The Trans-Atlantic Flight From H-E-Double Hockeysticks!

[tucsoncoyote]

Related Link(s): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19353374/

Now the last time I remember a "Flight from H-E-Double Hockeysticks" was about a month or two back when a Poor Business (First) Class Flyer woke up on a British Airways' flight from India to London to Find that a Dead body was seated right next to him. Of course that poor fellow won't forget that flight.

But Now, here comes a flight that doesn't offend just 1 person, but rather 200 People. and it's all because of the fact that some repair worker who had fixed the plumbing in Ireland decided to toss a pair of Latex gloves down one of the onboard lavatory toilets. The resulting clog had all the passangers holding their nose on that 7 hour flight that finally touched down in Newwark on June 13th.

It's also Ironic that Continental Airlines had this happen after getting one of the highest customer ratings for Satisfaction by the Airline Association.

In fact Continental Airlines even offered free 500 Dollar flight vouchers to the passengers just to make up for the "So Called Inconvience."

Frankly I thought Air travel couldn't get any worse.. First JetBlue leaves a number of plane loads of passengers stranded in New York City, during a Blizzard In February, and then comes that British Airways Dead Body incident.

And now this..

What's next? Having something else happen, like having a cargo hatch open and everyone on the flight losing their luggage as the plane explosively decompresses and everyone is fighting to stay alive? (Oh wait that happened with Aloha Airlines way back in 1988. Where a Flight attendant was killed and a whole lot of people had to fight to survive as the 737 had part of it's top literally blown off.

Frankly I see this as a disturbing trend. Angry passengers left stranded in cities, missing connecting flights due to weather, and even the irritation of lost luggage.

Believe me on average the airlines lose 23 pieces of luggage for every 1000 pieces that are put onto flights.. every day. and this is according to the FAA and the airline association.

The point is this.. How much more can the passengers take? I mean this is kind of irritating to have to sit there 7 hours on a flight while the pungent smell of Human waste waffs through the cabin.

Frankly the joke of 'Snakes on a Plane' takes on a horrible meaning here.

Frankly that's why I don't travel abroad, heck that's why I would rather take the bus or train then having to put up with incidents like this.

But what are you thoughts on stuff like this? I mean with the summer travel season already upon us, what are your thoughts on airlines, and what do you think should be done to make a passenger's flight more comfortable, safe and enjoyable?

The floor is open for discussion.

:coyote:

[The Guitar Slayer]

You're over-reacting -- the story really doesn't need a dissertation upon the evils of the airways. A dumbass flung some gloves where he wasn't supposed to, stinking up a plane. Stuff happens, and stuff happens in mid-air, often with more exaggerated (and hilarious) results than if it happened on the ground.

I've gone on 5 round-trip translatlantic flights over the past three years. Nothing happened. I've gone on a budget round trip to Berlin via Ryan Air and a one-shot off to Dublin. Nada. We've been doing transatlantic flights commercially for approximately 50 years. Of course, out of the thousands of aircraft that take to the skies every day, there's bound to be a few minor oopsies, including lost luggage (which is often recovered within three days; I've known about ten cases of that, and of them, only one didn't get their stuff back within a week). Luggage dumps are RARE. Consider that each of those aircraft can house hundreds of people (a fair portion of which are idiots, statistically), and yeah, stuff happens. Blizzards happen. Disasters, rarely, happen. And the 1988 was an extreme examples, as would be the TWA Flight 800 one. This stuff hardly happens daily, monthly, or even yearly on major airlines. Virgin has never had a major incident, and BA hasn't had one since the 1970s (in which no one died).

So, yeah, I think you're looking at this silly incident and being over-dramatic. If you're reacting this way about airlines and rubber gloves, you probably shouldn't travel globally anyway; you're too high-strung.

[tucsoncoyote]

You're over-reacting -- the story really doesn't need a dissertation upon the evils of the airways. A dumbass flung some gloves where he wasn't supposed to, stinking up a plane. Stuff happens, and stuff happens in mid-air, often with more exaggerated (and hilarious) results than if it happened on the ground.

I've gone on 5 round-trip translatlantic flights over the past three years. Nothing happened. I've gone on a budget round trip to Berlin via Ryan Air and a one-shot off to Dublin. Nada. We've been doing transatlantic flights commercially for approximately 50 years. Of course, out of the thousands of aircraft that take to the skies every day, there's bound to be a few minor oopsies, including lost luggage (which is often recovered within three days; I've known about ten cases of that, and of them, only one didn't get their stuff back within a week). Luggage dumps are RARE. Consider that each of those aircraft can house hundreds of people (a fair portion of which are idiots, statistically), and yeah, stuff happens. Blizzards happen. Disasters, rarely, happen. And the 1988 was an extreme examples, as would be the TWA Flight 800 one. This stuff hardly happens daily, monthly, or even yearly on major airlines. Virgin has never had a major incident, and BA hasn't had one since the 1970s (in which no one died).

So, yeah, I think you're looking at this silly incident and being over-dramatic. If you're reacting this way about airlines and rubber gloves, you probably shouldn't travel globally anyway; you're too high-strung.

Over-reacting? or under-emphasized?

A case of a number silly incidences ? Or a real problem?

This I feel is the real question here, and I feel it's really all a POV when you look at this.

The British Airways Death and the Toilet Problems on A Continental Trans-Atlantic flight are in fact just two instances of rather a larger growing problem that is starting to occur here, and In fact I did a google search of "Airline Problems and Issues", and it starts to really show the real scope of the problem.

Besides these instances of JetBlue leaving Passangers stranded in the middle of a snowstorm in New York in February, the British Airways' Incident, and Continental Airlines toilet problem, here's a few others I have found and i have evidence to back this up, and call this a list from a person you consider "High Strung":

1. A FlyJet Airlines flight being delayed for 27 hours on the Ground due to technical problems and having almost 10% of it's passengers storm off a flight in total dsgust for the dealy. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/6226004.stm)How would you like to sit on this Flight on the ground over a day and not go anywhere?

2. A computer glitch in a United Airlines computer system (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/21/UNITED.TMP)that went down for 2 hours just this last Wednesday that either delayed or cancelled 300 United Flights and the company blames this issue on "New Software". But having 300 flights where people needed to be somewhere, and finding out they couldn't even get to the plane, all because of a so called 'computer glitch'. I would love to see you not stand in a line like that.

3. And it's not only British and American airline companies that are having the problem here, as it seems that even the Brazillians (http://www.heraldnewsdaily.com/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=125486)are having issues, and now international airports have had to beef up their security to prevent angry airline passengers from storming the airports.

4. A disabled person not allowed to fly because he has an electric wheelchair and that he can't use a lighter type due to the fact that he's unable to wheel himself onto a flight due to his shoulder injuries. (http://www.thisisbasingstoke.co.uk/display.var.1487914.0.disabled_man_slams_airline.php)Gee, let's not let this guy fly eh?

5. How about being one of about 400 passengers being stuck at San Francisco International... for 7 hours on a flight? (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/06/20/MNGSLQIDEN1.DTL)Again, I wouldn't want to be wishing this on anyone, sitting there for 7 hours and missing your connecting flight, just because of a technical glitch.

6. And how about this flight? (http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20070621.G11&irec=10)Again, I wouldn't want to wish it on anyone.

7. And how about standing in this line for hours as you wait to get your tickets? (http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2108444,00.html)Gee should I a so called "High Strung" person wish this on someone like yourself? I hope you have more patience then I would.

8. And how about this USA Today article (http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2007/02/more_rules_wont.html)that talks about the same issues here? Do you see a pattern here?

In fact I would like to have anyone challenge me, (yourself included Guitar Slayer), on these issues. In fact in the last few years airline passenger travel and service, has in fact gotten indeed worse, with more and more complaints coming to attention to the forefront here, and in fact even The Aspen (Colorado) Times, (http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20070622/NEWS/106220070)has written an article that states that they can emphathized with airline passengers' frustrations, irritations, anger, and just downright dissatisfaction here.

I mean I even have a real life case of a friend of mine, whose boyfriend just recently was going from Tucson to Cleveland here because of a family funeral, and who got stuck in Chicago for over 2 hours because of both Mechanical issues of the plane bound for Clevland and so called weather related delays.

In fact I just found an article on MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18939896/), that is reporting of issues summer travelers are going to be facing, due to the summer travel season. In fact here's a sign of what I am refering to and it's right on the first line of said article, and I would like you to still call me on this one. Because this one is right on the first line of the article:

The airline system in America is pushing the breaking point. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, airline delays are already at an all-time high. And with the crowded summer season upon us, the problems caused by full planes, limited crews, ground delays and lost luggage are only going to get worse.

Now then. Who's Over-reacting? Who's just ignoring or is oblivious to the real issue at hand here? Like you might say, "it's all POV", but then how would you like to be on the "Receiving end" of this POV? I mean if you want to say 'I'm over-reacting' and 'high strung', then I would return the answer with:

'Who's being oblivious here to the real overall problem?'

Me?

The hundreds (if not thousands) of angry passengers who have to suffer through these issues?

Or maybe we should all just look the other way and then have to suffer through the issues of flight delays, lost luggage, and even having perhaps some of the worst flight and travel experiences that leave folks upset that they'll swear off flying. (In fact in that Continental incident with the Backed up toilet? One guy was given a 500 dollar voucher and he said that "He would doubt" he would ever use it).. Ever. Just because he had to sit for 7 hours on a flight ful of overflowing toilets, whose water, and other materials are literally flowing into the aisles aboard that flight.

Gee would I want to wish this on anyone? Definitely not.

Believe me, If I'm over-reacting, then there are 9 people who should do a little more research here into these problems with airlines, and see the scope of the real issues here.

After all what happens when it gets to the point where American airline passengers as well as all airline passengers world wide finally get fed up with the issues at hand? Will they start to act like those Brazillian Passengers and storm the airports demanding better service?

Already The United States Congress is working right now on a "Airline Passenger's Bill of Rights" bill, to try and protect the consumers from such negative events and horror stories from happening. But it's really up to the airlines to try and fix the problems here, rather then the goverment having to come in and solve the problems at hand.

Over-reacting? High Strung? Nope.

Being realistic about the problems at hand dealing with airline travel? Yes.

But I think someone else needs a cold hard reality check here.. and next time have proof to back their claims up before saying I'm over-reacting, and that I'm High strung.

After all probability states that for every 1 flight that is indeed enjoyable, I'm guessing that there are half a dozen flights that leave passengers miserable and demanding some sort of compensation.


And with that, I'll say one final thing:

I wouldn't want to wish any of this on anyone.. Not even my worst enemies.

After all, people don't have to suffer like this.

They need to find a way to allieviate the issues or else a lot of folks are going to end up like those Brazillians, storming the airports complete with flaming torches and pitchforks in hand, demanding retribution for their miserable flights.

So as I said, Unless you got proof that I'm over-reacting, then I suggest you have proof to back up your claims. Because like I said, 'It may be POV currently, but as time goes on, you'll start to hear more and more of these stories, and then I'll be asking, "Who's over-reacting now?'" Me? or you?

And with that I'll leave it as such.

:coyote:



And yet i've started to see more and more of these type of so called "Horror stories start to crop up in the news as of late. In fact a lo

[The Guitar Slayer]

.....The original topic is about a pair of gloves in an airplane toilet. If this was in a film, people would probably be in hysterics over it. I even know some real life people that would find this funny -- it's just not funny to those directly affected. The amount of text you've dedicated to it is a bit disproportionate, as well as the panic you seem to have about it. I would maintain my position of you being just too nervy.

To go story by story:

1. Minor airline; it's a budget gig so it's not going to be mindblowingly awesome servicewise. It's essentially lawn chairs strapped to an engine -- you get what you pay for.

2. Major airline, error that didn't maim anyone. Inconvenient as all hell and crummy customer service, but nothing life-threatening. And how many various companies have computer snafus every day? Remember, while it is travel eight miles up, it's still just a company.

3. Port authority problem, not an airline problem. The companies are just as much victims here as the passengers. Their planes can't take off and they're losing money because the airport facilities are inadequate. Not their fault.

4. Welcome to capitalism. And once again, minor airline -- not a major one. Sorry if it's insensitive, but that's small business. The guy isn't cost efficient to ride for free.

5. Stuff happens, rama lama ding ding. Extreme example.

6. Link broken.

7. ....I don't see the big deal here. We've had these sort of articles since airlines first went commercial. It's the same basic problems.

8. Another minor airline.

I'd rather have the flight sitting on the ground and be cancelled than have the malfunction happen in midair and have myself drop like a rock. You're also making a fuss over issues that have been present since the advent of jet travel. Lines, delays, snafus...and now with budget airlines, you get bad customer service -- their only responsibility to you is to get you and your stuff from Point A to Point B. You get what you pay for.

And yes, there are more problems with air travel because there are more airlines and more planes -- law of averages. That's sort of logical, you know. It's also the summer season -- these issues come up every year. What you have are examples of airline problems; they haven't been correlative enough to be construed as "proof" of the imminent demise of the airline industry. Two years ago, Heathrow was closed down due to a strike, and in Greece, I think, an entire plane froze to death while in flight, ultimately crashing. Yet you're rattled by an overflowing toilet and all the other non-fatal airline stories that occur on the same day? I'm sure that there were other airplane stories from the various corners of the world that would have complimented the horror of the Greek story or the frustration of London's largest airport being shut. In total, I think that day would have basically trumped your stories here. And two years later, we're still flying.

And yet the toilet gets to you and is a sign of the end times for the airline industry. .....right.

Is more regulation needed? Yes, I'd say so. Is an overhaul in order? Yes. Is the sky going to fall tomorrow unless this problem is fixed? Unless we're extremely unlucky, no.

As to voucher guy, it's his choice what to do with his money -- he could sell it off to someone willing to fly Continental. Whatever floats his boat. The point is, the airline made reparations as stipulated in their ticket contract -- they aren't obliged to go above and beyond. You don't like the contract, don't sign it, i.e., don't buy the ticket. Again, say hi to capitalism. I'm not a big fan, but hey, that's what the USA has decided on in terms of an economic model (albeit in a slightly modified form).

And the whole bolding and underlining of text -- not necessary. I can read perfectly well, thank you, and it doesn't make your points any stronger.

And ironically, I think I've typed too much about gloves in a toilet now too.

[BCVM22]

I'm personally more offended by your use of such needless, hardcore vulgarities as "h-e-double hockey sticks."

[EinBebop]

I've been terrified of flying ever since I saw 'Airplane!'

"Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"