Delays in CLT?

[zztopper]

Anyone know what the story is on this?

Today's Charlotte Observer.

Article here.

Long lines fray nerves at airport

CLEVE R. WOOTSON JR.
[email protected]

Anne French is frustrated at flying and wearing the same clothes she wore Sunday.

The Fayetteville native said she waited in football field-long lines that snaked out sliding glass doors and backed up parking lots and streets at Charlotte's airport Sunday.

"They just moved slow and slow and slow," said French, who arrived at the airport about 8:30 a.m. for an hour-long flight to Little Rock, Ark. Anxious, she pulled a US Airways employee aside: "I said, `I've got a 10 o'clock flight.' He said, `You're going to miss it.' "

He was right. She ended up re-booking her flight, and finally arrived in Little Rock just before 5 p.m.

Her luggage, she learned, won't arrive until today.

Welcome to the summer's first big travel weekend. Students are out of school, families are taking vacations and weekend lines at the airport are extra long.

US Airways said they had a full staff working Sunday, but did not call in extra employees. Airport representatives did not return calls.

The airport had similar delays Friday and Saturday, and some passengers had to take later flights because they couldn't get through long ticket and security lines, according to US Airways spokeswoman Valerie Wunder.

US Airways didn't have numbers for the weekend's rebookings, and Wunder couldn't say why they didn't add extra staff.

French said the airline and airport should have prepared better.

"My question is who booked these flights? You knew they were booked and you didn't get extra people."

 

[CLTBWIDAYSYR]

Like the Philly Phiasco Christmas 2004, I'm sure this will be discovered to be all the local employees fault. Management has done nothing wrong.

 

[Bluesky]

Friends don't let friends fly US Airways. Too many of the same, old excuses. Do they ever learn even the simplest stupid screw ups from the past? Guess not. Notice how Wunderwoman was quick to place the blame elsewhere like Security. Nice try but don't insult the customer's intelligence when they're right, pleaseeeee! 'Wunder couldn't say why they didn't add extra staff.' Why not, she's the spokeswoman. Cat got her tongue?

 

[DCAflyer]

Doesn't sound like a US Airways problem... it sounds like a TSA foul-up! Good grief, people... is there anything you won't blame on management?

 

[tadjr]

.

The Fayetteville native said she waited in football field-long lines that snaked out sliding glass doors and backed up parking lots and streets at Charlotte's airport Sunday.

"They just moved slow and slow and slow," said French, who arrived at the airport about 8:30 a.m. for an hour-long flight to Little Rock, Ark. Anxious, she pulled a US Airways employee aside: "I said, `I've got a 10 o'clock flight.' He said, `You're going to miss it.' "

He was right.

No skycaps on duty? No kiosks? Or did she have to (or just want to) stand in the full service line? I've seen many people continue to stand in the ticketing line who just want to check in even after being told to go curbside or to the kiosk (and then complain about having to wait).
Since I wasnt in CLT, I cant comment on the specifics mentioned here, but I'd be interested in hearing some more of the story.

 

[Harry Callahan]

I worked yesterday morning. When I came in lines were backed up all the way to A concourse(a long ways!) It was just very heavy. I was told by a lead that on the second bank we had approx 1800 local check ins on the books. We were getting local bags checked 6-8 hours in advance. Never figured that one out! Also lots of bags AFTER the flights had departed.
As another news article stated, it's going to be a long hot summer.

PSidn't work last night but we got clobbered by severe storms was told that was a cluster....

 

[LD3]

Kind of interesting that the airport was also blamed....What could have airport mgmnt done to get this lady on her flight? CLT has been sending press releases out for the past month warning the public that record number of people are flying out of CLT and to make plans to arrive early...

 

[LCC_#1]

So much for the arguement of not much local traffic.

I can tell you I live in CLT and the last two days have been horrible with those severe afternoon and evening thunderstorms. I can attest to that as I LIVE close to the airport and I had my eyes on the bathroom when the winds got so high. Last night the same thing happened and when I got back to CLT, there were people everywhere and NOT just from US Airways.

I find it laughable that you guys all assume the delays were just from US Airways!! WRONG!! Consider that if the same thing happened in Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, the same scene would had happened....oh I forgot, just at US Airways. Geez, give me a freakin break. :down:

 

[LCC_#1]

Friends don't let friends fly US Airways. Too many of the same, old excuses. Do they ever learn even the simplest stupid screw ups from the past? Guess not. Notice how Wunderwoman was quick to place the blame elsewhere like Security. Nice try but don't insult the customer's intelligence when they're right, pleaseeeee! 'Wunder couldn't say why they didn't add extra staff.' Why not, she's the spokeswoman. Cat got her tongue?

And these things NEVER happen at any other airline.

Hum,

DAL.. BANKRUPT..oh it's the fuel. :unsure:
NWA.. BANKRUPT..oh, it's the fuel. :huh:
UAL.. WAS BANKRUPT and still bleeding..oh, it's the fuel.
AMR..More bleeding...more cutbacks...Oh, it's the fuel. :unsure:
JBLU...WORST ontime performance and now bleeding money..oh, its the fuel and JFK <_<
ATA..GONE..fuel?
Spirit..big mess in FLL..not rolling in dough. :jerry:
SWA...money maker, but watch Airline...same crap there as at US. Sweet hedging about over. Is fuel.

These companies are loosing their backs as well. If you want to talk about same old excuses, look no further than the top 7 on the list. Do you think ALL their ills are based on fuel. Their problems are identical to those faced at US Airways. If you think otherwise, sit down for a cocktail with a panel of employees from ALL airlines and we can educate you very quickly.

I have MANY friends from ALL the carriers and you here the same crap. And if you live in a hub city for ANY airline, you here the same biitching and moaning.

Friends may not let friends fly US in your neck of the woods, but enough friends have flown US to help put US in a profit ( THE EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTED THE MOST) and projected profit for the entire year INCLUDING merger related expenses.

Why can't the others make money? Oh, the fuel. Couldn't be THEIR poor management or THEIR understaffing, and THEIR poor morale. Or THEIR excuse. THEIR creedy managements and CEOs. Just blame US Airways. GET IT?!! Probably not.

You know, this new management team DOES listen...unlike the past CCY jerks. they may not respond as quickly for MY taste, but I can see where they DO listen and make changes accordingly. Besides the website issue, this team has done more listening and making changes because of such than the old team did in 40 years and I have NO doubt the website debacle will improve. You know those Tempe wiz kids are hiding in shame. I mean, were INHOUSE. How could this happen?

If you do not choose to fly US Airways OR your friends, that's fine. One thing I love about the good ole US of A is we have the freedom to choose. (for the most part)

Good day!

 

[USCREW]

Ha Ha Ha..

I can barely get myself to the airport. It's the FUEL!

 

[ClueByFour]

SWA...money maker, but watch Airline...same crap there as at US. Sweet hedging about over. Is fuel.

2009 is a long way away.

 

[LCC_#1]

2009 is a long way away.

2009? I thought it was sooner. Is that for all hedging or just at a certain price?

 

[700UW]

ATA is still flying.

 

[LCC_#1]

ATA is still flying.

Barely! You people are picking apart and missing the point.

 

[ClueByFour]

2009? I thought it was sooner. Is that for all hedging or just at a certain price?

Both. From the LUV Quarterly report:

We are over 70 percent hedged for the remainder of 2006 at $36 per barrel; over 60 percent in 2007 at $39 per barrel; over 35 percent in 2008 at $38 per barrel; and about 30 percent in 2009 at $39 per barrel.

So even all the way through '07, the majority of their usage is hedged. At $70/bbl, even that 2009 hedge don't look too bad.