My Daughter and Son in Law scheduled to fly back to Chicago tonight for Christmas with his family. All day, SW texted that their flight had been delayed a few times. And we were tracking incoming flight, so it made sense. Last text, they were supposedly leaving at 8:30pm. So, kids were out doing errands, thinking they’d head to airport at 6ish.
Then SW texts at 4:15 that their flight is on time, leaving at 6:10! WTH?? They are in total panic in an Uber trying to get to airport now. They are supposed to get there at 5:15 for a 6:10 flight. What are the odds they a) make it and b) their checked bags make it?
Ugh. SW has apparently switched planes to allow for an on time departure. I get it–things happen, and I’m trying to be understanding with the airlines, but if those kids don’t make that flight, there are gonna be a few angry Mommas…and I’ll be tweeting up a storm…
Here’s hoping all your loved ones have minimal travel issues!
That’s sure irritating. Our kids both arrived early and were fortunate not to have too much drama to report. S said his LA plane was waiting for pilot, who was stuck in traffic driving to airport! He got there and made up time so S came in nearly when he was supposed to. We got routed through some construction waiting in cell phone lot picking S up so ended up driving all over the place (including going on the freeway) before we could pick him up. Still, glad to have both kids here so we can spoil them!
Argh! Part 2.
After kids panic raced and got to airport, waited to check their bags…only to be told non-stop flight had now been canceled…30 minutes before scheduled departure!
They are now booked tomorrow at 9am (need another Uber)…no non-stops available, so going thru Austin to get to Chicago…and arriving too late for their theater tickets…which was why they wanted to arrive a day early!!! Stupid Southwest.
Argh Part 3: Somehow, in kid’s effort to retrieve the bags they had checked before they knew of cancellation, my D lost her ID! So, she’ll at least be able to grab her passport before they get on today’s flight. They were able to switch to a non-stop to Chicago, but have to leave from San Jose instead of Oakland (40 miles away), which is still showing on time departure. I guess one of the positives of living near 3 airports?? Too bad they don’t get frequent rider miles with Uber!
SJC is a well-run airport. Southwest departs from Terminal B, and their gates are just behind the TSA checkpoints, so no long trek through the airport a la that scene in Home Alone. Safe travels!
My D and SIL are flying with baby granddaughter (she’ll be a year old on th 28th). It’s a two-hour flight, and baby’s first time on an airplane. Parents both had vaccinations, but I’m still worried.
When DD retrieved her checked in bag, it was broken and taped to hold it together. She went to complain and they gave her new luggage same size as hers.
Yes, I believe many airlines are offering replacement bags instead of hassling with repairing luggage. When they broke my suitcase United offered me my choice of bags—they had a pretty large selection.
If you have a brand with lifetime warranty, you can get the free replacement from airlines and still get the luggage company to repair.
My flights from Maine to Austin went smoothly. My first flight was early as was the second. We did have to sit a few minutes after landing because the gate was still occupied.
We live in suburban DC and will stay put. However S (who goes to school in CA) is currently visiting friends in London (he lived there for 5 years) and is supposed to fly home Christmas night. He is fully vaccinated/boosted and requiring friends he sees there to be vaccinated, but I am still concerned…
D’s flight landed at 1030pm last night at Orlando International. The traffic at the airport was a mess! Worse than I have ever seen it (and all 3 of my kids went OOS for college, flying home for the holidays). Rained all day, so I guess flights were backed up (D’s was early). Traffic for Arrivals was at a standstill for a couple miles (soon after you enter the airport. Luckily, I had told her to meet at Departures, so I mostly moved around the traffic. Many cars in the wrong lane trying to get an advantage and then merge, so had some delays, but nothing horrible. I don’t know how long the cars in the Arrivals lane waited, but had to be at least an hour! Traffic circling the terminals was at a standstill, too.
Aren’t you all impressed with how well the airlines prepared for the return of air travel when travel picked up after Covid simmered down? I say that with sarcasm, obviously.
You, the taxpayer, gave the airlines billions of dollars in 2020/2021. With that money they paid people full (or close to full) salary and benefits to stay home (or work other jobs, or travel, whatever they wanted). They paid people to retire early, which means never coming back. They paid people to take a couple of years leave in order to go back to full time Guard/Reserve duty. And now they are short staffed, because instead of paying people to stay, they paid people to leave. The rest of you who lost your jobs got paid unemployment plus a little bump.
If that doesn’t make you mad, when your flights are cancelled due to lack of airline staff, I don’t know what will. Remember this, the next time the airline industry comes begging for money not to work.
Always, always always pick up at Departures! At Denver airport, passengers arrive (as does luggage) on level 5, so you either have to go up to level 6 (departures) or down to level 4 - the death level of arrivals. People aren’t supposed to park on the shoulder to wait - but they do. Another benefit is the departures is top level, so open air while arrivals is under the upper level stucture and exhaust is building up.
We’re leaving for Phuket, Thailand tomorrow night. Flying from JFK thru Singapore on Singapore Air. Since we’re transiting thru Singapore, we need a PCR test that was administered within 48 hours of departure. We could only get an appointment at a “concierge” place where you pay for 9:00 AM on the 24th. We’re leaving at 9:30 PM on the 26th. The clinic is closed today for testing, but is open to process the tests. We were told we’d have our results in 36 hours. Now we’re nervous that since the test was not administered within 48 hours but more like 59 hours, they won’t let us board. We also waited for 1.5 hours in 34 degree weather to get tested. We honestly couldn’t get a PCR test within 48 hours due to Christmas. Next time I sign in, I’m hoping to be in Phuket! Will let you know…
I guess one of the positives of living near 3 airports?? Too bad they don’t get frequent rider miles with Uber!