Vouchers for a discount? I've seen those, they just give you a slightly discounted rate, often no better than you can do on hotels.com.
No excuse for USAir not to pay all expenses, but it looks like they're trying to blame it on the earlier weather delay.
Bertolini said lightning struck near Charlotte Douglas International Airport and delayed takeoff after the plane left the gate at around 10:30 p.m. The flight, which was scheduled to arrive in Charleston at 11:25 p.m., departed Charlotte at 11:43 p.m., he said.
you THINK it was weather that had them out there holding for take-off for over an HOUR? If not, then what?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by etch5895
Charleston should have kept the airport open knowing that they had a flight enroute. Don't the towers talk before the flights are allowed to depart?
Was thinking about that too. Don't the pilots filea flight plan with ATC before taking off? SOme one more knowledgable thatn I can tell us if that is correct, and if the tower at the originating airport checks with the destination tower of the first hand off tower. There is probably no tower between Charlotte and Charleston.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaatri
Was thinking about that too. Don't the pilots filea flight plan with ATC before taking off? SOme one more knowledgable thatn I can tell us if that is correct, and if the tower at the originating airport checks with the destination tower of the first hand off tower. There is probably no tower between Charlotte and Charleston.
I know I sat in CLT for about an hour last month because PHL tower held us there due to weather. I'd assume that all airports do something similar, but I don't know. Charleston is not a large airport, but it is not a particularly small one, either. The article said the airport is usually a 24 hour operation but was having work done at night during this month. The pilot might not have known that, but it sounds like someone at US should have.
I wonder if the pilot was trying to radio the tower and no one answered?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC96
you THINK it was weather that had them out there holding for take-off for over an HOUR? If not, then what?
Yes, it was due to weather. However, before taking off US should have known/double checked that the arrival airport wouldn't time out. Once they took off they took on responsibility.
If they aborted before take-off, they're within their rights to give minimal or no compensation. After they screw up, they have to make it right to their pax.
Also, if they cx'ed in advance, they'd be offloading the pax into the airport at 11:30; instead they did that at 12:45. At that time of night, that extra hour+ makes a big difference in the pax booking a hotel, getting there, getting settled in and getting sufficient rest.
[quote=Gargoyle;12120715]Yes, it was due to weather. However, before taking off US should have known/double checked that the arrival airport wouldn't time out. Once they took off they took on responsibility.
QUOTE]
You guys know, several airports have curfews. In this case, CRW has one due to maintenance. It sounds like a dispatcher issue. AND, one caused by weather. I wonder why they didnt divert to an "alternate" airport?
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[quote=NYC96;12121055]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gargoyle
Yes, it was due to weather. However, before taking off US should have known/double checked that the arrival airport wouldn't time out. Once they took off they took on responsibility.
QUOTE]
You guys know, several airports have curfews. In this case, CRW has one due to maintenance. It sounds like a dispatcher issue. AND, one caused by weather. I wonder why they didnt divert to an "alternate" airport?
Ok I am confused. I thought I read that the plane was going to Charleston, SC, not West Virginia... DId I miss something?
If I were on the flight, I would be peeved, but I don't think the blame can be put on US this time.. I think that someone in the towere in Charleston screwed this one up. I cannot imagine US doing this intentionally. They would have had to have clearance from Charleston to take off... I would assume.. May be wrong here....
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The flight was going to CHS, Charleston, SC. They should have known the airport would be closed at midnight and cancelled the flight before it took off. Using an alternative airport after the screw up would only have made the matters worse, as it would have stranded passengers, crew and a plane overnight so it could make a run at CHS in the morning. Stranding passengers is one thing, but you never want to strand a plane and crew.
When I saw the initial story, I was thinking it was CRW also, which has had quite a month after the recent emergency landing of a Southwest flight. Was beginning to think it had something to do with the "Mothman Prophecies"
It's pretty common for an airline's dispatch to be able to get a closing time extended by a few minutes when a late-running flight will be close to the cutoff. In such a situation the crew would be trying to make it there before the cutoff while their dispatcher is working to get the time extended in case they don't.
I know I sat in CLT for about an hour last month because PHL tower held us there due to weather. I'd assume that all airports do something similar, but I don't know. Charleston is not a large airport, but it is not a particularly small one, either. The article said the airport is usually a 24 hour operation but was having work done at night during this month. The pilot might not have known that, but it sounds like someone at US should have.
I wonder if the pilot was trying to radio the tower and no one answered?
In your case it sounds like PHL had a Ground Stop, or a Ground Delay Program. This prevents new flights departing to the airport where the ground stop is. With Ground Delay Programs, the FAA provides "release times" as part of flow control into a region or specific airport.
These are FAA programs and I believe are handled via a primary FAA center.
Once in the air, there are "regional centers" that handle ATC while at altitude. Communication is a series of hand-offs, (Ramp & Clearance/Delivery -> Ground -> Tower -> Departure -> ATC Center -> ATC Center -> Airport Approach -> Tower -> Ground -> Ramp) but the centers do coordinate with each other and with individual airports.
