[fl288]

I feel that Airtran used weather as the excuse to prevent me to make the connection to an overbooked flight although I don't have clear evidence so far.

At the airport I was told due to the weather issue the first flight would arrive 10 minutes later than the departure time of the second one and second one was not going to wait for me. It didn't sound reasonable to me but I didn't have any choice so I canceled both flights and purchased another airline ticket fully by myself at the airport in order to follow my travel schedule.

However, actually the second fight (No. 288) was also delayed 40 minutes and the connection should be perfectly fine. I want to know the reason of this: if the delay is because of fight 288 waiting for other passengers, it should also wait for me. The customer service gave me an explanation that the fight waited the crew but it is very difficult for me to believe. I felt that after getting rid of the oversold customers including me they didn't want to miss any chance to get the plane fully loaded so they waited other late customers. I asked the written document for the passenger number and delay reason but got denied.

I don't feel Airtran cares the long term customer relationship.They refused to provide any help for me to purchase a ticket (I believe it will be at reasonable rate) from their partner or other airlines. I don't recommend anybody to take Airtran's flight because if there is a weather issue and you want to arrive at the same day, you may deal with the problem fully by yourself.

[jimworcs]

There needs to be some independent way for customers to check the reasons for delays.. perhaps the DOT could keep records. Airline employees are such notorious liars it is hard to believe a word they say.

[The_Judge]

Yes......we are right up there with government officials. Those very same that you want to regulate this industry. hahahahhaaha.

If fact, didn't one Prime Minister of some fairly big player in the world just resign because he basically lied? Yes, yes I believe he did.

[jimworcs]

Judge...
I am struggling with your logic here... because politician's lie, they should not pass laws to regulate things? Welcome to anarchy!

Not sure which Prime Minister you are suggesting resigned because he lied... Brown served to the end of the term and lost the election. Blair resigned as part of an agreement with Brown to give him a run in to the next election. Neither of them are worth twopence... but not sure what that has to do with anything! Politician's, Journalists and Airline Employee's.. everyone a liar!

[Gromit801]

Yep, everyone's a liar, including everyone who posts here. Every person on this planet. Yep, if we don't like the explanation, then by god, they're a liar. Yep, politicians, airline employees, BP, Exxon, Goldman Sachs, mom, dad, religious leaders, the lot.

[The_Judge]

The PM of Japan resigned because he couldn't keep a promise to close a US military base on Okinawa.

I think we all know politicians, especially in the U.S. are not known to tell the whole truth. So for this group of non-truthtellers to regulate another group of liars is ludicrous. While I'm not opposed to regulation of some sort, I don't think the government should be doing it. I don't have a good answer of who should do it but I think the law-makers should not. With the airlines 'donating' money to their campaigns, wouldn't it almost then be like a self-regulating body?? Wouldn't fix the problems that exist.

I did see yesterday the DOT is imposing some new superficial rules on the airlines. Increasing the involuntray denied boarding compensation for one. There are others but I don't feel like looking and linking so you'll have to search yourself.

[jimworcs]

I thought he resigned for crimes against fashion....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...060304937.html

Even so, no matter what you think of politicians, the only way to break up monopolies is to regulate them. This includes enforcing limits on the number of slots and market share of any airline in each market. Huge, anti-consumer mergers, such as the Delta one should be unpicked and broken up, much the same as the Ma Bell break up in the 70s. The Continental/United tie up should be equally denied. The bar on foreign airlines competing with US airlines should also be dropped. Why should US airlines have special protection? By the same logic, you should ban people buying foreign cars, electronics, etc. The US economy would die if other countries banned their products.. it is the largest trading nation in the world and it is hypocritical to demand free trade around the world whilst imposing protectionist measures at home. By the same token, the ban on foreign ownership of US based airlines should be dropped AND open skies agreements extended.

Incidently, just to be clear. I am not calling for the type of regulation where fares are controlled or there too much regulation of the service, routes, etc. I think competition will take care of this, when competition is allowed to flourish. It won't flourish under the current system where it is controlled by a cartel of giants.

[The_Judge]

The bar on foreign airlines competing with US airlines should also be dropped.

Are U.S. based airlines allowed to fly domestically in foreign countries?? Japan, India? Even in Europe, there seems to be limits on what non-EU carriers can fly. I could be way off and please correct me if I am but it seems that this should be a 2 way street then. Why should the U.S. open it's skies if other countries don't?

[richjoe]

Originally Posted by fl288

I feel that Airtran used weather as the excuse to prevent me to make the connection to an overbooked flight although I don't have clear evidence so far.

At the airport I was told due to the weather issue the first flight would arrive 10 minutes later than the departure time of the second one and second one was not going to wait for me. It didn't sound reasonable to me but I didn't have any choice so I canceled both flights and purchased another airline ticket fully by myself at the airport in order to follow my travel schedule.

However, actually the second fight (No. 288) was also delayed 40 minutes and the connection should be perfectly fine. I want to know the reason of this: if the delay is because of fight 288 waiting for other passengers, it should also wait for me. The customer service gave me an explanation that the fight waited the crew but it is very difficult for me to believe. I felt that after getting rid of the oversold customers including me they didn't want to miss any chance to get the plane fully loaded so they waited other late customers. I asked the written document for the passenger number and delay reason but got denied.

I don't feel Airtran cares the long term customer relationship.They refused to provide any help for me to purchase a ticket (I believe it will be at reasonable rate) from their partner or other airlines. I don't recommend anybody to take Airtran's flight because if there is a weather issue and you want to arrive at the same day, you may deal with the problem fully by yourself.

Alot of times weathe in the city a traveler is flying out of is not the same weather as where the airplane is coming from or the route the aircraft takes to get to the city you are flying out of. Flight track allows a traveler to see if the airplane has left the gate, got airborne, and how far it is from the city it is flying to. I recommend this traveler and others use flight track on the computer to satisfy their questions.

[jimworcs]

Are U.S. based airlines allowed to fly domestically in foreign countries?? Japan, India? Even in Europe, there seems to be limits on what non-EU carriers can fly. I could be way off and please correct me if I am but it seems that this should be a 2 way street then. Why should the U.S. open it's skies if other countries don't?

Yes, some US airlines have cabotage rights in Europe even though there is no reciprocal rights in the US. The EU has been trying for over 15 years to negotiate away all restrictions both ways but has been thwarted. The DOT is, in fact, in favour of these reforms and has recommended them many times. However, lobbying by the US Carriers in Congress has stopped the reform.

Some US consumers are having the wool pulled over their eyes. US Carriers run up huge losses during "lean" years and then offset these losses against their profits during the "good" years. This cycle minimizes the corporation tax they pay. You will find that US based airlines often place huge orders for aircraft, giving them capital expenditure allowances which they then offset against profits.

They are vehemently against competition and use "patriotic" arguments and raise fears about job losses to try to protecty themselves from real competition. This is ridiculous and the argument is no more valid than protection for any other industry including cars, clothing, raw materials, etc. The US is the second largest economy in the world.. it has the most to lose from protectionism and it is highly dependent on exports and cheap raw materials. Sooner or later you need to wake up and smell the coffee. The US airlines are screwing your royally...... and that is the reason you get such pisspoor service.