Flew home for the first time since my Christmas Day Colgan Air mechanical- cancellation-turned-weather-cancellation debacle. On my way to the airport get a call from an agent at CHO, telling me that 5241 is on an 1+ hour mechanical delay, and they're sending us by cab up to Dulles to make our connections. Huge kuddos to the SkyWest folks at CHO for the proactive move.
Anyway, does anyone have any info on Colgan's dispatch rates? I've got to imagine they're among the worst in the system. This would've been the 4th time in 4 tries that a mechanical delay/cancellation resulted in a night in washington, had it not been for agents at CHO. Thanks.
Programs: UA Million Miler, Hyatt Platinum, Starwood Gold, Marriott Silver, Motel 6 Tin
Posts: 1,039
Quote:
Originally Posted by aCavalierInCoach
.Anyway, does anyone have any info on Colgan's dispatch rates? I've got to imagine they're among the worst in the system. This would've been the 4th time in 4 tries that a mechanical delay/cancellation resulted in a night in washington, had it not been for agents at CHO. Thanks.D
In my limited experience (only since January), Colgan's "drama rate" - i.e., some reason for a delay other than weather - averages about 50%.
I'll update after my Monday ABE-IAD flight.
BTW, you are correct about the SkyWest ground crews. They put their other UX "partners" to shame.
__________________ Hard work pays off eventually. Procrastination pays off now!
Did they lift your flight coupon in exchange for the taxi ride? The amusing thing about that iif they did (thus retaining your fare), then they probably make more profit paying a taxi driver to take, say three of you for $200 (times however many taxis they needed) on CHO-IAD, than they would if they had actually operated the aircraft, paid for fuel and landing fees at IAD etc. Not a huge encouragement for them to fly!
Did they lift your flight coupon in exchange for the taxi ride? The amusing thing about that iif they did (thus retaining your fare), then they probably make more profit paying a taxi driver to take, say three of you for $200 (times however many taxis they needed) on CHO-IAD, than they would if they had actually operated the aircraft, paid for fuel and landing fees at IAD etc. Not a huge encouragement for them to fly!
Well, the funny thing is they DID operate the flight. UA.com shows a 3 minute turnaround in CHO They did only issue me my IAD-SFO boarding pass, and there was only one other person in the car.
Frankly, I wouldn't care that much if they operated this by car or bus; couldn't be less comfortable than the Saabs. It would be like collecting a fee for matching you up with other travelers. The big advantage of actually flying out of CHO ends up being the approximate 2.5 minutes from curb to gate. ... and the bonus 500 miles/segment .
Fare on this was 335 r/t, so even if they hadn't run the flight I'm not so sure this would've come out as profitable.
This shows you that when your decision basis for regional partners is the cost, you get what you pay for. Colgan is one of the worst regionals you can think of (except Regions Air maybe).
You should ask why Frontier switched from Mesa to Horizon.
In the last 5 months, I have not had one, not one, successful trip in/out of CHO on UAX operated by Colgan Air.
My luggage has NOT ONCE made it home with me on the plane. Twice in the last two weeks, my CHO-IAD leg has been cancelled. Three time in the last 5 months I have taken a taxi to or from Dulles.
This has gotten so bad that I am rearranging future travel onto US Air and/or driving to Dulles until Colgan Air is fired.
My question is: what other UAX routes are operated by Colgan Air and is the Charlottesville experience indicative of other routes?
Colgan Air is destroying what has been one of the pleasant ways to start a trip: the leisure drive to CHO (until a few months ago, the access road was a 2-lane country highway, now we have a sophisticated roundabout ) and, as the OP said, the 2.5 minutes from curb to gate.
My question is: what other UAX routes are operated by Colgan Air and is the Charlottesville experience indicative of other routes?
Funny you should ask.. My roomie's mother came down to visit a couple weeks ago out of HPN (another Colgan station). Her 4:45PM was delayed 3 hours on a mech before being cancelled. UX couldn't find a single seat to HPN/LGA/JFK that day, and she had to spend the night at Dulles. What a waste...
Its horrible if you want to go from CRW to Washington because Colgan flies UX to IAD. They also fly US express to DCA and PIT. We are being overrun by Colgan Saabs. Their planes are always breaking down.
On the flip side, I have found Shuttle America to be pretty darn good with their SF3's. One had a mechanical while we were waiting to board in the Greyhound terminal... And the crew went to go find a replacement in the field somewhere. They trudged over with the catering for the flight and were back with a working plane in half an hour.
I got the story from the FA once on board, BTW. The funny thing was, that the plane had US livery, and the US config on the inside--one rear facing seat right at the front.
It shows that it is the crew, not the equipment that makes, or breaks, the flight.
Hmmm.... I was looking at options for getting from WAS to Corning, NY. BGM is the nearest airport with direct service, but it is Colgan. Maybe I should go to Rochester instead. It's an extra 20 mile drive. BGM fares are in the $600s too......
I had to go to SCE last year and they had major mechanical problems and I wound up not going and having the meeting on the phone.......... Also Colgan......
Oh and for another SCE (State College) trip a month earlier they were having mechanical issues and I wound up driving back instead. It was possible to buy a cheap one way V fare with no advance purchase, so I bought it the day before with the option to cancel within 24 hours because I didn't know how long my meeting would last. I could drive back to DC faster than to wait for the evening flight in any case. (Rented the car assuming it was going to be 1 way.) I think both the afternoon and evening SCE-IAD flights were cancelled that day!
But I am pretty sure that it was Shuttle America that operated the 1 of 4 SCE flights that I managed to take last year!
They did only issue me my IAD-SFO boarding pass, and there was only one other person in the car. 
... and the bonus 500 miles/segment . 
) and, as the OP said, the 2.5 minutes from curb to gate.
