I was traveling on business yesterday.
Woke up at 4:45 AM to finish stuff, took the 6:30 Acela train down to New York City, which was nice. Arrived in our office there by 10:30 and all was cool. Prepared, had my all important meeting 3-5:30 and then had to rush to the airport for my flight to see another client.
I was booked on Airtran which so far was decent. The planes were never bad, the business class is really cheap and no frills (nothing special beyond what counts, big roomy seats) and their frequent flyer program is generous. But last night was just lousy.
I got the airport on time for my 6:59 flight. I breeze through security and get to the gate, only to find out that the flight is delayed. The attendant there was so uncaring and never remotely tried to even show minimal courtesy, that even for Airtran that was surprising. She had no idea for a projected departure time than 10:00 PM. 3 hour delay. Why? she mumbled something about the weather. OK…
As I wait in LaGuardia in the truly unappealing terminal shared by all small airlines, another flight to Ohio got canceled altogether. The same attendant was just as lacking any sense of empathy with its passengers as she was with me. Maybe a defense mechanism. Time passes by, another flight is delayed but eventually leaves before ours. The attendant somehow disappears, replaced by another who is not too conversant in the English language and in a broken way tells us all that the delays now is extended to 11:00 PM. That’s at 8:45.
More sitting, more waiting, eventually they announce that they will compensate us travelers. With a $10 food and drink coupon and a $25 coupon for our next flight on Airtran. That was like so too little and so too late. A huge line forms to pick up the coupon. By the time I reach the desk they are out of coupons. 30 minutes later they have a coupon. And they have a projected departure time, more firm this time, 11:30 PM.
The plane arrives, we get on the plane. I am truly exhausted. The pilot shares with us the fact that weather did indeed have a part in the delay, but also that the plane that was supposed to carry us was malfunctioning and that Airtran had to find a replacement, which took time. Was this truth too bad to share with passengers waiting for 5 hours in a crummy terminal? Was being nice too much to ask for either?
We fly, we get to Atlanta. The airport is pretty empty. We get out of the terminal to the transfer area connecting the terminals with the main arrivals and departures hall downstairs. The train connecting you to that building was not running so it could undergo maintenance. Oh well. A mile and a half’s walk later I get outside. Get a cab. No air conditioning in a cab on an 85 degree night at 2:45 AM. I get to the hotel. At first they even manage to locate the wrong reservation but luckily finally find me.
I get to the room on the 18th floor. I sleep. Finally.
Just a crappy night.
Airtran could do much much better. Should I expect more? not sure.
