Frustrations with Weather & Air Travel
Over the past couple of weeks, major snow storms have creatic havoc with air travel throughout the eastern part of the United States, particularly the Mid-Atlantic seacoast states.
Blizzard image: sxc.hu
They have experienced two and three feet of snow in each storm, causing airports to shut down and leaving travelers stranded.
Now that the storms appear to be over, traveling has begun again. However, travelers often are very frustrated because they can’t immediately board a plane and be on their way. When they are scheduled on a flight, it’s often one that goes nowhere near their destination for a stop, where they change planes to their desired city. Perhaps they had a direct flight before. Now they experience one or two plane changes.
Travelers are frustrated and wonder why this is happening.
- Generally the passengers originally scheduled on current flights have first priority and the stranded travelers fill in the empty seats.
- Perhaps the planes going to their destination have no open seats, so the travelers must be rerouted.
- One traveler said he refused the reroute because it took him to a city with lots of snow (but the airport was clear). This may cause him more delays as the airline tries to find him another seat.
- Some of the flights you see, on the board, going to your destination city, may be that of another airline. All airlines are having a problem, so your airline may not be able to switch, as they sometimes can.
- The plane going to your city may have been delayed so you can’t make a connecting flight. It may not have reached your airport. Thus the airline reroutes you through a distant city.
- If you’re accustomed to flying first class, but none of those seats are available, fly in any seat if you truly want to get to your destination.
We have found, in our travels over the years, that the airlines try very hard to fill travelers’ needs and wishes to get them to destinations. Some events, like the weather, are beyond their control.
Patience and politeness go a long way in successfully getting to yur destination.
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