Ever delayed a flight?

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bambbbam2

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Friend of mine was in Auckland recently, and going through customs on way back to Oz was stopped as she had bought one of those mercury-temperature things, you know the ones that have multi-coloured balls that float with the temperature?

Anyway they ummed and ahhed at customs and eventually decided she could proceed as it was a sealed jar. As she ran onto the plane, was told it was delayed by 30 minutes for her (quite loudly) and EVERY other person on the plane gave her the evil eye!

Just wondered if this has happened to anyone else?
 
bambbbam2 said:
Friend of mine was in Auckland recently, and going through customs on way back to Oz was stopped as she had bought one of those mercury-temperature things, you know the ones that have multi-coloured balls that float with the temperature?

You mean a thermometer? :)

Dave
 
That would be a Galileo thermometer:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question663.htm

Not sure if it is legal as carryon. Mercury isn't really allowed onboard except in small sealed thermometers if I recall correctly. I presume the metal in it would light up the x-ray machine and warrant a second look. That ain't a small thermometer!

Nowback on topic. Yes I've delayed planes twicethat I recall in my flying history. Both times have at least partially been my fault, and yes I got the evil eye from other pax :shock:

The first was because the plane was never called in the Qantas Club until I got the nastygram page (Intl club, so boarding times shown on the screen aren't always the same as real boarding times unlike domestic).

The second was where the plane got delayed, I went off wandering, only to get a phonecall from Qantas telling me to hurry back to the plane as it was about to depart! (I think they resolved the delay quicker than they anticipated).

I've also had a plane not wait for me (misconnect - missed the 2nd plane by maybe a minute or two), so it does go both ways.
 
i reckon everyone could be issued with a paddle and those that delay the plane be given a seat down the back ...

as you pass through the isle, you guessed it, you get a paddlin' ...

to quote the old guy from the simpsons ... you delay a plane, that's a paddlin ...:mrgreen:
 
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I've experienced the evil glare from just about every passenger, but it wasn't my fault!

It happened about 10 years ago flying MEL-SYD on AN. My flight had been delayed by 4-5 hrs, and it was loads wer fairly full, so the best they could do was put me on a flight leaving in 3 hours later. However, I hung around the gate where the next flight was departing, which was also full. But there were a couple of FTB's so they just asked for anyone with hand luggage wanting to go to SYD, so I stepped up, and onto the plane I went, as did another passenger. If looks could have killed I would have been dead 100 times over as I boarded that plane.
 
Mal said:
Not sure if it is legal as carryon. Mercury isn't really allowed onboard except in small sealed thermometers if I recall correctly.

Small sealed mercury thermometer in a protective case is allowed, but otherwise mercury is not allowed.

I've never delayed a plane yet, and I don't want to because I'm not very good at handling embarrassment.:oops:
 
I just realised that a Galileo thermometer doesn't contain mercury :confused:

Hmm. Remind me to actually read the links I post sometimes :D I always thought that the individual glass balls contained varying levels of mercury, but apparently they are either alcohol or water with food dye!

Oh well. So yes, it would be a legal carryon as long as Glass and water were both legal carryons.
 
I was flying BNE-MEL-HKG and the flight out of Brisbane was delayed, so they held the MEL-HKG flight
 
Your friend was held up by Security, not Customs....big diference there :rolleyes:

I've held up the odd flight in my time. Never taken too much interest on what others have thought
 
Mal said:
I just realised that a Galileo thermometer doesn't contain mercury :confused:

Hmm. Remind me to actually read the links I post sometimes :D I always thought that the individual glass balls contained varying levels of mercury, but apparently they are either alcohol or water with food dye!

Oh well. So yes, it would be a legal carryon as long as Glass and water were both legal carryons.

Min-max thermometers can contain mercury, depending on the specific thermometer

Dave
 
Yes, but no, but yes ....

Our family had a holiday at Hamilton Island a few years back, and after checking in our bags (and getting boarding passes) the wife and I dumped the kids at the creche and went for a nice long lunch. With 45 minutes to spare we picked them up again and waited for the island's minibus to take us the 500 metres or so to the airport.

Of course the one time you need it to be around it was AWOL and I got this phone call from an irate Qantas employee saying that the plane was on the tarmac ready to leave. It was about 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time but everyone else had boarded and they were muttering about slots into Sydney.

It was a very long run across the tarmac with the kids and hand baggage and we certainly got a few dirty looks when scrambling into our seats. They slammed the door as we buckled up and 5 minutes later we were in the air .... and right on schedule.

Delayed the flight? Maybe. Late? Nope.
 
Yes I've held up flights. Biggest hold (for me + 1 other) was several hours after inbound flight AKL-SYD-BKK was held up several hours by a power failure at AKL (pump fuel by hand), then added to by a go around at SYD, and of course post 9/11 (just) additional security measures when airports not set up properly for this.

But that is far from the only time - other cases with connecting flights, a few times when lounge didn't call the flight (and it was lounges that normally call every flight), last minute rerouting due to delays on the flight I was booked, being held up in immigration or security queues etc.
 
I remember being quite late for an AN flight in MEL some years back, and having to run the lenght of the pier to the furthest gate. They were waiting to close the door behind me. I got a few stares from pax but the AN staff were extremely good natured about it.

I was late checking in for a DJ flight last year - it was about 15 mins before departure but they allowed me to check in and asked me to go straight to the gate. By the time I got to the security point they were already paging me to board because "I was holding up departure"! I didn't get any stares when I boarded though. While I was "late" checking in, we were still pushing back ahead of the official departure time.
 
I once had a SYD-LAX flight held up for me and about 20 others whose BNE-SYD connecting flight was delayed in BNE. We were met at the SYD domestic gate and ushered to the awaiting bus to the International terminal. Overall the LAX flight was held about 90 mins.
 
I've had a couple of cases where a flight has been held as I was on a late connecting flight. One particular time the flight was held 2 hours (there were several connecting pax on my flight), and then I got to sit next to someone who was now going to miss a meeting at the other end!
 
oz_mark said:
I've had a couple of cases where a flight has been held as I was on a late connecting flight. One particular time the flight was held 2 hours (there were several connecting pax on my flight), and then I got to sit next to someone who was now going to miss a meeting at the other end!

Hope it was a short flight! (Otherwise, put the headphones on and feign sleeping!)
 
Only kept people waiting once 25 years ago as AA BOS-LAX was 4 hours late.Pulled aside as we got off AA saying they were keeping the QF flight for us.Sprinted between terminal(was a lot younger then) and ushered into exit row at front of cattle class.Didnt look around the whole flight so blissfully unaware of any glares.I have to admit normally I am the one doing the glaring.
 
Personally only once 20 odd years ago - I was 18 months old - so I'll deny being responsible. Honolulu to Vancouver - Captain ended up hanging out the window waving the family to the plane as me made our way out to the plane so he could take off. We were running about 20 minutes late - was told it was a little embarassing taking our seats. :oops:
 
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