Comments on: What am I owed for a 12-hour flight to nowhere? http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JARaphs http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/comment-page-1/#comment-9706 JARaphs Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:29:17 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/#comment-9706 I flew the CO EWR-Beijing flight a few years ago, and everything about the way the flight was run was outstanding, at least from this coach passenger's perspective. On our return to the US, takeoff was delayed about two hours after the plane was fully boarded. The reason? A sick student in a school group. The crew did a great job of keeping us updated, and informed us that, on arrival in the US, we would be quarantined while doctors boarded the plane. It was about an hour of delay after we landed. CO was doing everything possible to protect both the passengers on board, and the ill passenger (who probably should never have boarded). The passenger on the flight you wrote about must have been very sick - let us not forget that foreign countries are NOT interested in having sick people crossing borders. CO did the right thing by flying back - and it's understandable that there isn't a backup 777 with crew waiting in EWR for moments like these. I flew the CO EWR-Beijing flight a few years ago, and everything about the way the flight was run was outstanding, at least from this coach passenger’s perspective.
On our return to the US, takeoff was delayed about two hours after the plane was fully boarded. The reason? A sick student in a school group. The crew did a great job of keeping us updated, and informed us that, on arrival in the US, we would be quarantined while doctors boarded the plane. It was about an hour of delay after we landed. CO was doing everything possible to protect both the passengers on board, and the ill passenger (who probably should never have boarded).
The passenger on the flight you wrote about must have been very sick – let us not forget that foreign countries are NOT interested in having sick people crossing borders. CO did the right thing by flying back – and it’s understandable that there isn’t a backup 777 with crew waiting in EWR for moments like these.

]]> By: Chris http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/comment-page-1/#comment-9699 Chris Thu, 06 Mar 2008 05:13:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/#comment-9699 Well, it wasn't entirely a flight to nowhere. They did arrive across the concourse from where they departed. Well, it wasn’t entirely a flight to nowhere. They did arrive across the concourse from where they departed.

]]> By: Stewart Sheinfeld http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/comment-page-1/#comment-9628 Stewart Sheinfeld Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:06:18 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/#comment-9628 according to the times listed here the plane arrived back in Newark 12 hours before it left according to the times listed here the plane arrived back in Newark 12 hours before it left

]]> By: Jeff http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/comment-page-1/#comment-9627 Jeff Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:47:40 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/#comment-9627 But did the pax get the miles for both trips?! But did the pax get the miles for both trips?!

]]> By: Mike http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/comment-page-1/#comment-9603 Mike Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:37:37 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/#comment-9603 I am going to disagree with Joe. I don't know the details of the ill passenger but given the hassles of an emergency landing, I would assume it was a serious situation where a life may have been at risk. I think hotel and meals back in EWR is fairly reasonable given the circumstances. It doesn't make up for the PITA factor the other passengers, but stuff happens in life. I am going to disagree with Joe. I don’t know the details of the ill passenger but given the hassles of an emergency landing, I would assume it was a serious situation where a life may have been at risk.

I think hotel and meals back in EWR is fairly reasonable given the circumstances. It doesn’t make up for the PITA factor the other passengers, but stuff happens in life.

]]> By: Joe Farrell http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/comment-page-1/#comment-9600 Joe Farrell Mon, 03 Mar 2008 19:57:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-am-i-owed-for-a-12-hour-flight-to-nowhere/#comment-9600 What if there was a mechanical? A sick passenger fits in the category of a mechanical problem for me. It is NOT a 'force majeure' as those phrases are defined. Just ask the AA passenger who died. There was no diversion there. CO made the decision to terminate the flight in Goose Bay. The reason was flight crew time out. They had NO CHOICE but to return to EWR. The only OTHER choice was waiting until the crew was legal the next day. CO would have had to put everyone up in Goose Bay. Are there enough hotel rooms for a 777-300 of passengers in Goose Bay at the last minute? There are some seriuos practical issues here. I thnnk CO is on the hook for any expenses incurred back in NYC, or, a lost Beijing hotel cost., which these days is $75 a night at most western style hotels. What if there was a mechanical? A sick passenger fits in the category of a mechanical problem for me. It is NOT a ‘force majeure’ as those phrases are defined. Just ask the AA passenger who died. There was no diversion there. CO made the decision to terminate the flight in Goose Bay. The reason was flight crew time out. They had NO CHOICE but to return to EWR. The only OTHER choice was waiting until the crew was legal the next day. CO would have had to put everyone up in Goose Bay. Are there enough hotel rooms for a 777-300 of passengers in Goose Bay at the last minute?

There are some seriuos practical issues here. I thnnk CO is on the hook for any expenses incurred back in NYC, or, a lost Beijing hotel cost., which these days is $75 a night at most western style hotels.

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