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January 8, 2010
US Airways
This winter's itinerary: Pittburgh-Charlotte,NC-Frankfurt,Germany, and Munich,Philly-PA,Pittsburgh, at a whopping $900+ price tag. Results: Not flying with US Airways again if I can avoid it.
My First flight was cancelled due to some software problem with an onboard computer on their Embraer jet, after we've been on board for an hour. Rerouted - next flight 4 hours late due to a failed hydraulic pump. Then a fully booked overnight flight in the wrong kind of seat. Arrival: 7 hours late on the other side of the Atlantic in the end, no compensation from US (only EU airlines are required to reimburse/make happy their customers). I've learned a lesson about redundancy: when you fly aircraft that have 12 hydraulic pumps (not all redundant), you don't just increase safety while in the air - you also increase the likelihood that the aircraft is going to be grounded because one of them fails. (Note to self: compile list of airlines that charge for infants.)
Return flight: East Coast in the winter chaos; plane running one hour late as it is being de-iced. Is ice in January such a surprise that this couldn't have been anticipated? No more US Airways flying for me. It does not suffice that their cabin staff has always been super-friendly, and that they have a pilot who can fly very big gliders on staff. The getting-me-there-on-time bit has to work. Rant finished.
Posted by dr at January 8, 2010 2:17 PM