US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - What the heck was going on at DCA yesterday (10/15/04) afternoon?

I had reservations on the 9PM shuttle from DCA to LGA yesterday. Meeting ended way early so I called and shifted the 5PM. Get their about 3:30 figuring I can maybe even make the 4. Nope, huge line for checkin. After about 20 or 25 minutes it has barely moved. Plus the security line is all the way down the concourse. By this time its about 10 till four and Im thinking the 5 shuttle is doubtful. So I call my office and have them see if they can get me on the 5 Acela. That gets in at 7:50 and the 6 shuttle which is looking like what I will end up on gets in at 7:10. Plus on the train I dont need to stand in line for 90 minutes and can work and relax instead. So I make the switch and after about 10 minutes in a cab and a couple minutes in line at Union station am in the Acela lounge wondering how in the world they expect people to stand in line like that for the shuttle. People were frantic and pissed, the employees were saying use the kiosks but I asked if it would work since I changed my time by phone and they said probably not. Do they have any idea what percentage of shuttle passengers change flight times? Its a rhetorical question I guess, Im sure they could know if they chose to. The kiosks simply dont cut it there and neither does the staffing given that. Whats worse is most shuttle tickets are full fare so people just walk out and go to the train. Another guy left to take the Delta at 4:30 because he wasnt going to make the US 4. I wonder if anyone has ever trotted down the road from CCY to look at what goes on there? This isnt the first time Ive seen this. Last time I didnt take the train. This time I knew better.

I flew in on UA yesterday at 3:45pm and walked past the US counter and it was empty. The agents were standing there with no customers and their was maybe one or two in the first class/elite line. I only saw about 30 people at the kiosk, so I am not sure what happened in the short time that you got there. I will say that not long after I got into downtown DC, there were horrible thunderstorms, lightning, high winds and rais, so I am sure that snarled all flights out of DCA.

I flew in on UA yesterday at 3:45pm and walked past the US counter and it was empty. The agents were standing there with no customers and their was maybe one or two in the first class/elite line. I only saw about 30 people at the kiosk, so I am not sure what happened in the short time that you got there. I will say that not long after I got into downtown DC, there were horrible thunderstorms, lightning, high winds and rais, so I am sure that snarled all flights out of DCA.

Nope, the flights were leaving on time. This was downstairs at the shuttle check in at the same time you were upstairs.

I had reservations on the 9PM shuttle from DCA to LGA yesterday. Meeting ended way early so I called and shifted the 5PM. Get their about 3:30 figuring I can maybe even make the 4. Nope, huge line for checkin. After about 20 or 25 minutes it has barely moved. Plus the security line is all the way down the concourse. By this time its about 10 till four and Im thinking the 5 shuttle is doubtful. So I call my office and have them see if they can get me on the 5 Acela. That gets in at 7:50 and the 6 shuttle which is looking like what I will end up on gets in at 7:10. Plus on the train I dont need to stand in line for 90 minutes and can work and relax instead. So I make the switch and after about 10 minutes in a cab and a couple minutes in line at Union station am in the Acela lounge wondering how in the world they expect people to stand in line like that for the shuttle. People were frantic and pissed, the employees were saying use the kiosks but I asked if it would work since I changed my time by phone and they said probably not. Do they have any idea what percentage of shuttle passengers change flight times? Its a rhetorical question I guess, Im sure they could know if they chose to. The kiosks simply dont cut it there and neither does the staffing given that. Whats worse is most shuttle tickets are full fare so people just walk out and go to the train. Another guy left to take the Delta at 4:30 because he wasnt going to make the US 4. I wonder if anyone has ever trotted down the road from CCY to look at what goes on there? This isnt the first time Ive seen this. Last time I didnt take the train. This time I knew better.

Hey Gadget,

I use the shuttle quite a lot. You can change your flight time on the shuttle with the Kiosk. You have to pay the 25 dollar stand-by fee. But every time I paid the fee it automatically confirmed me for a seat and printed my boarding pass. Sometimes the US agents don't even know what the Kiosk is capable of doing.

Troy