Trip Report American Eagle DFW-PIT
 

My parents were kept as hostages for 3 hours on Monday on a tarmac without food or water going from DFW to PIT the other day on the WORST airline I have ever flown on, Arrogance, apathetic to the customer..The seats on the 70 CRJ it was the dirtiest most uncomfortable POS I have flown on, it was a joke on all levels... Not angry about it, I just know where to spend my money next time...

Please, enlighten us, where will you spend your money next time? Did everyone make it to PIT safely? If so, then three hours on the 'tarmac' shouldn't be that bad. You are in a pilot's forum, so I won't go through the time or effort of explaining the reasons why they may sit for three hours, you should be able to figure it out. The reality is it could happen to any airline at any major hub. You're not going to find sympathy from many people hear.

May I interest you in a flame retardant suit?:D

I'll take you up on that.

NOT A FLAME I flew on AE on Sunday at 1215 Dept and my parents the next day at 12-1230 dept if you would like flight numbers Ill be happy to give them as well as receipts if you think this will help qualify how Sh*tty your company is. To add I guarantee I have more time, type ratings, and experience in 121 and 91 than you do...

Thanks for that report. We all really do care that you now hate Eagle. Really...we do. This is not sarcasm. In fact I bet anyone who reads this will stop flying on american eagle.

I don't work for Eagle, or any American affiliated regional, so call it what you wish. But you never answered my original question, where are you going to spend your money next time? Which airline has the miracle cure where this will never happen? I would like to know for my personal travels next time.

The "I have more time than you" is a little unnecessary, my point was if you are in the industry you should understand how this can happen. I'm not justifying crappy treatment, but the wait happens, and sometimes if you go back you will have to wait even longer or CX, but again, you obviously already understand this because as you informed me, you have more time/ratings/experience.

This could have happen on any carrier.. I'm sure the crew did their best to inform people what was going on. Keep in mind that they were stuck there too and was probably have less fun that you were. They could have been on duty from early in the morning and just wanted to get done.

This belongs on airliners.net. Since you have so much 121 time you are well aware of all the reasons you can sit on the ramp :rolleyes:

Sounds like a typical summertime or more like spring time for DFW with t-storms.

If there was no A/C, then I would understand and be sympathetic...Dallas gets warm in the summer. We also understand that the concept of "service" is a quaint, pleasant memory, that existed in the 70's. Not sure what your point here is. Is it that AE should not experience ramp holds, or is it that ramp holds are exclusively AE's fault? I wll consider flying AE, even after reading your post...but only because I am a masochist, and only if Skybus is not available.

Look, AMR has had these types of problems before and so has JetBlue. You should have taken that in to consideration. Not you or anyone else is going to change things at AMR. Fly on a different airline if you were not happy.

Dont take it personally, its not the pilots I have a problem with, it is the COMPANY. I found it completely unethical and unreasonable not to give out a drop of water for 3 hours to my 70 year old parents..

I will, without question

Well I agree that the CRJ is very uncomfortable, and the inside of AA airplanes that I have seen have always been dirty, but you still sound very ignorant, "held hostage" what do you expect for $50.00 tickets?????????????

Passenger bill of Rights now trying to get through congress is from many instances of the unethical and in your words "ignorant" behavoir on behalf of the comapnies, and I will not retract my statement, Yes they were HOSTAGES without a simple bottle of water and I paid a FULL fair fee for the seats. Why is it so important to defend an industry that on a daily basis on these boards is barraged with bad press and substandard ethics. AE is just living up to the reputation of the regional industry. Do you want me to think that the 8.00 per hour FA's cared about my parents or me as customers AT ALL. Or the pilots were looking at the PAX as humans and not just another hour of PIC/OT off the gate.

I hope the pilots cared about the passengers. They shouldnt be flying people around if they don't. Even though they don't get paid enough to care, I hope they still do. Only so much the pilots can do. This happens at the majors too but just not as often. The majors get priority at the gates

I'd tell you exactly where you could take your business, but I don't want another infraction.

Par for the course.

Yep, you are right, Airline Crew absolutely hate passengers. They whine, and cry, dress unprofessionally, and demand free tickets even if they are 15 minutes late. We also hate that they leave their pretzel crumbs all over our planes, dirty diapers in the seat back pockets, don't cross their seatbelts, leave their blankets unfolded, should I go on . . . .

My suggestion, call or write AA, and depending on where you are from, write your Congressman. Let him know that you want him to demand that airlines charge more for their services so that they can hire better workers, (workers that care).

Address:

AA Customer Relations invites customers to send comments or inquiries via mail, fax or email.

U.S. Mail
American Airlines Customer Relations
P.O. Box 619612 MD 2400
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9612

Overnight Mail
American Airlines Customer Relations
4255 Amon Carter Blvd. MD 2400
Fort Worth, TX 76155-2603

Fax
Fax: (817) 967-4162


I'd suggest the overnight mail, regular mail tends to get stuck on the ramp in DFW for well over 2-3 days.

There are 121 pilots who use the word "Tarmac?" That's usually a word reserved for ditzy blonde reporters. Just thinking out loud.

For 3 hours w/o food or water? How did they survive?

Sounds like an AMR reject.
Send them GreyHound next time.

[quote=kalymnos Yes they were HOSTAGES without a simple bottle of water and I paid a FULL fair fee for the seats.

Do you want me to think that the 8.00 per hour FA's cared about my parents or me as customers AT ALL. quote]

how did you know those FA's make $8.00 an hour??

On a serious note, we have stopped carrying bottles of water on all flights that sit on the "tarmac" for more than 3 hours. Starting next year all flights sitting more than 4 hours will have to leave the odd numbered engines at the airport... with all your 121 experience, im sure you understand why...

I looked up the hostage part, and you are right. We are not allowed to take passengers hostage anymore.

These kind of things happen from time to time, get over it. It is no different than you getting stuck in traffic on the highway for 3 hours, quit whining and go suck your thumb.

Maybe...you should've flown them yourself???

Yep, you don't sound angry at all. Keep smiling.

I just want Kalymnos to post some more. It's fun reading. Too bad for his folks. Not to blame the FAs. From personal experience I was stuck in the De-Ice pad in PIT for 3 hours one icy day. Our flight attendant made sure every one of those passengers was cared for, and that is why no one complained about what was going on. I think a bad flight attendant wouldn't have stood a chance. Then again it's a contest of character.

The captain and myself also took turns going to the back and speaking with PAX and answering any questions they had. Believe it or not in some cases it makes a world of difference.

I care about passengers, but sometimes I really hate their god complex. I also don't like my world revolving around theirs.

IF you want off the plane that bad just threaten the pilots or flight attendants on our flight next time. We promise to bring the plane directly back to the gate for your comfort and subsequent interrogation.

The biggest reason we dont take you back to the gate is #1, if there is any significant delay, the company WILL cancel the flight as they will goto the back of the takeoff line. And believe it or not, as per our contract, we still get paid if a flight cancels. So the crew was sitting out there in an attempt to still get you to your destination rather than spending the night in the airport. Which, you would then complain to APC about Eagle because they stranded you in the airport!

Can't please these people...

Its hard to choose from all the things you have said, but if i HAD to choose one... I like this one.

Chuck Yeager?! Is that you??

Watch out guys, I think he/she might be a Microsoft Flight Simulator line check airman! Maybe even THE chief pilot! :eek:

Thank you for the info. as for all the other post that are attacking me and not defending the COMPANY, it is not that hard to look at your company and know when it is wrong or unethical. I never understood pilots, why MUST a pilot think that his/her company is the best out there. lets look at the facts:

1. Off a gate for 3 hours and no water given to pax in DFW with 70 pax on board. How can anyone with an education and any sort of humanity defend this behavior.
2. How would you feel if it was YOUR parents and a full price fair.
3. If I found out my FA's did not give any water for 3 hours Id call their boss immediately and have them suspended or worse. How did the Captain not know?
My issue is with the COMPANY not the crew, the crew must have been following some sort of protocol.
I fully understand the airline industry and the apathy that permeates the crews, but wrong is wrong and customer service should be the norm and humanity the least expected..

yawn..........

The human body can go five or more days without water, but I hear that it's a real ***** after that 3 hour mark.

If your problem is really with the COMPANY then maybe you should talk to the COMPANY. Especially since this is a message board for PILOTS. If you had more 121 time, type ratings, experience than all of us then you would understand the way the business works. Get off your high horse.

your right, and point taken, talking to labor is unproductive and the AE crew group is impotent in its ability to make a difference at any level..I see it clearly now, Thank You

Oh The Humanity!!!!!!!!

All this and I don't even get to watch some video on youtube with a catchy background song and some funny subtitles?

Send 'em by Amtrak next time.......:D

Gotta go eat and drink something, its been over 3 hours........

is there anyway you can block the purely idiotic and utterly stupid on this site???????

Quite frankly my friend, when airline companies don't give a crap about their employees (or their passengers,) why would you expect your crew to care about your parents, (because they are YOUR parents), that's mighty egotistical don't you think?

The phrase goes "Lead by example." I suggest that you call and write all of Congress, then write to all of the Executive leadership at the airlines and tell them to start LEADING. Tell them that their lack of leadership skills are so bad that it permeates throughout the whole airline industry, and that it is making their employees "Not-Give-A-Damn."

Then of course ask for a "FREE" pair of tickets. Remember the 21st Century is the "ME, ME, ME" Century.