But will anyone get fired for this?
May. 18th, 2006 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sinanjuDenver International Airport, 3:20 p.m. -- My Alaska Airlines Flight 507 from Denver to Portland was scheduled to depart at 10:58 a.m. local time. It is now 3:20 p.m. local time and if I'm lucky my flight will depart at 5 p.m. There's still a possibility that it will be even later, and I suppose it could still be canceled entirely.
Things got off to a rocking start when the plane was late arriving at the gate. We didn't even begin boarding until about our scheduled departure time. But we did start boarding and everything was going smoothly. Until, while we're all settling in for the trip, the entire plane lurches. Never a good sign.
Eventually the captain comes on the intercom to tell us that some shithead (my word, not his) driving the tug that is supposed to back the plane away from the gate has managed to crash the towbar into the front landing gear assembly. So, of course, they have to have someone take a look and make sure there's no serious damage. So we wait. Half an hour goes by and the captain makes another announcement. The maintenance guy who looked at the gear wants to have someone else inspect it. So it'll be longer still. An hour goes by.
Eventually again they have us exit the plane. Periodic announcements are made to update us. They may have to test the landing gear, which would mean jacking the front end up and cycling the landing gear. If it checks out, we have a minimum two hour wait; if it doesn't, they'll have to ground the plane and god only know how we'll get anywhere.
The gate attendants ask for volunteers who are willing to delay their departure til tomorrow, and ask people who had connecting flights to Japan to come forward. Presumably the people going to Japan were put onto other planes. When one passenger asks what they'll give her for waiting until tomorrow, the woman behind the desk says, "nothing." It's entirely voluntary. The passenger says that that's absurd. Alaska woman apologizes if it's absurd but it's the best she can do. I'm not terribly impressed.
Eventually about an hour ago, the captain announces that upon closer inspection, it looks like there may not be a problem; they need to do some more checking, but it's probably not damaged and once they confirm this (which will take til 4 p.m.) they can have us board again and get under way by 5 p.m. But as the captain himself said in an earlier announcement, when they say [a time], it's usually later. So I'll be very surprised if we actually get out of here by 5 p.m.
Also, unlike the Portland Airport, where I could make use of a free wireless connection courtesy of Alaska Airlines, the only wireless access here is ATTWIFI, which charges you. To hell with that! I've watched a couple of episodes of Dead Like Me on DVD that I brought with me for just such emergencies. I can't post this right now, but I will when I (finally) get home tonight. I hope.
Update: 4:30 p.m. -- We were supposed to start boarding now. Instead, they've now officially cancelled the flight.
Update: 5:20 p.m. -- After standing in line for nearly an hour, I've been rebooked on the same flight (Alaska 507) tomorrow morning. But they've run out of ticket stock, so they can't print tickets until someone returns to the flight desk with more. And, hey, they can't give me a hotel voucher either until then. Why? Fuck if I know. And I don't have the energy to argue about it right now. Six hours lurking in the airport concourse having my hopes repeatedly raised and then dashed has worn me out. Edit: Because the hotel vouchers are printed on ticket stock--I didn't think of that. I've never had to get one before. Who knew?
Update: 5:45 p.m. -- Standing in line (again) to get hotel voucher. Red Roof Inn. There's a shuttle, so no cost there (aside from tipping the driver--it's not his fault this day has been so crappy). No food voucher, though one of the Alaska desk clerks said to hang onto your receipts and insist on reimbursement when Customer Service contacts you (assuming you fill out the "I hate you" comment card (as the other clerk called it when she gave it to me) and send it to them. Oh, I will!
Update: 6:50 p.m. -- I am finally ensconced in a room at the Red Roof Inn in the middle of nowhere somewhere between Denver itself and DIA. I'm hungry. I may have to scout around for someplace to eat, or maybe just break down and order something from the brochure from a delivery place that's here in the room.
And tomorrow morning, I get to try again.
Things got off to a rocking start when the plane was late arriving at the gate. We didn't even begin boarding until about our scheduled departure time. But we did start boarding and everything was going smoothly. Until, while we're all settling in for the trip, the entire plane lurches. Never a good sign.
Eventually the captain comes on the intercom to tell us that some shithead (my word, not his) driving the tug that is supposed to back the plane away from the gate has managed to crash the towbar into the front landing gear assembly. So, of course, they have to have someone take a look and make sure there's no serious damage. So we wait. Half an hour goes by and the captain makes another announcement. The maintenance guy who looked at the gear wants to have someone else inspect it. So it'll be longer still. An hour goes by.
Eventually again they have us exit the plane. Periodic announcements are made to update us. They may have to test the landing gear, which would mean jacking the front end up and cycling the landing gear. If it checks out, we have a minimum two hour wait; if it doesn't, they'll have to ground the plane and god only know how we'll get anywhere.
The gate attendants ask for volunteers who are willing to delay their departure til tomorrow, and ask people who had connecting flights to Japan to come forward. Presumably the people going to Japan were put onto other planes. When one passenger asks what they'll give her for waiting until tomorrow, the woman behind the desk says, "nothing." It's entirely voluntary. The passenger says that that's absurd. Alaska woman apologizes if it's absurd but it's the best she can do. I'm not terribly impressed.
Eventually about an hour ago, the captain announces that upon closer inspection, it looks like there may not be a problem; they need to do some more checking, but it's probably not damaged and once they confirm this (which will take til 4 p.m.) they can have us board again and get under way by 5 p.m. But as the captain himself said in an earlier announcement, when they say [a time], it's usually later. So I'll be very surprised if we actually get out of here by 5 p.m.
Also, unlike the Portland Airport, where I could make use of a free wireless connection courtesy of Alaska Airlines, the only wireless access here is ATTWIFI, which charges you. To hell with that! I've watched a couple of episodes of Dead Like Me on DVD that I brought with me for just such emergencies. I can't post this right now, but I will when I (finally) get home tonight. I hope.
Update: 4:30 p.m. -- We were supposed to start boarding now. Instead, they've now officially cancelled the flight.
Update: 5:20 p.m. -- After standing in line for nearly an hour, I've been rebooked on the same flight (Alaska 507) tomorrow morning. But they've run out of ticket stock, so they can't print tickets until someone returns to the flight desk with more. And, hey, they can't give me a hotel voucher either until then. Why? Fuck if I know. And I don't have the energy to argue about it right now. Six hours lurking in the airport concourse having my hopes repeatedly raised and then dashed has worn me out. Edit: Because the hotel vouchers are printed on ticket stock--I didn't think of that. I've never had to get one before. Who knew?
Update: 5:45 p.m. -- Standing in line (again) to get hotel voucher. Red Roof Inn. There's a shuttle, so no cost there (aside from tipping the driver--it's not his fault this day has been so crappy). No food voucher, though one of the Alaska desk clerks said to hang onto your receipts and insist on reimbursement when Customer Service contacts you (assuming you fill out the "I hate you" comment card (as the other clerk called it when she gave it to me) and send it to them. Oh, I will!
Update: 6:50 p.m. -- I am finally ensconced in a room at the Red Roof Inn in the middle of nowhere somewhere between Denver itself and DIA. I'm hungry. I may have to scout around for someplace to eat, or maybe just break down and order something from the brochure from a delivery place that's here in the room.
And tomorrow morning, I get to try again.
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(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-19 01:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-19 01:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-19 04:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-19 08:53 am (UTC)Make a ruckus about it and make the flight company suffer for the lack of wireless and food.