This article on how badly American air travel stinks is well worth the read. It dwells on the numerous key factors which worsen an already vile airline situation, including staffing and salary cuts, reduced maintenance support, information sharing and communication problems, and outsourcing to local firms. Some details are touched on lightly, but should resonate with road warriors: poor phone service, the awkwardness of passengers finding themselves in competition with each other for scant staff attention.
In the darkness, a melee ensued as people lunged for bags dumped on a sidewalk at the airport's entrance...
The article focuses on one especially bad United flight, which resonated with me after my awful United experience last week*. The passenger self-organizing stories are rare spots of cheerfulness. Other road warriors will certainly recognize aspects of the story.
"There was a giddiness and a sense of awe that we'd made it..."
*Despite calling and sending reports by their website, I have heard nothing back from United. I don't really expect to.
(thanks, Jim Lai)
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