Tstorms at DEN - but UA very accomodating
Jun 19, 2003, 5:00 pm
#1
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Tstorms at DEN - but UA very accomodating
Ahhh, the wonders of wireless web! I'm writing this from gate B53 at DIA, at 4:55 PM Mountain time on June 19.
I was booked on flight 1209 to Ontario, but a massive thunderstorm shut down DIA for 45 minutes or so. My incoming flight 1209 from BWI held until they ran out of fuel, then diverted to MCI.
No estimated time of departure for my flight; the gate got taken by another aircraft; and no information available at all from UA staff on whether a backup plane was available or could be pressed into service.
So...I checked the departure board. A flight to SNA was departing on time at 5:25. I thought it might be worth a shot to see if a) there were seats on that flight, and b) I could get on it without penalty for the resulting open jaw it would create. (I had no checked bags.)
Wonder of wonders, the gate agent at B53 said there were about 20 open seats, and "given the wx today, we can sure do that for you." Yeehaw! Now all I have to worry about is rental car, but Hertz usually allows you to rent in one SoCal location and return in another.
So, one less inconvenience for me...and to boot, it was taken care of without any heavy sighs, without any "just this once" scoldings, and the CSR is even holding my boarding pass to try to get me out of a middle seat an into an E+ seat. Life is pretty darn good.
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Brian/\/\
I was booked on flight 1209 to Ontario, but a massive thunderstorm shut down DIA for 45 minutes or so. My incoming flight 1209 from BWI held until they ran out of fuel, then diverted to MCI.
No estimated time of departure for my flight; the gate got taken by another aircraft; and no information available at all from UA staff on whether a backup plane was available or could be pressed into service.
So...I checked the departure board. A flight to SNA was departing on time at 5:25. I thought it might be worth a shot to see if a) there were seats on that flight, and b) I could get on it without penalty for the resulting open jaw it would create. (I had no checked bags.)
Wonder of wonders, the gate agent at B53 said there were about 20 open seats, and "given the wx today, we can sure do that for you." Yeehaw! Now all I have to worry about is rental car, but Hertz usually allows you to rent in one SoCal location and return in another.
So, one less inconvenience for me...and to boot, it was taken care of without any heavy sighs, without any "just this once" scoldings, and the CSR is even holding my boarding pass to try to get me out of a middle seat an into an E+ seat. Life is pretty darn good.
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Brian/\/\
Jun 19, 2003, 6:16 pm
#2
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: IND- Views expressed by me in this forum are solely my opinion and do not reflect the opinion or policies of UA.
Posts: 697
Good to know that the UA staff is doing what they can for you. However, you weren't requesting they pull an aircraft and crew out of thin air for you in the middle of IRR OPS, either. Many customers at DEN will demand that this afternoon and evening regardless of weather.
I'm glad things worked out for you and my best wishes go out to the customers and staff caught up in the chaos today.
I'm glad things worked out for you and my best wishes go out to the customers and staff caught up in the chaos today.
Jun 19, 2003, 6:56 pm
#3
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jana:
[B] However, you weren't requesting they pull an aircraft and crew out of thin air for you in the middle of IRR OPS, either. [B]</font>
[B] However, you weren't requesting they pull an aircraft and crew out of thin air for you in the middle of IRR OPS, either. [B]</font>
Jun 19, 2003, 11:41 pm
#4
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">you weren't requesting they pull an aircraft and crew out of thin air for you</font>
Jun 20, 2003, 11:49 am
#5
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DenverBrian:
My incoming flight 1209 from BWI held until they ran out of fuel, then diverted to MCI.
</font>
My incoming flight 1209 from BWI held until they ran out of fuel, then diverted to MCI.
</font>
<yes, I know what you meant, but it's still funny to my tired brain>
Jun 21, 2003, 7:30 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by DenverBrian:
So, one less inconvenience for me...and to boot, it was taken care of without any heavy sighs, without any "just this once" scoldings, and the CSR is even holding my boarding pass to try to get me out of a middle seat an into an E+ seat. Life is pretty darn good.
</font>
So, one less inconvenience for me...and to boot, it was taken care of without any heavy sighs, without any "just this once" scoldings, and the CSR is even holding my boarding pass to try to get me out of a middle seat an into an E+ seat. Life is pretty darn good.
</font>
Eg., I had a nasty 4-hour delay out of Boston one afternoon due to ORD t-storms, and the gate agent was more than happy with my suggestion to change my (non-refunable, non-changable, e-fare) return trip to the 7.a.m. flight the next morning. It was good customer service, ok with my schedule, saved me a miserable day in the terminal, got me an extra day of vacation, and made me happy with an airline in a situation where most pax are mad!
Glad to see some folks in Denver think the same way.
Jun 21, 2003, 10:28 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: The Internets
Posts: 8,266
Got stuck in ELP on my way to LAX because of the ground stop. At first they didn't let anyone off the plane, then it got really hot in there ( charming Texas weather ) and they let us off into the terminal. When it became clear that I would miss my connection in DEN, the gate agent offloaded me and I walked over to the WN gate and bought myself a one way to LAX on Herb's blue planes.....
I did curse at UA for a minute- Why do they insist on setting up such major hubs in weather-prone areas ( SFO and DEN)?
) and they let us off into the terminal. When it became clear that I would miss my connection in DEN, the gate agent offloaded me and I walked over to the WN gate and bought myself a one way to LAX on Herb's blue planes.....I did curse at UA for a minute- Why do they insist on setting up such major hubs in weather-prone areas ( SFO and DEN)?