sam123

We just diverted and landed to Wichita due to a mechanical (Capt made some reference to a 'battery charger').

I guess my luck has now turned, this was my first in-flight diversion that I can recall! And I am lucky enough to have arrived at DFW a bit early, gave up my confirmed First seat on the later flight to standby in coach on this one... just to get home early! Doh!

We'll see if I get home tonight...

Sami

2expt

hope you get home safely tonight. god bless

sam123

OK, they're making us get off, wait for another inbound and swap planes on us. 2 1/2 hours spent so far to get 96 miles closer to SJC

Sami

HNL

Just daydream about the miles AA is going to throw your way...

Seat1A

wichita?? that's pretty far out of the way... were they flying waaaaay around some weather? landing at DFW was entertaining today, even just before noon...

[John Candy]Well? Welcome to Wichita!![/John Candy]

sam123

OK, we're officially stuck here. I was trying to place bets with some other pax, I would have taken 3-1 that the crew is going to go illegal before we get our replacement a/c.

And sure enough they did and we're here overnight. Alas, no takers on the bet.

There was a line of 100 people to the sole AA rep at the counter for vouchers, I walked straight to a cab and to the 'plan B' hotel that I had booked for myself half an hour earlier.

We'll try again tomorrow morning...

Sami

P.S. yes we had been going north to get around a line of weather

socoast

Amazing. We were on the SJC-DFW last year and had to make an emergency landing in Odessa TX for the same problem. We were really fortunate. The Chief Mechanic was onboard, flying into Dallas. As soon as we landed, he came up front, fixed the problem, and signed the log book. We were only delayed about 45 minutes.

LotzOStuff

That ought to get you something. Nice work having a backup hotel booked. Have a safe flight tomorrow.

Hayden

I think any flight that takes off and lands safely is a good flight.

A friend of mine was on a Delta widebody flying SFO-ATL a few years ago. As they're doing the takeoff roll, this sound grows, coming from somewhere in coach. They're accelerating down the runway and the sound is growing louder! It sounds like a dying cow stuck in a blender! Finally, the pilot throws on the brakes and they come to a stop maybe 1,000 feet short of the end of the runway.

The captain comes on the PA.

"Ladies and gentlemen, did you hear that sound? That can't be a good sound." He pauses. "We're going to go back to the gate and check it out."

Probably everyone appreciated that delay.

Separately, I was on an AA 763 ORD-FRA a few years ago, and the pilot aborted the takeoff roll after "a couple red lights" came up during the acceleration. We later took off an made it to FRA without incident, albeit an hour or two late.

-Hayden

JGR01

Its kinda amazing how many of us travel heavily and how infrequently there are these kind of heart-stopping mechanicals.

I think in 20+ years of flying .. I have had like 3-4 go-arounds on landing . .. one aborted takeoff .. and one mechanical diversion with fire trucks meeting us. In the major cases the pilot did an incredible job of explaining the situation to the pax .. tho the 'rebooking' by the staff was a bit overwhelmed.

Yea I know we all have had the 'maintenance' delay for the fixing of a whatch-a-macallit on the ground before the flight .. and other creeping delays. But all in all .. I wonder how AA compares on mechanical diversions to other airlines. Or fixing things before the flight rather than cancelling the flight ...

FrmAEattendant

When I was a FA for Eagle, a couple of times in the Saab we were on takeoff roll when the pilots aborted, both times due to burned out lights, once in San Diego, the other in College Station.

Better safe than sorry.

aamilesslave

Good backup plan, Del Griffith. Did Gus check you into, what was it called, The Starlight Inn?

FWAAA

I agree. ^ to the OP, who is most certainly a savvy frequent flyer.

So refreshing to read posts like this one.

I've done the same thing when there's one agent and a huge crowd - AA has always come thru and reimbursed me for the expense. I send my receipt and tell them a voucher will be fine. Never fails.

sechs

Wichita must be a popular, out-of-the-way place to ditch.

I was there a couple of years ago when a UA DEN-ORD flight came in with a mechanical.

SNAGold

I was waiting for that response! Just be careful of the taxi ride to the hotel......I hear he likes taking the scenic route. And be sure to lock your hotel door so you don't get robbed!!