Thank you for delaying my flight says Varifrank. He makes some points to remember when travelling. What I think he omits is the chicanery that airlines engage in. Oversold flights, blaming delays on "weather" when it's 70 and sunny at the departure, destination and all points in between.
I don't yell at front line people. Almost never. Unless they are the ones being obstinate pricks. As he noted, the ticket agent/gate staff didn't break the plane, don't blame them. Also, they're much less likely to help you if you abuse them.
I have no problem with a cancelled flight due to an actual safety concern but in my opinion, it becomes a "cry wolf" thing. Too many flights are cancelled when they only have a few passengers and the next flight has room on it. It's happened to me a number of times. My connecting flight only had 8 or so people on it. It was cancelled due to "maintenance problems" and I was reticketed for the later flight (3 hours later). If I wanted to be on that flight, I would have booked it thankyouverymuch.
Additionally, the union rules can screw you badly. If a flight crew has not eaten dinner or the pilot has too many unbroken hours of flight time, they have to get off the plane. How do the airlines avoid taking a hit for a late departure? Simple, load the plane, pull away from the gate and then go back, deplane the passengers and crew and then make them wait. All that matters per FAA rules is that they pull away from the gate. (I know this b/c I have a family member that worked for a major carrier for 13 years.)
All of these shenanigans are due to regulations designed to protect the union members and the carriers regional monopoly. Both end up distorting the market pressures that would force them to behave like a real business.
I don't yell at front line people. Almost never. Unless they are the ones being obstinate pricks. As he noted, the ticket agent/gate staff didn't break the plane, don't blame them. Also, they're much less likely to help you if you abuse them.
I have no problem with a cancelled flight due to an actual safety concern but in my opinion, it becomes a "cry wolf" thing. Too many flights are cancelled when they only have a few passengers and the next flight has room on it. It's happened to me a number of times. My connecting flight only had 8 or so people on it. It was cancelled due to "maintenance problems" and I was reticketed for the later flight (3 hours later). If I wanted to be on that flight, I would have booked it thankyouverymuch.
Additionally, the union rules can screw you badly. If a flight crew has not eaten dinner or the pilot has too many unbroken hours of flight time, they have to get off the plane. How do the airlines avoid taking a hit for a late departure? Simple, load the plane, pull away from the gate and then go back, deplane the passengers and crew and then make them wait. All that matters per FAA rules is that they pull away from the gate. (I know this b/c I have a family member that worked for a major carrier for 13 years.)
All of these shenanigans are due to regulations designed to protect the union members and the carriers regional monopoly. Both end up distorting the market pressures that would force them to behave like a real business.
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