Sitting on the Tarmac for 7 hours? Hmmmmmm. What would you do? What would I have done?

I am sure that by the time 2 hours had elapsed, my cell phone would start getting a lot of illegal use, but who would I call? The police, CNN, my lawyer, my rabble rousing protester friends from the '60s who would undoutedly do something rash immediately? (Assuming, of course, they could find their hearing aids and glasses).

What would you have done?



[This message has been edited by FLY BYE (edited 04-30-99).]

On 09/07/98, I was stuck on CO 388 from ATL-EWR for seven hours, due to severe thunderstorms at EWR. Four of those hours were spent on the tarmac at BWI, since we were diverted. It was hell, especailly since I was flying with my baby. I later wrote CO customer service and they were only vaguely apologetic. Seems like such actions runs through the entire NW\CO alliance.

[This message has been edited by avek00 (edited 04-30-99).]

Since I am a diagnosed claustraphobe, I would demand that the pilot go to a gate and let me off the plane. If they refuse, I would pop a few anti-anxiety pills I have on hand.

I would put that question on this board and ask my ff-colleagues for their comment/advice.

If it were a Monday during the month of May I could use the airphone for a free data call to FlyerTalk.

I do not think this would always be a big problem. Say you are in 1st class and going somewhere you really did not want to go and it would be fine with you if the meeting or event happened without you.

If it was a business meeting you had to be at your just stuck.

If you are having an anxiety attack and you must get off the plane, I guess you could alway go for the emergency exit. I doubt anyone could stop you if you planned your exit well. Only God can say what would happen once they caught you somewhere on the ground trying to get away!!!!

An attorney might try it to sent up a case to test the detention of people by a public company.

I also ponder the thought of being delayed more than X hours. Is this covered by the cancelled or overbooked flight. Should you not get meal allowance, vouchers for future flight free, etc? The flight is delayed by weather, there excuse, but you could take a bus, train or drive if they did not hold you hostage!

arturo wood tak seesta, thin git hes teqila bottl frum ovrhed an cher shots wiff arturos fella furst clas peepl an wiff fa's. butt knot wiff pilits. seben horas go bye fast fer arturo.

wat es tarmec?

[This message has been edited by arturo (edited 04-30-99).]

I'm assuming this means a situation like the one reported in WSJ this week. 7 hours on the tarmac, no food, no drinks, no toilets. YUK!!!

One guy on the plane actually did call the CEO of NWA. Don't think that was the best move because NWA automatically would downplay the situation.

I think I would call people on the outside of the plane (who didn't have to worry about running down their battery) and on whom I could count to get creative with the media--quickly. That's the kind of situation that CNN eats up. Babies with no diapers, or formula, diabetics without enough medication, claustrophobics, hypoglycemics, whatever....

I'd get the locl media out there with their cameras and mikes and advise the national media of what was happening. The CEO of NW would have responded a lot more quickly cameras on the outside with sob-sister reporters than he did to a phone call that he could try to cover up.

I would know what I would want to do.

I would want them to have internet access at my seat so that I could post to flyertalk and
surf the web hunting for free frequent flyer miles.

cheers Peter

After 2 hours, I probably would have flipped. The FAs didn't even let you get out of your seat to stretch, which would have killed me. And now that NW is only giving away 1 free ticket to those who were involved would REALLY piss me off and would get me thinking about to which airline I will be loyal to in the future. I might have even busted the exit doors if I had to.

While I hate class action lawyers, this is an ideal case for a class action suit. How about that, DJLawman? Either all the passengers on that plane or everyone in the country who's ever been delayed (I started to type that "belayed", and that might have been a better word.)

I'm pretty sure a class action has been or is being filed. It is my understanding that they were collecting names and addresses on the plane of folks who wished to be included in the suit. Since I fly through Detroit and Minneapolis a lot and have had some pretty exhausting winter waits, I find the whole situation fascinating.

Tute84: Sounds like you have additional information that wasn't included in the WSJ article. Is there another web source that discusses the subject?

i once spent six or so hours on the tarmac in Toronto on a flight from London to ORD. Somewhere over Michigan we got diverted due to weather at ORD. So we sat. We watched two movies. The FA opened her own stash of cookies. We sat. The lav was filled up, but since it was a 747, there were other lavs to use.

Drink a LOT of alcohol (after the passengers revolted for non service of drinks.)

If that didn't knock me out... take my tranquilizer.

A cat can't stand being cooped up in a tight place for too long!

I once got stuck for 3 hours in ORD, on the way to ZRH on Swissair. What a joy it was! Sitting in FC,sipping wine, watching a movie,enjoying appetizers,wrapping myself in a dawn comforter on a fully reclining seat and catching a few ZZZZ's. I would have agreed to be imprisoned like that for another 3 hours, if needed. Once we took off, the flight itself was just as enjoyable. Flying domestic on Northwest is another story. It is a pain in you know what, even if the flight goes smooth. But to be trapped for 7 hours!!! I'll be taking pills to pacify myself after the first hour. After reading the WSJ article, I re-stocked my "medicine chest" in my briefcase, to have enough Xanax and sleeping pills to get me through 8 hours of delay, if needed.