Stranded versus delayed
#1
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Stranded versus delayed
Canada's low-cost vacation airline Sunwing ran into a technical glitch yesterday and my news feeds were replete with sad tales of woe from travellers stranded in various locations. There was the usual fury directed at the airline, the whining about lack of communication and the teary-eyed pleas for an immediate solution.
I have no sympathy. The term "stranded" means to be stuck somewhere with no means of getting anywhere else. Unless socked in by weather and everything is grounded the only people who are "stranded" are those who aren't prepared for the occasional flight disruption. Sensible travellers therefore are never "stranded" but are merely "delayed."
I have no sympathy. The term "stranded" means to be stuck somewhere with no means of getting anywhere else. Unless socked in by weather and everything is grounded the only people who are "stranded" are those who aren't prepared for the occasional flight disruption. Sensible travellers therefore are never "stranded" but are merely "delayed."
#2
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Canada's low-cost vacation airline Sunwing ran into a technical glitch yesterday and my news feeds were replete with sad tales of woe from travellers stranded in various locations. There was the usual fury directed at the airline, the whining about lack of communication and the teary-eyed pleas for an immediate solution.
I have no sympathy. The term "stranded" means to be stuck somewhere with no means of getting anywhere else. Unless socked in by weather and everything is grounded the only people who are "stranded" are those who aren't prepared for the occasional flight disruption. Sensible travellers therefore are never "stranded" but are merely "delayed."
I have no sympathy. The term "stranded" means to be stuck somewhere with no means of getting anywhere else. Unless socked in by weather and everything is grounded the only people who are "stranded" are those who aren't prepared for the occasional flight disruption. Sensible travellers therefore are never "stranded" but are merely "delayed."
"Stranded" would imply that my flight has been canceled or is in an unknown state and I have not been rebooked by the airline on something else. That is, I either must buy a new ticket on another airline, take a train, drive, etc. The stranding airline isn't helping me.
I don't know what Sunwing did this time, but I can totally see them stranding people.
I have some sympathy, given how abysmal airline customer service is and how regulating bodies do absolutely nothing for consumers. But I have also traveled enough to know that these smaller operations that position themselves as "low-cost" (whether they actually are or not) carry greater risks than flying a major carrier. Doubly so if their whole business model is flying to destinations popular with mass-market tourists.
#3
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"Delayed" implies that my original flight will operate, but the airline has a revised departure time and my boarding pass is still valid.
"Stranded" would imply that my flight has been canceled or is in an unknown state and I have not been rebooked by the airline on something else. That is, I either must buy a new ticket on another airline, take a train, drive, etc. The stranding airline isn't helping me.
I don't know what Sunwing did this time, but I can totally see them stranding people.
I have some sympathy, given how abysmal airline customer service is and how regulating bodies do absolutely nothing for consumers. But I have also traveled enough to know that these smaller operations that position themselves as "low-cost" (whether they actually are or not) carry greater risks than flying a major carrier. Doubly so if their whole business model is flying to destinations popular with mass-market tourists, generally with less-than-daily service on any given route, and certainly with no interline arrangements with other carriers.
"Stranded" would imply that my flight has been canceled or is in an unknown state and I have not been rebooked by the airline on something else. That is, I either must buy a new ticket on another airline, take a train, drive, etc. The stranding airline isn't helping me.
I don't know what Sunwing did this time, but I can totally see them stranding people.
I have some sympathy, given how abysmal airline customer service is and how regulating bodies do absolutely nothing for consumers. But I have also traveled enough to know that these smaller operations that position themselves as "low-cost" (whether they actually are or not) carry greater risks than flying a major carrier. Doubly so if their whole business model is flying to destinations popular with mass-market tourists, generally with less-than-daily service on any given route, and certainly with no interline arrangements with other carriers.
#4
Join Date: Feb 2022
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It's a matter of words but if a ULCC only flys a route a few days a week and cancels with 100% load factor, or very near thereto, in theory a pax could be waiting well over a week to be re-accommodated. The airline might just cancel the reservation and hand the customer a refund. Either way that would be "stranded" in my book.
#5
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Canada's low-cost vacation airline Sunwing ran into a technical glitch yesterday and my news feeds were replete with sad tales of woe from travellers stranded in various locations. There was the usual fury directed at the airline, the whining about lack of communication and the teary-eyed pleas for an immediate solution.
I have no sympathy. The term "stranded" means to be stuck somewhere with no means of getting anywhere else. Unless socked in by weather and everything is grounded the only people who are "stranded" are those who aren't prepared for the occasional flight disruption. Sensible travellers therefore are never "stranded" but are merely "delayed."
I have no sympathy. The term "stranded" means to be stuck somewhere with no means of getting anywhere else. Unless socked in by weather and everything is grounded the only people who are "stranded" are those who aren't prepared for the occasional flight disruption. Sensible travellers therefore are never "stranded" but are merely "delayed."
#6
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What is the customer's fault is their inability to solve their immediate problem which is getting home. They piss and moan about the airline quite justifiably but would evidently prefer to sit in an airport for days on end with no idea of when they will fly instead of finding an alternate solution.
I've had a charter airline let me down. My solution was to go to the counter of another airline, produce my credit card and fly out a few hours later.
I've had a charter airline let me down. My solution was to go to the counter of another airline, produce my credit card and fly out a few hours later.
#7
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#8
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They should get their priorities in order. Get a credit card, make sure there's enough room on it to get home when circumstances demand it and don't engage in non-essential travel until then.
#9
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Even for a heavily privileged board like Flyertalk, this post is oozing with enough privilege to power its own forum.
#10
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Not privilege but dismay that a large element of society would rather whine and remain at the mercy of a corporation that doesn't always have their best interests at heart instead of taking the initiative to solve their immediate problem and have a contingency plan in place when the best laid plans go awry.
#11
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because it's SOOOOOOO much easier to rant on social media (or on an anonymous internet forum) in near real time about how the corporation is screwing them over
#12
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Not privilege but dismay that a large element of society would rather whine and remain at the mercy of a corporation that doesn't always have their best interests at heart instead of taking the initiative to solve their immediate problem and have a contingency plan in place when the best laid plans go awry.
#13
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Not privilege but dismay that a large element of society would rather whine and remain at the mercy of a corporation that doesn't always have their best interests at heart instead of taking the initiative to solve their immediate problem and have a contingency plan in place when the best laid plans go awry.
EU 261 is a baby step in the correct direction, at least in one region of the world, but much, much more needs to be done.
#14
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This is why we need rules and laws in a society - to protect individuals from unscrupulous, unethical corporations that fail to deliver on their obligations to their customers. Our governments are failing us by allowing corporations to have all the power and zero accountability.
EU 261 is a baby step in the correct direction, at least in one region of the world, but much, much more needs to be done.
EU 261 is a baby step in the correct direction, at least in one region of the world, but much, much more needs to be done.
#15
Join Date: Feb 2022
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ULCCs might be short on price but they're also often short on service. That $59 fare comes with strings attached. Want to fly better-better yourself and you will.