
Well I've been in Seattle since Thursday for work, and the winter snowstorm that is sweeping the nation right now is hitting Seattle hard - sat in the plane for about two and a half hours before Alaska airlines decided to cancel the flight.
While waiting in line at the gate (I wase about #20 in line) the gate agent recommended me to head outside the security (because "the agents outside would be better equipped to handle the rebooking of flights"). Headed outside and realized that now I was number #200!
Waited in line for another 2.5 hours and finally around midnight I got to the agent and he told me that he could book me on a flight out of Seattle on Monday evening, then turned around and whispered to his colleague how it's awesome they're making double-overtime tonight. Finally he told me due to the fact that the delay is caused by a natural act he would not offer us hotel or food coupons.
No thanks Mr. Alaska Airlines Employee - just give me my money back, as I had already booked myself a flight through Southwest Airlines the moment I got out of the gate area...
Lesson learned: 1) Don't listen to low-paid employees of airline employees when they are "trying to help you" - they're just being lazy and trying to figure out how to make their double-overtime, and 2) Try your best to fly out before it turns dark when you are in a winter storm.
Hoping I get to go home tomorrow - for tonight I get to sleep on the nice concrete floor of Seatac Airport :(
Comments (4)
Seattle... this is among my least fav. airports and I've never even been stranded there.
Posted by wilson | December 21, 2008 1:02 AM
Posted on December 21, 2008 01:02
Update:
Got onto the Southwest flight on time this morning, but been sitting in the plane for the past two hours to get de-iced. Definitely will miss the connection flight to San Francisco but hopefully we will take off soon...
Posted by Lewis | December 21, 2008 10:33 AM
Posted on December 21, 2008 10:33
Update 2 (Final):
Arrived in Oakland 2 hours late, but fortunately got a confirmed seat back to Burbank later afternoon. No more travels this year, I swear.
Posted by Lewis | December 21, 2008 1:42 PM
Posted on December 21, 2008 13:42
Lewis,
I am teaching a class on Government Regulation of Air Transport at McGill Univesity in Montreal.
Could I please use your picture on the planes on tarmac in the Seattle snowstorm for my class? I'm trying to get a picture of teh kind of weather that shuts down an airport.
If you agree I will indicate that the picture is taken copyright Lewis Lau and is used with your permission.
Thanks a lot for considering this.
Paul Fitzgerald
Posted by Paul Fitzgerald | February 27, 2009 6:14 PM
Posted on February 27, 2009 18:14