Flight to nowhere - it sucks and “nobody” is responsible!
Hundreds of passengers were stranded for hours
overnight on airliners that couldn’t take off from John F. Kennedy
International Airport because of the ice and snow storm that pummeled the
Northeast.
Worried about a little snow?
Hundreds of passengers were stranded for hours overnight on airliners that couldn’t take off from John F. Kennedy International Airport because of the ice and snow storm that pummeled the Northeast.
The exact number of planes stuck on the tarmac was unclear, but irate passengers reported that the problems affected several airlines. Pilots and officials blamed some of the problems on a shortage of deicing fluid and a new federal regulation giving pilots a narrow window to get their planes in the air once the chemicals are applied. The change has meant some jets need to get doused repeatedly if their takeoffs are delayed.
Rahul Chandran said he was trapped aboard a Cathay Pacific Airways jet from midnight until nearly 9:30 a.m. Saturday, when the flight to Vancouver was finally canceled.
Throughout the night, the pilot repeatedly described problems with deicing equipment, including a lack of fluid, that kept the plane waiting endlessly to have its wings sprayed. When the airline finally gave up and tried to return the plane to its terminal, it took at least another hour to arrange a gate, he said.
I flew in and out of northern tier airports for years - before deregulation. Lousy weather always presented problems - which were solved. Now, everyone cuts costs to the nearest penny and screw the customers, screw customer service.
Add in Homeland Insecurity and the TSA - and you’ll understand why I won’t go anywhere in the U.S.A. that I can’t easily drive to in my pickup!
Posted: Sun - March 18, 2007 at 08:45 AM