Part 121 Experience
Yesterday, I got to serve as a crewmember on a Part 121 carrier. I was serving as Seventh Deputy Underassistant Copilot for Customer Service. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's the guy snoring in 26C on the redeye from SLC to ATL.
On Sunday night, KSAN closed due to heavy fog (near zero/zero). The KSAN TAF for Monday night, my scheduled departure, was more of the same: CAVU all day, heavy fog after sunset. I planned my own reroute to avoid the inevitable cancellation, then called one of our great american air carriers to execute said reroute.
Dude at Call Center in India: I'm sorry, sir, we can't reroute you, that flight has already departed.
BC: No, it actually leaves in eight hours, but it isn't going anywhere, please reroute me through SLC.
Dude: Our system shows your flight is on time. You don't need to reroute, everything will be fine.
BC: No, it won't.
Dude: Well, sir, my system won't let me do anything for you. My supervisor has to do it.
Supervisor: Sir, you don't need to reroute your flight. The weather in San Diego is perfect.
BC: Yes, it's perfect right now, but not eight hours from now. I'm trying to get back east to see the 'rents and the Chief Photographer. Please change my flight.
Supervisor: It will cost you $300 to change your flight. If you wait another hour, within three hours of the departure to SLC, you will be able to change to that flight for only $25.
BC: Huh?
Supervisor: Within three hours of the departure, you can change to that flight for only $25.
BC: Let me get this straight. The weather is going to cancel my flight tonight, so I'm trying to help you out by shifting to an earlier flight, minimizing the amount of people you have to rebook. If I do it now, it's going to cost me $300. If I wait 55 minutes, it will only cost me $25. Is that right?
Supervisor: That's absolutely correct. Is there anything else we can help with?
BC: Grrrr. No. Bye.
So, now I am biding the requisite 55 minutes, so I call the Chief Photographer and let her know what I am trying to do. About 25 minutes after I got off the phone with the airline, my cell phone starts ringing. A recorded voice greets me: "This is Great American Bankrupt Air Carrier. We have canceled your flight for tonight. We have rebooked you on a flight for tomorrow morning. If you need any assistance, please call us. Thank you."
I pick up the phone and now get to call the rebooking center somewhere in the southern USA.
Rebooking Center: Yes, your flight was cancelled. We have rebooked you on a flight tomorrow morning. Can I help you with something?
BC: I'd like to leave tonight, rerouting on the earlier departure to SLC, then ATL, then my original connection to TYS. Can we do that?
Rebooking Center: No problem. (A few minutes of keystrokes). Done. Have a great flight!
BC: Thanks.
I just don't understand.
So, now that I have returned to to the land of my youth for a great Thanksgiving holiday with my family, it's time to relax, watch football, and adjust my W&B.
MBA Update:
Harvard: Application submitted, waiting on interview.
Wharton: Invited to interview, interview complete, waiting on results.
Darden: Application and interview complete. Waiting on results.
Duke: Application and interview complete. Waiting on results.
Y'all have a great Thanksgiving holiday.
Cheers,
BC
On Sunday night, KSAN closed due to heavy fog (near zero/zero). The KSAN TAF for Monday night, my scheduled departure, was more of the same: CAVU all day, heavy fog after sunset. I planned my own reroute to avoid the inevitable cancellation, then called one of our great american air carriers to execute said reroute.
Dude at Call Center in India: I'm sorry, sir, we can't reroute you, that flight has already departed.
BC: No, it actually leaves in eight hours, but it isn't going anywhere, please reroute me through SLC.
Dude: Our system shows your flight is on time. You don't need to reroute, everything will be fine.
BC: No, it won't.
Dude: Well, sir, my system won't let me do anything for you. My supervisor has to do it.
Supervisor: Sir, you don't need to reroute your flight. The weather in San Diego is perfect.
BC: Yes, it's perfect right now, but not eight hours from now. I'm trying to get back east to see the 'rents and the Chief Photographer. Please change my flight.
Supervisor: It will cost you $300 to change your flight. If you wait another hour, within three hours of the departure to SLC, you will be able to change to that flight for only $25.
BC: Huh?
Supervisor: Within three hours of the departure, you can change to that flight for only $25.
BC: Let me get this straight. The weather is going to cancel my flight tonight, so I'm trying to help you out by shifting to an earlier flight, minimizing the amount of people you have to rebook. If I do it now, it's going to cost me $300. If I wait 55 minutes, it will only cost me $25. Is that right?
Supervisor: That's absolutely correct. Is there anything else we can help with?
BC: Grrrr. No. Bye.
So, now I am biding the requisite 55 minutes, so I call the Chief Photographer and let her know what I am trying to do. About 25 minutes after I got off the phone with the airline, my cell phone starts ringing. A recorded voice greets me: "This is Great American Bankrupt Air Carrier. We have canceled your flight for tonight. We have rebooked you on a flight for tomorrow morning. If you need any assistance, please call us. Thank you."
I pick up the phone and now get to call the rebooking center somewhere in the southern USA.
Rebooking Center: Yes, your flight was cancelled. We have rebooked you on a flight tomorrow morning. Can I help you with something?
BC: I'd like to leave tonight, rerouting on the earlier departure to SLC, then ATL, then my original connection to TYS. Can we do that?
Rebooking Center: No problem. (A few minutes of keystrokes). Done. Have a great flight!
BC: Thanks.
I just don't understand.
So, now that I have returned to to the land of my youth for a great Thanksgiving holiday with my family, it's time to relax, watch football, and adjust my W&B.
MBA Update:
Harvard: Application submitted, waiting on interview.
Wharton: Invited to interview, interview complete, waiting on results.
Darden: Application and interview complete. Waiting on results.
Duke: Application and interview complete. Waiting on results.
Y'all have a great Thanksgiving holiday.
Cheers,
BC
posted by Big Country at 6:05 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home