Hey, let's bitch about lousy airlines...

So I fly into the Cleveland airport a little late, my incoming flight was held back for some reason. No biggie, happens all the time. But my flight back home to Milwaukee's still at the gate, so I sprint like O.J. to try and make the flight. The Continental guy at the desk asks me where I'm going, I say "Milwaukee." The other Continental guy on the jetway snips at me loudly "NO, You're NOT!" and slams the jetway door.

So I yelled one word. "HEY!" I think I showed admirable restraint after getting a door slammed in my face. Then the other guy gives me a lecture on showing up at the gate on time. Hey, moron -- 90 seconds ago I was on ANOTHER PLANE. Great customer service. Thanks, Continental. Do all your gate agents yell at customers for daring to show up at their workplace???

Maybe it's just my bad luck but I think I've been running into more than my share of broken aircraft these days. It's as if some bastard accountant cut the preventive maintenance budget & counts on the pilots' pre-flight checks to flag problems for them. I got cheated out of a free vacation day in San Francisco because of this, and ended up spending the whole day in airports.

We had a flight booked from Denver/Cabo and Cabo/Denver. About a week before our trip, we were informed that the return flight had been cancelled. We were offered a different flight, leaving 2 days EARLIER, going from Cabo to Mexico City, Mexico City to Chicago and Chicago to Denver - a 12 hour trip. After much arguing, we finally called Mexicana which had a code share with United (same flight as the "cancelled" one.) Within 5 minutes we had booked directly with Mexicana.

I'll never fly United again. Ever.

Q: How can one show up for their flight 45 minutes (at the gate) in advance and still get bumped?

A: Fly United.

Q: How can anyone over 6ft get bruised knees from a 45 minute flight?

A: Fly United.

I've switched to American.

That airline was responsible for the WORST transatlantic flight I've ever been on! For some reason, the geniuses who match planes with routes decided it would be a good idea to send a 737 (I think -- typical longish-distance domestic plane, with three seats on either side of the aisle) from Cleveland to London. Generally, on transatlantic flights you'd be on a plane with two aisles and more seats, and somewhat more legroom, but not this time! It was hot and crowded (every seat was full) and the flight attendants were surly. And, no movie or other entertainment (typically this size plane isn't used on flights long enough for a movie). Best of all, I was sitting directly in front of a tall gentleman who braced his knees against the back of my seat and proceeded to push hard forward whenever I'd try to recline my seat. When I turned around and asked him to stop it, he said, "But I'm tall!" (So ask for a bulkhead or emergency row seat, genius!)

let's praise the good ones.






Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Didn't think so.

I've actually had good luck with United, at least for overseas flights. They're more comfortable than, say, Continental or American. And, of course, Southwest for most domestic flights -- but it could be I'm just used to them, having grown up in Texas.


One more bad one: American. I will NEVER fly American again if I can avoid it. They tend to cancel flights that are undersold, thus royally screwing over lots of people. (My family had the same flight cancelled three times on different trips, the most memorable of which was the trip my Mom made to bring one of the family cats to live with me -- hey, guys, if there's not enough business, remove it from your schedule rather than dicking the customers around!)

Good food, generally professional staff, and everything was on time.
Virgin was a cattle car. Good service, just uncomfortable as hell.

Maybe we should just trade cities.

Trying to get from Syracuse home to Orlando via NYC. The continental flight, like yours, pulled into LaGaurdia (sp?) 90 minutes late and for no given reason-I did the sprint but missed my plane(last one until the next day). Would they put me up for the night? No. Meal voucher? No. Discount coupon for next flight? No. "I need to get back to Orlando-I have to work tomorrow" "you ain't goin' there tonight!"yeah, I guess all their gate agents DO all yell at customers! I ended up getting on standby to Tampa-then renting a car and driving two hours home. It was better than my window seat at the airport in NYC-this was soon after 9/11, and the fires were still burning. I didn't want to watch that all night-depressing as hell.

Thanks Continental! Never again.

Actually lets their staff get a little crazy. I like that.