AirTran Hi-JAX Indy?; Indy CRJ Shortage?; Random Observations
Feb 27, 2005, 8:45 am
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AirTran Hi-JAX Indy?; Indy CRJ Shortage?; Random Observations
I noticed AirTran now has a 3:53 p.m. departure from Jacksonville to Atlanta, which competes very nicely with Indy's 4:05 p.m. (used to be 4:00 p.m.) depature to Dulles. For example, AirTran claims their 3:53 p.m. through Atlanta can get you to Chicago Midway at 6:45 p.m., while Indy's 4:05 p.m. claims an O'Hare arrival at 7:45 p.m. (Both are equally dubious, I should add. Delta is more realistic with their Atlanta revisions. United still has the only nonstop on that route, to O'Hare, but it's hard to get good times at reasonable prices on that.)
Before this 3:53 flight, AirTran had a big hole in their Jacksonville outbound schedule, and Indy was probably taking advantage of it. AirTran has some very nice fares, and the 717 is a great airplane.
Meanwhile, I've noticed lately that Indy is struggling with some mechanicals. Is the fleet reduction (without a completely offsetting schedule reduction) causing some problems? My experience is purely anecdotal, but Friday's 4:00 p.m. JAX-IAD was delayed, and the 9:15 p.m. IAD-ORD also had mechanical problems. This made for a tough journey on that route. Indy does seem to offer free drinks in such circumstances, and their staff is (IMHO) excellent at handling such cases. (They're above average in truthfully letting you know what's going on.) So that helped.
Unfortunately Indy doesn't have official standby lists (from what I can tell), and they don't "protect" seats like, say, Delta. (My only sensible choice was to grab a guaranteed seat on the later IAD-ORD flight while I was in JAX, and that meant I got to watch the delayed 6:30 p.m. IAD-ORD leave without me -- and with some nonrevs. So a 4:00 p.m. JAX departure becomes an 11:00 p.m. ORD arrival. Ugh.)
I suppose it's good news that the flights are fuller (again, anecdotal). But, for the next trip, I'm on Delta ORD-ATL-JAX and back on AirTran JAX-ATL-MDW. That's the nicest schedule-fare combination, i.e. schedule and fare both factors. You'd think Southwest would compete, but they don't serve MDW-JAX-MDW very well at present. (Delta even has a better morning same-plane one-stop service now.)
Why is it that people stand right in the way of the gate agent? Flight is two hours away and they're blocking the boarding/gate area for people trying to get on the flight that's about to depart. Happens on every airline now. (I couldn't fight my way through the AA "Group 5" while trying to board in First last week.) Some common courtesy, people! Otherwise I'm going to start pointing you to seats in the waiting area and (very politely but audibly) describe how much of a rude traveler you are to anyone within earshot.
Dennis Miller hasn't been funny since Saturday Night Live. And then barely.
I'm now recognizing Indy flight attendants. I must be flying Indy enough, or Indy doesn't have many flight attendants.
Finally, while I really like Indy's 4-snack offering (Sun Chips, pretzels, cookies, and granola-fruit bars), would it be possible to add/substitute something without hydrogenated oils? Peanuts, maybe? Would also satisfy the Atkins crowd, I suppose. That would be a minor but welcome tweak. And thank you for the hot towels -- that's a nice touch.
Before this 3:53 flight, AirTran had a big hole in their Jacksonville outbound schedule, and Indy was probably taking advantage of it. AirTran has some very nice fares, and the 717 is a great airplane.
Meanwhile, I've noticed lately that Indy is struggling with some mechanicals. Is the fleet reduction (without a completely offsetting schedule reduction) causing some problems? My experience is purely anecdotal, but Friday's 4:00 p.m. JAX-IAD was delayed, and the 9:15 p.m. IAD-ORD also had mechanical problems. This made for a tough journey on that route. Indy does seem to offer free drinks in such circumstances, and their staff is (IMHO) excellent at handling such cases. (They're above average in truthfully letting you know what's going on.) So that helped.
Unfortunately Indy doesn't have official standby lists (from what I can tell), and they don't "protect" seats like, say, Delta. (My only sensible choice was to grab a guaranteed seat on the later IAD-ORD flight while I was in JAX, and that meant I got to watch the delayed 6:30 p.m. IAD-ORD leave without me -- and with some nonrevs. So a 4:00 p.m. JAX departure becomes an 11:00 p.m. ORD arrival. Ugh.)
I suppose it's good news that the flights are fuller (again, anecdotal). But, for the next trip, I'm on Delta ORD-ATL-JAX and back on AirTran JAX-ATL-MDW. That's the nicest schedule-fare combination, i.e. schedule and fare both factors. You'd think Southwest would compete, but they don't serve MDW-JAX-MDW very well at present. (Delta even has a better morning same-plane one-stop service now.)
Why is it that people stand right in the way of the gate agent? Flight is two hours away and they're blocking the boarding/gate area for people trying to get on the flight that's about to depart. Happens on every airline now. (I couldn't fight my way through the AA "Group 5" while trying to board in First last week.) Some common courtesy, people! Otherwise I'm going to start pointing you to seats in the waiting area and (very politely but audibly) describe how much of a rude traveler you are to anyone within earshot.
Dennis Miller hasn't been funny since Saturday Night Live. And then barely.
I'm now recognizing Indy flight attendants. I must be flying Indy enough, or Indy doesn't have many flight attendants.
Finally, while I really like Indy's 4-snack offering (Sun Chips, pretzels, cookies, and granola-fruit bars), would it be possible to add/substitute something without hydrogenated oils? Peanuts, maybe? Would also satisfy the Atkins crowd, I suppose. That would be a minor but welcome tweak. And thank you for the hot towels -- that's a nice touch.
