My 2007 ED trip- It Could Happen to You

[miketx]

First Day (Friday): I was at the airport (IAH) a couple hours prior to departure. The plane arrived late due to the weather. There was a problem with the front two tires and had to be replaced. The plane departed from Houston to Philadelphia with a 3 hours delay. Arrived to Philadelphia at 8:55pm thinking I would not make my next flight to Munich. Fortunately there was a delay on this flight as well. I asked the flight attendant in Munich about my luggage. She assured me that my luggage will make it on my next flight.

Second Day (Saturday): Arrived in Munich at 1:30 am (one hour late). I had a prior arrangement with Rolf to pick me up and take me to the Renaissance Hotel. Unfortunately my luggage didn’t make it to Munich. I called Rolf and he was still waiting for me at the airport. After I went to report my loss at the claims department I finally met with Rolf 30 minutes later. At the hotel Rolf spend some time with me going over the map for local clothing stores and sight scene. I was tired and decided to take a nap. Later on I met with Randall (rmorin49). We went to dinner at a Bavarian restaurant (BUM BRUNNWART) within a few blocks from the hotel.

Third Day (Sunday): I joint Randall and his amazing convertible for some sight scene. We went to a local dealership (BMW Niederlassung Muchen) and passed by the new delivery center at Welt. Following we took autobahn south to Tegernsee and continued to the Alpine road. On the road to Tegernsee I saw an original 914 VW-Porsche. The drive was incredible reaching 120 with the top down. Going back to Munich we found a local restaurant (GASTOF WEISS) were we had dinner and beer. Returned to the hotel and found my luggage in my room:) . Later on we went downtown for a walk. At the end of the day I couldn’t wait for the next day were I would see my car for the first time.

Forth Day (Monday): Rolf dropped me off at the ED center around 7:40am. Rolf and I had some breakfast and within 45 minutes a very attractive lady (Vanessa) called my name. She went over all the features of the car and took several pictures. At the garage I met bhsLovesBlustar and BMWfanatic1050. I took some more pictures and headed out at Harms for drop off. On my excitement I forgot to sign the bimmerfest book. Later on Rolf took me to the airport.

In Philadelphia my flight back to Houston was canceled:mad: . I had a message from US Airways about returning a call to arrange for my trip. They couldn’t help me over the phone since I had already checked-in from Munich. This time I didn’t check in my luggage. After waiting for more than two hours at the customer service the manager gave me two options. He said to call the 800# to complain or wait for a flight the next day. He also mentioned that if I decide to go to a hotel they will pay only the first 70 dollars with receipt. He stated all the hotels they had deals with were overbooked and if I had to stay in a hotel it would cost me about 200 dollars. He continued saying the reason the flight was canceled was due to weather. Later on I found out that the real reason is that when a US Airways pilot max there hours they just go home. There was a flight with Southwest the same night but they were not willing to pay for my ticket since they were not partners. I had to be at work the next day and decided to pay for my ticket (330 dollars).I was not the only one though with this issue. At least 19 US Airway flights were canceled that day. About 15 people going to Buffalo were given the option to wait two days for the next available flight. I’m planning to complain to the CEO. I wouldn’t recommend US Airways to anybody. Any feedback how to approach this would be appreciated.

Considering all the trouble I had with the luggage and the flight back to Houston I had an amazing experience :thumbup: . I wish I had more time to drive my car in the Autobahn. Maybe next time…
Here are some pictures:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/mkgreek


Rolf is a great guy. I would definitely recommend him.

I want to thank Irv for his support, my CA Mike and all the bimmerfest members who guided me through the ED process and made it possible.

[kyfdx]

" He continued saying the reason the flight was canceled was due to weather. Later on I found out that the real reason is that when a US Airways pilot max there hours they just go home. "

It is still a delay due to weather... The FAA only allows pilots to be on duty for so many hours... The airlines and pilots don't have a choice in the matter.. It isn't like they have this big pool of on-call pilots they can call in. For a single flight or two, maybe... but, for widespread weather delays, you are just out of luck.

At least the car wasn't delayed!!

[jfulcher]

First Day (Friday): I was at the airport (IAH) a couple hours prior to departure. The plane arrived late due to the weather. There was a problem with the front two tires and had to be replaced. The plane departed from Houston to Philadelphia with a 3 hours delay. Arrived to Philadelphia at 8:55pm thinking I would not make my next flight to Munich. Fortunately there was a delay on this flight as well. I asked the flight attendant in Munich about my luggage. She assured me that my luggage will make it on my next flight.

Second Day (Saturday): Arrived in Munich at 1:30 am (one hour late). I had a prior arrangement with Rolf to pick me up and take me to the Renaissance Hotel. Unfortunately my luggage didn’t make it to Munich. I called Rolf and he was still waiting for me at the airport. After I went to report my loss at the claims department I finally met with Rolf 30 minutes later. At the hotel Rolf spend some time with me going over the map for local clothing stores and sight scene. I was tired and decided to take a nap. Later on I met with Randall (rmorin49). We went to dinner at a Bavarian restaurant (BUM BRUNNWART) within a few blocks from the hotel.

Third Day (Sunday): I joint Randall and his amazing convertible for some sight scene. We went to a local dealership (BMW Niederlassung Muchen) and passed by the new delivery center at Welt. Following we took autobahn south to Tegernsee and continued to the Alpine road. On the road to Tegernsee I saw an original 914 VW-Porsche. The drive was incredible reaching 120 with the top down. Going back to Munich we found a local restaurant (GASTOF WEISS) were we had dinner and beer. Returned to the hotel and found my luggage in my room:) . Later on we went downtown for a walk. At the end of the day I couldn’t wait for the next day were I would see my car for the first time.

Forth Day (Monday): Rolf dropped me off at the ED center around 7:40am. Rolf and I had some breakfast and within 45 minutes a very attractive lady (Vanessa) called my name. She went over all the features of the car and took several pictures. At the garage I met bhsLovesBlustar and BMWfanatic1050. I took some more pictures and headed out at Harms for drop off. On my excitement I forgot to sign the bimmerfest book. Later on Rolf took me to the airport.

In Philadelphia my flight back to Houston was canceled:mad: . I had a message from US Airways about returning a call to arrange for my trip. They couldn’t help me over the phone since I had already checked-in from Munich. This time I didn’t check in my luggage. After waiting for more than two hours at the customer service the manager gave me two options. He said to call the 800# to complain or wait for a flight the next day. He also mentioned that if I decide to go to a hotel they will pay only the first 70 dollars with receipt. He stated all the hotels they had deals with were overbooked and if I had to stay in a hotel it would cost me about 200 dollars. He continued saying the reason the flight was canceled was due to weather. Later on I found out that the real reason is that when a US Airways pilot max there hours they just go home. There was a flight with Southwest the same night but they were not willing to pay for my ticket since they were not partners. I had to be at work the next day and decided to pay for my ticket (330 dollars).I was not the only one though with this issue. At least 19 US Airway flights were canceled that day. About 15 people going to Buffalo were given the option to wait two days for the next available flight. I’m planning to complain to the CEO. I wouldn’t recommend US Airways to anybody. Any feedback how to approach this would be appreciated.

Considering all the trouble I had with the luggage and the flight back to Houston I had an amazing experience :thumbup: . I wish I had more time to drive my car in the Autobahn. Maybe next time…
Here are some pictures:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/mkgreek


Rolf is a great guy. I would definitely recommend him.

I want to thank Irv for his support, my CA Mike and all the bimmerfest members who guided me through the ED process and made it possible.

Too bad I missed hanging out with you too Mike! We walked to that same restaraunt near the hotel the 2nd night we were there and they had great beer and their biergarten was awesome. I couldn't talk the girlfriend into eating there though as she saw a mouse running around in the biergarten outside where mice belong! Still grossed her out too much.. :D

[guppyflyer]

Congrats on the new car! Sorry to hear about your flight, the weather was rotten on the east coast. Regarding US Airways, if the flight cancellation was weather related, the airline isn't responsible for any lodging. They are resposible for getting you the next available seat (not flight) to your destination. Unfortunately given the state of the industry right now, we don't fly around with open seats as much as we used to. Consequently it is harder to find an "available" seat. As kyfdx said, as pilots we are limited in the amount of flying we can do per day for safety reasons. On bad weather days airport limitations (PHL especially) cause us to fly significantly more than we are scheduled for. This can cause cancellations and delays if we exceed this maximum amount. Once again because of the state of the airline industry right now, we fly more hours per day than we used to and thus it takes less to push us over that limit. As far as your customer service experience, not to say it couldn't have been handled better, but the $70 dollar voucher was generous on their part.

I’m planning to complain to the CEO. I wouldn’t recommend US Airways to anybody.

It may get you a voucher or some other compensation, but legally they took care of you best as they could. It could have happened on any airline! PHL's airport is more prone to these problems due to it's runway layout and traffic, but the flooding rains the east coast experienced caused delays up and down the coast. My $.02 worth from an insiders perspective. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific ?'s.

Erik

[Jalli]

I have never been on an on time flight into or out of Philadelphia or LGA, I fly through these airports to get home about 5-6 times each year. Also, I have stopped checking luggage now when I fly through Philadelphia because they always lose it..

Philadelphia has to be the most passenger unfriendly airport in the world, with that stupid bus that never shows up on time.. US Airways staff in Philadelphia is especially unfriendly as well...

Airports I like:
ATL- Flight delays have gone down recently, and there is never any problem with them losing your luggage etc..Easy to use train between Concourses..
Chicago's O'Hare- Great airport as far as Customs and Immigration, very easy to get through
This is always my entry point to the US for international flights now..
Detroit- Excellent airport, train that runs the length of the terminal..very new
LAX- tolerable, but falling apart
CLT- Charlotte is nice, but there is way too much walking, and the moving walkways don't really cut it. Excellent on time performance.
CAE- Columbia, SC, great place for flights to major cities, always on time, but in the middle of nowhere
Narita (Japan)- Excellent airport, but there is little to do unless you are fluent in Japanese or like to eat strange Japanese food..
Shanghai- Excellent, well run airport. Helps to have a business visa whatever the reason you are traveling for. Take the maglev to the city..
Munich- Excellent airport, but check in lines can be very, very long
Berlin- (can't remember off hand which Berlin airport), but also very easy to use with great on time performance
Dubai- Great airport, excellent duty free, very easy to use, although the people can be somewhat "blunt"..

Airport rant now over..

[clarkcc1]

Congrats on the new car! Sorry to hear about your flight, the weather was rotten on the east coast. Regarding US Airways, if the flight cancellation was weather related, the airline isn't responsible for any lodging. They are resposible for getting you the next available seat (not flight) to your destination. Unfortunately given the state of the industry right now, we don't fly around with open seats as much as we used to. Consequently it is harder to find an "available" seat. As kyfdx said, as pilots we are limited in the amount of flying we can do per day for safety reasons. On bad weather days airport limitations (PHL especially) cause us to fly significantly more than we are scheduled for. This can cause cancellations and delays if we exceed this maximum amount. Once again because of the state of the airline industry right now, we fly more hours per day than we used to and thus it takes less to push us over that limit. As far as your customer service experience, not to say it couldn't have been handled better, but the $70 dollar voucher was generous on their part.



It may get you a voucher or some other compensation, but legally they took care of you best as they could. It could have happened on any airline! PHL's airport is more prone to these problems due to it's runway layout and traffic, but the flooding rains the east coast experienced caused delays up and down the coast. My $.02 worth from an insiders perspective. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific ?'s.

Erik

He speaks the truth. I used to work for United when I was in college.

Not trying to rant here, but it always got to me that the American public thinks the airlines "owe" them when operations go awry. This is true when the airline is at fault- I.E. maintenance or crew delay/cancellation. Weather? You're on your own buddy! That they offered to help with a hotel was a GIFT!!! Americans demand the cheapest possible tickets- thats why there aren't free meals on domestic flights anymore. Its also why planes are flying 95% full. If operations aren't optimal, it can take days before you get to your final destination. The remedy? complex, but if we pay more for tickets, you can expect better service. My $.02.

[jl5555]

In Philadelphia my flight back to Houston was canceled:mad: . I had a message from US Airways about returning a call to arrange for my trip. They couldn’t help me over the phone since I had already checked-in from Munich.

During irregular ops I advise people to always call the 800 number for rebooking delayed flights rather than wait in long customer service lines at the airport. If you have status on the airline it certainly helps. Another thing to consider is buying a daypass to the airline club and then using their desk services.

It's absolutely incredible that they would not rebook you over the phone. That is an incredibly lame excuse. Of course they should have dealt with you over the phone whether or not you checked in at Munich or not is irrelevant. Oy, a new low for US Airways.

I'm not one to direct people away from specific airlines but if this is the type of service one could expect from them I would definately advise staying away from US Airways.

[miketx]

He speaks the truth. I used to work for United when I was in college.

Not trying to rant here, but it always got to me that the American public thinks the airlines "owe" them when operations go awry. This is true when the airline is at fault- I.E. maintenance or crew delay/cancellation. Weather? You're on your own buddy!

It seems they were the only airline who canceled their flights that day, It was strange to call it a weather issue dont you think? If I had arranged to fly to Munich and pick up my car the same day having this issue I wouldn't be able to make it. Maybe I should be greatful it happened on the way back...

[gesoffen]

It's absolutely incredible that they would not rebook you over the phone. That is an incredibly lame excuse. Of course they should have dealt with you over the phone whether or not you checked in at Munich or not is irrelevant. Oy, a new low for US Airways.

Typically, if already checked in, you have to call a separate number to get unchecked in (usually some operations number relating to passenger manifests) before a reservation can be altered. This has happened to me on a few occasions, especially when using on-lin check in.

To the OP, much of the NE and mid-atlantic was at the mercy of a heft nor'easter early this week and PHL was no exception. Air traffic had widespread delays throughout the country because of east coast impacts.

Usually, airlines will prioritize their flights during weather delays to allow international flights to take off/ land prior to domestic flights. Also, smaller planes are much more weather affected than larger planes (especially if there are cross winds). Heck, due to the widespread delays, you may not have even had a plane availabe to board back to IAH.

General rule of thumb: if you absolutely have to be somewhere at a given time, set up your itinerary to have a few options available to you if things get FUBAR. This means, don't take the last flight out, consider booking on an airline that has a wide partner network and choose connecting airports that have frequent service from that partner network. Yes, this may mean the fare is more expensive but it may be worth it to mitigate the risk of delays/cancellations.

[Pedal2Floor]

It seems they were the only airline who canceled their flights that day, It was strange to call it a weather issue dont you think? If I had arranged to fly to Munich and pick up my car the same day having this issue I wouldn't be able to make it. Maybe I should be greatful it happened on the way back...

Not true -- I was stranded in Chicago and there were plenty of cancelled flights on United which I was on.

There was a time when there was over capacity, and finding a flight was not a problem -- but then again the airlines could not make any money. Now, they have tried to right size the capacity but have not figured out how to deal with weather events. Also remember the JetBlue Fiasco around Valentines day -- so that they do not have to deal with those issues, they are more likely to cancel flights.

So, today we not have overbooked flights on purpose and willingness to just cancel than to deal with the public complaints. I suspect this will eventually all be fixed with higher prices as we go back to some of the pre-regulation prices and models. Problem is customers are spoiled from many years of low prices and lots of flights -- everyones expectations have to be readjusted.

[jxr209]

United in Philly is just a mess. The people there just don't care about anyone. I will never use that airline again.

[jl5555]

Typically, if already checked in, you have to call a separate number to get unchecked in (usually some operations number relating to passenger manifests) before a reservation can be altered. This has happened to me on a few occasions, especially when using on-lin check in.

Huh?? False and wrong information. Whether or not you're checked in is irrelevant especially if you've missed a connecting flight due to irregular ops. If someone at an 800 number told you this I'm sorry but they fed you a line probably because they didn't feel like dealing with you.

I want to stress to everyone that under irregular ops you should get on the phone as soon as your late flight lands and call to at least hold a seat on another flight or to make other arrangements. Do not take any prevarication from the staff at the airline. It's your right to have your flights completed and the people on the phone should be just as able as a customer service rep at the airport. It's not for nothing that the airlines set up phone banks at airports to handle irregular ops situations. But definately take matters into your own hands. If the first person you talk to will not help ask to be put through to a supervisor and be firm but polite.

[kyfdx]

Didn't mean to set off a firestorm of people ragging on you.. Just noting that the airline didn't just decide to go home and leave you hanging...

It is stressful to have your airline plans go awry... and from the sound of it, Philadelphia is not a great place to fly through..

It will all be a distant memory, once you are driving that car!!

[rmorin49]

I can tell you that my landing at IAD, Lufthansa airline, on Monday, 4/16 around 6 pm was a real experience! About 50 passengers got sick due to the turbulence, winds around 80 mph at 3-5K feet. The German pilot did a great job and everyone clapped when we finally touched down.

[adc]

Not trying to rant here, but it always got to me that the American public thinks the airlines "owe" them when operations go awry.

So let me get this straight - we pay in advance (sometimes months in advance) for a service, they print out a ticket that spells out the precise date and time of travel (God forbid if you are a few minutes late) - yet the airline doesn't owe us anything??? :thumbdwn:

Yeah, I can see how so many airlines built up such a good customer service reputation...

Americans demand the cheapest possible tickets- thats why there aren't free meals on domestic flights anymore.

You want me to believe the prices were high due to the $3.50 McDonalds-style meal they used to serve before on domestic flights? :tsk:

[jfulcher]

So let me get this straight - we pay in advance (sometimes months in advance) for a service, they print out a ticket that spells out the precise date and time of travel (God forbid if you are a few minutes late) - yet the airline doesn't owe us anything??? :thumbdwn:

Yeah, I can see how so many airlines built up such a good customer service reputation...



You want me to believe the prices were high due to the $3.50 McDonalds-style meal they used to serve before on domestic flights? :tsk:

You should read the Contract of Carriage sometime..

[horatiub]

I have to agree, in case of irregular operations, like weather related or ATC (air traffic control delays), the airlines are not responsible for any accommodations. It is true that it shows on the ticket a departure and arrival time, but sometimes things are out of the airline's hands and they really can't pay for something that they haven't caused.

Exception though: Gold card members are usually taken care of and I've seen special cases when people with disabilities are accommodated as well.

And yes, Chicago is not bad in terms of Customs and Immigration lines, they seem to work very fast to get people through.

[Olin]

Considering all the trouble I had with the luggage and the flight back to Houston I had an amazing experience :thumbup: . I wish I had more time to drive my car in the Autobahn. Maybe next time***8230;
Here are some pictures:

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/mkgreek


Rolf is a great guy. I would definitely recommend him.

I want to thank Irv for his support, my CA Mike and all the bimmerfest members who guided me through the ED process and made it possible.

Hey, that's funny :D I am just buying this car. It will be ready coming Wednesday.
BTW it's a what we call "demonstration car".


http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/lPVhbINUiFmJ/__sr_/7fc1.jpg?tkn=phEANMGBBHkTdI6c&saveas=Used+335ic
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/lPVhbINUiFmJ/__sr_/2ce4.jpg?tkn=phEANMGBTsdDOm_N&saveas=Used+335ic
http://us.a2.yahoofs.com/users/lPVhbINUiFmJ/__sr_/e722.jpg?tkn=phEANMGBTiXrVoOj&saveas=used+335ic+price

[Kanuck]

INarita (Japan)- Excellent airport, but there is little to do unless you are fluent in Japanese or like to eat strange Japanese food...So, it is only strange Japanese food you don't like, or all Japanese food?:confused:
Also, it is hardly surprising to me that the most commonly spoken language in Japan is Japanese.

[M550]

Congratulations! Mike. I missed you by maybe a few minutes at Freimann. I did however sign in the bimmerfest book.

[mwagner1]

Airports I like:
ATL- Flight delays have gone down recently, and there is never any problem with them losing your luggage etc..Easy to use train between Concourses...

I hate to say this but I despise Atlanta.....I had a flight from Providence RI to Austin two summers ago. While I ate in the Providence Airport, Atlanta was being pummeled by a storm and it was not until we were on the plane that we learned that the whole bloody WORLD was screwed up because of that storm. The two hour flight turned into a 4.5 hour flight with a nearly emergency fuel stop in Columbia SC....we got into Atlanta at 1:00AM and there were literally THOUSANDS of stranded passengers.....NOTHING was open...no food, drinks, anything and MANY people had not eaten in hours (especially people who had gotten in from overseas flights).......By a divine miracle, my flight to Austin was still there and we left at 3:20AM and I arrived in Austin at 4:20AM....

It was on that day that I made a vow that if I ever have the BIG $$$$$$ I will buy a Gulfstream V just to avoid Atlanta!!!!

Cheers,

[fun2drive]

I have been stranded at every major airport due to mechanical issues or weather. It just happens. If you fly a lot it will happen. I always carry my luggage onboard so I can move quick when I have to as in a canceled plane or a significant delay.

Last 6 years I have been flying through Atlanta and as is true with most airline ops the weather determines whether you are going to be late or on time. Winds, bad weather and IFR ops all change the rules and cause backups.

It is not unique to Atlanta as my return from Germany was through Chicago with clear weather and a 2 hour delay going to 4 hour delay due to bad weather in Washington DC.

Pricing here is not as cheap as pricing on some in Europe too. Check Ryan sometime.

I actually plan for delays when booking flights and that is why I made sure that I had one extra day out and back on my ED. I wanted some padding on that important pickup and drop off.

I too dislike flying at 500 mph and then sitting for a number of hours but that is how it is with the airlines trying to survive.

[x986]

Old airline saying, "If you have time to spare, go by air".

[horatiub]

" He continued saying the reason the flight was canceled was due to weather. Later on I found out that the real reason is that when a US Airways pilot max there hours they just go home. "

It is still a delay due to weather... The FAA only allows pilots to be on duty for so many hours... The airlines and pilots don't have a choice in the matter.. It isn't like they have this big pool of on-call pilots they can call in. For a single flight or two, maybe... but, for widespread weather delays, you are just out of luck.

At least the car wasn't delayed!!

yup, pilots and flight attendants have a flight time that they can not go over...in most cases. There are exceptions when the pilot can decided if he still wants to fly or not. This is usually a deal between the flight crew and their dispatch, the FAA doesn't get involved, other than the fact they were the ones that made the rules.

[scubajag]

The best airport in the U.S. has consistently been Tampa International. The major carrier is Southwest with international destinations by other carriers to Europe, Mexico, Canada, etc.
Prior to its bankruptcy US Air (read scare) use to be the major airline to Tampa, but now it is a distant 3rd.

[kaismaeel2000]

Man, you had the worst airport/carrier combination. I am actually in Philly airport at the moment waiting to get on my connecting flight to Detroit, on my way back from Munich. Just last week, I flew US airways three times (3 different roundtrips). On our flight to Munich, they changed my seat reservation, gave the seat to someone else, sat me and my wife apart, refused to talk to the other passenger to ask him to switch seats (since it was their fault). We talked to everyone we could talk to including the 1800 number, some of their employees were nice, some were very rude.

Let me also tell you that when I was trying to reserve the ticket on the phone (wanted to put it on hold for a day), I was on hold for more than an hour, and I could not speak to someone to buy the ticket.

Philly airport is probably the worst I have ever seen. very old passenger unfriendly design.

[gesoffen]

United in Philly is just a mess. The people there just don't care about anyone. I will never use that airline again.

United or US Air? The reason I ask is that United has a very minor presence at PHL where as US Air uses it as a major international hub.

Eitherway, you'll find that most of the international US based carriers have more than their fare share of bad apples with regards to customer service personel. As someone who flies relatively frequently for business, there are a few cases where the grass is indeed greener with other carriers, but CS is not one of them - they're all relatively the same. That said, if you feel an airline did you wrong, you're doing the right thing by "voting" with your $ and referals.

[gesoffen]

[QUOTE=jl5555;2317061]Huh?? False and wrong information. Whether or not you're checked in is irrelevant especially if you've missed a connecting flight due to irregular ops. /QUOTE]

Correct - thanks for the clarification of my inital statement. I took it out of context on the initial read. Unchecking-in only applies when you're changing your own flight arrangements (proactvely in anticipation of irregular ops or your own schedule change). Sorry for the confusion - perhaps a mod can edit the orignial statement to avoid future confusion.