Boarded Wrong Plane!
#31
Original Poster
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 17,769
Originally Posted by PSUhorty
I guess you'll have to forgive me, but I still don't understand your consternation with what HE said and when HE said it.
Should HE have stopped the boarding process, leaned over, whispered in your ear, "Step over here w/me please, sir."? Then in full view of EVERYONE who would surely be wondering why you were pulled aside, HE would then tell you 'privately' that you tried to board the wrong plane?
Sorry, not understanding this 'aiming' at embarrasing you.
Should HE have stopped the boarding process, leaned over, whispered in your ear, "Step over here w/me please, sir."? Then in full view of EVERYONE who would surely be wondering why you were pulled aside, HE would then tell you 'privately' that you tried to board the wrong plane?
Sorry, not understanding this 'aiming' at embarrasing you.
#32
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SAN
Programs: UA GS/1K/MM, VA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 5,581
Originally Posted by PSUhorty
I guess you'll have to forgive me, but I still don't understand your consternation with what HE said and when HE said it.
Should HE have stopped the boarding process, leaned over, whispered in your ear, "Step over here w/me please, sir."? Then in full view of EVERYONE who would surely be wondering why you were pulled aside, HE would then tell you 'privately' that you tried to board the wrong plane?
Sorry, not understanding this 'aiming' at embarrasing you.
Should HE have stopped the boarding process, leaned over, whispered in your ear, "Step over here w/me please, sir."? Then in full view of EVERYONE who would surely be wondering why you were pulled aside, HE would then tell you 'privately' that you tried to board the wrong plane?
Sorry, not understanding this 'aiming' at embarrasing you.
#33




Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: I have resided many places, but only ever lived in San Francisco.
Programs: UA, AA
Posts: 293
Years ago, I was traveling LGW-STL-SNA (TWA, naturally) and I had two incidents on one journey. The first leg, LGW-STL still tickles me today: as the FA announced "Welcome aboard TWA flight XXX to Saint Louis", an entire family sitting near me got up, grabbed their bags and dashed for the door. The FA came back and asked what the problem was and they stated (we are traveling to 'Saint Louis (impose French accent here, something like "San Louie"), and must have boarded the wrong flight". After two or three seconds, everyone in the cabin started to giggle, understanding the miscommunication between British and American English. Still to this day, I think "San Louie" sounds quite a bit more exotic than "Saint Louis".
On the second leg, STL-SNA, a man seated near to me began to talk of how glad he was to be returning home to Orlando (I think, some Florida city) after several weeks in California. I then asked him why he was traveling via Orange County to get to Orlando, and he said "because Orlando is in Orange County" then giving me a rather odd look. I felt terrible to break it to him, that he was actually on the way back to California... and at first he did not believe me... but soon was set straight, thankfully enough.
On the second leg, STL-SNA, a man seated near to me began to talk of how glad he was to be returning home to Orlando (I think, some Florida city) after several weeks in California. I then asked him why he was traveling via Orange County to get to Orlando, and he said "because Orlando is in Orange County" then giving me a rather odd look. I felt terrible to break it to him, that he was actually on the way back to California... and at first he did not believe me... but soon was set straight, thankfully enough.
#34

Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Vana-Antsla, Estonia
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Originally Posted by ButIsItArt
I've been looking all over the web for a link to a newspaper clip, or some substantial documentation. But the only mentions I am finding are on bb's, where the story seems to have gotten diluted, distorted, with many posters even believing it to be an alligators in the NY sewers story. None of these references even give firm dates. Can any other FT'ers help out on this one...?
But it may have been a woman or even a couple of family members ... I remember that they were definitely low time jet travellers. Remember, it was just not the wrong destination airport but the wrong airline that they boarded.
#35
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SoCal
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Posts: 3,465
Wasn't there that kids movie about this, on AA, in the early 90s? What was it again?
#36
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: USA
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The GA should have used the BP reader and she should have caught it. Is there a reason why GA's use the readers or not? I know that some are paper tickets that have to be done manually, but often they tear the stubs that can go through the reader.
#37
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
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Originally Posted by drewsnav
On the second leg, STL-SNA, a man seated near to me began to talk of how glad he was to be returning home to Orlando (I think, some Florida city) after several weeks in California. I then asked him why he was traveling via Orange County to get to Orlando, and he said "because Orlando is in Orange County" then giving me a rather odd look. I felt terrible to break it to him, that he was actually on the way back to California... and at first he did not believe me... but soon was set straight, thankfully enough.

AA now refers to SNA as Santa Ana - John Wayne; years ago it was displayed on airport monitors as Orange County.
Funny thing is, the guy was right: Orlando is in Orange County, (Florida).
#38
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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Originally Posted by wimpypipsqueak
I'll try some of that tomorrow ^
#39
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: IAD
Programs: Chase Million Miler, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Platinum
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I heard this story third hand, but here it goes...
Back when I was at ACA, we served Charlottesville, VA (CHO) but not Charlotte, NC (CLT). One of our not-so-bright gate agents was approached by a pax travelling to CLT. FWIW, our agent was an ESL Speaker (English as a Second Language) I say this not to be racist (which is why I'm not pointing out his nationality) but to illustrate the point that if you're not a fluent English speaker, that given the context of the situation, the two cities may very easily be confused.
Anyway, the young man was approached by the lady, a pax originally ticketed on US (whose gates where just over the bridge in the B concourse, an easy walk). She explained to him that she was going to CLT and that she missed her US flight. He then promptly issued her a ticket for travel to CHO. Apparently, she actually did travel to CHO that day.
What I found pretty hilarious is that he created her a ticket out of NOTHING or for whatever reason never had the appropriate paperwork from US which might have indicuated his mistake.
Back when I was at ACA, we served Charlottesville, VA (CHO) but not Charlotte, NC (CLT). One of our not-so-bright gate agents was approached by a pax travelling to CLT. FWIW, our agent was an ESL Speaker (English as a Second Language) I say this not to be racist (which is why I'm not pointing out his nationality) but to illustrate the point that if you're not a fluent English speaker, that given the context of the situation, the two cities may very easily be confused.
Anyway, the young man was approached by the lady, a pax originally ticketed on US (whose gates where just over the bridge in the B concourse, an easy walk). She explained to him that she was going to CLT and that she missed her US flight. He then promptly issued her a ticket for travel to CHO. Apparently, she actually did travel to CHO that day.
What I found pretty hilarious is that he created her a ticket out of NOTHING or for whatever reason never had the appropriate paperwork from US which might have indicuated his mistake.
#40
Join Date: May 2003
Location: SAN
Programs: UA GS/1K/MM, VA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 5,581
Originally Posted by qasr
In the SEN lounge in MUC now (F/HON lounge closed during weekends
)
I'll visit the F terminal at FRA on Tuesday morning, but it will be a bit early to sample some of their Scotch. Will need to to that on the way home ^
#41
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Mistakes do happen. Trust me. Years ago when in college and working as a travel agent. I booked someone to Charleston SC when they wanted to go to Charleston WV. These were the days before gate readers, BPs could be issuesd by travel agents, and printed itineraries out of Sabre were less than informative. Oops.
The professor did see the humor in it though!
The professor did see the humor in it though!
#42

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 7,323
Originally Posted by qasr
In the SEN lounge in MUC now (F/HON lounge closed during weekends
) after a great LH F flight. Give the '89 from Reims a try, one of the nicest champagnes I've had in a long time ^^
#43
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Originally Posted by qasr
In the SEN lounge in MUC now (F/HON lounge closed during weekends 
Does anyone know if the LH F Terminal in FRA also closes on weekends?
Last edited by dcgators; Aug 14, 2005 at 8:01 am Reason: typos
#44
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: MLI
Programs: United 2MM 1K
Posts: 1,706
Originally Posted by dcgators
And here I thought you might have been able to have the captain to at least reroute the plane as an UGS...


^ ^ ^ ^ ^
This happens all the time on my ORD-MLI flights. Cannot imagine why? Must be because there is no signage whatsoever at F11 designating which of the four RJ parked out there are for which routes. Groundstaff is either text mesaging on their phones are unable to "hear" over the jet noise.
The STL-SNA story is too funny.
#45
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Got a flight in a few weeks, IAD-SFO-LAX-LAS.
SFO and LAX will give me quite a few chances to "mistakenly" boarding a HI bound flight.
As someone else has said, "mistakes" to happen.
SFO and LAX will give me quite a few chances to "mistakenly" boarding a HI bound flight.
As someone else has said, "mistakes" to happen.

