RANT- i need to vent

[DirtyCoconuts]

i went to meet my new niece last friday- she rules, mazal tov to my baby brother on the first kid.

now on to the rant. i flew American and the flight up was scheduled for 1145, delayed to 3, sucks, double with a 5 month old.....

on the way home, wednesday, flight is scheduled for 6 pm...delayed to 715...745...9 pm. we are on the plane at 1015 and "so sorry folks, we dont have enough crew members ( they just fired like 30% of their workforce) so we are delaying, not canceling the flight to 6 am. you get no vouchers because it is just a delay, also, there are no hotels in the area with rooms........also, you cannot get your bags.

What?

my wife and I look at each other and almost break inside, then remember that we have to be cool and fine bc otherwise 5 year will be scared and its not her fault the world of adults is a terrible place

so we grab kids and carry ons and get outside ( no ubers, no taxis with car seat.....) we call two hotels and get told they are full so we get a minivan to take us 45 minutes to my sister's house ( thank the lord!!!!) and we sort of sleep until 3 and go baaaack to the airport for the 6 am flight and it is pushed to 1045 and then noon, 18 hours late....

my girls are rock star warrior troopers and they really performed WAY better than anyone could ever ask and we did make it home before the pet lodge ran out of food and we are safe and god is great.


BUT, what the $(&%@#($&$%(@*&)??????????

so glad to be home...i may never fly again

[Dorchid]

Sorry to hear dc…We had a similar experience recently but nothing that terrible. Also, we were supposed to heading to FL soon on southwest and without notifying us, they added 2 layovers into our direct flight we had already paid for making a 3 hr flight 6. Airlines were just bailed out and continue to increase rates and decrease service. Not to go total tangent but the 1% has everyone at each other’s throats over political mumbo jumbo while they rape us financially. Remember when you could stretch out on a plane, smoke and they served steak? Yeah, me neither.

[Shadeflower]

you are braver than me for even attempting it at the moment.

ps dorchid: not quite a steak but I remember at 16 I asked for wine on my flight not really thinking I was allowed any but she brought me one, for a 16 year old that was my best flight.

[Roberta]

DC, Yikes! Now I don't feel so bad about my just-returned-from Alaska trip where I think that Alaska Airlines keeps its schedule on an etch-a-sketch ... I managed to avoid truly horrid situations by daily monitoring of the website. Stuffed planes. At least dealing only with myself, not a family with little 'uns. Kudos to your kids! Actually to their parents...

[DirtyCoconuts]

it used to be a service industry and it has been transitioned into simply an efficiency model of money making and algorithms designed to move the planes full of money

[Leafmite]

I am sorry about your experience. I plan to avoid flying at all costs because of how passengers are treated now. Once, passengers were seen as people by the airline industry. So sad that this has changed.

[Roberta]

It was nasty before COVID... But having decimated their staff, now they are sparing no pain to make up for lost time (money)

[Dusty Ol' Man]

DC - I am always up for a rant. And one by you is a truly welcome affair!
My wife and I are resigned to never flying again. There goes our dream trip to Germany (we have friends there). The situation with the airlines is intolerable, and the restrictions surrounding the whole covid debacle have only exacerbated the problem.
You must be doing something right with the kiddos for them to behave so admirably. Hats off to you and your wife!

[DirtyCoconuts]

i will say there were two moments that shined a little bit, one, Joyce, the AA cust relations lady who finally got us onto the plane and gave us vouchers for $12 which was one bottle of water. And , two, i was holding heni, pushing the stroller with 1284 carryon things AND Ruthie riding the back of the stroller passed two young women who were working out in the terminal and i heard one say to the other referring to us, "that is hardcore!" i was quite proud of myself.... (note, they were both fully amazing fitness people who could have physically destroyed me - they were being kind LOL)

[claypot]

This has nothing whatsoever to do with orchids.
For a so called "senior member" to raise this and a so called "super moderator" to allow this to continue is a disgrace which reduces the credibility of the forum and those who run it.
Just shows this is more of a general chat room rather than serious about orchids and reflects on the competence of the so called "senior people".