AA Changed Flts with no Notification

[DandyDon]

Flew the jump seat back from Amarillo once after going up and repairing the an aircraft. Summer storms in Texas, we were vectored all over the place and actually went north and around Tulsa on the way back. ATC was scrambling trying to route all the aircraft around the thunderheads popping up. On approach we had used up the reserve fuel and were at minimums (still legal) on landing. You do not want to go through or even skim the top of a thunderhead with passengers, it can easily get violent.

Yeah, Texas gets rough weather. Storms can be over 10 miles high, wind shears leaving and arriving, tornado outbursts, hail storms, etc. You got to wonder why two airlines have their headquarters and hubs here.

I was in Fort Worth one night when the area was slammed with hail. I drove my rental car back to DFW with the back window out and the front one covered in cracks, which I shouldn't have but I knew that a tow truck would take days to get to me. They replaced it with some they drove in from out of town/state. The airplanes that didn't leave before it hit didn't leave for a long time afterward.

re. the Texas storm route; One trip to Coz with the whole family, weather was nasty, and we attempted to be the last ones to land in Houston... After what could be described as almost a touch-and-go, the pilot pulled up hard, put his foot in it, and stressed that plane in a way I never want to experience again. I thought the wings would break off! We landed at a nearby airforce base, got gas and waited it out. Another missed connection

I've flown from DFW to Lubbock with Oklahoma City flybys several times dodging storms.

 

[gopbroek]

Yeah, Texas gets rough weather. Storms can be over 10 miles high, wind shears leaving and arriving, tornado outbursts, hail storms, etc. You got to wonder why two airlines have their headquarters and hubs here.

I was in Fort Worth one night when the area was slammed with hail. I drove my rental car back to DFW with the back window out and the front one covered in cracks, which I shouldn't have but I knew that a tow truck would take days to get to me. They replaced it with some they drove in from out of town/state. The airplanes that didn't leave before it hit didn't leave for a long time afterward.

I've flown from DFW to Lubbock with Oklahoma City flybys several times dodging storms.

Mid continental airports with 7.5 million local residents and the weather is not nearly as bad as Chicago

 

[judydivescoz]

Ha! I lived in Connecticut and NY. Sure Texas has wind sheer, us folk is in the north have snow and ice! Nothing more unsettling than that last minute de icing before takeoff from JFK! Missed many a connection with winter delays. Definitely not whining like some others. Stuff happens!

 

[loady]

the Brazilian Embraer 175 was fine. Only two seats each side of aisle. We would have gladly taken it back to California if it avoided Cancelations. The Aeromexico tj to Cancun flight is reasonably priced. Even with bus and boat would have been faster then 48 hr delays. We can cross to TJ aeropuerto by bridge from San Diego. SD airport is tiny so LAX is required for good choice in long flights.

The scheduled flight from CZM to MIA is a 76 passenger Embraer 175. It has a service ceiling of 41K (doubtful it could reach it on that short of flight). Some commercial jets go a little higher and a few Business jets claim 45K but that is pretty much the top end. The problem becomes safety if they loose pressurization, in addition to the masks dropping there is the chance that the passengers blood will 'boil' as divers we call it the 'bends'. The AF (per my father in-law a retire Coronel) requires pressure / space suits above 50K for this reason.

 

[loady]

Mid continental airports with 7.5 million local residents and the weather is not nearly as bad as Chicago

Does either Chicago airport cancel and delay flights as often as Texas airports? Or other Midwest and northeast airports vs tx airports? It sounds like thunderstorms and tornados are more dangerous to fly, take off , land in then white outs and blizzards?

 

[mcohen1021]

Just check for my 8 day trip next month, Friday to Sat. All my flts were changed and no notifications given. Could deal with Fridays changes but the return trip now is overnight over 21 hrs vice my original 5 1/2 hrs. Flying in and out of Cancun also added a day plus a lot more expense. Sorry to say had to cancel.

AA sucks. On a trip with DIRECT flights from DFW to PLS, those jerks canceled my flight and rebooked me on a trip to houston hobby, then i had to change airports to wait a 5 hr layover

 

[loady]

Two more lessons : mobile passport cbp phone app as fast as global entry entering USA customs and immigration. and don’t change planes in or fly from Texas.

 

[mcohen1021]

Two more lessons : mobile passport cbp phone app as fast as global entry entering USA customs and immigration. and don’t change planes in or fly from Texas.

i used it a few times and the customs agents never use it, they want the paper... i dont understand what i'm doing wrong lol

 

[ggunn]

The pilot couldn’t climb to fly over the storm? Your experience sounds exciting and scary ….

No. The tops of severe thunderstorms are frequently higher than the operational ceiling for commercial airliners - sometimes much higher; a Google search yielded references to severe thunderstorm cloud tops measured in excess of 70,000 feet.

Thunderstorm clouds: The tallest clouds on this planet | WGN-TV

 

[cvchief]

Two more lessons : mobile passport cbp phone app as fast as global entry entering USA customs and immigration. and don’t change planes in or fly from Texas.

On the right day, if you are lucky. Otherwise, nah, notta, not even.