I thought about it.... however, have decided it wouldn't be a good idea. Aviation is my field, and next job application I don't want a potential employer (could be an airline) searching for my name and pulling up articles where I'm complaining about a carrier, especially over error fares. Regardless of what we may think is right, their perspective may be different. Presently my quotes in the media have been positive, and I'd like to keep it that way.

I'll see if one of the mods can post a follow-up for me on that other thread: miles did post for the four segments we ended up traveling, even though we got a complete refund, so the trip wasn't a total loss... four segments instead of six.

That's what I am thinking of doing as well. How long was the drive to Ottawa? Did you have any problems with taking a rental car accross the border?

Looks like ART will be getting some complaint forms filled out and calls made to the TSA ombudsman regarding this disgusting harassment.

Maybe TSA trains their people in ART?

I'll ask them next week.

With shoe harassment and gropings for all with no probable cause, I sure hope not.

Yeah, I suffered the TSA in ART. The screener was a sick pervert who appeared to get off on fondling testicles.

Also, the cab on the way back was gross. It was a large van that smelled of nasty air freshener and a slimey, greasy obese driver who played country music. He was also 10 minutes late in picking me up.

Overall the ART travel experience is not than fun.

Just tell him you don't do that ****










Quote and reply edited by Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, to remove material contrary to FT TOS.

At that time of night (10:45pm by the time I left the airport), I got to Ottawa in about two hours. I did have problems, as a Canadian resident, taking an American-plated rental car from the US to Canada - that involved a stop to talk to the secondary people. Google Maps estimates 2 hours 20 minutes.

I went up north on Interstate 81, and there is a toll bridge (Thousand Island Bridge). Toll is $2US or $3Cdn each way.

YMMV, but I've done this ART trip twice now. IMHO, the screening has been very thorough, but still professional. And yes, just about everyone gets the secondary, but it's not like you are going to miss your flight.

On another note, I got some more gossip from the US Air Express gate agent/baggage handler/ground crew. He claimed:
- the number of $1.98 tickets sold was in the tens of thousands, not 1,000
- they are probing the hacker scenario vs a dumb data entry error scenario (although I cannot imagine anyone deliberately picking ART over MSY)
- there are nothing but full fare tickets left out of ART for the next year, meaning the residents have to shell out $800+ to travel
- since the error was made by US Air, not US Air Express, and since US Air Express is hurting big time due to this US Air error they are negotiating cancelling the tickets (US Air Express gets a percentage of ticket price)

[Quote edited to remove material contra to FT TOS, Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator.]

Keith, yes, I was on the 10 pm flight on Friday night.

I understand that the locals drive to Syracuse to get better airfares and avoid US Air.

The B&B that l liked was Jacob Brewster House.
http://www.sacketsharborny.com/accommodations.html
I paid $95 but the price will increase in May from what I heard.

May 1 and the deciduous trees do not yet have leaves in this part of the country.....

I don't see how they could do that, especially if the ticket had any non-USAir Express segments in it. Moreover, some people have already flown. Too late, USAir Express.

Seems a day late and a dollar (well $1.86) short. It's already been in the news, US has said it will honor the tix. The only scenario I can see working is for US to appeal to its customers explaining the issue and offering miles or something. I'm not advocating this and I'm not sure it's a good idea either. I think US would probably be better off leaving things as is. I bet a lot of people who jumped on the deal won't actually fly and many people who do the first time around won't do it a second and third time.

Also, even if the number of tix sold was in the tens of thousands (which seems possible given how much exposure this error received), is that really a huge dent in the inventory of the PIT/ART flights over the course of a year - so much so that only Y fares are available?

Well, the US agent was certainly wrong wrt only full fare tickets being available over the next year - a random date shows:
So I wouldn't doubt that the rest of his musings were speculation as well. FWIW, the TSA screening at LEB was nothing like what was described here, at least the 2 times I went through. Just the standard boring "have a nice flight" stuff.

While some of the US Airways Express carriers are fee per departure, Mesa/Air Midwest is not. However, they are subsidized for this flight so they receive some amount of income anyway. I believe that Air Midwest receives a small fee from US, then a portion of the revenue over a certain point. They likely are getting screwed in this situation, but I doubt it's terribly bad (even though Mesa deserves it) as the loads probably weren't very heavy without these tickets.

I'm headed back to Watertown on Wednesday. I'm still planning on leaving a bunch of hard plastic US luggage tags for folks to pick-up.