LA FIRES : How SouthWest Abused Hundreds in Phoenix Last Night

[srpantalonas]

I was at a weekend meeting of some goodhearted green lefties in Arizona. Original flight was scheduled for 5 PM. Delayed and rescheduled for 8:30 because of the fires. Fair enough.

1) first pilots show up at 8:30, they move to another flight. Delay again. Gate is packed, halls are packed.

2) second pilots show up 9:40. They're moved to another flight, another delay.

3) 11 PM announcement that pilots are on the way. hang tough, only 2 more hours. Other flights have taken off, our gate is still packed, most people are on the floor trying to sleep. its really cold, people are shivering. I ask woman at desk for blankets and she said she'll call. She doesn't. She's wearing two blankets wrapped around her waist, because she's cold too.

5) 11:30, no blankets. 3 stewardesses have shown up, all are cold. They decide to board the plane, which has been sitting empty. I ask them to bring blankets. They say they will, and one of them gets on the phone and yells at the woman at the desk about taking care of people. As they head to the plane, I head to customer service to get blankets. None are there, just some pillows. I ask them to call operations/provisioning for blankets and pillows. I ask about the likelihood of finding pilots for a 5-hour flight who can take the flight without exceeding their limit. They say they have pilots. I suggest that it's time they call the hotel, book the rooms, and stop jerking people around. They explain that they are all very tired and working overtime. They say there are fires and there's nothing they can do about the fires. I calmly say it's not about the fires, it's about 200 people shivering in the cold airport waiting for pilots who won't get sent to another, more important route. She gives me the tone. You know the tone. I don't erupt, but I'm thinking about it.

I grab about 6 pillows and head back to the gate, handing them all out. The stewardess has since returned with a few blankets and pillows from the plane. I turn around and head back to the desk, demanding a call to provisioning for blankets, then head back to customer service to do the same.

11:45 PM Blankets and pillows finally show up. Announcement that plane is in the air with our pilots. People call their friends and family to adjust their pickup plans for a 4th time.

12:00 AM Announcement that flight is cancelled. Please line up to get your ticket changed.
12:10 AM Announcement that customer service will take some people too.
12:15 AM Announcement that non-Phoenix residents will get hotel rooms, go to customer service for vouchers.
12:30 AM I have my new ticket and head to Customer Service for vouchers. Line is 30-people long. Southwest staff are handing out forms for us to fill out, saying they will get them to the airline so they understand how we were treated. No room on form to voice complaints. They suggest we send letters. Voucher line is same as new ticket line and is not moving. I complain about having to wait another hour to get a hotel voucher.
12:40 AM I complain again. Staff finally comes out with vouchers, asks people with tickets to come over and fill out vouchers. We are assured shuttles are waiting.
12:50 AM with vouchers we head down to the shuttle. No shuttle.
1:00 AM 1 shuttle shows up. It seats 7. 30 people are waiting.
1:20 AM we arrive at hotel and check in. Wait in line again. More forms.
1:50 AM I arrive in my room.

[donsu]

1. good grief!

why was the airport so cold?

(and let us remember what the bushgang says over and over : america the greatest land of all. myth busters where are you?)

[srpantalonas]

2. dunno

Temperature outside was higher than inside. I guess they had the AC cranked--it was terrible!

[EX-CONservative]

3. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

The wonders of deregulation! :eyes:

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[realFedUp]

4. Didn't the airline shut downs have to do with the air command central

being shut down because of the fires in San Diego? I'm surprised
you could get a plane out of the area in the first place.
That's a shame about all the inconvenience...understandable
that people are doing the best they can during these fires.

[sistersofmercy]

5. Bummerama! I've had a few experiences in my travels similar but

not as extreme. I usually head for the bar. Of course I'm quite audacious, always announce my intention for bellying up to the bar and find myself with a pack of drinking companions. But honestly I've never had to overnight somewhere. You were probably to annoyed to sleep well I assume.

[srpantalonas]

6. the fires weren't the problem...

it was the lack of customer service and a series of decisions made at the expense of the passengers. We would have been happy with just a little attention--blankets, pillows, etc. Some foresight. Some thought. The fires didn't come into it--I understand the problem of getting planes out of LA, and I understand being short on pilots. Butwhen the pilot designated for our plane was moved to a different flight for economic reasons...well, that just seemed wrong, though it probably made economic sense for them.