June 17: LGA-CLT-TRI; Thank goodness I’m home!

**Let me just preface this trip report by saying I am going to do my best to avoid flying US Airways again after my next two booked tickets.  I am trying to find a way to sell my remaining E-TUV, although it is says it is non-transferable.  If I could cancel my tickets, I would, but I would lose most of the ticket value with the change fee of $150 each.

**I also want to say that I do not think I have ever been as afraid as I was today, not just because of what happened, but because I was in US Airways’ hand.  For the first time, I really did not trust this company to get me home safely.

**And because I felt like I was granted a second chance, I decided to make some life changes, too.  Life is way too short!

US 899 LGA-CLT A321, seat 2D
As I mentioned previously, I received a phone call from US’ automated system at 5:15 am alerting me of a delay that was going to miss my connection, so I called and was rebooked on the next connecting flight to TRI.  Since I thought I had two hours at LGA, I bought the day pass again.  My two hours ended up being an hour and a half, so I thought, because they announced in the club that our flight was going to depart at 9:30 am instead of 10:00 am.  I went to the gate close to 9:00 am and we began boarding at 9:05 am.  The reason for the delay was never mentioned at this time.  After boarding everyone (the flight was NOT full and there were two open seats in F once we were all boarded up), the FA offered us a pre-departure beverage.  I had a Bloody Mary.  I was doing e-mail and text on my Blackberry when I realized that it was past 9:30 am.  Around 9:35 am, the pilot announced that we had a problem with an indicator light that was showing something was not working correctly with the aircraft.  He promised to update us every 15 minutes, which he did.  We sat at the gate another hour until we finally pushed back at 10:27 am.  By then we must have been toward the back of the line, because 15 minutes later, the pilot told us we were 12th for takeoff.  At 11:00 am we finally took off, and I was in fear of missing my 2nd connection of the day.

In-flight service was typically uneventful, with the standard snack basket, beverage service, and Travel Quest.  I had another Bloody Mary, but had to ask the FA for seconds in both snack and drink.  There was no BoA spiel.  Shortly before landing, the pilot apologized for the delays due to having to get a new tire and for the indicator malfunction.  So finally I knew why the flight was delayed from 8:15 am to 10:00 am originally–a flat or bad tire.

We landed CLT around 12:32 am, taxied, and my connection was still scheduled to depart at 12:59 pm from E32A and I had arrived B5!  No joke, I jumped up and got out first, then did an 8-minute POWER walk with my heavy rolling computer bag in tow, dodging the crowds.  I made it to the gate at 12:45 pm, 14 minutes before departure.

US 4559 CLT-TRI Dash 8-300, seat 6C (I had 4D, but there were only 13 people, so we spread out)

This is where it went really downhill, as if a two-hour, 45-minute delay were not enough.  As I rushed up to the gate, hot and sweaty, I said, “Tri-Cities?” And the girl said, “That flight is closed.” And I said, “It better not be, because it is US Airways fault that I just arrived.” Then the girl LAUGHS and says JUST KIDDING!  WTF?  That was NOT funny.  So I made my way to the plane, where of course, it was still nice and warm on the Dash.  Another man boarded after me and at 12:55 pm, four minutes early, we pushed back from the gate.  We were making decent time getting to the runway and were soon ready for takeoff.  We were going full ground speed down the runway and all of a sudden, the pilot “geared down” (throttled down?  I do not know the right terminology), slowed us down, and we began to taxi back to the tarmac.  However, we did not go back to a gate, we remained on the tarmac.  Finally the pilot apologized for the aborted takeoff and said that it was “a situation with a PROP!” Or, it could just be a faulty indicator! Again?  So we sat on the tarmac for God knows how long while maintenance came out to our aircraft to “test” the props.  It seemed like forever and it was at this point that I thought, “Three mechanical issues on my two aircraft?  What are the odds?  I don’t think I can trust this airline’s safety.” I so wanted them to take us back to the gate so I could get on the next flight.  But we did not return to the gate, and eventually the pilot announced that they were “rebooting” and everything “appeared to be OK.” We were not given water or anything during the wait on the Dash and I guess in the future, it will be $2.00 (and I had NO time to buy anything!)  So we got back in line and for some reason, the wait to takeoff seemed so long.  Finally we were up for departure and I thought, “Please God do not let there be anything really wrong with this plane, I really am not ready to go yet.” We took off at 1:55 pm, an hour later from when we departed the gate, and thank God, landed safely at TRI at 2:27 pm.

You have no idea how relieved I was to be on the ground.  But as I said in my preface, this did really make me thing about the airline and my life.  I am so happy to be home with my cat and able to write this trip report!  We are all so lucky to have what we have!

My first two blogs on tripso.com

http://www.tripso.com/today/booking-a-flight-beware-of-these-hidden-ticket-fees/

We’ve been warned about the airline ticket fees we can see. But what about the ones that aren’t disclosed?

http://www.tripso.com/today/flying-on-us-airways-6-things-you-need-to-know-now/

In a daring move, US Airways has raised — or perhaps lowered — the bar for other domestic air carriers by implementing what it calls a business transformation plan to offset rising fuel prices. How will this controversial plan transform your next flight?

TRI-CLT-LGA on US, June 11

US 2370 TRI-CLT, CRJ-200:

There were only 19 passengers on our plane. We left the gate 15 minutes early to take 21 min hold. The flight information is below. The FA offered drinks while we waited in TRI, but by request only in the air. I was in 8C exit with no seatmate.

Subject: US 2370
Landed On Time
US 2370 (JIA)
TRI – CLT
Dep: 13:06 Rwy
Arr: 13:37 Rwy

US 1182 CLT-LGA, A321, seat 3C:

We backed away from the gate 5 minutes late and had a 20-minute wait in CLT before taking off at 2:50 pm. The FA, whom I’d actually had before and to whom I’d previously given an Above & Beyond comment card, gave us a full pre-departure drink service. He also gave us a full beverage and snack service twice in flight. And boy was his Bank of America credit card spiel great! He made it sound like an extra-special deal just for this flight, how 25,000 miles could come in handy for a free flight in these times of high fuel prices, played up the companion tickets, suggested that passengers take an application for a friend, etc! I wanted to apply he had me so excited!

The only bad thing about this flight is that after a lady and her two kids from coach used the F lav, it was left marked occupied by one of the FAs, so I guess they broke it? Four of us in F had to go to the row 22 lav! What is it with US and broken lavs/IFE?

We landed at 4:03 pm, early, in spite of the delayed takeoff in CLT. Great views of the city!

My FA called the overhead bins the “overhead valet!”

US 1435 CLT-LGA June 6

US 1435 LGA-CLT, A320, sch 1:05-3:01 pm ET, seat 3D

My fiancé had to drop me off early before work and my flight home was not until 1:05 pm., so I ponied up the $40 to spend four hours in the US club at LGA. It looks nicer on the inside and the club angel who waited on me was very, very nice. She told me I could also use the pass when I arrive in CLT as well. And she offered to send me to CLT earlier “in the back of the bus” or I could stay in F where I was. I said I was traveling with others who would arrive later so I would just keep my seat and enjoy my pass!

Of course, I had to pay for a T-Mobile Day Pass, so really my total spent for this four hours was $49.95.

My travel companions arrived around 11:15 am so we had lunch in the food court. Our flight boarded on time. They shut the door at 12:59 pm and pushed back at 1:03 pm. Our actual departure was 1:18 pm. We did not receive a pre-dep drink, but the male FA (in the short-sleeved, blue, button-up, new uni shirt) took our drink orders for in flight.

Fiesta Snack Mix made a return from hiatus in the snack basket, along with the French Onion Sun Chips, Cranberry Nut Mix, Biscoffs and granola bars. I had white wine with my unhealthy, processed snack choices. The FA was very attentive and polite. I do believe the new unis help them feel better about their work.

There was no credit card solicitation on this flight, nor my flight on June 3! I might have to get a BoA card again on my own for posterity before it is gone (I have the Juniper MC but had the VISA twice in 10 years.)

Travel Quest was same old, same old! Aren’t there any new ones?

We arrived CLT at 2:37 pm, early. I gave an Above & Beyond to my FA and he smiled. I guess even the smallest rewards mean something!

All in all, it was a basic flight with a bigger seat, early arrival, and good FA service–I have no complaints. But never would I buy this class of service. As my novice companion said on the way here, “If I’d bought FC, I’d feel ripped off!”

June 3: US 1520 CLT-LGA

Boarding began on time but was chaotic at best. They boarded a group of people (maybe continuing on from DEN) then zone 1. Zone 1 appeared to be about a third of the plane and I only saw a couple of people stopped that were not zone 1. It seemed like a large number of Golds and higher, especially for a Tuesday 1:05 pm flight! Must be the elite or elite/club buy-up in action!

Me and my upgraded companion boarded in zone 1 with the herd. The first thing I noticed was my side of row 2 had HP two-tone blue seats, while the rest were gray and sagging. The FA took pre-dep drink orders but somehow skipped me and my seatmate.

We left the gate on time, but were in the penalty box 35 minutes due to operations/flow. We took off at 1:40 pm.

I do not mean to be critical but these FAs were not attractive. They were probably 40-50ish and both already had some obvious facial plastic surgery experience. I do not know how else to say it, but they looked very “plastic” or “fake” with too much makeup and very poor hair coloring.

Once in the air, the FAs donned their embroidered aprons. They were Westies working an East flight. We had a standard snack basket and bev service in F. The FA did serve me two cups of white wine, almost full.

In-flight entertainment was Travel Quest France and Napa, same as last month.

I went to the lav just before landing and noticed the folded passenger list clipped up in the galley. We were all elites up front except for two, one of which was my companion upgrade. The range was Silver to CP. There was also a list of “noteworthy” customers in coach with their seat assignments and there were quite a few US elites and Star Gold. I even saw at least one CP in row 22!

We landed at 3:06 pm, close to on time.