with the recent news that ATA Airlines has suddenly filed for Chapter 11, i found myself flooded with a few memories and a lot of smirking.
now, ok, am not exactly smirking for those employees who'll be losing their jobs - well, maybe some of them. those in particular responsible for me (and my boss) being stranded in Chicago back in 2002.
to make a short story long (or was that the other way around?), my boss and i were traveling to Minneapolis (home of Prince and the Mall of America) for a demo and for some reason (which is to save on airfares), we found ourselves on an ATA flight there via Chicago. Chicago is just less than three hours away from NY. turns out that was all the flight time we would get with ATA. while we were seated waiting for the connecting passengers to disembark/embark, they just announced they were cancelling the rest of the flight.
it was 4 PM and we needed to be at our destination 8 AM sharp the next day. they were not offering any acceptable substitute flights either, for us to make our appointment. needless to say, we had to get off the plane, out of Chicago Midway, and take an impromptu tour of the Windy City (and it was still winter). we finally found the Greyhound bus terminal (and i assure you, its not a place you want to spend your time in) and took the first available bus to Minneapolis.
i guess if not for this incident, i would not have been able to see Chicago or experience the feeling of traveling through Wisconsin (beer, cheese, McDonalds!) in the middle of the night, or trudge through the ice/snow in downtown Minneapolis, headed towards the opposite direction from our hotel.
and i never got to use the sorry-ass coupon ATA sent as an apology.
anyway, airlines have been an increasing annoyance ever since 9/11, what with the security checks, the elimination of free food, the rising ticket prices and incessant delays (unintentional or not - are you listening, JetBlue?). i already learned by rote and whenever i fly, i already get to the airport with my laptop in one hand, and all of my clothes on the other (including the one i'm wearing).
and with the recent news that the myth of air marshalls is just that ... a myth? who's going to protect us from the crazies now? do we all go United 93 on them?
so, am not sorry ATA has bitten the dust.
also in dire straits is upstart Southwest Airlines, whose cost-cutting may have landed them in deep trouble. i haven't flown Southwest yet, and maybe i never will.
too bad, because they make funny commercials (i guess that's where the budget for safety inspections went). to their credit, not one flight has crashed ... yet.
now, ok, am not exactly smirking for those employees who'll be losing their jobs - well, maybe some of them. those in particular responsible for me (and my boss) being stranded in Chicago back in 2002.
to make a short story long (or was that the other way around?), my boss and i were traveling to Minneapolis (home of Prince and the Mall of America) for a demo and for some reason (which is to save on airfares), we found ourselves on an ATA flight there via Chicago. Chicago is just less than three hours away from NY. turns out that was all the flight time we would get with ATA. while we were seated waiting for the connecting passengers to disembark/embark, they just announced they were cancelling the rest of the flight.
it was 4 PM and we needed to be at our destination 8 AM sharp the next day. they were not offering any acceptable substitute flights either, for us to make our appointment. needless to say, we had to get off the plane, out of Chicago Midway, and take an impromptu tour of the Windy City (and it was still winter). we finally found the Greyhound bus terminal (and i assure you, its not a place you want to spend your time in) and took the first available bus to Minneapolis.
i guess if not for this incident, i would not have been able to see Chicago or experience the feeling of traveling through Wisconsin (beer, cheese, McDonalds!) in the middle of the night, or trudge through the ice/snow in downtown Minneapolis, headed towards the opposite direction from our hotel.
and i never got to use the sorry-ass coupon ATA sent as an apology.
anyway, airlines have been an increasing annoyance ever since 9/11, what with the security checks, the elimination of free food, the rising ticket prices and incessant delays (unintentional or not - are you listening, JetBlue?). i already learned by rote and whenever i fly, i already get to the airport with my laptop in one hand, and all of my clothes on the other (including the one i'm wearing).
and with the recent news that the myth of air marshalls is just that ... a myth? who's going to protect us from the crazies now? do we all go United 93 on them?
so, am not sorry ATA has bitten the dust.
also in dire straits is upstart Southwest Airlines, whose cost-cutting may have landed them in deep trouble. i haven't flown Southwest yet, and maybe i never will.
too bad, because they make funny commercials (i guess that's where the budget for safety inspections went). to their credit, not one flight has crashed ... yet.
here are some i haven't seen:
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