Personally, I'm demanding the invention and implementation of teleporting. Only then can I not have to live in reality and deal with the same issues that the rest of the world deals with by doing such mundane tasks as looking at a destination weather forecast and planning appropriately.

But that's just me.

..on time! :D

^ lifetime Rhodium on every airline in the world as mandated by the Global ONE alliance and the One World Government.

How did we go from AVP to the European Union? :confused:

I certainly hope the EU steps in when the final battle of Alien vs Predator takes over our world in a global fight for supremacy.

I have seen some of the UK episodes ^

Let's please try to keep this on topic folks or this thread will be locked.

Wow. Well played. ^

As have I, but the US version does a much better job of highlighting stupidity, poor planning, and ignorance...the UK version is more ho-hum documentary style more of the time.

I think that most of us realize the deficiencies of EWR. It is one of the problems that the OP may not have had experience with. We have learned to deal with EWR as has been described in above posts. However, I have found that in general, CO is proactive in trying to deal with problems. Now I do fly out of CLE and lots out of LGA, and the staffs at both sites are fabulous. I have had planes held for me in EWR, and my family has missed flights out of EWR for all the reasons described above. This is why I tend to avoid EWR if I can, and if I can't, I would rather take an early morning flight in and spend the next 6-8 hours in NYC rather than take a gamble at a later flight that may or may not make the connection (esp international flights with only one flight per day).
Finally, unlike Texas, cities on the East Coast are close to one another. It isn't that long a drive from EWR to AVP (you could even have driven from CLE if it was vital that you get to your destination that day).

However, when it is all said and done, I am sorry you had such a day. I suspect that if you flew 100 more times, such a group of problems would not crop up again.

For the OP, it was definitely everything that could go wrong, going wrong. That happens fllying domestically these days. The early departure was definitely annoying.

While I do find CO service generally good, I just flew EWR-ACA. It is a 5.5 hour flight and so watching the first movie, I wanted to fill out the custom and immigration forms for Mexico (somewhat long for immigration) for me and my gf and then dose off. Twice I asked the FA (in F where we were seated) for the forms. The first time she told me they would be passed out before landing, but I requested one now (she was sitting reading a mag) and she said she would check. After a half hour I requested the docs again. Still 15 minutes later no docs. The third time with both FAs sitting reading mags, I firmly said I would like the forms now. The other FA said she wasn't allowed to give out the forms without making an announcement about filling them in and couldn't do it during the movie. I told her I knew the forms and to please get them for me now. After they chatted for a minute it was clear that neither wanted to bother looking, and them with hemming and hawing one went through a large bag finding the forms, and without pleasure basically threw them in front of me. Sometimes it is also just unhelpful staff.

Case in point - I've been watching EWR-CDG red eyes to gauge my upgrade chances on the waitlist. Last week during bad weather things really went poorly and for some reason the middle flight made it out on a smaller plane with only like an hour delay while earlier and later flights faced 6+ hour delays.

Armed with that info, especially live at the airport, I could have made the mad dash to the right gate and likely have gotten on (the plane that made it was not full).

Also - seeing the plane still sitting there does NOT mean you "could" get onto it. That's something infrequent fliers need to learn to let go of.

The OP is clearly not going to come back. She had her vent and is done.

Lets play the expectations game.

The Kettles
Expect to go from point A to B, precisely on-time

FTrs
Expect to go from point A to B (with stops F-Q in between;)) with allowances for delays like weather and ATC.

The airline
Will get you from somewhere near point A to some near point B at some point.

Yes weather, wind, and ATC happen. What can you do? The plane leaving early, that is annoying and very much CO's fault. What can CO do, put you on the first flight to AUS tomorrow, send you to another city. There is an 8pm flight to SAT, that would have saved the 3hr drive and turned it into a 90min drive.

What will CO not due, open the door. Once the door is closed that is the way it is. No amount of talking, yelling, and screaming will open that door.

I have a feeling the OP will be a one hit wonder. In any case welcome and I hope you enjoy your stay.

I am not sure where you are flying or on whom but to have flown zillions of miles and never had problems like this before is nothing short of a miracle.
Continental has tens of thousands of employees. Your experience was not good with the few that you met.

I have had experience such as you had with AA, BA, CO, UA. Its just the lot of the flyer today, frequent or otherwise. EWR has always had a bad rap but as someone who feels she lives there sometimes they have gotten much better.

I for one would never have attempted to fly from EWR to anywhere in Eastern PA. I would have rented a car and EWR and drove. It would have been faster and the drive would not be subject to ATC holds (usually).

I hope your next experience will be better.

"Interstate 78, this is Newark Tower. Reduce ground speed to zero and await further instructions."

I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. I completely emphasize with you. I suggest you call WE-CARE (800-932-2732) and explain everything that happened. You're due some compensation for sure.

Hang in there :)