US 1419 Diverted to COS

[jimcfs]

First off, I agree that the "we were almost killed" reaction may be a bit over the top. I'm sure I'd be unnerved if an engine had to be shut down in-flight, even knowing that an aircraft is designed to fly safely on one engine. Having been involved with the old East "Flex Alert" system and getting notified everytime there was any sort of incident, there are certainly worse things.

SS255 brings up a good question, though: Wonder how the customers were handled?

As someone who has had an experience similar to this flight, let me relate my experience.

It was back in '98 IIRC (so CCY-based US). I was flying back from LAS in November on a LAS-PIT 737 redeye. We were all settled in when all the lights suddenly came on, and the guys up front tell us they had an oil light come on the right engine. So, rather than take any chances, they shut it down, requested emergency clearance to land in DEN. We were now at 10,000 and 30 miles out... would the FA's please ready the cabin for landing. (No emergency used in that request IIRC.) So, everyone was very silent. I knew we could fly/land on one engine, but many aboard didn't. So I did tell the people seated around me we were probably alright. I did say a prayer, just in case. Landing was normal and uneventful.

Once on the ground however, there were no US personnel to meet us, as they had left about a few hours before. (This was about 3AM Mountain Time.) So, we were told the tower had notified the station manager, and assistance was on the way... but they also had to call in security as the terminal at the new DIA wasn't secure for passengers to arrive at that time of the morning. We waited on the plane for a good 60-90 minutes before we pulled into a gate and were able to get out. Rather than wait for someone to rebook me, I called the Priority Gold line (I don't think the Preferreds were out yet) and got an agent to rebook me on the 10AM DEN-PIT flight (upgraded to F) and an updated connection (RDU I think, I don't remember that part). I had a lot of time to kill, but at that time the AA alliance was still around, so I was able to get into the AA club and relax once it opened about 6.

The pax on the flight accepted the situation as the crew kept us fully informed. We also knew it was the middle of the night, so once I was rebooked, I did recommend others to call and get rebooked instead of waiting in line with one agent working... IIRC I even passed the pay phone off to others once the rep knew our situation. There was nothing open in the terminal, but I don't recall anyone complaining about anything... it was a redeye anyway. We all just lost a little bit of sleep and got to our final destinations a little bit late. The situation was handled the best it could have... no complaints from me there.

They did fix the aircraft and it left shortly before my rescheduled flight left for PIT. I, however, had an issue about stepping back on that plane, so I kept my rebooked later flight.

 

[midnightmech]

sooo, why do you fly? If your worried about boarding a 'repaired' aircraft, go back inthe closet and cover your head.....there ALL repaired, almost every night, during the day, down for several weeks when there torn apart and put back together....my god, your all so paranoid......

 

[ClueByFour]

sooo, why do you fly? If your worried about boarding a 'repaired' aircraft, go back inthe closet and cover your head.....there ALL repaired, almost every night, during the day, down for several weeks when there torn apart and put back together....my god, your all so paranoid......

I'm not. I realize that the passage of high school english composition is not a prerequisite to getting one's A&P.

IOW, presumably one only has to be able to read to safely repair an aircraft.

 

[NCFL]

So, we were told the tower had notified the station manager, and assistance was on the way...

From the perspective of keeping the prioirity on the customer, the ex-DEN, now JAX station manager - Traci Brown - is the best in the business. Well, I say JAX but it's possible she's moved on since I left US in 10/07.

IIRC I even passed the pay phone off to others once the rep knew our situation.

Ugh. No offense, but I always hated the "phone passer." Especially on a long on-board delay. Someone in F, usually a Chairman's, would get a Consumer Affairs person on the phone. Our departmental guideline was to try to get them to wait until off the plane (or out of the airport, for that matter, if the problem was occurring there) to discuss resolution, but occasionally that wouldn't work. Suddenly, the phone is being passed around and everyone is wanting compensation and it's a free-for-all. And if it's at the airport, customers are going back to employees who might have given a different answer and saying "Ha Ha, I got what I wanted." Then egos get involved. It's an ugly scene.

 

[FlightChic]

I'd agree, but they are just way too crappy.

Then don't fly US! It's that simple. If you hate US so much, why do you spend so much time here?

 

[Travels2mch]

Then don't fly US! It's that simple. If you hate US so much, why do you spend so much time here?

Like passing an accident scene....you just have to look!!

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Then don't fly US! It's that simple. If you hate US so much, why do you spend so much time here?

Edited by moderator--personal attack, namecalling. Don't do it. thank you.

 

[sharktooth]

She doesn't fly, she just trolls.

How do you know? "She" sounds pretty much right on to me.

 

[SS255]

Ugh. No offense, but I always hated the "phone passer." Especially on a long on-board delay. Someone in F, usually a Chairman's, would get a Consumer Affairs person on the phone. Our departmental guideline was to try to get them to wait until off the plane (or out of the airport, for that matter, if the problem was occurring there) to discuss resolution, but occasionally that wouldn't work. Suddenly, the phone is being passed around and everyone is wanting compensation and it's a free-for-all. And if it's at the airport, customers are going back to employees who might have given a different answer and saying "Ha Ha, I got what I wanted." Then egos get involved. It's an ugly scene.

Maybe this is why Customer Relations no longer takes phone calls.

From the perspective of the phone passee: It's kind of hard to just hang up the phone, when there is a mob standing around you, listening to your half of the conversation. At least you as the Consumer Affairs professional did not have to face the angry mob! You could have just made the "bad cell phone connection" noises and hung up. 😉

 

[jimcfs]

Maybe this is why Customer Relations no longer takes phone calls.

From the perspective of the phone passee: It's kind of hard to just hang up the phone, when there is a mob standing around you, listening to your half of the conversation. At least you as the Consumer Affairs professional did not have to face the angry mob! You could have just made the "bad cell phone connection" noises and hung up. 😉

LOL! I definitely understand your perspective, NCFL.

And IIRC, there was only one person working the desk (remember this was at like 4AM), so I was just trying to help them out. For the rest of you here, why does everything have to have hidden agendas here?

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

How do you know?

In her own words she has extolled the virtues of having flown on WN and CO, non-stop.

If I recall correctly she also has stated that she had stopped flying US.

Please correct me if I'm wrong

Good enough.?

(Deleted by moderator. crude, offensive language. Please do not do this.)

Your wife would love that one.

 

[NCFL]

Maybe this is why Customer Relations no longer takes phone calls.

You could have just made the "bad cell phone connection" noises and hung up. 😉

In all my years in Consumer Affairs, I never ONCE hung up on a customer. For the record, it was grounds for immediate termination.

For the rest of you here, why does everything have to have hidden agendas here?

Agreed. Most likely attributable folks flexing their falsely-inflated egos behind the perceived anonymity of the Internet.

 

[sharktooth]

IYour wife would love that one.

My wife? Are you silly? I don't have a "wife", as it were.

 

[YVINTERN]

In her own words she has extolled the virtues of having flown on WN and CO, non-stop.

If I recall correctly she also has stated that she had stopped flying US.

Please correct me if I'm wrong

Good enough.?

As far as sounding pretty accurate about the state of US, perhaps, and perhaps she was also
correct about F/A's being (deleted by moderator) as well?

Your wife would love that one.

Edited by Moderator. It doesn't matter if someone else said it first, it's still crude and not allowed.

Welcome aboard Ma'am!

 

[phllax]

BACK ON TOPIC

I just heard from a friend of mine who was on the flight. I'm getting more details tomorrow, but the long and short of it was that in the air the only communication was from the F/A's, and then the pilots explained once on the ground. They were initially told replacement plane was coming from DEN, and then 2 hours later told it was coming from PHL. More details tomorrow.