Sunday, February 25, 2007

Stuck on a Plane

I don't like flying much. It isn't that I don't like planes, or heights ... I just don't like airlines.

I have just arrived back in San Francisco after spending the night in my own real life homeless experience, sleeping on the floor of the Chicago OHare airport. I should be grateful really. I got to enjoy the beautiful Chicago hospitality after being stuck on a plane for eight hours ... on the tarmac, going NOWHERE. United Airlines Flight UA 907!

During the eight hours on the plane we were given one muesli bar and two cups of water. No mention was made about the availability of food for purchase or otherwise. We did however enjoy the view of the crew eating, drinking coffee and reading magazines. The staff could only be described as cowardly.

Information was given to us in approx. 90 minute intervals. Each time ... the information was more B.S. Yes it was snowing. Yes it was very unlikely we would be flying - but yet they had a full plane held hostage for eight hours.

We were let off the plane at 12.15am and told that customer service would close at 1am ... no time at all to process a plane load of passengers, no time at all to organise food or accommodation. United Airlines, you gutless, cowardly business. We'd never fly you again, but we like you do know we don't really have a choice, because all the airlines suck.

On the bright side ... it was only eight hours and not the eleven experienced by hundreds of Jet Blue passengers just a few weeks ago.

While writing this post I was directed to this letter of complaint written to United Airlines ... not for those with an aversion to strong language or adult concepts.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As Seth Godin once asked on his blog - "do they have to care?"

The answer is no. They don't have to care.

As senior management does not care, so why should the rest of the pyramid care?