Dem nuh ready!

 I have now added frontier airlines to my list of undesirable Airlines that I will never use again.

Number 1 6, (American), number 2 Air Europa, (Spanish) and now Frontier (American).

The first leg of my flight to Colorado for Christmas was, FLL to Cleveland and it was a small airplane with tiny seats that  could not be adjusted, back straight up. Luckily I had paid $20 extra to get a seat in the emergency exit row, so luckily it had leg room.

But can you believe we couldn't even get a cup of water unless we bought it! 

That flight was over 2 hours long.

Denver airport has a kind of magical look to it.

Loved the sunset coming into Denver.

The connection in Cleveland was smooth and this time it was on to a large Airbus for the next flight which was scheduled to take more than 3 hours.

The seats on the aircraft were bigger and softer but like on the smaller plane, they were non-adjustable.  

I again paid extra for better leg room at an exit row.

On a three hour flight, not even a drink of coffee or a soda unless you bought it. I requested water and got a cup and expected to be asked to pay and nearly died from shock when told there was no cost!😁. 

The flight was smooth however. That is after we had to de-ice after taxiing in Cleveland, for it snowed as we waited for permission to take off.

Because of de-icing we reached Denver about an hour late. (Not complaining.) But would you believe that when my daughter who was picking me up, checked Frontier's web page, it showed the plane had landed early although it was a whole hour late because of the the de-icing!!!!

Then there was the baggage madness!

We patiently waited and waited at carousel 7 where the board showed the 3 or 4 frontier flights that came in, would be unloaded.

Then a lady touched me saying she recognized me from her flight and she had gotten her luggage at carousel 8!

We headed there and that's where my bag came out.

That capped it for me. No more Frontier.

No sah, Dem nuh ready.

Never again United

 I think I had forgotten what stress felt like until I tried to get to fort Lauderdale via United airlines. 

Never again United!

First my flight on June 28th was cancelled after I had reached the departure gate and checked my luggage. 

Why this is mentioned is because those assholes had been having staff problems and delays for days,so must have known long before I checked in, that this flight too would have to be cancelled.😡

You see, it was the start of the independence weekend when millions were flying, and United has dropped the ball, long before the deluge.

I never realized there was chaos at Newark airport, as I was three continents away enjoying the peace and tranquility that Ghana offers,  with my family, .

So, it came as a shock to me when I arrived in the USA and was met head on with the cancelations.😡

Driving with my wonderful niece Whitney.

Ok, that's the background before I was finally rescued by my wonderful niece Whitney who lives in New Jersey.

Out of evil cometh good, I assured myself, but as much as I enjoyed her company, I had to get home.

Long story short, when my flight was cancelled on the 28 June and I spent hours in line trying to get a new flight to FLL, I was finally relieved when the lady said she found me a seat in the 30th.

As I had no idea where my luggage checked on the 28th was, I decided to go to the airport very early on the 30th to see I could get any information. ( I had fallen asleep the day before after more than 1 hour and 20 minutes waiting on the phone to  get to speak to an agent in the luggage department.)

All went beautifully between the 29-30 as I was with family.

Then on the 30th June,  I went to the airport some 3 hours before the flight was due to depart, only to find, when I putt information in the machine, that the agent had put in my flight for the 30 th July, not June and I had been just too tired and weary at the time to to notice.😭

Lord oh Lord what next?

So it was back to customer service line.

Talk about stress!

Luckily a lady who must have been a supervisor, passed through to assist and on seeing my dilemma, quickly went to a machine and informed that she had found a seat on an express flight, but I had to hurry as it was boarding soon.

That was around 3.09 pm and the flight was due to depart 3.40 pm with boarding to be over by 3.26.

Worse I was at terminal C at Newark airport and the departure gate was Terminal A.

Long story short, even with my TSA precheck and rushing like a mad woman, I still never got to the assigned gate till 3.50 pm. 

What next you can very well ask. 

I have never been more thankful for a delayed flight until today.

For that flight had been delayed and the new departure time was posted at the gate for 5.35 pm.

Phew.

Well I have a new assigned now but until I land in Fort Lauderdale, I cannot feel comfortable. 

They assured me my luggage Will be on the flight, but I really don't believe anything I hear from United Airlines again, for in my book, it has to be the worst airline flying the friendly skies😡.

update.

The flight finally took off around 6 pm and after quite a turbulent journey, we made it safely to FLL and guess what? As I reached the baggage area and checked through all the luggage that had been sent Ahead, my checked luggage was among them.😊

Better yet, a reliable Lyft driver arrived simultaneously with me as I got to the ride share point .

All's well that ends well, but never again United.

Link;

https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2023/06/an-american-nightmare.html?m=1.

Further update.

Just ran into this article about how the CEO of united Airlines was galavanting around in his private jet while not dealing with the tribulations of his passengers 😡 

https://nypost.com/2023/07/01/united-airlines-ceo-scott-kirby-takes-private-jet-amid-flight-cancelations/?&utm_campaign=nypdaily&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20230701&lctg=607d91dc373dd11b6ec35d8b&utm_term=NYP%20-%20Morning%20Report

An American nightmare

 It took an American entity to spoil what had been a great experience in Ghana and a wonderful two weeks with my daughter and granddaughter.

That entity is United airlines.

Their mis-steps were on the very last leg of this amazing journey 

After departing from Ghana 10 pm on the 27 th June and arriving at JFK airport on the afternoon of the 28 th, I had just one leg left on the long return journey.

 That was a flight from Newark airport to Fort Lauderdale.

That's when United Airlines screwed up everything. For after checking in and arriving at the departure gate, the announcement was made Flight Cancelled.

After waiting in a long line for United Airlines Customer service and learning from other irate passengers that their United flights to Florida had been disrupted from early morning, I became accepting on being told by the customer service representative that the disruptions were caused by weather conditions in Florida.

I later learned that this was a big lie though!

This was while I was traveling in the shuttle to a hotel and heard the news.

For the news on the radio was that United Airlines was having numerous cancellations during the busy holiday travel due to staff shortage and some internal problems.

You see, this is the American independence weekend and United has had cancellations on all their routes, not just Florida, due to internal problems.  

Nothing to do with weather.

These disruptions started yesterday.

So long story short, here I am suffering from jet lag at the Holiday Inn, in Newark Airport but without any luggage. Luckily I had hand luggage with essentials so hopefully will get out on the night of the 30th, which is the earliest flight I can get. (I was offered a flight via Missouri to Florida earlier that same day, and refused, so they put me in this night flight.)  I had even called Amtrak to see if I could even get a train home, but they are booked out for the holiday. 

I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies as  a lady going to Louisiana with her family was told she can't get out till Saturday and the news just said others are being told they can't get out till Monday 3rd July!

I am only happy that I have travel insurance through a reliable company which has come through for me in the past, so all the charges I a wracking up on my credit card will be repaid.

This is Allianz Insurance which paid my bill in full and without question when I collapsed some years ago in Colombia and had to be intravenously rehydrated. 

So now, I go nowhere without them! (Anyway, my experience is that the insurance sold by the airlines is nothing but a scam so have long stopped wasting money with them.)

Crooked United Airlines was not even offering anyone any form of compensation unless they asked.

 I insisted and  got 3 meal vouchers and a promise of 1 night maximum $100 refund for hotel stay, (they give you a list of the hotels they will 'contribute' to.) 

This is therefore where travel insurance will have to chip in, when my receipts are submitted.

Hopefully United will not cancel the flight on the 30th or lose my checked luggage😡.

Not holding my breath though.

Link: https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2023/06/time-for-fun.html