It really doesn't matter the airline or the airport. These things happen...but rather than shrugging them off as a result of the great resignation, there are a myriad of learning moments in my last 18 hours.
Boarding at 9:30 pm for a 10pm flight home last evening, we waited in our seats until Midnight for maintenance to finally give up on trying to fix a mechanical issue which, let's face it, they had to know about before we boarded. When the ground crew called it, passengers were told to deplane and the gate agents would direct us to next steps (which most of us assumed was a new plane, as the flight crew gave no indication of timing out).
Instead, once off the plane, we were told we would all get vouchers for local hotels and the flight would be rescheduled for the next morning. The airline assigned me a nearby Radisson. My barely English-conversant cabbie took me to the Renaissance, trying desperately to convince me they were one-in-the same. When I finally arrived at the Radisson, I was told that, despite having a confirmed room, they were full...and I was directed to another hotel in the ownership's chain down the street. When I (and three other newly united companions) walked through the doors, we faced a check-in line at least 50 deep at 1am.
A sole desk agent was desperately trying to process us (whether she called management to report her dire situation or whether her management just didn't give a shit is unknown)...but her lack of training resulted in each check-in taking, on average, 5 minutes. The four of us analyzed her process from afar and designed a different process that would have cut the time in half. But not wanting to offend this sadly abandoned individual and lose a chance at a room to her potential ire at being redirected, we suffered with the rest of our new clan, finally scoring our rooms at 3:30am.
Up at 6 to get to the airport 2 hours before the rescheduled flight, I checked with the exterior gate agents to confirm that my existing boarding pass was still valid (as we were told by gate agents when we headed to our respective hotels). Hell no, he laughed...go see the agent inside. The agent inside confirmed that notion...but couldn't produce a new boarding pass, finally reproducing my existing ticket and telling me I should be good to go, but I couldn't go through TSA pre; I'd have to go through the absolutely inexcusable shitshow of general TSA.
As I reached my gate with 10 minutes to spare, my overnight posse gave me that WTF look and said they breezed through TSApre with last night's boarding passes. Perfect, I thought. Just perfect.
We board...and then wait an hour until the airline can find a pilot. Again...why board us when you know there is an issue that is likely out of your control?
At every possible point in the process, the airline failed. As we finally prepared for take-off, I thought, "what else could go wrong?" And then resigned myself to my fate.
Clearly, as I write this, that didn't happen...but it was an 18 hours I never want to again endure. But, at the same time, two truths emerged.
People are assholes, as I saw countless passengers berate airline personnel (even the co-pilot), as if this was their fault. Because, it is not...it is the fault of management that didn't prepare them for this moment.
And the second? In the big picture, I met new people, shared interesting stories and learned a ton about how much we all need to examine our protocols. Like, airlines should call flights earlier than Midnight...because their passengers' options become increasingly limited as the night progresses. Screw where your planes need to be in the morning. When it takes longer than 20 minutes to solve a problem, move on, in the name of your customers. In the end, as I stood in line for my hotel room for over 2 hours, it would have made more sense to stay at the airport. But, once TSA shut down for the night, I couldn't go back.
And, if you're going to guarantee a confirmed room, be sure that room actually exists. A far better understanding of how hotels work would be beneficial. Airlines rarely bump reserved passengers without some compensation. Hotels do it all the time. Airlines need to understand that they speak a different language when dealing with their hotel "partners." This post never would have happened if I had gotten to my "confirmed" hotel and been to bed by 1.
Just saying.
That's travel today Bill! Been there done that, and have all the t-shirts. Why I drive now most to conferences unless it involves crossing an ocean.
Posted by: Fritz Smith | June 02, 2022 at 12:47
I'm with you, brother. We've all had these days/nights...but this one was simply breathtaking in the mistakes at every possible decision point.
Posted by: Bill Geist | June 02, 2022 at 13:51
Hello my friend, I haven't had a flight from hell, but via United had to wait 2 hours starting at midnight in Norfolk, VA simply for 1 bag to get from the plane to the claim area with no United office open in the airport and for 2 hours not even a listing of which baggage claim was the objective.
It will only get worse! There are an abundance of new boatmen on Styx wanting to ferry us on. I am not a pessimist but a performance bell curve from inception to demise is a pattern of existence.
Posted by: Brian Weerts | June 04, 2022 at 12:23
It was the one thing they said to me that was true. Your bag won't be available until 6am. The app said it was pulled at 5:50 ;)
Posted by: Bill Geist | June 04, 2022 at 12:41