Anyone here suffer from Christmas travel mess?
 

We stayed home this year and are we glad. What a mess at the airports. Was it the Midwest that was the most affected? Or everywhere?

Just wondering if Fodorites perservered or suffered a few nightmares trying to see loved ones or give presents while traveling this holiday. I always expect SOME delays, but no luggage for three or four days? I don't think so.

Makes you want to think twice when booking in the future, don't ya think???

That is exactly why we stopped traveling over the holidays. Everyone is stressed and flying is a nightmare.

We're from Chicago and went to New York for the holiday. Everything went smoothly until last night....our flight back to Chicago was cancelled, but American booked us on the first flight out this morning....so we got an extra night in New York and still made it to work today....not too bad ;-)

My daughter and son-in-law and baby grandson travelled yesterday from Westchester Airport to Toronto. There was a half-hour delay at the departure airport - no big deal - but they ran into huge trouble when they went to pick up their rental car from Alamo. If I had known they were dealing with Alamo I would have strongly advised them not to - we've had big problems with them in the past. They waited an hour, along with a lot of other people on the flight. Alamo had no available cars. They didn't know when or if they would have any. The explanation from the counter-person was "The people who do the bookings don't really know what the reality is at the other end." Huh? Gee, I'd like to deal with people who don't know what reality is. Good way to run a business. We eventually advised them to take a cab, which they did. Alamo delivered a car to them this morning.

Too funny. Yes, Alamo should change their slogan to "We don't know what reality is". Seems so appropriate for them.

Both flights Christmas Eve had long delays. The second one also had 8 of the 31 passengers on the turbo jet bounced because of weight restrictions. The onces at the back of the line would get there until Chirstmas evening.

Returning yesterday, my first flight was delayed almost 3 hours. I was going to miss my connecting flight, so they rebooked me for first thing this morning.

Today went smoth and I was in first class on the conecting flight.

Keith

My roommate flew back to Boston yesterday to see his family.. His flight (from SFO) was delayed almost four hours, and (get this) the cabbie from Logan to his final destination (which should have been a 30-minute drive) took him on a three hour joyride and charged him $150. He claimed he "didn't know the area", but also said he's been driving cabs for eight years. Outrageous.

Son's American Airlines flight from New York to St. Louis leaving 22nd was on time. No problems.

Son's fiancee American Airlines flight over 2 hours late on the 23rd.

Returning flight that was to depart at 4:35 pm Sunday was cancelled without any prior warning. The strange thing is that the earlier flight and all later flights took off as scheduled. Why the 4:35 pm flight was cancelled is a bit of a mystery. Son and financee were put on the noon flight out today which got off on time. Frustrating to say the least. We didn't mind having them for another night but they lost a day of work.

American Airlines made an announcement that no food was going to be served on the younger son's flight from San Diego to St. Louis and suggested if you wanted a sandwich to go buy one. Flight was on time. Returning home flight left on time and yes AA even managed to offer their standard breakfast. I know effective Feb. 1st in coach if you want food it is available for purchase.

Our family is spread out and it is nice to be together over the holiday so we continue to make the best of it and that means flying.

Sandy

OK, here's my tale of travel woes....

December 22, 5:30 AM: Arrive at Long Beach Municipal Airport, ready to board my 6:50 AM American nonstop to Dallas-Ft. Worth, then catching a 1:00 PM flight to Philadelphia. Line's out the door. "Flight's cancelled," someone mutters. Weather (which one guy contradicts with a phone call to his wife in Dallas-- but later that morning....) Hilarity ensues!

6:15 AM: Arrive at counter. Nothing available out of LGB, LAX or SNA until next day. But wait! There's ONE seat left on a 2:35 flight out of Ontario, CA, connecting to a flight to PHL arriving at midnight. ONT is forty miles away from LGB. Grab it.

6:25 AM: Trudge out to shuttle lot to find ride to ONT, dreading the morning traffic nightmare.

6:55: Finally get a shuttle.

7:40 AM: Low-flying shuttle driver gets me to ONT from Long Beach in record time (NO traffic!!). Run into terminal. Line practically out door.

8:35 AM: Check in, get baggage registered.

8:40 AM: Schlepp bag over to mouth-breather manning the TSA scanner. Rest of TSA staff in morning briefing at America West counter. Thinking nothing of it, I breeze through security and look for breakfast gateside.

8:50 AM: Settle on machaca breakfast. Well, they tried.

2:35 PM: Well, the flight was delayed to 3:45 PM. Call mother. She's 71 but game to pick me up at PHL at midnight.

3:55 PM: Flight finally pushes off. Smooth, uneventful flight to DFW. Factor in delays, the flight to PHL won't arrive till 2:30 AM. Call mom. "We'll get you a room at the airport Marriott," she declares.

9:00 PM: Flight to PHL finally takes off. Captain Sally has the calm demeanor of your cool third-grade teacher over the PA and she gets us there with barely a bit of chop.

December 23, 2:30 AM: Exhausted planeload hits American baggage claim. 25% of planeload doesn't have their baggage. Me included.

4:00 AM: After filing claim, walk over to PHL Marriott. Reservation is lost. I'm too tired to complain, and besides, they have a room for me. Collapse into bed.

1:00 PM: Mom picks me up. We head to Bucks County, and run to Banana Republic to buy sweaters (I have to have SOMETHING to wear). Rain falls. Hard. What next: Plague of locusts?!

3:00 PM: We duck into a Chili's for lunch and a laugh, and to wait out the rain. Check baggage claim hotline. Bag found! Will be delivered in six hours.

December 24, 2:30 AM: Bag rolled onto mom's front porch, driver dashes back to van. Travel adventure finally over.

In American's defense, at least it wasn't as bad as US Airway's problems, and I guess the weather in Dallas WAS horrible. And the flight back (last night) was 100% uneventful (our half-hour delay into LGB was cut to 10 minutes, despite the incoming storm). AND I had a nice visit in Bucks County.

Now, driving into work with a foot of rain on the streets surrounding LAX-- let's talk bad travel story this morning...!!!

that's a doozie rjw!!

Comair nightmare!

SFO-Cincinnati Dec. 23...made it to Cincinnati and sat on plane for 3h until a gate opened up for us to park in--no planes leaving, so we were stuck on the plane.

Missed our cancelled connection from Cincinnati to Erie on Comair, put on standby and LUCKILY caught a 10pm flight to Erie later that evening.

Luggage arrived late the next day.

On Dec. 27: Comair cancelled our flight from Erie to Cincinnati --so we paid an arm and leg for one-way rental car, and drove through the blizzardy night to make our 9am Cincinnati to SFO flight (Comair couldn't get us out to SFO until Tues. Dec. 28, but we had to work.)

My sisters tried for 3 days to get from ATL to CLE, finally arriving at PIT on Christmas Day...so we delayed Christmas for a day and drove down to get them.

We have resolved that this is the last time we head to the Great Lakes region during the winter. Next year...Hawaii!

And for the record, I now have my family convinced to fly out to meet me in VEGAS for Xmas next year!! Well, it won't be a travel hassle for ME in any case....

rjw - I'm glad you handled it all so well! I think your plan for next year is spot on!
AZW - I think you need another vacation! Tell your boss this story, and maybe you'll get a few extra days off!

On Christmas Eve, while sitting on the floor waiting to board the delayed Mesaba plane at DTW and not knowing if I was in the quarter of the passengers that were being bumped, I had decided I was not going to do this at the Holidays again.

On Christmas Day with my 90 year old parents and my brother & sister, I decided it had been worth it.

Keith