Tenacious
Apr 29, 08, 11:47 am
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
April 29, 2008
Airlines and airports say they have new procedures to prevent prolonged delays aboard airplanes, and the number of planes left sitting for three hours or more has recently declined.
But there's a trade-off: more cancellations.
Fliers are having to swap one travel nightmare -- being stuck on a plane -- for another -- being stuck in an airport. Carriers defend the choice, saying that being quicker to cancel flights rather than risk leaving planeloads of people marooned allows airlines to recover more quickly from disruptions. And, they say, airports are a much more comfortable place to while away the hours than cramped planes. Passengers have better access to essential services at airport terminals, some of which now have started to keep concessions open all night during weather disruptions and provide essentials like blankets and baby diapers. Some airport vending machines have been stocked with overnight essentials like toothpaste.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120941800952050857.html
April 29, 2008
Airlines and airports say they have new procedures to prevent prolonged delays aboard airplanes, and the number of planes left sitting for three hours or more has recently declined.
But there's a trade-off: more cancellations.
Fliers are having to swap one travel nightmare -- being stuck on a plane -- for another -- being stuck in an airport. Carriers defend the choice, saying that being quicker to cancel flights rather than risk leaving planeloads of people marooned allows airlines to recover more quickly from disruptions. And, they say, airports are a much more comfortable place to while away the hours than cramped planes. Passengers have better access to essential services at airport terminals, some of which now have started to keep concessions open all night during weather disruptions and provide essentials like blankets and baby diapers. Some airport vending machines have been stocked with overnight essentials like toothpaste.
http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB120941800952050857.html