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October 14, 2005
Coming Untied
VALPARAISO, IN -- More evidence today that when something bad happens at the airlines, it's survival of the fittest. I arrived at EWR (Newark) at noon for a 1.30 flight on United. Another flight to Chicago had been delayed two hours and was scheduled to leave at 12.51. I got myself aboard that flight, and although the only seat left was a middle seat, last row, I was happy to save 40 minutes. Then the cockpit radio broke. Then the altimeter broke. Then a near riot broke-out as the pilot exhorted passengers to "maintain some semblence of order." At 1.30, many of us chose to leave the plane and, as the gate agent advised, "try your luck on getting to your destination." In other words, they just couldn't accomodate 120 of us--it was every man for himself.
Some people went to the 1.30 flight's gate to try their luck, others queued with me at customer service, where we were advised that the 1.30 flight--the one I was originally scheduled for--was full. As it turned out, anyone who didn't get on the 1.30 flight was delayed a minimum of 5 hours total.
In fact, the 1.30 flight was not full. I rang-up customer service, who told me that because the 12.51 flight never left, I still was listed as holding a seat on the 1.30. It's now 1.40. I ran to the 1.30 flight's gate, found a gate agent who said they were expecting me, entered a code, and let me on the plane. There were even empty seats at take-off. Everyone who ran to the 1.30 gate was aboard; anyone who didn't go to that gate waited at Newark for several hours. I made it to Chicago only 7 minutes delayed.
A few lessons:
- Despite any attempts to democratize it, air travel is still survival of the fittest. Who knows where the next flight departs and can get there fastest?
- Queue only at the point of distribution for a product. Everyone who ran to the 1.30 gate got home quickly, everyone else waited. When a flight is canceled, run to the gate of the next depature *and* call customer service to rebook.
- "Full" flights have empty seats. Being nice to a gate agent helps one to snag one of those empty seats.
Posted by adrianjo at October 14, 2005 12:15 AM