Questioning reason given for flight delay - am I the jerk
Feb 21, 2024, 11:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2024
Posts: 3
Questioning reason given for flight delay - am I the jerk
[Moderator note: subject updated to better describe topic at hand]
Heading out of Charlotte tonight the captain announced a “radio issue” and that maintenance was onboard. We sat at the gate for about 40 minutes. 20 minutes into the wait it we got new departure and landing times. At the 40 minute mark he announced that the radio issue was “fixed and they were updating paperwork”. And then added on that they were boarding additional passengers who had just showed up. One of them sat next to me and was “grateful that they held the plane for them because it was the last flight out”. We proceeded to take off at precisely the new departure time. I’m sure AA could produce a log book entry for “radio maintenance”.
To me it’s clear that they patently made up the “radio issue” to wait for the other passengers from the inbound delayed flight. I have absolutely no problem that they waited for the 6 passengers. Nobody deserves to stay in Charlotte overnight. I’m not that cruel.
What pisses me off is that they lied about the reason and tried to act like is was a coincidence. It’s condescending and treats us like we’re idiots and they played it off with a “clap for the troops” to cut the obvious tension as we pushed back. I asked the gate agents how to file a complaint where they gave me the useless card with the useless URL.
My inclination is to light up AA and file complaints over it. I’m also inclined to switch to Delta and start a mileage challenge. So am I a jerk for bing mad about being lied to or is that just somthing I should be ok with. Honest question.
Heading out of Charlotte tonight the captain announced a “radio issue” and that maintenance was onboard. We sat at the gate for about 40 minutes. 20 minutes into the wait it we got new departure and landing times. At the 40 minute mark he announced that the radio issue was “fixed and they were updating paperwork”. And then added on that they were boarding additional passengers who had just showed up. One of them sat next to me and was “grateful that they held the plane for them because it was the last flight out”. We proceeded to take off at precisely the new departure time. I’m sure AA could produce a log book entry for “radio maintenance”.
To me it’s clear that they patently made up the “radio issue” to wait for the other passengers from the inbound delayed flight. I have absolutely no problem that they waited for the 6 passengers. Nobody deserves to stay in Charlotte overnight. I’m not that cruel.
What pisses me off is that they lied about the reason and tried to act like is was a coincidence. It’s condescending and treats us like we’re idiots and they played it off with a “clap for the troops” to cut the obvious tension as we pushed back. I asked the gate agents how to file a complaint where they gave me the useless card with the useless URL.
My inclination is to light up AA and file complaints over it. I’m also inclined to switch to Delta and start a mileage challenge. So am I a jerk for bing mad about being lied to or is that just somthing I should be ok with. Honest question.
Last edited by JY1024; Feb 22, 2024 at 8:50 am Reason: Moderator updated title for clarity
Feb 22, 2024, 12:00 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Ohio
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Posts: 98
What evidence do you have that the flight crew lied? Merely that the plane departed exactly at the new, amended departure time and that late arriving passengers were boarded? Your hypothesis that they lied is not evidence.
Sometimes fortune coincidences do happen. It’s entirely possible that a radio maintenance issue did in fact occur, and that the resulting delay allowed passengers to connect who would otherwise be left behind. As a frequent traveler myself, I’ve personally benefited from such fortunate coincidences, so I am not inclined to see a conspiracy theory here. Additionally, perhaps the gate agent (incorrectly) told the late arriving passengers that AA “held the plane for them.” We simply don’t know what they were told, and no matter what they were told, a radio maintenance issue could still have existed.
Unless you can offer concrete evidence of a lie, I’d say drop the issue.
Sometimes fortune coincidences do happen. It’s entirely possible that a radio maintenance issue did in fact occur, and that the resulting delay allowed passengers to connect who would otherwise be left behind. As a frequent traveler myself, I’ve personally benefited from such fortunate coincidences, so I am not inclined to see a conspiracy theory here. Additionally, perhaps the gate agent (incorrectly) told the late arriving passengers that AA “held the plane for them.” We simply don’t know what they were told, and no matter what they were told, a radio maintenance issue could still have existed.
Unless you can offer concrete evidence of a lie, I’d say drop the issue.
Feb 22, 2024, 12:54 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 540
To me it’s clear that they patently made up the “radio issue” to wait for the other passengers from the inbound delayed flight. I have absolutely no problem that they waited for the 6 passengers. Nobody deserves to stay in Charlotte overnight. I’m not that cruel.
What pisses me off is that they lied about the reason and tried to act like is was a coincidence. It’s condescending and treats us like we’re idiots and they played it off with a “clap for the troops” to cut the obvious tension as we pushed back. I asked the gate agents how to file a complaint where they gave me the useless card with the useless URL.
My inclination is to light up AA and file complaints over it. I’m also inclined to switch to Delta and start a mileage challenge. So am I a jerk for bing mad about being lied to or is that just somthing I should be ok with. Honest question.
What pisses me off is that they lied about the reason and tried to act like is was a coincidence. It’s condescending and treats us like we’re idiots and they played it off with a “clap for the troops” to cut the obvious tension as we pushed back. I asked the gate agents how to file a complaint where they gave me the useless card with the useless URL.
My inclination is to light up AA and file complaints over it. I’m also inclined to switch to Delta and start a mileage challenge. So am I a jerk for bing mad about being lied to or is that just somthing I should be ok with. Honest question.
Do you think Delta never does similar things? Delta used to be notorious for delaying flights (sometimes for as long as a day) so as to never have to cancel a flight. They stopped doing that. But the point stands - no airline is perfect.
Finally, what does the “clap for the troops” have to do with anything?
Feb 22, 2024, 2:06 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2017
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american is obsessed with D0 - they would NEVER hold a flight 40 minutes to get 6 pax on. Ive seen them literally close the door on an elderly man whos wife was a few hundred feet away from the door and trying to hurry as fast as she could, and that flight wasnt even at departure time yet.
unless these 6 pax were either essential crew members who needed to position, or they were all on the board of american, I'm calling BS.
but hey, by all means, move to delta
unless these 6 pax were either essential crew members who needed to position, or they were all on the board of american, I'm calling BS.
but hey, by all means, move to delta
Feb 22, 2024, 2:16 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
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. One of them sat next to me and was “grateful that they held the plane for them because it was the last flight out”. We proceeded to take off at precisely the new departure time. I’m sure AA could produce a log book entry for “radio maintenance”.
To me it’s clear that they patently made up the “radio issue” to wait for the other passengers from the inbound delayed flight.
To me it’s clear that they patently made up the “radio issue” to wait for the other passengers from the inbound delayed flight.
So to be clear, you are accusing the pilot of falsifying a log book and lying to the passengers, just because a passenger that happened to be able to board a delayed flight made a remark about the flight being held.
Why would you think that passenger has better information that the pilot?
Far more likely that the late-arriving pax showed up at the gate or saw the flight on the departure board, was able to board, and just assumed the flight had been held
Last edited by bse118; Feb 22, 2024 at 2:23 am
Feb 22, 2024, 3:50 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2009
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…. or maybe the gate agent joked with the late passengers about them being so important they held the plane for them.
Raising a complaint accusing the pilot of telling a lie based on the evidence the OP has is frankly laughable.
Raising a complaint accusing the pilot of telling a lie based on the evidence the OP has is frankly laughable.
Feb 22, 2024, 5:11 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2024
Posts: 3
What evidence do you have that the flight crew lied? Merely that the plane departed exactly at the new, amended departure time and that late arriving passengers were boarded? Your hypothesis that they lied is not evidence.
Sometimes fortune coincidences do happen. It’s entirely possible that a radio maintenance issue did in fact occur, and that the resulting delay allowed passengers to connect who would otherwise be left behind. As a frequent traveler myself, I’ve personally benefited from such fortunate coincidences, so I am not inclined to see a conspiracy theory here. Additionally, perhaps the gate agent (incorrectly) told the late arriving passengers that AA “held the plane for them.” We simply don’t know what they were told, and no matter what they were told, a radio maintenance issue could still have existed.
Unless you can offer concrete evidence of a lie, I’d say drop the issue.
Sometimes fortune coincidences do happen. It’s entirely possible that a radio maintenance issue did in fact occur, and that the resulting delay allowed passengers to connect who would otherwise be left behind. As a frequent traveler myself, I’ve personally benefited from such fortunate coincidences, so I am not inclined to see a conspiracy theory here. Additionally, perhaps the gate agent (incorrectly) told the late arriving passengers that AA “held the plane for them.” We simply don’t know what they were told, and no matter what they were told, a radio maintenance issue could still have existed.
Unless you can offer concrete evidence of a lie, I’d say drop the issue.
After getting my well deserved 4 hours of sleep and feeling completely refreshed - I doubt I’ll bother to complain but I am seriously thinking of switching to Delta. I’ve just had too many weird issues with AA in the last year. I suspect Delta will be little better as 10 years ago it wasn’t.
And it seems the consensus is I am the jerk so I respect the opinion and accept the judgment of the jury.
Last edited by Airbornemoose; Feb 22, 2024 at 5:20 am
Feb 22, 2024, 5:30 am
#12
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Feb 22, 2024, 5:59 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: London
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I would say the was a tech issue which allowed another pax to board, probably from a delayed flight. They told them they hold the flight for them to appear customer friendly.
Given that you are annoyed on the next day I suggest you move to Delta. But don't forget to make actual complaints and don't just vent online
Given that you are annoyed on the next day I suggest you move to Delta. But don't forget to make actual complaints and don't just vent online
Feb 22, 2024, 6:01 am
#14
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I'm with the consensus that the maintenance issue allowed these late passengers to board. The person next to you either made up that they held they plane for them, or more likely as suggested above, the GA told them that in jest.
Feb 22, 2024, 6:16 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Much more likely that hey lied to the incoming passengers that they held the plane for them... It's still condescending.. and also still nothing to complain about.