Why don't they treat us like Adults?
 

Story on Wednesday evening 29 December 2004:

Arrived at Las Vegas airport on connecting flight on America West from John Wayne. Scheduled on 2255 departure from LAS to JFK....When we got there, no gate was posted for the JFK flight. Finally, at about 2205 they posted on the monitors gate B23 and tv monitors said on time.

When we got to the gate, they were announcing the continuation flight (HP58)coming in from San Diego would be arriving at 2255, the time of our departure and that they felt they could get everybody out by 2330. Fine, there are storms in California and delays of this sort were to be expected.

Every couple of minutes, they continued the same announcement. Suddenly at 2255, they announced the continuation flight had just left SAN and would be due in at 2345 yada yada yada.

Now again, given the weather conditions, one could not be surprised at what turned out to be close to a 2 hour delay and I would live with that.

What was not acceptable is to keep lying to us throughout the hour before 2255 that the flight was due in at 2255 when they knew damn well, well operations knew, that the flight had not even left SAN.

Why the hell didn't they tell us the flight had not left SAN...if we knew that we would have had time perhaps to to some shopping or get a bite to eat at LAS airport...there is no possible excuse for that. Not even well maybe the flight could get out earlier and we have to keep you in the gate area. It is bloody continuation flight. They knew the flight had not left SAN...why not tell us? We're adults. It is a mark of the contempt the airlines have for their passengers to pull this kind of garbage.

To top if off, after getting nice and comfortable waiting for the plane to come in at gate B23, they pull a gate change on us and tell us to move over to B21 where of course all the seats in the waiting area were taken.

Just contempt for the passengers, just contempt.

They do it because they can. We keep flying because we have no choice. The market at work. Sort of.

Well, at least they told you something. Several times when flights were delayed we were not informed at all.
Have a happy 2005. Try to focus on positive things in this New Year

Thye gate agents were likely telling you what they had showing up on their computers. It's not that they were purposely misleading you, but that they had limited information.

Mike T...

I know that. As a matter of fact when I broached this to the gate agent, she told me she could only go by what was on the computer (incidentally the monitors continued to say 2255 departure on time from gate B23 even though the connecting flight was not in and as a matter of fact had not left SAN)...

Well that sort of brings up the question, why the hell operations did not update the times....it is still a mark of contempt on the part of the airline for its pax isn't it?

Sure it is, and the treat us like that because they can.

They know a % of people have to fly or want to fly.

As I stated on another thread IMHO it is only going to get worse.

I just go with the knowledge that there is going to be "something" wrong somewhere. And there always is. That way I am never surprised or shocked. But annoyed, oh yes!!! But have found the more ones rolls with the punches when traveling the easy it is to deal with all the difficulties. And do bring a good book to read ((*))

Ditto to above.

One time I had that exact thought while waiting at LaGuardia. Couldn't they just tell me the truth, so that I could leave and spend my time in another museum or show instead of at an airport for 15 or 16 hours before the cancel was called? They did know also, and I don't know exactly why they chose to
keep us waiting so long before the voucher decision was made. Money again, most probably. It is such a waste.