Canceled Christmas/New Year's Holiday Flights (2021)
Jan 3, 2022, 4:47 pm
#76
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: WAS, LAX
Programs: AS 100K
Posts: 1,330
Woke up to 1108 LAX-IAD cancellation notice. Luckily managed to get someone on the phone to book LAX-JFK availability on AA - there were very few flights anywhere that got us to the east coast before midnight. Nice comp upgrade to JFK on the 321T.
BUT: then on arrival to JFK, found out the Airtrain was down. Mind you, there were no signs or announcements at JFK, everybody who wanted to take the Airtrain went up to the platform and then an announcement you could *barely hear* said everyone needed to take the shuttle. So, down to the bus pickup we all went and waited through three buses to get on one, which was luckily going to Federal Circle. Once we got there, it was absolute chaos: buses not clearly labeled, workers had no idea which bus was going where, masses of people running after each bus, etc. Eventually, after asking three different employees, we found the bus to Jamaica Station. It ended up sitting for ten minutes before crawling, in traffic, to the train station. From there, we got on the LIRR to Penn Station and I am currently writing this on the Northeast Regional Amtrak back to Baltimore.
A truly effed up day, all thanks to one flight cancellation. I'm glad I've had over a decade of advice and experience flying and learning from FT, though, otherwise this could have been a nightmare on a whole other level. Far better to get home tonight than be stranded somewhere for days.
BUT: then on arrival to JFK, found out the Airtrain was down. Mind you, there were no signs or announcements at JFK, everybody who wanted to take the Airtrain went up to the platform and then an announcement you could *barely hear* said everyone needed to take the shuttle. So, down to the bus pickup we all went and waited through three buses to get on one, which was luckily going to Federal Circle. Once we got there, it was absolute chaos: buses not clearly labeled, workers had no idea which bus was going where, masses of people running after each bus, etc. Eventually, after asking three different employees, we found the bus to Jamaica Station. It ended up sitting for ten minutes before crawling, in traffic, to the train station. From there, we got on the LIRR to Penn Station and I am currently writing this on the Northeast Regional Amtrak back to Baltimore.
A truly effed up day, all thanks to one flight cancellation. I'm glad I've had over a decade of advice and experience flying and learning from FT, though, otherwise this could have been a nightmare on a whole other level. Far better to get home tonight than be stranded somewhere for days.
Jan 5, 2022, 7:51 pm
#77
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 1,357
Agree on pretty much everything you said. I will point out that the AS de-icing operation in SEA has been horribly managed for years. Ever since they closed their own ramp service. Along with that they removed AS maintenance techs from de-icing. While they’ve invested some money in new trucks and seem to have adequate supplies of glycol, having a contract company providing the service is a problem. The AS mechanics have begged, for years, to take back that operation promising marked improvement. (ANC de-icing is done in house with employees). No one I know at AS can explain why that hasn’t happened. I do agree with the poster above that the AS SEA operation absolutely sucks when it snows. They appear to have no interest in fixing it for whatever reason.
Jan 6, 2022, 12:16 am
#78
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 75K (OW), SK Silver (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,346
Soon flying out of SEA, Finnair may be of help with some advice! I just got off today’s HEL-LAX, an Airbus 350~900. I was sitting in the preferred section towards the front having a good view of the heavy-duty truck hosing the large wings. Lots of snow in Helsinki with a cloud layer close to the ground.
Jan 6, 2022, 12:00 pm
#79
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: sometimes, strangely, I find myself at home
Programs: I need to do better in managing my affiliations. Oops, I overshot the runway for status next year.
Posts: 651
All is well that ends well. My flight for yesterday was cancelled within ~20 hours of scheduled flight (after upgrade and after I had checked in). Within a few hours, I was rebooked on a later flight. My schedule was flexible so it worked out ok.
I did have a couple of anxious hours as I: followed the notification instructions on the app which required that I phone, my call was put on hold for over an hour and couldn't hold on any longer. I tried to use the chat function with the same lack of success.
I looked at flight options and saw another fight disappear from being available to book (sold out/blocked) and I began to worry that I should just buy a last-minute high-priced seat on a remaining flight and try to refund that if I ever got through on the phone.
Eventually, I received a text message that I had been rebooked. Within the hour, I saw that status on the app.
I did have a couple of anxious hours as I: followed the notification instructions on the app which required that I phone, my call was put on hold for over an hour and couldn't hold on any longer. I tried to use the chat function with the same lack of success.
I looked at flight options and saw another fight disappear from being available to book (sold out/blocked) and I began to worry that I should just buy a last-minute high-priced seat on a remaining flight and try to refund that if I ever got through on the phone.
Eventually, I received a text message that I had been rebooked. Within the hour, I saw that status on the app.
Jan 6, 2022, 12:10 pm
#80
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Seattle
Programs: Alaska airlines 100k
Posts: 923
All is well that ends well. My flight for yesterday was cancelled within ~20 hours of scheduled flight (after upgrade and after I had checked in). Within a few hours, I was rebooked on a later flight. My schedule was flexible so it worked out ok.
I did have a couple of anxious hours as I: followed the notification instructions on the app which required that I phone, my call was put on hold for over an hour and couldn't hold on any longer. I tried to use the chat function with the same lack of success.
I looked at flight options and saw another fight disappear from being available to book (sold out/blocked) and I began to worry that I should just buy a last-minute high-priced seat on a remaining flight and try to refund that if I ever got through on the phone.
Eventually, I received a text message that I had been rebooked. Within the hour, I saw that status on the app.
I did have a couple of anxious hours as I: followed the notification instructions on the app which required that I phone, my call was put on hold for over an hour and couldn't hold on any longer. I tried to use the chat function with the same lack of success.
I looked at flight options and saw another fight disappear from being available to book (sold out/blocked) and I began to worry that I should just buy a last-minute high-priced seat on a remaining flight and try to refund that if I ever got through on the phone.
Eventually, I received a text message that I had been rebooked. Within the hour, I saw that status on the app.
Jan 6, 2022, 12:25 pm
#81
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: AA Platinum for Life (2MM), BR Gold, AS MVP Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 978
Jan 6, 2022, 1:07 pm
#82
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SFO, mostly
Posts: 2,204
Jan 6, 2022, 1:13 pm
#83
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: SoCal,
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro
Posts: 771
It’s COVID protocol/sick calls. From the internal employee/retiree website; Jan 4th they cancelled 54 AS/QX flights. Jan 5th over 100 combined. Today, Jan 6th over 140 combined. Those totals were by 8am, so it’s probably higher as the day progresses.
Last edited by Tack; Jan 6, 2022 at 10:44 pm
Jan 6, 2022, 1:41 pm
#85
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
Jan 6, 2022, 1:48 pm
#86
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: MVP100K, A-list, Marriott/IHG Plat, CHP525 Ticket Plat, CHP Solo Carpool 100K, Costco EXP, Tinder 1K
Posts: 820
Jan 6, 2022, 1:53 pm
#87
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: On a plane or a beach
Programs: Yes
Posts: 3,152
Jan 6, 2022, 2:28 pm
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: PDX
Programs: AS 75K, BW Plat, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 10,724
I wonder when the schedule change notices are going to start showing up--maybe after midnight? I'm booked on a flight that is no longer showing up on the schedule but my reservation doesn't yet show a schedule change notice.
Jan 6, 2022, 2:38 pm
#89
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: San Jose
Programs: SPG Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 24
I'm in the same boat. My direct flight from SJC-OGG next Friday had plenty of available seats for sale when I checked to see if there was a mileage upgrade 4 hours ago. When I checked again just now, the flight did not appear as an option but both online confirmation code check and texting Alaska Airlines conform our reservation is valid. Texting with an agent could not confirm anything other than that.
Jan 6, 2022, 3:15 pm
#90
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
I'm in the same boat. My direct flight from SJC-OGG next Friday had plenty of available seats for sale when I checked to see if there was a mileage upgrade 4 hours ago. When I checked again just now, the flight did not appear as an option but both online confirmation code check and texting Alaska Airlines conform our reservation is valid. Texting with an agent could not confirm anything other than that.