Oh my!

[Weedy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/t...-suffers-meltdown-LaGuardia-Airport-gate.html

 

[gismo1554]

Trouble is travelling is stressful! Never an excuse but I can see why some people melt down over delays!

 

[dclpluto]

first I'm wondering why did you post this in the DCL room. Than I seen the lady was going on a DCL cruise out of Miami. That lady has no class.

 

[wilma-bride]

We were delayed that same day, also due to inclement weather. Our flight took off from the UK at 9.25am UK time (so 5.25am Orlando time). We flew via Toronto, were delayed by over an hour taking off from there and then ended up being diverted to Tampa, due to Orlando airport being closed (due to storms and flooding on the runway). We were held on the tarmac for over 2 hours at Tampa. Eventually took off again and landed in Orlando at just before midnight local time. By then me, DH and DS (plus a large number of the other passengers who had also originated from the UK) had been up for almost 24 hours. While there were plenty of tired, frustrated people (and a few screaming babies), there was none of that kind of behaviour. Essentially, everybody understood that there was nothing anybody could do about the weather!!!!

Some people just have no understanding that throwing a tantrum is not the way to get what you want.

 

[mevelandry]

So... I guess she did not take the travel insurance?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

There's never an excuse for acting that way, but I must say I've had nothing but bad experiences with American and will only fly them when there is no other option. From reading the article it seems there was a lack of communication from the AA employees at the gate with the affected passengers and it was already 2:00am. For our cruise last June, our flight (not AA) was delayed over 4 hours, first due to mechanical difficulties then due to weather. What made it bearable was the fact that the gate agents were very good about giving updates as to what was causing the delays and when they expected to be able to give us another update on a possible departure time. There was a point where I was looking at my watch and calculating whether I could get us in the car and start driving and still be able to make it to the port in time.

I can understand the woman's frustrations. I just can't condone her actions.

 

[dreadpiraterose]

Ugh. I've been a similar situation. We were flying out the Friday before our Saturday cruise. They kept delaying the flight with no explanation. FlightAware was updating via the app faster than the desk agents. Turned out that the plane had a cracked windshield, and would not be flying. But it took them almost 5 hours to tell us that. They clearly had known for hours, but didn't want to say because they were trying to fix it before saying anything. Then they said that maybe another crew and another plane could maybe take us down still, but they wouldn't know for a few more hours. By then, there were no more flights out on any airline. Only a few seats were left for early morning flights. We eventually got on that second plane, but didn't get in until almost 2am.

Getting information from the desk agents was like pulling teeth. I definitely felt my manners start to buckle under the airlines total inability to provide us with any information at all, until they had stranded us all there with no other options but to wait and see.

Our take away: We never fly in on a late flight the night before. Don't trust the airline to give you info - their interest is the bottom dollar and nothing more. Get travel insurance.

 

[RedSox68]

If you watch that woman, there is something wrong with her. She looks completely unraveled -- maybe it was the delay and she was tired, along with the apparent lack of communication from American, but that type of behavior can get one thrown in jail nowadays. I felt truly bad for her kids! No way to start a vacation. I wonder if she caught up to the ship?

American has always had a bad record for lateness and delays. I was disappointed when U.S. Air became American instead of the other way around. We always liked U.S. Air.

We were delayed years ago on an afternoon flight -- that would have gotten us in in time for our dinner reservation at 8 p.m. But it got delayed with "mechanical problems". We found out there were no "mechanical problems", but that the plane was delayed coming from its previous destination. Why can't they just state the facts and stop playing games -- it just upsets people more.

 

[Jess_S]

I feel sympathy for this woman. It's often impossible to get a straight answer out of airline employees when a flight is delayed. On top of that, some airline employees feel like they can treat passengers poorly since passengers are basically trapped and at the mercy of the airline and TSA once in the airport. One particular incident stands out in my mind. I was booked on a cross-country flight with a layover in Atlanta, but the flight to Atlanta was delayed. Unable to get an answer from the rather rude gate folks about whether there was any other way we could get to our destination, I called the airline's customer service number. Apparently, lots of other passengers had the same question as me and were inundating the gate people because just as I got through on the customer service line, an announcement came over the loud speaker: "Everyone, sit down and shut up. Your flight has been delayed . . ." Because I was on the phone with the airline at that precise moment, we were upgraded to first class when we finally flew the next day. I was told by customer service that they would not have been inclined to believe my complaint about the gate crew had they not heard what was going on themselves.

So, yep, definitely sympathetic. On the other hand, this is exactly why I always fly early whenever I absolutely have to be somewhere on a particular day. I still hate being stuck in the airport, but at least I never have cause to panic.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I wonder if she caught up to the ship?

I don't think she missed it. The flight was originally supposed to leave at 9:00pm, which means she would have been flying the night before embarkation day. Instead, it departed at 8:50am, which would have been the morning of embarkation day. Assuming this was a direct flight from LaGuardia to Miami, they would have gotten into Miami early afternoon. Although I haven't sailed out of Miami, I've heard the port is not that far from the airport. So I think it's reasonable that she was able to make it onto the ship by all aboard time.

 

[CScott095]

I feel sympathy for this woman. It's often impossible to get a straight answer out of airline employees when a flight is delayed. On top of that, some airline employees feel like they can treat passengers poorly since passengers are basically trapped and at the mercy of the airline and TSA once in the airport. One particular incident stands out in my mind. I was booked on a cross-country flight with a layover in Atlanta, but the flight to Atlanta was delayed. Unable to get an answer from the rather rude gate folks about whether there was any other way we could get to our destination, I called the airline's customer service number. Apparently, lots of other passengers had the same question as me and were inundating the gate people because just as I got through on the customer service line, an announcement came over the loud speaker: "Everyone, sit down and shut up. Your flight has been delayed . . ." Because I was on the phone with the airline at that precise moment, we were upgraded to first class when we finally flew the next day. I was told by customer service that they would not have been inclined to believe my complaint about the gate crew had they not heard what was going on themselves.

So, yep, definitely sympathetic. On the other hand, this is exactly why I always fly early whenever I absolutely have to be somewhere on a particular day. I still hate being stuck in the airport, but at least I never have cause to panic.

OMG! I am appropriately horrified and at the same time wondering how I can work in "Everyone sit down and shut up" in my office environment without being sacked!

 

[CScott095]

I don't think she missed it. The flight was originally supposed to leave at 9:00pm, which means she would have been flying the night before embarkation day. Instead, it departed at 8:50am, which would have been the morning of embarkation day. Assuming this was a direct flight from LaGuardia to Miami, they would have gotten into Miami early afternoon. Although I haven't sailed out of Miami, I've heard the port is not that far from the airport. So I think it's reasonable that she was able to make it onto the ship by all aboard time.

I bet those cruiser are wishing they had dodged the bullet! I imagine this type of behavior is common given the way her 13 year old was responding.

 

[Rabb it]

Obviously this is not a reasonable reaction. I have heard horror stories about American Airlines customer service, but to take it out on that lady is just sad. It's not like she can waive her magic wand and force the FAA to let the planes take off..

That being said, this situation sucks. But, everyone on these forums will recommend flying in the day before to assure a delay will not prevent you from making the departure time..