pacificboot

The craziest thing happened to me today when I flew from JFK to LAX on US Airways. I experienced delays, cancellation, go around, diversion and lost bags... all in one day. However, even though I found it mildly frustrating, it made for a very interesting event, and I have learnt a lot through this experience.

Here is the scheduled itinerary

Date: Dec 17
Flight: US 15
Route: JFK-PHX
Scheduled/Actual Departure: 0615/0621
Scheduled/Actual Arrival: 1003/1037

Connecting towards

Date: Dec 17
Flight: US 1579
Scheduled/Actual Departure: 1113/Cancelled
Scheduled/Actual Arrival: 1146/Cancelled

For the first part, the flight was uneventful. However, the pilot did come and tell us that due to heavier than expected cross-winds during that day, the flight would arrive late, by around 30 minutes. The path would take us all the way to Mexico and up to Arizona. I was in the First Class cabin. All the flyertalk posts in the US Aiways forum seem to prepared me to a nightmare to come, such as old seats, nasty flight attendents, delays. Well, the seats were extremely new! They were very smart and all leather. The flight attendents were extremely professional and friendly. She addressed the customer by first and last name when taking in meal orders, and constantly asked us drinks request, and topped off all drinks. I am so used to flight attendants just hiding after meal service, and not coming up until it was landing preparation time, that this came as a total surprise to me!

Here are the breakfast entrees

1) Omlets
Cheese Omlet served with turkey ham bits
Seasonal fruit bowl
Warmed croissant served with condiments
A choice from the snack basket, including Sun Chips, chocolate bar, granola bar etc

2) Continental Plate
Seasonal fruit bowl
Large fruit flavored yogurt
A side of granola
A choice from the snack basket, including Sun Chips, chocolate bar, granola bar etc

It was very delicious, and the portions were large. I am comparing this to the fruit and cheese plate I got during P.S. C-class a week ago on a red-eye. Even though cups were of a plastic version, it is fine with me. What is most important is food quality and portion, and I give US a 9/10 for it. VX gets 10/10 though.

The flight was uneventful and landed 30 minutes late. I was a little worried about my connecting flight to LAX, because I only had a 70 minute connection.

However, as soon as the plane landed and was taxing to the gate, I immediately whipped out my i-phone and checked the status of my next flight. Turns out, the flight to LAX was cancelled! Well, I knew at that second that it is going to be a very loooong afternoon. And indeed it was!

Taking from the advices from Flyertalk members (Thanks guys!), I immediately passed the long customer service center and headed straight to the US Airways Club in Phoenix. There, I purchased a $40 one-time-pass, but also asked about my options. The agent typed in her computer, and found out that I have been rebooked on these flights.

Date: Dec 17
Flight: US 468
Route: PHX-LAS
Scheduled/Actual Departure: 1101/1151
Scheduled/Actual Arrival: 1116/1153

Connecting towards

Date: Dec 17
Flight: US 110
Scheduled/Actual Departure: 1435/Cancelled
Scheduled/Actual Arrival: 1543/Cancelled

However, I didn't feel like waiting in LAS for so long, and I am not going to be stuck in another connection, as I am so sick of the current connection, that I just wanted to get there as soon as possible. I asked about the next nonstop to LA, but the 2:30pm was overbooked, and the next one was at 4:15pm. That is like a 5 hour wait, which I didn't want to endure. So I said no to that, but said yes to the above connections (Via LAS). However, I still wasn't too happy about it, so I decided to do something else. Later, I found out that I was lucky, as the flight from LAS-LAX was eventually cancelled.

At 11:05am, I left the Club and headed straight to the nearest available gate agent and pleaded my case. I asked to be rerouted to Burbank. Luckily, the flight nonstop to Burbank had seats, but it had actually begun boarding already. The gate agent told me to hurry as the flight departs at 11:21am, and the gate will close in six minutes.

You could imagine that I have to run from the farthest gate possible, from A10 to B18. I have to cross three "satellites". It is basically like running from LAX T8 to TBIT in 6 minutes. It was the most tiring run every, as I was hauling carry-on, and I was tired, thirsty and hungry from the long flight.

New Flight:
Date: Dec 17
Flight: US 2836
Route: PHX-BUR
Scheduled/Actual Departure: 1121/1234
Scheduled/Actual Arrival: 1158/1312


At 11:11am, I finally arrived at gate B18. Luckily, they were still boarding! I took my seat in 5A, with an empty seat next to me. However, the plane was very hot, as air conditioning did not turn on. A 15 onboard delay turned to another 15 minutes. Finally, after 30 minutes, the pilot said that Burbank runway is too short to handle this flight in a rainy weather, and it is possible that this flight will divert to LAX. He asked all who did not want to take the chance to leave the aircraft. About 5 people walked off. I was surprised when people walked off, like where else are you going to go? The next flight to Burbank leaves in 3 hours, but if this flight may not get there, what makes you think that the later Burbank flight will? The LAX flights are also full until 4pm, so I really wanted to know where those people who walked off were rebooked to. It just doesn't make sense to me why you wouldn't want to stay in a plane that will take off soon.

Anyways, we were going to approach Burbank. However, the most excting thing happened! As we were about meters away from the runway, the plane shook a little, and it shot back up to the air again! This is my first missed appraoched/diversion experience ever. The feeling was so amazing, as you are so close, as you can hear the engines suddenly roar up and fly upwards.

The pilot made an annoucement that the flight will now land in LAX. The flight landed in coming from the ocean, not going in the direction towards the ocean. The gate agent announced that a bus will take customers to BUR from LAX at 2pm.

Obviously, I knew my bag was lost or gone missing. I was hoping that it would be on the next flight to LAX. The bags office had also a lot of people, so I didn't want to wait. I left without my checked in luggage or filing a record. But I am actually heading to the airport soon (that same night) from a CX flight back to HK (in F!), so I am going to stop by the bags office and see what is up with my bags.

As you know, I have mostly traveled internationally, and mostly with CX - and diversion/cancellation is kind of a rare thing. I have never experienced something so crazy in my life. I am frustrated that my bag is gone, but I did the best I can to get the best out of the situation, such as going to the Club for rebooking, asking for Burbank, and not waiting in long lines at bag office.

pacificboot

My questions:

1) I don't understand why US would rebook me to a flight that was 20 minutes right after arrival of the previous one, and not letting me know about it. I mean how was I suppose to figure out that I was rebooked!

2) Are all US A320s renovated? The cabin looks very sharp and clean.

3) Why are there so many cancellations today at PHX? Is it because of previous cancellation knock-offs or what?

4) Is this an unusual experience, or this happens quite frequently to other travelers?

5) All flights by Southwest from PHX to BUR made it without a problem, so why is there a problem with this MESA CRJ-900? How come a B737-700 can land, while the CRJ can't? I would think otherwise.

aaron1262

this was actually an interesting report to read!. and somehow you ended up flying to your original destination of LAX rather than BUR due to your missed approach.

considering that you changed flights like 3 different times im not surprised like you said that your bags went missing.