Delayed by air across the US

Both of my domestic air flights were delayed today, and isn't it interesting how we expect such things?

The first flight orbited over Newark for an extra hour, because of unexplained delays on the ground.  Weather was fine, no holidays or other crises loomed, and air traffic was not cited.  I read, remembering my recent plan to bring long, long books when I fly in the US.

Now my Newark->Burlington flight is at least one hour late, because the plane we need to use took a long time to leave its previous site.  We, a bunch of passengers, had to prod the gate agent several times to get a reason: that other airport was crowded.  Again, the weather is fine, no holidays are screwing up schedules, etc.  It's simply an ordinary day.

It's just the way air travel works.  Like Amtrak, we now expect domestic flights to be late, and receive a small buzz of unexpected pleasure when they're on time.

As a practical matter, I'm expanding the size of layovers for trips.  And expanding the interval between landing somewhere and being expected to do something near there.  And increasing the amount of reading material.

But I can't stand how much this weighs on my wife and children, who simply cannot know when I'll return home, until I've actually landed in Vermont.  They can't plan anything around me, not meals, not picking me up, not their own appointments.

And as awful as this is, are we seeing signs of improvement in US airlines?

Comments

[peter naegele]

So sorry to hear you are stranded! I do not miss sitting in airports.

During the summer of 2001, I was a contractor M-F in Manhattan and flew home on the weekends [luckily,the last week of August, I was transferred to Chicago for M-F]. By the time my contract ended, I had become very adept at sleeping in any location at any time!

Like I said...I don't miss it...

[Patrik Svensson]

I feel sorry for you, Bryan. One good strategy I think is to try to fly out as early as possible. If you have multiple connecting flights this may not help you get all the way, but my (US) experience is that first-of-the-day flights are usually ok. Another strategy - as you know - is to always try to get as far as you can - even if it may seem tempting giving up and spending the night at an aiport hotel (I think I may have learnt this from you:). Another factor is the airports themselves, but here you typically do not have much of a choice (at least not in terms of the one closest to you). I am on a month-long trip now, and I will report back about strategies as I go along. Next stop: Melbourne, Australia (I left SFO this morning).

[Alan Levine]

I am fairly sure this is connected to the writer's strike :-(

best case you can do more research on airport restaurants

[Glen]

Bryan, you might check this to see what the real reason for the delay was:

http://consumerist.com/consumer/travel/find-the-real-reason-for-delays-with-airline-cargo-sites-312669.php

[Bryan Alexander]

Maybe I should start a wiki on this theme, surviving the horrors of modern air travel?

peter, I'm sorry for your experience. Did you see the sleeping in airports site?

Good ideas, Patrik. "fly[ing] out as early as possible." Always a good idea. As I said in the post, I've been increasing the time I allot for air travel overall, including layovers. Downside: less time home, with family.
"always try to get as far as you can... (I think I may have learnt this from you:)"
I think you did learn this from me!

Alan, I should probably start a blog or column on the topic.

Great site, Glen.