Thumbs up for National, so so for UsAir

[Ted and Holly]

We had an excellent experience with National for last week. We arrived at MCO at 11:45pm on a Friday night. Selection for Intermediates included Dodge Stratus, Mitsubishi Lancers, and a Toyota Corolla. There were plenty to choose from. We picked a silver Stratus with 7,000 miles. It was fantastic and we had plenty of room for two large suitcases, one small, a laptop and a large backpack in the trunk.


USair was just okay. Lots of delays, had to RUN to our connections on the way down and the way back. They lost our luggage. They were very nice and professional, but I was just frustrated at our bad luck.


When landing in Charlotte on the way down, we had to abort our landing as there was a plane on the runway that wasn't supposed to be there. It gave us quite a scare, especially as our flight had bad turbulence.

Holly

 

[hercamore]

Wow, what a scary experience that must have been to abort the landing. I can't imagine. Lost luggage is such a hassle. Happened to us once with NW too. 2 days to get it back.

herc.

 

[denisenh]

Holly,
I am curious. When you say that the landing was aborted, how did that go? Did the plane get close to the runway and then suddenly zoom up again? My DH and I saw something like that a couple of years ago at MHT. It was a commercial jet coming in for a landing and it nearly touched the ground but then immediately took off again. I have wondered why it did that ever since. It was one of the weirdest things I've ever seen.
We also had choppy turbulance (like being on a speedboat bouncing on the water) on our way home last week. I am sure it is an odd reaction but it makes me want to laugh when it happens. It is amazing what a plane can go through and still stay in one piece and stay in the air.
So glad that you are home safe and sound.

 

[Ted and Holly]

We were coming into Charlotte through heavy clouds. We could not see the ground, but we knew we were getting close. Suddenly, the engines gunned (loud) and we ascended pretty abruptly. The captain then came on and said that we had to go around because there was "traffic on the runway". I don't think we were in any danger of hitting anything. The engine revving was due to the fact that at such a slow speed, you need to speed up before pulling up, lest you stall... and fall.

We turned around and came in right away. The clouds broke just before we touched down.

 

[madcoco]

I can probably shed some light on the "aborted" landing. The technical term is also called a go around. We train for these events constantly in the simulators down to less than 50ft above the runway at times. (Well I use to before being medically grounded for sleep apnea). Many variables can cause this event. With the airports and skies getting more and more congested and what I feel is placing too much importance on time performance, the spacing between arriving and departing aircraft can be shrunk to the legal minimum. Sometimes the aircraft departing has an unforeseen delay or problem. Or it just takes too long to depart. Most of the time the pilots of the arriving aircraft can adjust his/her speed or S turn to give more space as required but this can affect everyone else behind them as well. Sometimes there is just not enough time or space to do it. When this doesn't work, the Tower Controller or the Pilot in Command seeing that it isn't safe will demand and execute a Go Around. Don't want to say this a routine event and can be very stressful to you in the back but it happens more frequently at congested Airports. Occasionally there also can be obstructions on the runway as well. Over the years I have had to go around for cows, moose, deer, coyotes, people, vehicles at some pretty remote airports around the world and at even the most modern US Airports Though never routine in this critical phase of flight, pilots do train for it regularly.Hope this helps. If I confused you even more, a sincere apology.

 

[denisenh]

Thanks for the insight madcoco and holly! It was, by the way a USair jet that we saw, most definitely less than 50 feet from touching the runway and then suddenly head skyward. I am sure that MHT can be busy at times, but it appeared quiet then. Anyway, I am so amazed and awed by planes, in a weird kind of way. Very interesting to me.

 

[Ted and Holly]

THanks Madcoco. As routine as it was, and even after all the Xanax I took, it jostled my nerves. Being late for our connection didn't help either. We had an excellent pilot and I'm just glad we were in good hands.


I was NOT at all impressed with Charlotte airport. I didn't see much of it, as I was running through it both times, but I don't think I'll connect there again. They just can't seem to get it together.... losing my luggage didn't help either.

Holly

 

[madcoco]

You're welcome.