FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - What unusual things have you seen at airports?
Old Feb 6, 2017, 4:22 pm
  #7  
pinniped
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
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1. Inaugural flight day. I don't think I was on the *first* flight, but I flew DCA-LGA on AA on the first day they were operating the route with American Eagle RJs. They were competing with the larger shuttle planes (DL, I think) and offering something like 6x miles to do it. There was cake and punch and plenty of AA employees milling around the gate.

2. Another weird AA service: the all-F service out of DAL to ORD and LGA in around 2000, all priced at their standard DFW coach fares. The gate had free magazines and newspapers. Full meals and free drinks onboard. It was designed to kill off some startup airline. It succeeded, and the DAL flights soon went away.

3. An inflight diversion to Durango, CO to offload a guy who decided to smoke in the lav. (MCI-ABQ flight.)

4. At least three or four times: randomly running into an old acquaintance at ORD during a flight connection or trip to Chicago. I don't run into friends at other airports: just ORD. No explanation why: none of the friends have any real connection to Chicago.

5. A brief period in time when US Airways agents welcomed passengers on behalf of Star Alliance and American Airlines. (The unsaid piece: Skyteam still hates you and will strand you in Atlanta on Christmas night, just like back in '05.)

6. An intentional "job action" by the United ground staff at ORD in December 2000 that caused our ORD-LAN flight to cancel. The GA then refused to rebook anyone, and scowled "rebook yourself on Avis" at everyone. I did, and personally boycotted United for 5 years, walking away from 1K status in the process. In '06, I got a Denver assignment and figured I was only punishing myself if I didn't go back to United. I did, and had generally positive experiences with them as a 1K in the late 00's.
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