It isn't often that I vent. in fact I try to be an upbeat and positive person. After all you'll get back that which you toss out into the Universe. So here is my beef... It has probably been 5 months since my darling, dear, Gabe has been able to land at Raleigh Durham International Airport on time. I suppose I should be happy that at least he makes it on the same day that he boards the plane but quite frankly, he could almost make it home by car in less time.
He is currently contracted out to a pharmaceutical company in New Jersey, Mondays thru Thursdays and I get him back Thursday nights. So he flies out dark and early (there's no bright when I drop him off at the airport) Monday morning. Usually there is no problem with this leg of the weekly journey. It's the return trip that leaves one wanting. Wanting more than the lack luster attitude of the major airlines. That's right I used the plural. He has switched between airports and carriers in an attempt to make it home without an extended stay in an airport or on the tarmac.
I realize that weather can be an issue, after all; act of God and all that. I also understand that things happen, one crew might be delayed because they haven't arrived from a connecting flight. What I don't understand is WHY does this seem to happen EVERY SINGLE WEEK? I suppose that in all honesty, I understand the "why." After all it has become a bit of a game for me to track the flights back to there origin for the day and to see that one plane is used for 3 different flight before it even makes it to the Newark Airport in New Jersey. So when it starts out in Chicago and the flight is delayed it starts a cascade failure, where wait times grow exponentially. Oh and in case you were wondering, Air Traffic Control is likened to act of God according to Delta's customer service because it is out of their hands as a company if the Tower won't let planes go on time.
Case in point, just this past week I was looking up the flights, writing down the origination locations and keeping track of the layover times. We were looking good, there was plenty of room for delays and then the flight going to Newark was changed so that it originated in Charlotte by way of Texas. Originally the plane was to go from Houston to Newark and then it appeared that a completely different plane would be doing the Newark to RDU leg. It was going to be delayed getting to Newark, but it was still going to have plenty of time for an on time departure from Newark to RDU. We should have known that we did not have Vegas odds that it would finally work out and be on time. On time would have meant landing in Raleigh at 9:31 PM. Nope, didn't happen, his arrival time was 10:39 and he didn't make it curbside until 10:55 PM. Ironically they were delayed waiting on the flight crew to make it to Newark, the same flight crew that was coming from Houston before the flight was altered to include Charlotte.
What I really don't understand is the complete lack of concern on the part of the airline companies. Other than the fact that it is essentially a monopoly that is completely unregulated giving the consumer no where to go if they do not posses their own plane or take part in the Net Jet option. Most of us are not at that financial status just yet, but rest assured; the Condie family has made it a life goal to not only get out of "cattle-class" but to get out of the main terminal and let Net Jet be our travel companion. After all, if it's good enough for Warren Buffett it is certainly good enough for us.
On the plus side, I had some extra time to read this week's free NetGalley download for review of When the Grits Hit the Fan by Maddie Day due out March 28, 2017. See I really am a positive person.
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