Upgraded!

Perhaps one of our resident medical/science experts can weigh in, but I always thought that behaviors and mannerisms resulting from intoxication were due in no small part to dehydration which, can also result from a full day of back-to-back flights.

hillrider

OP:

How many minutes prior to scheduled departure time did you approach the GA asking for your seat?

Were you rebooked for a next-day flight when they cancelled you?

elitetraveler

I recall a CO incident at Orange County Airport where I think the OP was removed on the ground when the FA determined him to be intoxicated. I can't find it searching but I recollect he was determined to not have been under the influence by the ground staff, however, the FO wouldn't allow him to re-board and he was booked on the next flight.

Thumper

Only once, when it was the pilot. (sigh)

QueenOfCoach

There is a huge gap in the OP's account between the time he was told that the standby list had closed and the GA calling Security. He says he spend "several minutes" "reasoning" with the GA, but does not detail what he said and how he said it.

I cannot imagine any GA calling security if all the passenger said was "Bummer, I was asleep and did not hear my name.".

Several minutes is way to long to be debating with a gate agent. He missed the standby flight, by his own fault. Period. What was there more to talk about?

True, I don't like alcohol, nor do I like missing flights. Guilty as charged.

I have absolutely zero problem with other people drinking alcohol, so long as they don't crash their car into me. I do not accept "I needed to finish my drink" as an excuse for missing an important life activity, such as catching a plane.

I am not "always" at the gate two hours before departure. Living in north Los Angeles County, with the undependable 405 traffic between my house and LAX dictates that I allow plenty of time. I aim to arrive at the airport about 90 minutes before departure, leaving me time to get through TSA and usually find myself at the gate about an hour before departure. That works for me, and I have yet to miss a flight in my life.

Sure, that's fine, no problem with me, great, but if you miss a flight don't blame anyone but yourself.

AA_EXP09

Especially if you don't order much to drink.

Science Goy

You're ignoring the the elephant in the room: namely, that the OP was denied boarding on his originally-ticketed flight. If you miss your standby call (through sleep or absence), it's reasonable for them to give your seat to the next available person. To take it a step further and say "sorry, you're not getting on a plane at all today" goes well beyond the pale (absent some seriously erratic or aggressive behavior on the part of the passenger).

mvoight

Intoxicated or not, when you miss the call for the standby seat and the agent gives it away, there is nothing further to discuss with the gate agent, who is trying to get the flight out.

Moineau

The GA took him off his later flight; that astonishing action would certainly have given them something to discuss. So many people in this thread seem to be ignoring the fact that she did this.

I'm amazed that the OP remained so calm about it.

elitetraveler

They ignore the facts presented by OP as they want to blame OP and teach him a lesson via recurring lectures. Even if it was later proven that the GA was ORD's version of Helen, they would still lecture OP he could have avoided Helen by not ordering the OJ

Unfortunately their prosecutorial tones continue to ensure folks who could contribute positive advice stay away.

Upgraded!

A debate would ensue if the OP protested the GA taking him off of his original flight, I can tell you that much, and this GA sounds like she was on a power trip from the beginning. And once again, it doesn't sound like you actually fly that much, or have ever done a mileage run, but after nearly 24hrs on planes I don't think "oh, bummer" without even trying to reason their way onto the flight is a likely reaction from anyone in the OP's position. And he didn't "miss" his standby flight, it was still at the gate and boarding. According to the GA he missed his call for the flight and his seat was given away, but he didn't actually miss the flight.

I also have to say that your view on alcohol is also fairly myopic: there are plenty of people out there who consume alcohol and find ways to destroy others' lives without ever crashing a car, let alone into you. And NOWHERE did anyone ever talk about missing a flight to finish a drink; I don't know why you felt the need to throw that in there.

Finally, your unsympathetic closing line once again completely ignores the fact that the OP was offloaded from a flight 90 minutes out. He didn't miss his flight. He missed standby for an earlier flight.

Often1

Pretty standard. Once you're denied boarding, you're not flying again until the next day. The GA may well have told OP it was because he "didn't appear interested" as a means of defusing the situation before Chicago PD arrived, but the fact remains that it's unlikely that once the GA made the determination as to flight #1, that was it for the day.

Upgraded!

In this case it wouldn't have mattered anyhow; the 9:05pm is the last ORD-LAX of the day.

boerne

yes, and you can be dehydrated/volume depleted by flying without touching any Etoh as we all know. Sleep deprivation is why doctors in training can no longer work more than 80 hours a week. And dehydration + sleep deprivation can be really bad.

http://www.statefundca.com/safety/sa...?ArticleID=116

Intoxication- To cause stupefaction, stimulation, or excitement by or as if by use of a chemical substance:

see microsleeps in this link, sounds like OP may have had one of those

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_deprivation

Upgraded!

Given the kinds of travel road warriors today subject themselves to, this really is something GAs should be more well informed about, don't you think?