goofy4tink
No tags...not needed! Transportation moderator
- Joined
- May 2, 2002
- Messages
- 54,709
Just had to share this with you all.
My dd and I took the train from Providence to NYC on Friday morning. It 'should have' taken 3 hrs. 20 mins. We left Prov about 5 mins late..no big deal. But, then had some kind of recurring engine issues...train kept stopping and starting. We got to New Haven and sat for about 25 mins while they worked on the engine. Then, that through our entire schedule off..had to keep allowing those trains still on-time to move on.
So...we get to Stamford. We pull out. Then, about 2 mins later, we find that we have to go back to Stamford. A woman has left her young children on the platform!!! Really!!!
Now, a young man (older than he looked come to find out), his wife and newborn has boarded at Stamford and were seated behind us. Come to find out he is a pilot for Continental...he was actually suited up for work..on his way to a flight out of Newark. So.....the conductor and her co-worker are coming down our aisle, they stop right beside me, and start having this conversation with a woman..turns out it's the woman who left her kids behind!!
The conductor is screaming at her..."You lead us to believe there were two toddlers, abandoned on the platform!!! Now, you tell us they are with your friend!!??? We have held this train up based on there being two toddlers left behind,alone." She was not a happy lady, the conductor.
So, we backed up, back to Stamford, where we got her two kids, both under 7, and her 5 pieces of luggage!!!
So.....I'm talking to the pilot and his wife. Turns out the flight he was piloting was supposed to depart at 3, and it was now 1. He wanted to know why we were so late getting into Stamford. Told him about all our delays. Turns out his flight had gotten moved to 4, which gave him a bit more time. He knew he wasn't going to make it in time to be at the gate, ready to fly, and still leave on time. So, they would have to hold the flight.
All I could think of was all the posts we have here, complaining about airlines holding flights...due to personnel not being there. And some people even saying that they don't believe that's the case...that the airlines are just doing whatever they want...they don't care about the passengers.
I figured I would let everyone know that things do happen to make pilots and other personnel late for their flights.
The really funny thing is that this pilot and his wife own DVC at OKW!! They got it as a wedding present from their families when they got married...back in '92!! I have to tell you...this kid looked like he was 25!! I made a comment about how he didn't look old enough to be flying an airliner. His comment??? "oh, so you're one of those people who want to see a crusty old guy showing up!!!" That put me straight!!! It was really too funny. He said he gets that age comment all the time.
So...people...before you start moaning and groaning about pilots not being on time for their flights...realize that sometimes there truly are extenuating circumstances. This guy wasn't supposed to be flying, had been called in a few hours beforehand to cover for someone else and had done his level best to get to the airport on time.
Had to add this...saw Hair while I was in NYC.
My dd and I took the train from Providence to NYC on Friday morning. It 'should have' taken 3 hrs. 20 mins. We left Prov about 5 mins late..no big deal. But, then had some kind of recurring engine issues...train kept stopping and starting. We got to New Haven and sat for about 25 mins while they worked on the engine. Then, that through our entire schedule off..had to keep allowing those trains still on-time to move on.
So...we get to Stamford. We pull out. Then, about 2 mins later, we find that we have to go back to Stamford. A woman has left her young children on the platform!!! Really!!!
Now, a young man (older than he looked come to find out), his wife and newborn has boarded at Stamford and were seated behind us. Come to find out he is a pilot for Continental...he was actually suited up for work..on his way to a flight out of Newark. So.....the conductor and her co-worker are coming down our aisle, they stop right beside me, and start having this conversation with a woman..turns out it's the woman who left her kids behind!!
The conductor is screaming at her..."You lead us to believe there were two toddlers, abandoned on the platform!!! Now, you tell us they are with your friend!!??? We have held this train up based on there being two toddlers left behind,alone." She was not a happy lady, the conductor.
So, we backed up, back to Stamford, where we got her two kids, both under 7, and her 5 pieces of luggage!!!
So.....I'm talking to the pilot and his wife. Turns out the flight he was piloting was supposed to depart at 3, and it was now 1. He wanted to know why we were so late getting into Stamford. Told him about all our delays. Turns out his flight had gotten moved to 4, which gave him a bit more time. He knew he wasn't going to make it in time to be at the gate, ready to fly, and still leave on time. So, they would have to hold the flight.
All I could think of was all the posts we have here, complaining about airlines holding flights...due to personnel not being there. And some people even saying that they don't believe that's the case...that the airlines are just doing whatever they want...they don't care about the passengers.
I figured I would let everyone know that things do happen to make pilots and other personnel late for their flights.
The really funny thing is that this pilot and his wife own DVC at OKW!! They got it as a wedding present from their families when they got married...back in '92!! I have to tell you...this kid looked like he was 25!! I made a comment about how he didn't look old enough to be flying an airliner. His comment??? "oh, so you're one of those people who want to see a crusty old guy showing up!!!" That put me straight!!! It was really too funny. He said he gets that age comment all the time.
So...people...before you start moaning and groaning about pilots not being on time for their flights...realize that sometimes there truly are extenuating circumstances. This guy wasn't supposed to be flying, had been called in a few hours beforehand to cover for someone else and had done his level best to get to the airport on time.
Had to add this...saw Hair while I was in NYC.
