Flying for Thanksgiving You Gotta Be Insane

[LVSteve]

Neighbors daughter, SIL, and 4 grandkids aged from 2-7 yo were in Orlando getting ready to board a Spirit flight to Raleigh a week or two ago.

Spirit cancelled without explanation or offer to help them get another flight. No assistance whatsoever, customer service non existent.

On their own, they managed to get an American flight to RDU. Cost them $1800 one way.

What does one do when work and school happen to be the next day? Imagine four young kids stuck at the airport.

I have never flown any of those budget airlines myself and never will.

A 100% perfect example of the Spirit business model. As I pointed out elsewhere, the corporate view is never admit that anything is wrong.

As for weather events, I recall before COVID a holiday travel period coincided with a massive weather event resulting in many planes to the East and Mid-west being in every wrong place you can imagine. An interview with a would be passenger at McCarran went something like this....

Reporter: "So has your airline said when they can get you on a flight home?"

Passenger, with a remarkably straight face: "Yes, Thursday".

Reporter: "But today is Sunday!"

Passenger: "Yeah, exactly. I don't think my boss is going to be happy and the kids will miss school."

There was also some deal where they couldn't stay in their hotel, either money related or the rooms were booked for people on incoming flights that weren't affected by the weather.

 

[slickracer]

We flew to St. Croix and back, very smooth both ways on AA

 

[Aggie1906]

Needing to fly to Idaho from Michigan for student graduation next year.
I view airlines as having a bad business plan, poorly executed.
Looked into trains. Reviews are terrible. Trains are for freight.
So, We gotta fly. It's airports I hate, not airplanes.
Anybody need a comfortable IC auto delivered either way come Spring?

 

[Yaworski]

I got tired of the TSA blank stares and not-so-subtle escort to the gate.

No fly list?

 

[Yaworski]

I learned long ago that Thanksgiving Day is the day for travel.

My wife and I used to drive from DC to Pittsburgh for Thanskgiving and leaving after work on Wednesday, a four hour drive often became a six or eight hour drive. One year we couldn't leave on Wednesday and left Thursday morning. Clear sailing, no back ups. After that, we always travelled on Thursday.

I've flown on Thanksgiving a few times too, no muss and no fuss.

 

[Yaworski]

Looked into trains. Reviews are terrible. Trains are for freight.

Trains are great. Big seats. You can get up and walk around. Dining car. Bar car. I always meet interesting people on trains.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Trains are great. Big seats. You can get up and walk around. Dining car. Bar car. I always meet interesting people on trains.

For all the reasons you cited, I too love to travel by train when possible. The Amtrak ride from my neck of the woods in northeastern Maryland to Boston or New York City is actually cheaper and doesn't take any longer than traveling by car...

 

[Yaworski]

For all the reasons you cited, I too love to travel by train when possible. The Amtrak ride from my neck of the woods in northeastern Maryland to Boston or New York City is actually cheaper and doesn't take any longer than traveling by car...

On my last train trip from Pittsburgh to DC I was sitting in the observation car watching the scenery when an attractive 30ish red head sat down next to me and started chatting. We talked about this, that, and all sorts of stuff for about three hours. I never did get her name.

 

[pharmer]

On my last train trip from Pittsburgh to DC I was sitting in the observation car watching the scenery when an attractive 30ish red head sat down next to me and started chatting. We talked about this, that, and all sorts of stuff for about three hours. I never did get her name.

Ginger. Joe

 

[Yaworski]

Ginger. Joe

I don't understand why the Englisters call redheads "gingers." This is ginger.

 

[delcrossv]

I don't understand why the Englisters call redheads "gingers." This is ginger.

It's because of the plant, not the root

Red Ginger:

 

[pharmer]

Ginger.
ginger from gilligan images at DuckDuckGo Joe

 

[Yaworski]

It's because of the plant, not the root

I've never seen a human being with hair that is naturally that color. More evidence that we were smart to split from the Brits.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I've never seen a human being with hair that is naturally that color. More evidence that we were smart to split from the Brits.

I was born what you call an "Englister" (whatever that is) and I married a ginger.

Should I pack my bags?

 

[Yaworski]

I was born what you call an "Englister" (whatever that is) and I married a ginger.

Should I pack my bags?

Ooop, typo. It's actually Englishter. If you were an American, you'd have married a redhead AND you'd get the Englishter reference. As the Ray Charles singers said, "hit the road Jack."

 

[Rustyt1953]

Ooop, typo. It's actually Englishter. If you were an American, you'd have married a redhead AND you'd get the Englishter reference. As the Ray Charles singers said, "hit the road Jack."

I became an American in 1975 when I received my DD-214. The Englishter label was used by Ernest T. Bass.

Tell Ray when you see him that I ain't hittin' anything.

 

[LVSteve]

On my last train trip from Pittsburgh to DC I was sitting in the observation car watching the scenery when an attractive 30ish red head sat down next to me and started chatting. We talked about this, that, and all sorts of stuff for about three hours. I never did get her name.

Bit of man card jeopardy there, I think. ... unless you are married, of course. If so, nicely done.

 

[BC38]

When I read "Flying for Thanksgiving You Gotta Be Insane" my first thought was if you weren't insane before you probably will be by the time you reach your destination....

 

[peyton]

My daughter and son in law spent two days traveling from San Antonio to Anchorage!! Flight was supposed to depart at 5PM Wednesday, didn't leave until after 10 PM. They all missed connecting flights so they overnighted in Seattle. Then next day they finally were loaded on a flight to Juneau and had to wait again for flight to Anchorage. Luggage, well forget that, the airlines were so messed up they told daughter "we will FEDEX them to you". My daughter said getting a row boat would of been faster than waiting for the flight. We still had a good time visiting but was the juice worth the squeeze??

 

[The Big D]

I fly a lot…

…and will NOT fly on one of the budget carriers like Allegiant or Spirit. Period!

Cannot recall the last time I flew on any carrier other than American, United, or Qantas.

Yes, I have encountered glitches on those carriers, but I have been comfortable and have NEVER had a bag lost or paid a fee for any extras.

YMMV!

Be safe.