why do People get so Upset with Flight Delays??

[gprsh924]

Paul I think this proves your point well

Part 1

[gprsh924]

Part 2


Part 3


Part 4

[red-beard]

Originally posted by pwd72s
I recall a column written by Brock Yates some years back...he made a very good case that a journey of 500 miles can be made faster by car than by taking a commercial flight. No time spent getting to and from airports, no time at the car rental counter, etc.

He wrote this column before 9-11-01 and the new security hassles also taking time. All depending on the destination, of course...but driving can very well be faster, with the added benefit of having your own car to take you when & where you please.

I won't agree on 500. I will agree on 250 or less. I was forced by my boss to fly to Dallas instead of drive because it was cheaper!

[jriera]

rattlsnak, I guess you meant US busiest airport .. way, way behind London, Paris, Hong Kong, etc.

Lived in Dallas for 13 years (3rd busiest airport in the US) and I have been flying professionally (as a passenger) most of my adult life, was not unusual to be more than 300 days a year in the road, made Platinum-for-life with American (2 million miles) in less than 10 years and I have multi-million status with other 4 airlines.

I had all kinds of 'incidents' including but-not-limited-to two emergency landings (not fun), 'delay' of 24 hours in Miami (a broken brand-new 777 on my way to Brazil), I have seen replacing an engine in front of the gate in Chile, and the list goes on.

No, I do not understand how ATC or flight management cannot schedule for an approaching storm that will shut down ATL or DFW for 30 minutes, no, I do not understand how you can be in front of a gate for 75 minutes at 5.30 AM arriving from Chile, I cannot understand how an airplane tries to do four landings in low visibility (in ATL) and finally has to go to refuel somewhere else and try again three more times, ... the list goes on.

I am the consumer, a company is providing me a service for a fee, some (most) of the times the service is satisfactory, lately the quality of that service is degrading. As a paying consumer I want to be informed of what is going on and evaluate my choices, same as my customers demand from me. The crew is very much up-to-date on what is going on, some obscure regulation/internal rule may not allow them to share, probably only the captain is allowed to do so.

Originally posted by rattlsnak
There is a saying in aviation:

It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, then in the air wishing you were on the ground.

I fly out of the busiest airport in the world,. ATL. I can tell you stories you wouldnt believe. And trust me, the crews are the last to know whats going on in most cases, other than MX. Its much different than part 91 or 135. Part 121 can fly as many hours as needed to finish their scheduled day as long as they dont go over 16 hours. ATC is the primary reason flights are delayed in the ATL system. They have flights landing on three runways every 1.5 minutes in VFR days, all day long. If weather moves over the airport for 30 minutes, guess how many flight are now going to be delayed simply because there is no room for them, hence the 'ground stop', or holding. If anyone wants more info let me know...
I could go on and on....

[JCF]

I was coming from San Jose that same evening (the 29th of March). Clear sailing until 50 miles from touchdown - ended up at San Antonio for 4 hours. Just made it back DFW before they shut er down. Those were some serious T heads !
We almost didn't make our window because a few people wanted to get off the plane.
I didn't mind so much except for some idiot college freshman chatting up a girl in the seat in front of me without taking a breath for 4 hours (I didn't hear her say three words) and the little rug rat behind me kicking my seat and playing an electronic game.

John

Originally posted by Nape75'911T
they are in a situation that they have no control over....I have no issue with delays that are mechanical in nature, or weather related....but I was flying out of DFW on March 29, and there was a mother of a thunder storm coming.....we were in the plane and the pilot was asking us to hurry up and get settled so we could get out before the storm grounded us. We were all ready, but there were 3 wonderful people who checked luggage, but were not on the plane.....@!@$#@!.

We got lucky, they got their luggage off in time for us to take off, and 20 minutes later......we would have been grounded for hours....at least that's what we were told.

I think the issue really is after you have been scanned, searched, questioned, checked and had your shoes x rayed.....if you are delayed for any significant length of time, you are hostage to crappy overpriced food and drinks, and really with nothing to do.....plus, most people are in a hurry to get somewhere better, or in the "I am ready to get home" mindset, so the delays seem personal some how......

I do agree, rather be safe than a plaque somewhere.....

[URY914]

Getting upset in understandable but going crazy on the 24 year old kid behind the counter is uncalled for. I'd say the counter people have the least to say about planes being on time but they take 99% of the crap from upset passengers. Some of the airline CEO's need to work the gates a few days a month to see how the real world works.