My nightmare trip from hell (aka "Who else loves AA at this time of year?"

[Febs]

You see movies about people stuck in airports around Christmas time, but never think it'll happen to you...

(In summary format, as I'm too annoyed to type up a full story ):

- Booked in A MCI(Kansas City)-DFW-LAX
- Get to MCI 2hrs early. Colleague told his MCI-DFW-LAX has been cancelled, because he missed a flight 7 days earlier (which he most certainly did not).
- Then find out MCI-DFW is delayed and won't allow us to get to LAX in time.
- Booked Midwest MCI-LAX (9:55pm), giving us a stupid 30 and 40min connection to QF108 and QF150 LAX-SYD respectively.
- Catch bus (with a HUGE amount of luggage between 5 of us) to Midwest terminal.
- Midwest website says MCI-LAX cancelled at 6:55pm. Midwest staff ASSURE us this is not the case.
- This is the case, as we find out at approx 8:55pm
- Book a hotel room in Kansas City (too much effort to go back to AA terminal and make them give us a voucher).
- Currently waiting for:
1) Our bags, which went nowhere, but have taken about an hour so far and haven't yet shown up.
2) Confirmation that we can get on AA MCI-DFW-LAX flights, in time to catch the 10:30pm LAX-SYD, getting us into SYD at 8am on Christmas Eve, FFS (Christmas Eve is when our family has the big celebration, so reeaally hoping I get this flight).

Argh.

These flights were simply flights home, but seriously, they have taught me it is NEVER worth doing a status run on YUP fares. AA are just far too unreliable (having said that though, I am going to hit up QF for the SC's and FF points for our original booked flights, no matter what the outcome. Think my chances are good?)

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[Reggie]

Think my chances are good?
- Febs.

For the points and SC's - Yes. I ended up on a direct flight in Y, when I had F bookings on a connection flight due to weather problems. I faxed QF my original bookings and they credited as per this.

Goodluck with your flights, and I hope you get home in time for Christmas.

 

[drron]

All USA airlines are unreliable especially at this time of year.It seems Midwest were a little more unreliable than AA.Personally AA have always been pretty good when it comes to problems even to the extent of holding a connecting flight at DFW on one occasion.I suspect however it was going to be delayed anyway as severe storms just out of DFW and we were first in after and after boarding were in a very long queue for takeoff.

 

[Febs]

Goodluck with your flights, and I hope you get home in time for Christmas.

Thanks. Sitting in the Flagship lounge now awaiting QF12. Seems to be on-time (unlike QF10late).

As it turns out, we flew F MCI-DFW-LAX (except for 2 colleagues, who flew F MCI-DFW-Burbank)...so the SC's and QFF points won't be an issue. Even got to experience the "new" (not sure how new?) AA First/Business class seat - like a poor version of a skybed (but with better padding!)

All USA airlines are unreliable especially at this time of year.

Sure. I guess my problem is a fundamental one with USA airlines as a whole. I just happen to fly AA far more often than any others.

It just annoys me that, even when not flying from/to adverse weather-prone destinations, every bloody flight seems to go via Chicago anyway, stuffing everyone up.

 

[Mal]

I'm glad it's starting to work out for you

Have a great trip back home, and hopefully everything else will run smoothly.

 

[littl_flier]

Febs, enjoy the Makers in the FLounge. At least it all worked out in the end, alebeit a day late.

Have a great trip home!

 

[Reggie]

Sitting in the Flagship lounge now awaiting QF12. Seems to be on-time (unlike QF10late).

As it turns out, we flew F MCI-DFW-LAX (except for 2 colleagues, who flew F MCI-DFW-Burbank)...so the SC's and QFF points won't be an issue. Even got to experience the "new" (not sure how new?) AA First/Business class seat - like a poor version of a skybed (but with better padding!)

It's good to see it turned out in the end.

 

[straitman]

Ultimately a good outcome though e few to many grey hairs for my liking. :evil:

 

[serfty]

Times like that make flying "interesting"- something I'd rather do without. :-|

If you look at FT, there's people who post about financing their subsequent years travel (with VDB/IDB "Bump" vouchers) by deliberately booking flights/itineraries that are quite likely to misconnect due to weather etc.

 

[straitman]

Times like that make flying "interesting"- something I'd rather do without. :-|

If you look at FT, there's people who post about financing their subsequent years travel (with VDB/IDB "Bump" vouchers) by deliberately booking flights/itineraries that are quite likely to misconnect due to weather etc.

That's a stress that I'm sure most of us can do without.

 

[Reggie]

That's a stress that I'm sure most of us can do without.

I'd fly from central to eastern to western to obtain more SC's, but plan for cancellations etc, no way.

 

[JohnK]

If you look at FT, there's people who post about financing their subsequent years travel (with VDB/IDB "Bump" vouchers) by deliberately booking flights/itineraries that are quite likely to misconnect due to weather etc.

That is an interesting concept. Do they ever get to their destinations? Or is it more a case of booking unnecessary flights in the hope of getting vouchers for next years unnecessary travel.

I don't think I could cope with all the stress. Once was enough and next time I will leave more time between flights....