Flying in on the day of the cruise

[ghstudio]

Perhaps not a good idea....

 

Fortunately, we decided to fly to buenos aires early for our Antarctic cruise. We were supposed to leave last night...11:55pm flight from Miami arriving at 10:30 am. It was a nice thought but nature, joe Biden and a tired American airline captain combined to make sure that we maximized our time Visiting the Miami airport...in fact we are still here. Our new eta in buenos aires on the same, rescheduled flight is 2:30am tomorrow.

 

We drove to the airport in a rental car...but nearing the airport we saw flashing red lights..many lights...finding the road to the airport blocked for joe biden's visit. After many unmarked detours we did get to the airport...fortunately we plan for traffic.

 

Go to gate...no plane. Incoming plane diverted to Tampa due to weather in Miami area. Flight delayed while they try to find another 777. None available, so we wait for the original plane from Tampa...which arrived at 2am and they prepped the plane for our flight. Crew on board getting ready to board when the pilot decided he was too tired to fly...even though he was still legal to fly time wise. But FAA regulations allow him to just decide he's to tired, so the crew gets off....and at 3:30am they start to wake up on-call pilots and cabin crew to see if they can find another crew while we wait. Finally at about 4am, they delay the flight until 3:30pm today so the crew can rest.

 

Next problem...there are no hotel rooms available in Miami due to boat show and many other things.

 

So we were/are stuck at the airport. We bought a day pass to the admirals club just to get some more comfortable seats to try to sleep on.

 

Flying these days isn't fun. We are hopeful that our luggage will find us in buenos aires, we are hopeful that there are taxis available when we arrive in the middle of the night and so on.

 

Not the best start....

Edited February 13, 2014 by ghstudio

[cynbar]

Please keep us updated, our thoughts here on CC will be with you. Lucky you gave yourself extra time to make the ship….

[Iamthesea]

Been there, done that in the CLT airport. Our pilot times out as the plane was being prepped after deicing. We had our friend and state Congressman with us. That didn't even help us. :rolleyes: Fortunately, it was on the way home. Not fun spending the night in an airport. Good luck! :)

Edited February 13, 2014 by Iamthesea

[ghstudio]

Been there, done that in the CLT airport. Our pilot times out as the plane was being prepped after deicing. We had our friend and state Congressman with us. That didn't even help us. :rolleyes: Fortunately, it was on the way home. Not fun spending the night in an airport. Good luck! :)

 

The most annoying part is that the pilot had not timed out....he just decided that he was tired. He was sitting there with us for three hours...if he was tired, he could have said so much earlier. Essentially, it looked like he took a job slowdown action against American and we got caught. Worrisomely, He is going to fly the plane later today....and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the passengers had words with him.....it was ugly enough last night that they called in the airport police. Just in case it got out of hand. I half expect that pilot to do something similar today so we are protected on the next flight later this evening.

[omeinv]

The most annoying part is that the pilot had not timed out....he just decided that he was tired. He was sitting there with us for three hours...if he was tired, he could have said so much earlier. Essentially, it looked like he took a job slowdown action against American and we got caught. Worrisomely, He is going to fly the plane later today....and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the passengers had words with him.....it was ugly enough last night that they called in the airport police. Just in case it got out of hand. I half expect that pilot to do something similar today so we are protected on the next flight later this evening.

 

 

So nice of you to impugn the pilot's professionalism and judgment for doing EXACTLY what he is paid to do - make difficult decisions, knowing they may result in inconvenience, with the primary focus on the safety of people.

 

If you want to read about a captain willing to appease his own interests, his employers interests and his own ego instead of focusing on safety you could research the Costa Concordia.

 

None of us like to have a flight canceled or delayed, but it astounds me that you begrudge the captain taking himself off the flight (a move that costs him money by the way, he'll either lose out for the month, or have to fly a new trip not currently scheduled).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Northern Aurora]

ghstudio: Wishing you well, and hope you make it to Buenos Aires with luggage and without any more problems. And I also hope that you will post one of your reviews, as we are scheduled for the Feb. 15, 2015 Antarctic cruise followed by Buenos Aires to Valparaiso and Valparaiso to Ft. Lauderdale cruises. I am interested in your opinions.

[cherylroslyn]

So nice of you to impugn the pilot's professionalism and judgment for doing EXACTLY what he is paid to do - make difficult decisions, knowing they may result in inconvenience, with the primary focus on the safety of people.

 

If you want to read about a captain willing to appease his own interests, his employers interests and his own ego instead of focusing on safety you could research the Costa Concordia.

 

None of us like to have a flight canceled or delayed, but it astounds me that you begrudge the captain taking himself off the flight (a move that costs him money by the way, he'll either lose out for the month, or have to fly a new trip not currently scheduled).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

I was thinking the same thing,I want my pilot to feel fresh. I understand things can't be perfect, but if he feels he is too tired or feeling run down or perhaps getting sick he should do exactly what he did......would your rather crash into the side of a mountain?

 

None of us should substitute our judgement for that of a pilot, train engineer, air traffic controller, or ship captain. Sitting at a desk job is nothing like what they go through,that is why those industries are heavily regulated and that is why they have to be allowed to use their judgement for safety.

[hughdm]

I was thinking the same thing,I want my pilot to feel fresh. I understand things can't be perfect, but if he feels he is too tired or feeling run down or perhaps getting sick he should do exactly what he did......would your rather crash into the side of a mountain?

 

None of us should substitute our judgement for that of a pilot, train engineer, air traffic controller, or ship captain. Sitting at a desk job is nothing like what they go through,that is why those industries are heavily regulated and that is why they have to be allowed to use their judgement for safety.

 

Thinking EXACTLY the same thing. I want all my pilots fresh and alert. Tough way to start off a vacation, though.

[sloopsailor]

So nice of you to impugn the pilot's professionalism and judgment for doing EXACTLY what he is paid to do - make difficult decisions, knowing they may result in inconvenience, with the primary focus on the safety of people.

 

I was thinking the same thing,I want my pilot to feel fresh. I understand things can't be perfect, but if he feels he is too tired or feeling run down or perhaps getting sick he should do exactly what he did......would your rather crash into the side of a mountain?.

 

Thinking EXACTLY the same thing. I want all my pilots fresh and alert. Tough way to start off a vacation, though.

 

Isn’t it amazing how some people will take the low road when they are inconvenienced? In this case accusing the pilot of a “job slowdown” instead of giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. I too would want my pilot to be very conservative when safety is concerned. If he felt too tired to take on a tough job and felt he needed to rest up, then he did the right thing. But, there is just no pleasing some people.

[4cats4me]

Isn’t it amazing how some people will take the low road when they are inconvenienced? In this case accusing the pilot of a “job slowdown” instead of giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. I too would want my pilot to be very conservative when safety is concerned. If he felt too tired to take on a tough job and felt he needed to rest up, then he did the right thing. But, there is just no pleasing some people.

 

I wholeheartedly agree. Nice when people who aren't really in the know cast aspersions towards people who actually DO know better.

[riclop]

Never a good idea.

[richsea]

So nice of you to impugn the pilot's professionalism and judgment for doing EXACTLY what he is paid to do - make difficult decisions, knowing they may result in inconvenience, with the primary focus on the safety of people......

 

.....None of us like to have a flight canceled or delayed, but it astounds me that you begrudge the captain taking himself off the flight (a move that costs him money by the way, he'll either lose out for the month, or have to fly a new trip not currently scheduled).

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

I was thinking the same thing.

[Nick_C]

I think its utter folly to plan to fly into a port and sail out the same day.

 

In September, it me took 7.5 hours to fly from Orlando to New York. If we'd been heading for a ship instead of a hotel, we would have missed it.

 

Even if you have booked the flights and cruise as part of a package, ships will not wait for ever. On Ocean Princess in 2010, we sailed out of New York without 30 passengers whose flight was delayed. They joined us three days later at our first port.

 

Even if you arrive on time, there is always the chance that your luggage will not.

 

We always plan to fly in 2 or 3 days before the ship sails.

[ghstudio]

A professional pilot knows that they have to be prepared to fly during their "legal"hours. If the information I received was correct, the pilot was still in the "legal" hours, but essentially assessed himself as unprepared to fly.....after sitting in the passenger area for three hours waiting for the plane, getting on the plane and going through preboarding. From a safety standpoint I applaud his decision....however had he opted out of flying the plane earlier, they might have been able to find a standby captain to fill the crew. Since he waited so long, there was no way to get a replacement "legal" captain before the other two went illegal..so the flight was scrubbed. I guess if you are a half full guy, you think he really wanted to do the flight but just decided he wasn't awake enough to do it safely. If you're a half empty guy, you think he should have known he was borderline too tired earlier and he should have given the airline a chance to find another pilot much earlier....and you wonder if there was motivation to wait. Irrespective, it was a lousy night for passengers.

 

Just for completeness, the flight did leave at 3:30pm yesterday with a totally different crew and we are finally in buenos aires.

[darbs7]

You just never know! On my cruise connect board, so many were flying on Thursday and Friday (today) and did not get out and are missing the cruise. I am on a flight tomorrow morning and hoping I get out to catch boat in San Juan by 6pm tomorrow. If not…I will drive to where I have to to catch a flight

[johhnnyt]

A professional pilot knows that they have to be prepared to fly during their "legal"hours. If the information I received was correct, the pilot was still in the "legal" hours, but essentially assessed himself as unprepared to fly.....after sitting in the passenger area for three hours waiting for the plane, getting on the plane and going through preboarding. From a safety standpoint I applaud his decision....however had he opted out of flying the plane earlier, they might have been able to find a standby captain to fill the crew. Since he waited so long, there was no way to get a replacement "legal" captain before the other two went illegal..so the flight was scrubbed. I guess if you are a half full guy, you think he really wanted to do the flight but just decided he wasn't awake enough to do it safely. If you're a half empty guy, you think he should have known he was borderline too tired earlier and he should have given the airline a chance to find another pilot much earlier....and you wonder if there was motivation to wait. Irrespective, it was a lousy night for passengers.

 

Just for completeness, the flight did leave at 3:30pm yesterday with a totally different crew and we are finally in buenos aires.

 

Just wanted to tell you I always enjoy your postings. You don't rant or rave, you're more like a good reporter keeping to the facts of whats going on and your observations. I've always found your insights spot on. Glad you made it to buenos aires, and hope you have a wonderful cruise

[GaryfmCol]

I flew 44+ years.

I don't ever remember, that I cancelled a trip because I "felt tired".

 

I think the posters are overlooking how the "union" played a part in this.

[Random cruiser]

Good evening ghstudio,

 

We are sailing on B2B2B Infinity Cruise to Antarctica, around SA and through the Panama Canal 15Feb - 31 March. I have found your posts insightful and I've enjoyed reading them. We too have noticed the cut-backs at Celebrity over the last two years. We were on a TA in October and every one of your comments was true on that sailing.

 

I would like to write to you about our upcoming trip (we are becoming Elite Plus after the second sailing) and were wondering how accommodating they'll be with benefits.

 

Who were the people you dealt with in Guest Relations? Who was the CC host/hostess? How hard is it to get the priority tender in the Falklands?

 

We appreciate your answers. You can respond to agohagan at gmail dot com, since I don't often check Cruise Critic.

 

Thank you

Andrea