Comments on: Flying in the snow: 6 lessons for coping with winter-weather delays http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/flying-in-the-snow-6-lessons-for-coping-with-winter-weather-delays/ The last honest travel site Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:06:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Frank http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/flying-in-the-snow-6-lessons-for-coping-with-winter-weather-delays/comment-page-1/#comment-18663 Frank Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:20:52 +0000 http://www.consumertraveler.com/?p=23665#comment-18663 Lesson No. 5 comes to us courtesy of David Fang, who was trapped in the Charlotte airport last week: Stay away from large crowds of people wherever possible during a weather delay. A long wait in a line can be abbreviated by using your cellphone to call the airline or logging on to its Web site. The crowds Fang saw in Charlotte turned hostile when it became clear that they would be stuck overnight. That almost led to a riot, according to Fang, who lives in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. Police had to be called, and the mood remained tense until one passenger began randomly tossing chocolates into the unruly crowd. =================================================== A huge snow storm socks in the entire NORTHEAST. Yet, people expect accomodations with their tickets? That amenity disappeared over TEN YEARS AGO. I got stuck in the snow storm. Upon landing at our destination, I made an announcement because we had to wait for a gate to open. "There's two ways to communicate with my airline before arriving at the gate." I announced the page of the Reservations number in the inflight magazine and mentioned the web address. What has made a huge difference in my opinion is allowing the traveler to rebook during inclement weather. Two weeks ago, couldnt have been worse timing for a HUGE SNOW STORM. Full flights, holiday travelers and lots of cancellations. =================================================== And here’s lesson No. 3: Airlines don’t always tell the truth about the weather. Howard Altschule, a meteorologist with Forensic Weather Consultants in Albany, N.Y., says that there are three main reasons for a legitimate weather delay: rough weather at your departure airport, at your arrival airport or at the airport your aircraft is coming from. But airlines are on the honor system to report the cause of their delay, so they sometimes blame the weather when there’s another reason. Why? If a flight is delayed because of mechanical problems, airlines are required to offer more generous compensation. “Sometimes they B.S. their passengers,” says Altschule. ================================================== He's a meteorologist. NOT A PILOT. Mr Altschule missed one reason why flights are delayed. WEATHER ENROUTE. You can be scheduled a flight from say, West Palm Beach to Boston. A huge thunderstorm OVER "New York" can delay your flight to Boston just as easy as weather on the ground in PBI or BOS. Mechanical delays are documented. I seriously doubt the FAA would allow lying on delays since they are documented. Lesson No. 5 comes to us courtesy of David Fang, who was trapped in the Charlotte airport last week: Stay away from large crowds of people wherever possible during a weather delay. A long wait in a line can be abbreviated by using your cellphone to call the airline or logging on to its Web site. The crowds Fang saw in Charlotte turned hostile when it became clear that they would be stuck overnight. That almost led to a riot, according to Fang, who lives in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. Police had to be called, and the mood remained tense until one passenger began randomly tossing chocolates into the unruly crowd.
===================================================

A huge snow storm socks in the entire NORTHEAST. Yet, people expect accomodations with their tickets? That amenity disappeared over TEN YEARS AGO.
I got stuck in the snow storm. Upon landing at our destination, I made an announcement because we had to wait for a gate to open. “There’s two ways to communicate with my airline before arriving at the gate.” I announced the page of the Reservations number in the inflight magazine and mentioned the web address.
What has made a huge difference in my opinion is allowing the traveler to rebook during inclement weather. Two weeks ago, couldnt have been worse timing for a HUGE SNOW STORM. Full flights, holiday travelers and lots of cancellations.

===================================================

And here’s lesson No. 3: Airlines don’t always tell the truth about the weather. Howard Altschule, a meteorologist with Forensic Weather Consultants in Albany, N.Y., says that there are three main reasons for a legitimate weather delay: rough weather at your departure airport, at your arrival airport or at the airport your aircraft is coming from. But airlines are on the honor system to report the cause of their delay, so they sometimes blame the weather when there’s another reason. Why? If a flight is delayed because of mechanical problems, airlines are required to offer more generous compensation. “Sometimes they B.S. their passengers,” says Altschule.
==================================================

He’s a meteorologist. NOT A PILOT. Mr Altschule missed one reason why flights are delayed. WEATHER ENROUTE. You can be scheduled a flight from say, West Palm Beach to Boston. A huge thunderstorm OVER “New York” can delay your flight to Boston just as easy as weather on the ground in PBI or BOS.
Mechanical delays are documented. I seriously doubt the FAA would allow lying on delays since they are documented.

]]>