[splitpine7]

On Saturday, December 24th, 2011, Christmas Eve, we were booked on a flight from Charlotte (487) to Denver (409) to Phoenix (361) to Salt Lake City. Our 409 flight from Denver to Phoenix was delayed a 1 ½ hours due to mechanical problems with your airplane, not because of the weather. The flight landed at 5:25 into Phoenix, thereby jeopardizing our connection to the Phoenix – Salt Lake City leg of our journey. Upon our departure, from the delayed flight, we were advised that our connecting flight would not be available as the gates had already been closed for any departing customers. I find no reason the flight should have been closed to us. No attempt was made to delay the flight for a matter of minutes while we rushed to get to the departing gate. Per your ticket agent we were “REACCOMODATED” to a later flight that left 4 hours later to Salt Lake City. I find it unconscionable that on Christmas Eve; your airline took liberties to sell our seats on our original flight to maximize occupancy and dumped us on to a later flight. My 15 year old daughter was extremely distraught as we were suppose to meet family in SLC and had big family plans scheduled. No effort was made to give us vouchers for a meal or even coffee and MOST of all no effort was made to delay our original flight for 5 minutes. We were on our way on a courtesy cart at 5.36pm but were told to turn around as the gate had already closed!!! What a poor excuse to helping out passengers on Christmas Eve just so your airline can meet their bottom line.
Needless to say we arrived at 11:00 pm into Salt Lake City, 17 hours after we left our home in North Carolina. My fiancé had to drive out late at night to the Salt Lake Airport to pick us up and it put a whole damper on the festivities we had planned for that evening. I think US Airways needs to rethink their policies when serving their customers. There was expression no of compassion in the way this situation was handled.

Sincerely,
Passengers:

[Matt_FLL]

Any blockade to spending time with your family is a tragedy. The time is something you can never recover. I really feel badly when I read your story.

Based on your letter, it sounds as if you have not recently incurred a flight disruption, and I am very glad about that. Believe it or not, your description of the incident is consistent with the policy and procedure of every airline. Without any dismissal of your understandable anxiety and disappointment, please do remember the passengers on flight 409 were also attempting to visit family on Christmas eve. Flights have designated takeoff windows, and a short delay from pushing back in congested conditions could cause the flight to lose that window, thus causing an exponential delay. What do you think would have happened if the 100+ passengers were presented the facts and risks, and then were asked to vote if the aircraft should wait for you?

Regardless, I hope that you and your daughter were able to enjoy what little Christmas you were given. I’m sure you’ve learned the hard way—avoid connecting flights when your arrival is time-sensitive. Please let us know if US Airways responds. You deserve something like a voucher, but I am almost certain that they will repeat what I’ve written.