Tornado Warning sirens at DFW 29 May 2019
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,030
Yes I hoped to god my initial post was nothing more than a wx delay but unfortunately AA yet again morphed it into a mx debacle.
ETA I forgot to add I was actually upgraded! #going4great
#48
Suspended
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it's such a bore already.
#50
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#51
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
WOW!!!!! That is crazy - literally 10x longer than the normal DFW-OKC flight. I assume AA had planned for this. I wonder what the welcome announcements were like? "Welcome onboard, our flying time to OKC will be 3 hours" - cannot imagine the reaction of the passengers when they heard that.
#52
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
Fun stuff. Glad to hear it blew over.
FWIW, always look at the SOURCE info regarding tornado warnings. There are really three modes of panic:
1. "Radar indicated rotation" should provide you with the lowest level of tornado panic -- such warnings occur something like 10 times for every actual tornado. In the south central US, there are great storm spotters, so really 'radar indicated' usually only means that a tornado may form because there is enough spin in a wall cloud, but there isn't probably a tornado really on the ground because if there was one, a spotter would have seen it (two caveats: night time warnings are usually difficult to confirm, and look for the words rain-wrapped, in either case, proceed with panic level 2 below). With this type of warning, I would simply google the local news stations on my phone to see if they have a live stream of the action, unless forced to move elsewhere by staff.
2. Any words like "observed" or "confirmed" means a tornado was spotted on the ground -- can be both the tiny things and the big things, but something to raise your panic level over. I'd move to a shelter at this point while googling for a local weather stream, or at least get away from the windows. I would not recommend staying in the AC at DFW for a confirmed tornado since it is one level higher than the main terminal and wouldn't be safe even in a weak tornado. At DFW, even if I couldn't get into the designated shelters, I'd move into a restaurant or shop on the inside of the C to get away from the windows.
3. The words "tornado emergency" are reserved for confirmed tornados that are confirmed and causing considerable damage. Forget about finding more information, that is when your panic level should be the highest and you should move move move (though, don't trample anyone)!
FWIW, always look at the SOURCE info regarding tornado warnings. There are really three modes of panic:
1. "Radar indicated rotation" should provide you with the lowest level of tornado panic -- such warnings occur something like 10 times for every actual tornado. In the south central US, there are great storm spotters, so really 'radar indicated' usually only means that a tornado may form because there is enough spin in a wall cloud, but there isn't probably a tornado really on the ground because if there was one, a spotter would have seen it (two caveats: night time warnings are usually difficult to confirm, and look for the words rain-wrapped, in either case, proceed with panic level 2 below). With this type of warning, I would simply google the local news stations on my phone to see if they have a live stream of the action, unless forced to move elsewhere by staff.
2. Any words like "observed" or "confirmed" means a tornado was spotted on the ground -- can be both the tiny things and the big things, but something to raise your panic level over. I'd move to a shelter at this point while googling for a local weather stream, or at least get away from the windows. I would not recommend staying in the AC at DFW for a confirmed tornado since it is one level higher than the main terminal and wouldn't be safe even in a weak tornado. At DFW, even if I couldn't get into the designated shelters, I'd move into a restaurant or shop on the inside of the C to get away from the windows.
3. The words "tornado emergency" are reserved for confirmed tornados that are confirmed and causing considerable damage. Forget about finding more information, that is when your panic level should be the highest and you should move move move (though, don't trample anyone)!
#53
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: KHOU/KIAH
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I've seen this at DEN as well and always found it curious....firstly the bathrooms are not that large and surely cannot accommodate everyone so always wondered how that is supposed to work, what about those that cannot fit in the bathroom. Second, what a...crapy place to be stuck with a bunch of people!
Just a place to pack in to weather the storm.
#55
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
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That place was full! I ended up at a bar right next to A33 for a cold big beer. Now I'm in my room finally. The flight was quick. The flight attendants apologized but I told them it's not your fault the latch wouldn't close
Some of the AA lovers/apologists on here must have flights that always leave and arrive on time and don't experience delays. Good for them.
By the way the full F cabin on the original oasified 738 was full. The plane that took me to TUL was not an oasis plane and out of 12 F seats only 6 were occupied.
Some of the AA lovers/apologists on here must have flights that always leave and arrive on time and don't experience delays. Good for them.
By the way the full F cabin on the original oasified 738 was full. The plane that took me to TUL was not an oasis plane and out of 12 F seats only 6 were occupied.
#56
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#57
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
A tornado is a natural disaster. Storm shelters exist to save lives...it's not about keeping people comfortable. And as natural disasters go, a tornado is quick. As long as the building doesn't completely collapse, you're not going to be in the bathroom for very long.
#58
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
Programs: LT Plt, 4mm, *A GLD, burned out medical provider, executing our estate plan
Posts: 1,665
Fun thread! Lived in OKC for 28 years, went through the F5s all the way to the 2013.. I have experienced what the OP did too many times to count, but I never thought to post about it. It is just what happens. You know, weather in the central US in May? Rented a car multiple times when AA could not get it done. Also true for the ice storms. Its always chaos, that is the only thing you can be sure of. All the carriers have problems. Some light reading for the uninitiated. Below. Apparently there was weather at JFK too, our son was stuck in the AC delayed for 5 hours, Jetblue.
best advice, move somewhere that never has bad natural disasters, like Pensacola, or Paradise, CA. Or never fly from April 15 to mid June.
OKC and Jarrell, Tx near AUS
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.ac8dee9bef76
https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/tw...do-catastrophe
best advice, move somewhere that never has bad natural disasters, like Pensacola, or Paradise, CA. Or never fly from April 15 to mid June.
OKC and Jarrell, Tx near AUS
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.ac8dee9bef76
https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/tw...do-catastrophe
#59
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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Posts: 14,740
WOW!!!!! That is crazy - literally 10x longer than the normal DFW-OKC flight. I assume AA had planned for this. I wonder what the welcome announcements were like? "Welcome onboard, our flying time to OKC will be 3 hours" - cannot imagine the reaction of the passengers when they heard that.
#60
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
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DFW-IAH flight I took more than few years ago, a pilot told us that due to weather we will make big detour and a flight will be more than an hour (DFW-IAH is usually 35 min. from takeoff to landing). The flight sure did take more than an hour long. I looked up later and the flight headed west from DFW, reached Midland , TX, then to San Antonio, TX, finally to Houston. Got curious so I looked up WN DAL-HOU and UA DFW-IAH flights around same time. All other flights made straight usual flight path between Dallas and Houston, my flight was the only one made that big of detour. Go figure!?