Enroute Issue to ISP on TH 6/18 just not right?
Jun 20, 2009, 10:28 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,715
Enroute Issue to ISP on TH 6/18 just not right?
Big WN fan, flying them exclusively since they came to ISP in '99, about 2 RT per month. I am also a private pilot.
Left TPA at 7:30 PM Thursday night 6/18 full fare $289 one way for ISP arriving 10:10, 98 PAX, many small families including a group of 12 I checked in with, some minors flying for the first time (as overheard). Left TPA after a full day of work hoping to get in a day's work Friday instead of wasting it traveling as I usually do.
Abeam NYC 15 minutes from landing, plane takes a hard right over the Atlantic ocean. I know some-thing's just not right. A few minutes later, pilot says the runways lights are out at ISP so we are landing BWI to meet gate agents to see what can be done. Sophisticated WN / FT flyer me knows its light out for the night but this is not the impression given nor of my peers on board.
So we land, gate agents make an announcement to get off the plane (amongst screams from the PAX) to rebook for the morning. Its about 10 pm. I'm in row 4 so off quickly and there are 2 agents re-booking against a huge and building line.
Some PA announcements:
Pillows and blankets will be provided in the terminal.
3 flights at 5:30 am, 6am and 6:30am will be available (presumable 3 planes diverted in the same situation).
Bags will be held. I asked if I could get mine but told they were not be available for use since no staff was available to unload.
If anyone decides to drive or find alternative means home, no credit on the ticket will be given since the full fare "was lifted" at Tampa.
Security was closing so if you left the secured area there was no getting back in until 4:30 am. (although I have no sympathy for smokers, what do they do???)
There might have been others but I, being on my employers dime and fearing a run on hotels (never materialized where I went) called an unsympathetic Marriott Platinum line to find "the cheapest" Spring Hill Suites at $159 plus tax. So much for the "distressed travel" rate I've been hearing for years. Unsympathetic at the hotel too despite being an airport hotel used to these situations. I bail out quickly (but with nothing but the clothes on my back) and re-booked a 11am flight over the phone while in the van to the hotel. I'm older and need a solid 7 so I decline the first in the morning options.
The entire thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I understand WN is not at fault but it was as if everyone just wanted to turn the lights off at BWI and go home as quickly as possible, passengers and money be damned. I was fortunate, but I wondered about the rest, especially those with small children.
Got an "proactive" email today apologizing for the situation and the "lack of hospitality" at BWI - with a promise of a travel voucher. It came later - $85!
Since this is only the 2nd stranding in 10 years, I consider my self lucky as far as the law of averages go. And again, I understand it from a pilot's perspective although I've yet to hear anything about the landing lights from the over-reactive local media.
What do the FT folks think? Thanks
Left TPA at 7:30 PM Thursday night 6/18 full fare $289 one way for ISP arriving 10:10, 98 PAX, many small families including a group of 12 I checked in with, some minors flying for the first time (as overheard). Left TPA after a full day of work hoping to get in a day's work Friday instead of wasting it traveling as I usually do.
Abeam NYC 15 minutes from landing, plane takes a hard right over the Atlantic ocean. I know some-thing's just not right. A few minutes later, pilot says the runways lights are out at ISP so we are landing BWI to meet gate agents to see what can be done. Sophisticated WN / FT flyer me knows its light out for the night but this is not the impression given nor of my peers on board.
So we land, gate agents make an announcement to get off the plane (amongst screams from the PAX) to rebook for the morning. Its about 10 pm. I'm in row 4 so off quickly and there are 2 agents re-booking against a huge and building line.
Some PA announcements:
Pillows and blankets will be provided in the terminal.
3 flights at 5:30 am, 6am and 6:30am will be available (presumable 3 planes diverted in the same situation).
Bags will be held. I asked if I could get mine but told they were not be available for use since no staff was available to unload.
If anyone decides to drive or find alternative means home, no credit on the ticket will be given since the full fare "was lifted" at Tampa.
Security was closing so if you left the secured area there was no getting back in until 4:30 am. (although I have no sympathy for smokers, what do they do???)
There might have been others but I, being on my employers dime and fearing a run on hotels (never materialized where I went) called an unsympathetic Marriott Platinum line to find "the cheapest" Spring Hill Suites at $159 plus tax. So much for the "distressed travel" rate I've been hearing for years. Unsympathetic at the hotel too despite being an airport hotel used to these situations. I bail out quickly (but with nothing but the clothes on my back) and re-booked a 11am flight over the phone while in the van to the hotel. I'm older and need a solid 7 so I decline the first in the morning options.
The entire thing just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I understand WN is not at fault but it was as if everyone just wanted to turn the lights off at BWI and go home as quickly as possible, passengers and money be damned. I was fortunate, but I wondered about the rest, especially those with small children.
Got an "proactive" email today apologizing for the situation and the "lack of hospitality" at BWI - with a promise of a travel voucher. It came later - $85!
Since this is only the 2nd stranding in 10 years, I consider my self lucky as far as the law of averages go. And again, I understand it from a pilot's perspective although I've yet to hear anything about the landing lights from the over-reactive local media.
What do the FT folks think? Thanks
Jun 20, 2009, 11:14 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: IHG Spire Elite, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat, WN A-List Preferred
Posts: 267
I got diverted from PHL to BWI a few months ago and no proactive voucher for me...count yourself lucky. And that's a crummy place to have to spend the night because there is no route from BWI to PHL...you have to do something like connect through chicago (of course many people did what I did and spent $40 for a ticket on amtrak, not a big deal but of course that's our own dime).
Are you A-list? I wonder if they make those offers based on some type of formula based on past loyalty.
Oddly enough I got diverted from BWI to RDU a couple weeks ago and the flight attendant told me it was only his second diversion in 11 years. I don't know if that makes him really lucky or me really unlucky to have 2 in a couple months!
Are you A-list? I wonder if they make those offers based on some type of formula based on past loyalty.
Oddly enough I got diverted from BWI to RDU a couple weeks ago and the flight attendant told me it was only his second diversion in 11 years. I don't know if that makes him really lucky or me really unlucky to have 2 in a couple months!
Jun 21, 2009, 9:18 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: Fallen Plats, ex-WN CP, DYKWIW; still PAL Premier Elite & Hilton Diamond
Posts: 25,419
I can empathize with the families, but personally if I booked that kind of schedule as I have on a number of occasions for mileage runs, I would be planning on sleeping in the terminal or just staying up all night surfing & crashing (pardon the pun) once I'm on a plane.
Strickly speaking, non-functional runway lights are not WN's responsiblity.
Strickly speaking, non-functional runway lights are not WN's responsiblity.
Jun 21, 2009, 11:39 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Programs: AC SE100K, F9 100k, NK Gold, UA *S, Hyatt Glob, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 5,213
IMHO, I think the major airports need to cater to irregular ops better.
MDW kicks people out of the secured terminal to baggage claim
BWI has literally no food/snack options after 10pm. Had a connection delayed till midnight and the food workers were shutting down EARLY despite large lines. they pointed to people in line and said you're the last customer we are serving. About 11pm Southwest provisioning brought snacks and soft drinks to the gate area. From the sound of your email they had no ground crew/baggage staff either. I can see Southwest not being legally allowed to bring any PAX belongings/checked bags up to the secure area of the gate though.
MDW kicks people out of the secured terminal to baggage claim
BWI has literally no food/snack options after 10pm. Had a connection delayed till midnight and the food workers were shutting down EARLY despite large lines. they pointed to people in line and said you're the last customer we are serving. About 11pm Southwest provisioning brought snacks and soft drinks to the gate area. From the sound of your email they had no ground crew/baggage staff either. I can see Southwest not being legally allowed to bring any PAX belongings/checked bags up to the secure area of the gate though.
Jun 22, 2009, 1:52 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,715
IMHO, I think the major airports need to cater to irregular ops better.
MDW kicks people out of the secured terminal to baggage claim
BWI has literally no food/snack options after 10pm. Had a connection delayed till midnight and the food workers were shutting down EARLY despite large lines. they pointed to people in line and said you're the last customer we are serving. About 11pm Southwest provisioning brought snacks and soft drinks to the gate area. From the sound of your email they had no ground crew/baggage staff either. I can see Southwest not being legally allowed to bring any PAX belongings/checked bags up to the secure area of the gate though.
MDW kicks people out of the secured terminal to baggage claim
BWI has literally no food/snack options after 10pm. Had a connection delayed till midnight and the food workers were shutting down EARLY despite large lines. they pointed to people in line and said you're the last customer we are serving. About 11pm Southwest provisioning brought snacks and soft drinks to the gate area. From the sound of your email they had no ground crew/baggage staff either. I can see Southwest not being legally allowed to bring any PAX belongings/checked bags up to the secure area of the gate though.