Another airline abuse story

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DandyDon

Colonoscopy Advocate
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Location
One kilometer high on the Texas Central Plains
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I understand that the airlines have suffered the last year and a half, and I want them to survive so I can still travel with them at times, but sometimes it's a case of them doing whatever they want to do to people.

July 3 I was at the Lubbock airport by 5am for a 7am flight to Houston and a one-hour connection to Roatan along with thirty plus others in our group. I'd checked United's site before leaving home at 3:30am to confirm that the plane had arrived in Lubbock the night before and that our flight was scheduled for an on-time departure, and the weather was clear. We all checked in, and only then did our phones light up with the delay! They must have known the night before that they didn't have a crew available to fly the plane, but letting us know was out of the question until they had us where they wanted us.
  • We left hours later when they finally got a crew, arriving Houston much too late to connect to the once-a-day flight to Roatan. I guess that they couldn't accommodate 30+ passengers on the 7am flight the next day so they had to get us to Houston that day, and strand us.
  • They did put us up in a nearby hotel. They could have arranged all of that in the hours before our arrival, but didn't, so our leader spent over an hour working that out after we arrived.
  • Oh, and they gave us two $10 vouchers each for three meals in Houston. Ha! Like that could work. There was only one place anywhere close that would accept them tho, so I made do with Chinese food delivered, then a coffee and roll at the airport the next morning.
  • Of course, we had to get to the airport early for our second international check-in. We finally got to Roatan a full 24 hours late which was an unpleasant cut into a dive trip planned for months.
Once there, Turquoise Bay resort was great, the food was great, the diving was great, and we made the best of the rest of the trip. It was a lousy start tho.

I filing a trip insurance claim of course as well as demanding compensation from the airline. We'll see how those go.
 
July 3 I was at the Lubbock airport by 5am for a 7am flight to Houston...
Why so early? I used to live at 31st and Indiana, and I could drive to the airport, park, waltz through security, and get on a plane within 30 minutes.
 
Why so early? I used to live at 31st and Indiana, and I could drive to the airport, park, waltz through security, and get on a plane within 30 minutes.
A few reasons...
  • I live a good hour's drive from the airport, east of Plainview, and I like to drive slower than the limit.
  • The leader and I had paperwork to work, and there is a lot required to go to Honduras these days.
  • A lot of things have changed at the airport this year, like my regular parking lot being closed for employee shortages and having to learn a new system at the actual airport lot, which was also short-handed and I had to hunt down a shuttle driver.
  • They want you to check in earlier for international trips, and there were over 30 of us.
 
…other than people with rattletraps that'll disintegrate at highway speeds. :p

Oh, you know Don?

64AA5268-D1BD-43DD-9DE3-FF6CBBBB933F.jpeg
 

You have to tell the full story - about the free parking spot next to the blast furnance that was a mile away from the little league game - the repaint is awaiting approval from travel insurance.

Don - this is all just in jest on a boring Tuesday morning in Cozumel - I'll absolutely delete this if you want, just trying to be funny
 
Makes sense. All except the driving slow part. You're the only person in West Texas who does that, I think, other than people with rattletraps that'll disintegrate at highway speeds. :p
I know. I rarely pass anyone. I save 20% on gas mileage tho and reduce the risks of accidents. It takes 20% longer to get somewhere, but that's only a few minutes.
Don - this is all just in jest on a boring Tuesday morning in Cozumel - I'll absolutely delete this if you want, just trying to be funny
No problem. I knew that Cozumel was in a different time zone, but it's still Tuesday there?
 
Also, if you had flown first class you would have received two $20 food vouchers, enough to share with someone else.

As far as the rattletrap goes goes you guys are really showing your age. That is a brand new car with a vinyl wrap made to look like that.

Believe me, I know a rattle trap when I see one (getting into car to go to the recycling yard).
 
As far as the rattletrap goes goes you guys are really showing your age. That is a brand new car with a vinyl wrap made to look like that.

Believe me, I know a rattle trap when I see one (getting into car to go to the recycling yard).

Ok, then, explain this… a recent West Texas Dive Club outing….

1A8E11AB-E398-4E08-9DAC-CB3820F2BB0D.jpeg


BUT, back to the OP. Don for sure you’re right. The airlines are not our friend. Never have been, and it’s gotten way worse. There’s going to be a lot of people headed for your experience.
 
Caption 1: What happens when Dad brings the girls diving at the local dive spot.
Caption 2: What not to do when you bring the girls camping.
Caption 3: New wreck found at local dive spot.
Caption 4: I should've went to Roatan on the 7am instead.
 
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