Travel Waiver: IAH Severe Weather (May 8-11, 2019)
May 10, 2019, 12:49 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,893
Flooding reportedly affected the catering facility at IAH. The pilot on our flight ex-IAH said "if you know anyone flying to Sydney or Dubai today, tell them to stop by the Wendy's at the food court before they go." Our 3-hour midcon had pretzels and cookies available, and then also a second serving of pretzels and cookies.
May 10, 2019, 4:08 pm
#18
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,625
SAN-IAH flight last night diverted to SAT. Absolutely no information when we got there. Luckily they let use deplane using stairs. I took a Lyft back to Austin. Thank God for expense accounts.
May 10, 2019, 5:04 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,117
I left early!
i was at the big OTC show and left on the 8th after paying a change fee because the flooding was getting ridiculous. I didn’t want to be stuck.
May 10, 2019, 5:11 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: TPE, SF, DC
Programs: UA Lifetime GS 4mm
Posts: 891
My flight May 9 from iah-sfo, UA1844 departure 8p delayed and canceled. I heard mention of 60+ flights canceled from late incoming aircraft (or diverted from Houston). Weather waiver message showed on UA app around 4:3p Houston time, but too late for me to grab UA1700 departure 4:4p that left on time. Rebooked last flight UA385 departure 9:35p flight kept pushing back every 30min because unrelenting lightening, finally departing 2:28a but replacement pilot timed out while plane was taxing to runway takeoff !
No available seat May 10 to sfo til 12p UA1815
Houston weather worsened starting evening of May 9, but it was bad earlier this week already. Flight operations center completely failed proactively plan earlier weather waiver change option to give passengers chance to get out of Houston or re-routing flights away from Houston.
No available seat May 10 to sfo til 12p UA1815
Houston weather worsened starting evening of May 9, but it was bad earlier this week already. Flight operations center completely failed proactively plan earlier weather waiver change option to give passengers chance to get out of Houston or re-routing flights away from Houston.
Last edited by npei; May 10, 2019 at 6:12 pm
May 10, 2019, 7:47 pm
#21
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORF, RIC
Programs: UA LT 1K, 3 MM; Marriott Titanium; IHG Platinum
Posts: 6,958
My flight May 9 from iah-sfo, UA1844 departure 8p delayed and canceled. I heard mention of 60+ flights canceled from late incoming aircraft (or diverted from Houston). Weather waiver message showed on UA app around 4:3p Houston time, but too late for me to grab UA1700 departure 4:4p that left on time. Rebooked last flight UA385 departure 9:35p flight kept pushing back every 30min because unrelenting lightening, finally departing 2:28a but replacement pilot timed out while plane was taxing to runway takeoff !
No available seat May 10 to sfo til 12p UA1815
Houston weather worsened starting evening of May 9, but it was bad earlier this week already. Flight operations center completely failed proactively plan earlier weather waiver change option to give passengers chance to get out of Houston or re-routing flights away from Houston.
No available seat May 10 to sfo til 12p UA1815
Houston weather worsened starting evening of May 9, but it was bad earlier this week already. Flight operations center completely failed proactively plan earlier weather waiver change option to give passengers chance to get out of Houston or re-routing flights away from Houston.
Sorry to hear your trouble.
May 10, 2019, 10:48 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: TPE, SF, DC
Programs: UA Lifetime GS 4mm
Posts: 891
Iah-Den sold out, then canceled.
Lax and Las sold out for 6p and 8pm flights. The last flights also canceled.
Making it worse was when UA385 canceled due to pilot timeout, it was 2:5a and UC closed and regular customer service line was 100+ person long from all the cancellations. No good hotel choices at that hour, decided to skip and tried standby (unsuccessfully) for 7:2a and 9:3a and 10a flights.
Lax and Las sold out for 6p and 8pm flights. The last flights also canceled.
Making it worse was when UA385 canceled due to pilot timeout, it was 2:5a and UC closed and regular customer service line was 100+ person long from all the cancellations. No good hotel choices at that hour, decided to skip and tried standby (unsuccessfully) for 7:2a and 9:3a and 10a flights.
May 11, 2019, 9:01 am
#23
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Our nation's capital
Programs: UA 1K & 0.6 MM
Posts: 781
Flew out of DFW last night and we had dregs of catering left over from that morning's ERJ catering from wherever it started.
Our crew told us that the storm knocked out power to IAH's catering facility. That's why everything was going out of IAH without food.
Our MESA crew was phenomenal in the face of their third diversion of the day with our flight, lack of catering, and just being dog-tired. The flight deck and FAs kept us super informed, worked their tails off with service, and when a pax brought them all food and snacks from the airport where we were diverted, thanked that pax profusely on the intercom. The plane applauded that fine gent.
All in all, the crew and pax all made the best of a bad situation, rather than exacerbate it with anger and frustration. The crew set the tone for being kind in the face of challenges, and the pax responded in kind. Big ^ all around.
Our crew told us that the storm knocked out power to IAH's catering facility. That's why everything was going out of IAH without food.
Our MESA crew was phenomenal in the face of their third diversion of the day with our flight, lack of catering, and just being dog-tired. The flight deck and FAs kept us super informed, worked their tails off with service, and when a pax brought them all food and snacks from the airport where we were diverted, thanked that pax profusely on the intercom. The plane applauded that fine gent.
All in all, the crew and pax all made the best of a bad situation, rather than exacerbate it with anger and frustration. The crew set the tone for being kind in the face of challenges, and the pax responded in kind. Big ^ all around.
May 11, 2019, 4:50 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19,506
But the desert is very "green" of late.
May 12, 2019, 12:56 pm
#26
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 546
Have conditions improved since the storm and flooding? Has anyone else had flights affected by catering issues? I'm scheduled to connect in IAH on Tuesday (inbound Polaris, outbound domestic F) and would look into other options if things are expected to still be bad. Hope everyone in the area is recovering from the floods!