And This is Why You Leave Early for Your Cruise

[TeaBee]

We flew American Airlines once to wdw (ironically!). Every single person we interacted with was rude and unpleasant. Employees were very, very unhappy. We had connections and the planes were all late. It really stood out as the worst airline we have ever flown. I don't know if we just had a bad experience, but I would never try them again. But we never complain about stuff unless someone hands us a comment card. Hopefully you have more luck!

I've only flown American once in the past few years and it was the worst flight experience I've ever had. They cancelled and rebooked three of my four flight legs the night before my trip and I couldn't get seat assignments until I was at the airport. On one of the legs they didn't have enough seats so I had to fly standby on a flight that I had booked months earlier. The gate attendants were obviously unhappy (and who wouldn't be when put in the position of having to deal with all those angry customers). I'll never fly with them again. Maybe they're better since they were restructured, but I'll never know because they're no longer an option I'll consider.

 

[MomForFrozenAddicts]

Always remember my then 5 years old daughter crying after our AA return flight---"Mommy, no more AA please!!!! I want Blue Jet." I have to agree with her. I was yelled at by the flight attendant for not having my own water for my then 3 years old crying daughter. Sorry, I didn't expect the seat belt sign to be on during the entire flight. I would have purchase drinks if I knew ahead of time. The flight attendants were just talking loud, drinking and eating in the back of the flight. Well, never again if I can help it. From then on, it was "Blue Jet" even if I have to pay some extra. We did take a Delta flight last summer, and will take one again in 2 weeks. Not as good as JetBlue, or def not as bad as AA.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Are you saying AA and Delta are partners? If so, I don't think that is correct.

OK, maybe I used the wrong terminology, but our next trip the flights to and from the ship were both booked through Delta, but the second leg is on American. And I had to go through Delta to pick my seats. I figured that meant that they worked together.

 

[tink1970]

Back to the original post --I think I've behaved like that in my head more than I'd like to admit...I've just kept it there! There are all sorts of comments about how expensive cruises are so add that to kids' expectations, frustrations, well...you can kind of see how it could happen. I'm in no way excusing it but can you imagine making the national news for throwing the equivalent of a grown up temper tantrum? I hope if she's employed her employer is very understanding...

 

[princesskayla]

My mom was supposed to fly from a small town a full 36 hours before our last cruise. Back story - we booked this flight about 10 months prior to our cruise, there are 3 flights a day (only) from the town and she had booked the afternoon flight. AA called and AA changed her flight to the morning one. My mom was not too happy but just went with the program. So day of departure arrived and they cancelled the morning jet for mechanical. They couldn't put her on the afternoon jet because my mom didn't realize that she should have gotten in line as fast as she could to get reassigned and by the time they got to place, there was no more seats left. (this really pissed her off since she had originally booked this flight) For some reason, they wouldn't put her on standby for the flight. So evening jet came and was delayed for weather in Dallas (the place she was flying to) and by the time they were cleared for takeoff, the pilots timed out - OK WTH AA!!!!! So that flight was cancelled. At this point, she had about 15 hours to get to the Port on time. She ended up having to drive 4 hours to another town, grabbed an early morning flight on United to Houston, Houston to Miami and barely (like the last passenger on the boat) made it to the port in time. To top it off, AA didn't even give her a seat on the UA flight from IAH to MIA - she was on standby!! She had to pay another $100 to be moved from standby to a confirmed seat , plus baggage fees on UA. Talk about the most stressful trip start ever. After my mom got home and started the process of trying to get her money back for the flight(s) that she didn't get to go on, she ended up with a $200 credit for another flight. That's it. I really hate AA and now my mom will drive at least 4 hours one way to avoid every flying on AA again.

 

[bumbershoot]

Always remember my then 5 years old daughter crying after our AA return flight---"Mommy, no more AA please!!!! I want Blue Jet." I have to agree with her. I was yelled at by the flight attendant for not having my own water for my then 3 years old crying daughter. Sorry, I didn't expect the seat belt sign to be on during the entire flight. I would have purchase drinks if I knew ahead of time.

There can always be bad weather. The light could be on the entire flight. ALWAYS bring snacks and water. Always.

Jet Blue employees literally yelled at us TWICE on a roundtrip flight we had with them. Rudely. The second was while the FA was slamming hubby's seat forward *as hubby's hand was going towards the button to get the seatback up*.

Whereas American (with our constant vigilance) got hubby out from and back into Texas during the ice storms a few Decembers back. Without any yelling.

 

[tink1970]

Your poor mom! We used to fly to Orlando when there was a cheap (ish) direct flight and I remember having a delay at the airport (weather or mechanical) and this poor couple kept saying "we have a cruise, we have to get to the port." I swore then and there to drive to the port (it's only about 8 hrs from our house... I just hate to drive...but hate missing a cruise MORE..which I've also had to do...so I speak from experience )

 

[Weedy]

Sometimes the person working the gate doesn't have the information. How are they supposed to know when the weather will clear and the plane will get there. Then if they say you will leave in 2 hours and it turns into 4 there would be a riot.

 

[TestingH2O]

In general, I fly SWA. Their prices are good and I find their flight attendant generally friendly and helpful.

That being said, our flight to Orlando last summer was ridiculous. When we got the airport, we checked our bags. The person at the bag check said our flight was probably delayed about an hour. ::sigh:: It was ok though because we could get snacks, walk around, etc. Well, when we got the gate, the flight was listed as on time. I asked and was assured that was correct. So, they loaded everyone on the plane for an on-time departure. Once we were all on board, they came over the intercom and said "the flight is delayed by an hour." Just like the original person said! So there we were, trapped on the plane, with a delay that the ground people KNEW ABOUT rather than being able to move around and take care of things, like going to the bathroom, in the airport. That was total BS. To top it all off, the flight attendants refused to give drink refills during the flight.

I wrote and complained and was given a voucher for future travel. I was really surprised by the experience since I had usually had such positive interactions with flight personnel.

 

[Sytrace]

I wonder where her husband was. Than again with that attitude she probably can't keep a man.

What a nasty thing to say.

 

[kamik86]

If it sounded like I was defending her behavior, I did not mean to. I agree that her behavior was atrocious, embarrassing, unacceptable, like something out of an Adam Sandler movie-- but I do think her anger was probably justified. I do not think it is entitlement to expect the airline to be fully honest about a delay. She did after all pay for a service. And while people are definitely responsible for their own children, if an airline takes children as customers, it would be nice if they considered them. I realize they are not legally bound to do much of anything, but I think we have failed as a culture when we just think of children as an annoyance.

I think the airlines are as honest as they can be given past experience. If they think it will be ok in 2 hours they can't say that because what if the weather doesn't clear. They also may not know it will be ok. So they don't tell you anything until the plane has been cleared to and has taken off, since by then the chances of them being massively wrong and getting more yelling is much more slim.

AS for considering children what would you have expected? Four hours in an airport isn't hat much, If you got there 2 hours early that is only the flight being delayed by two hours... which is pretty common. I know it got longer but 4 hours isn't bad.

As for what to do when they realized they wouldn't be getting out until the next day... go get a hotel room. No the airline isn't going to pay for it but that doesn't stop you from taking care of your children and getting a hotel room. (Goes back to my post before about making sure you have contingency money on hand, even if its a credit card, as even with travel insurance to reimburse you would need money now) Unless the airline was still saying the entire time that they would leave shortly after the plane got there (at which point I understand the frustration as you couldn't actually leave) but still wouldn't be appropriate to yell.

 

[Hundredacre]

I think the airlines are as honest as they can be given past experience. If they think it will be ok in 2 hours they can't say that because what if the weather doesn't clear. They also may not know it will be ok. So they don't tell you anything until the plane has been cleared to and has taken off, since by then the chances of them being massively wrong and getting more yelling is much more slim.

AS for considering children what would you have expected? Four hours in an airport isn't hat much, If you got there 2 hours early that is only the flight being delayed by two hours... which is pretty common. I know it got longer but 4 hours isn't bad.

As for what to do when they realized they wouldn't be getting out until the next day... go get a hotel room. No the airline isn't going to pay for it but that doesn't stop you from taking care of your children and getting a hotel room. (Goes back to my post before about making sure you have contingency money on hand, even if its a credit card, as even with travel insurance to reimburse you would need money now) Unless the airline was still saying the entire time that they would leave shortly after the plane got there (at which point I understand the frustration as you couldn't actually leave) but still wouldn't be appropriate to yell.

I do not know the details on her situation but it does sound like the airline led her to believe a plane would be leaving soon and then at around 2 am told her that the originally 8pm flight would be leaving in the morning. My personal experience is that airlines are not honest about how long something will take or about what is going on. The best was when I was on an Aer Lingus flight- about to take off- and the pilot got on to say there would be a slight delay because they were waiting on a food shipment for our lunch. I happened to look out my window about 20 minutes later to watch mechanics take apart the engine. Put it back together. Take it apart again. Put it back together again, etc, etc. Never been so nervous on a flight.
As for children, there are airports around the world, a couple that I have seen in the US, although if I recall the ones in the US tend to be before TSA checkpoints which is almost pointless, that have children's spaces. These are very helpful for children to let out energy. They could distribute things like coloring books, etc, little snacks- I don't know, but I am sure that there is enough brainpower in our society that we can envision a better reality than the one we saw on that video. It looked like chaos and misery, and even with an extreme delay, I just don't think that kind of situation is necessary. It is the airline, it is the crumbling infrastructure of the airport, and it is the customers generally silently tolerating dysfunction. I know I am guilty of that.

 

[Weedy]

Bring snacks for your kids, bring stuff for them to do. They are your kids and your responsibility. Why should oters have to provide these things??

 

[Hundredacre]

Bring snacks for your kids, bring stuff for them to do. They are your kids and your responsibility. Why should oters have to provide these things??

I am assuming this comment is directed at me. I agree parents should be providing for and entertaining their own children, but it is a fact of life that children have different needs as customers than adults. Children (until the airlines finally ban them!) are customers. And they suffer much more than adults when there is an extreme delay.

 

[kamik86]

I do not know the details on her situation but it does sound like the airline led her to believe a plane would be leaving soon and then at around 2 am told her that the originally 8pm flight would be leaving in the morning. My personal experience is that airlines are not honest about how long something will take or about what is going on. The best was when I was on an Air Lingus flight- about to take off- and the pilot got on to say there would be a slight delay because they were waiting on a food shipment for our lunch. I happened to look out my window about 20 minutes later to watch mechanics take apart the engine. Put it back together. Take it apart again. Put it back together again, etc, etc. Never been so nervous on a flight.
As for children, there are airports around the world, a couple that I have seen in the US, although if I recall the ones in the US tend to be before TSA checkpoints which is almost pointless, that have children's spaces. These are very helpful for children to let out energy. They could distribute things like coloring books, etc, little snacks- I don't know, but I am sure that there is enough brainpower in our society that we can envision a better reality than the one we saw on that video. It looked like chaos and misery, and even with an extreme delay, I just don't think that kind of situation is necessary. It is the airline, it is the crumbling infrastructure of the airport, and it is the customers generally silently tolerating dysfunction. I know I am guilty of that.

I could see the airlines not actually having more info then that. If the issue was with high winds the winds could stop at any point and flights get the go ahead to continue flying. Philly to NY is a short flight. So if you left the airport and they suddenly got permission to leave and head to NY you would pretty much have to turn right back around to get through security and back in. If the crew hadn't timed out yet then the best option would be to keep them and go as soon as possible. So it wouldn't be until the crew timed out that waiting until the next morning would be the best option.

Yes the airline could have decided at 10 PM that even if the plan from Philly to NY makes it that night they aren't going to have the next flight to FL until the next morning. However if they did that and the plane got there earlier you would have had alot of people that really wanted to be there as soon as possible upset that they didn't leave as soon as possible.

Yes having better areas to wait in airports would help but I doubt the airlines have full control over what is in the airports.

The airlines shouldn't lie on the reason for the delays but I can see why they did in your case (I wouldn't be surprised if a few people got in a tailspin about engine issues had they told the truth)

 

[jeepnjudy]

I'm finding that out. Did you know that an aisle seat is a "preferred" seat"? It costs extra if you want to sit there. Same with window seats. And, their special meals don't include low salt meals. Sadly, I've still got to use them.

Sadly many airlines do this now negatively impacting families unless you want to pay for preferred seating to sit next to each other which some cannot afford so that leaves the possibility of someone's toddler sitting next to you unless another passenger agrees to switch seats! And yes, I have seen this happen!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sadly many airlines do this now negatively impacting families unless you want to pay for preferred seating to sit next to each other which some cannot afford so that leaves the possibility of someone's toddler sitting next to you unless another passenger agrees to switch seats! And yes, I have seen this happen!

Yeah, we were assigned the two center seats in the center 4 seat section. I debated about just leaving it that way, and hoping that someone would switch. But I realized that anyone who pays extra for that aisle seat isn't just going to switch to a center seat and give up the extra they paid for such a good seat. So I moved my husband into the aisle seat next to my inside seat. At least, that way, when I need to go potty, I can crawl over him and not some stranger.

 

[kamik86]

I am assuming this comment is directed at me. I agree parents should be providing for and entertaining their own children, but it is a fact of life that children have different needs as customers than adults. Children (until the airlines finally ban them!) are customers. And they suffer much more than adults when there is an extreme delay.

Part of the issue here is that children are not the customers the airline most wants to cater to. That would be business travelers. Business travelers are adults so they cater most to the needs of adults many of which are get to the destination as soon as possible.

Now a family could choose instead of waiting and hoping to try to move to a flight the next day instead but that is only if that flight still has availability.

 

[minorthr]

I travel a ton for work on AA out of philly they control like 75% of the flights from there . Since their merger with us air they have been a disaster. I can see why she was upset if the flight is canceled then say its canceled don't make people stand around for hours. There is another video of another guy saying AA customer service is saying the flight is canceled but the lady at the gate is saying thats wrong. Its that lack of communication that would get me upset more then the actual delay. Now screaming at the gate agent isn't going to get you anywhere other then on youtube. There were obviously other people upset as well if the police were called there is another video of other people yelling at the police.

 

[Hundredacre]

Part of the issue here is that children are not the customers the airline most wants to cater to. That would be business travelers. Business travelers are adults so they cater most to the needs of adults many of which are get to the destination as soon as possible.

Now a family could choose instead of waiting and hoping to try to move to a flight the next day instead but that is only if that flight still has availability.

I agree. Airlines make it very clear to people traveling with children that they are seen as an annoyance. Unfortunately, the attempt to ignore and sideline children only makes them more difficult.