I hate flying
Before I came to the states, I had heard about how on time the trains and flights ran. Alas how my images of US were shattered. In the past I have had to wait for trains for hours on the end and the one time I was late by 5 minutes the train left on time.
But this is not about trains. This about my recent trip to Atlanta. My flight back from Atlanta was supposed to take off at 7:00 and get me to Champaign at 7:45 (it is a 1 hr 45 min flight but with the time difference it is just 45 mins). When I reached the airport at 6:00 pm and started checking in I was told that the flight is delayed by an hour. Well not enough time to go back home so I decided I would wait at the airport while my brother and sister in law went out shopping from the airport (they had a 3 hour plan for buting furniture for their new home). I decided I will stay at the airport play a game of CEASER 3 (a really old game) on my new IBM laptop (battery life of 5 hours). At around 8:00 the screen showed another 15 minute delay. It continued till at one time there were 2 flights that were supposed to take off from that same gate at the same time around 9:40. I decided I would like to know what was going on and went to ask the flight agent. From what I could peice together, the flight crew that was supposed to come had been delayed due to a storm at their airport. Since they arrived late the flight was delayed. Also since there was lightning in Atlanta and we had to walk on the Tarmac to get to the flight we could not go till further clearence. After that the flight the other flight from that gate was boarded at 10pm. Then an announcement came that our flight crew needed to be changed (the other it seems had actually not arrived). This caused an additional 30 minute delay and we boarded at around 11 pm. Well I thought atlast we will start flying but the flight did not budge. Apparently due to the 4 hour delay in the flight the Air Traffic Control had bumped our flight out of the list and the flight had to be reinserted. Another 30 minutes. Finally we took off at around 11:30.
I remember my parents had to wait around 5 hours for a SW flight but they got a 200$ flight coupon as compensation. I hope delta has the good sense to do something similar to keep their passengers. But I am sure that hope would be in wain.
But this is not about trains. This about my recent trip to Atlanta. My flight back from Atlanta was supposed to take off at 7:00 and get me to Champaign at 7:45 (it is a 1 hr 45 min flight but with the time difference it is just 45 mins). When I reached the airport at 6:00 pm and started checking in I was told that the flight is delayed by an hour. Well not enough time to go back home so I decided I would wait at the airport while my brother and sister in law went out shopping from the airport (they had a 3 hour plan for buting furniture for their new home). I decided I will stay at the airport play a game of CEASER 3 (a really old game) on my new IBM laptop (battery life of 5 hours). At around 8:00 the screen showed another 15 minute delay. It continued till at one time there were 2 flights that were supposed to take off from that same gate at the same time around 9:40. I decided I would like to know what was going on and went to ask the flight agent. From what I could peice together, the flight crew that was supposed to come had been delayed due to a storm at their airport. Since they arrived late the flight was delayed. Also since there was lightning in Atlanta and we had to walk on the Tarmac to get to the flight we could not go till further clearence. After that the flight the other flight from that gate was boarded at 10pm. Then an announcement came that our flight crew needed to be changed (the other it seems had actually not arrived). This caused an additional 30 minute delay and we boarded at around 11 pm. Well I thought atlast we will start flying but the flight did not budge. Apparently due to the 4 hour delay in the flight the Air Traffic Control had bumped our flight out of the list and the flight had to be reinserted. Another 30 minutes. Finally we took off at around 11:30.
I remember my parents had to wait around 5 hours for a SW flight but they got a 200$ flight coupon as compensation. I hope delta has the good sense to do something similar to keep their passengers. But I am sure that hope would be in wain.
posted by Rishi Sinha | 10:48 AM
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