Scoop Airport/Hotel/Travel Thread

[Dish]

Just got back from weekend in NYC.  Thanks to Dish on his Westin Times Square recommendation, that worked out well.

NYC was fantastic.  My biggest takeaway is they are very serious on Vaxx requirement, every restaurant / bar asks for it from high end to dives BUT after that it's wide open.  Places are filled to capacity plus new parklets outside.  They don't seem to have any of the labor issues that Wisconsin is facing.  It was great to be out in packed & bustling spots again.

Awesome to hear!

[JWags85]

Anyone been hit with a "staff shortage" delay while traveling recently?  I had not, hadn't even heard of it short of some nearly empty flights being cancelled, but returned to MKE from a short trip on Sat, and my flight from ORD literally sat at the gate for 45 min cause they didn't have ground staff to man the gate/deplane.  Not waiting for a gate to be ready, not a log jam in the terminal area, but we had to wait for the gate next to us to finish boarding and be pushed out before my plane could be connected by groundcrew and disembarked.

Ive had myriad delays due to gate congestion, but this was flat out not having normal amounts of ground crew like it was 1AM or something. 

Of course we "landed" on time so the flight wasnt marked delayed 

[pbiflyer]

Just got back from weekend in NYC.  Thanks to Dish on his Westin Times Square recommendation, that worked out well.

NYC was fantastic.  My biggest takeaway is they are very serious on Vaxx requirement, every restaurant / bar asks for it from high end to dives BUT after that it's wide open.  Places are filled to capacity plus new parklets outside.  They don't seem to have any of the labor issues that Wisconsin is facing.  It was great to be out in packed & bustling spots again.

Thanks, we are headed that way this weekend. More for college tours, but will be nice to be able to relax a bit.

[warriorchick]

Anyone been hit with a "staff shortage" delay while traveling recently?  I had not, hadn't even heard of it short of some nearly empty flights being cancelled, but returned to MKE from a short trip on Sat, and my flight from ORD literally sat at the gate for 45 min cause they didn't have ground staff to man the gate/deplane.  Not waiting for a gate to be ready, not a log jam in the terminal area, but we had to wait for the gate next to us to finish boarding and be pushed out before my plane could be connected by groundcrew and disembarked.

Ive had myriad delays due to gate congestion, but this was flat out not having normal amounts of ground crew like it was 1AM or something. 

Of course we "landed" on time so the flight wasnt marked delayed 

We were scheduled to fly on a Southwest flight last week that was cancelled. We ended up getting on an earlier flight and with the change of planes, arriving at our destination at about  the same time as our original flight.

A couple of days ago, we got an "We're sorry" email from Southwest letting us know they were giving us $100 in credit for each of us.  Seeing as we only paid $49 apiece for the tickets, we were cool with everything.

[MuggsyB]

We were scheduled to fly on a Southwest flight last week that was cancelled. We ended up getting on an earlier flight and with the change of planes, arriving at our destination at about  the same time as our original flight.

A couple of days ago, we got an "We're sorry" email from Southwest letting us know they were giving us $100 in credit for each of us.  Seeing as we only paid $49 apiece for the tickets, we were cool with everything.

They must like you warriorchick because there are many nightmare stories out there over canceled SW flights the last few days.

[warriorchick]

They must like you warriorchick because there are many nightmare stories out there over canceled SW flights the last few days.

We were definitely on the leading edge of the big wave of cancellations.

[MuggsyB]

We were definitely on the leading edge of the big wave of cancellations.

They've got big probs.  The speculation is a  pilot shortage but my guess is it's an overall employee shortage.  I think they were hit much harder that the bigger airlines the first 8 mos or more of COVID.

[CreightonWarrior]

I have a southwest flight to Oakland tomorrow for a napa trip that I'm very worried about.

[warriorchick]

I have a southwest flight to Oakland tomorrow for a napa trip that I'm very worried about.

Check your emails as soon as you wake up, and get on the phone to Southwest ASAP to get on another flight. We got our email about the cancellation at 4:00 in the morning.

[CreightonWarrior]

Check your emails as soon as you wake up, and get on the phone to Southwest ASAP to get on another flight. We got our email about the cancellation at 4:00 in the morning.

appreciate the tip. Have a 6:15 out of omaha with a connection in Denver. Fingers crossed. Will southwest survive this?

[Dish]

I've had a ton of issues this year with short staffing, but have just become used to it as all hospitality recovers from the pandemic. Pre Covid I'd have been pissed, but now I just shrug and either wait (lack of hotel staff/Hertz closing 4 hours early, random stuff).

I did stay at the Westin on Michigan Ave this weekend, and first full service Marriott branded hotel I stayed at since Covid that had full lounge access/service. Honestly, it was great to have it back.

[brewcity77]

My parents are supposed to be flying in on Southwest tonight. We'll see how that goes. 

[tower912]

My daughter is supposed to fly in Friday for a wedding.   Fingers crossed.   I told her  yesterday to work on a back up plan.

[Uncle Rico]

My parents are supposed to be flying in on Southwest tonight. We'll see how that goes. 

Rent them a private jet

[cheebs09]

Heading to DC on Thursday via Southwest. Fingers crossed.

[CreightonWarrior]

First leg on time, second leg only delayed 35 minutes. Bullet dodged

[Spotcheck Billy]

Check your emails as soon as you wake up, and get on the phone to Southwest ASAP to get on another flight. We got our email about the cancellation at 4:00 in the morning.

I had a friend that was scheduled to fly from MKE to Dallas Sunday. She checked her emails before heading to the airport at 5am, flight was still scheduled. The flight was canceled by the time she got to Mitchel Field a half hour later.

[The Sultan]

I had a friend that was scheduled to fly from MKE to Dallas Sunday. She checked her emails before heading to the airport at 5am, flight was still scheduled. The flight was canceled by the time she got to Mitchel Field a half hour later.

I love the fact that people still call it Mitchell Field.

[JWags85]

I've had a ton of issues this year with short staffing, but have just become used to it as all hospitality recovers from the pandemic. Pre Covid I'd have been pissed, but now I just shrug and either wait (lack of hotel staff/Hertz closing 4 hours early, random stuff).

Yea, I mean hotels Ive come to expect.  Rental cars have been a disaster.  Flew into EWR on a Friday afternoon over the summer, prime summer rush time...and Hertz had a single counter open.  There was honestly 30-40 people in line.  It was shocking.  Same with multiple times renting cars at ORD cause my flight to MKE was cancelled and someone from another car company (not even the same rental family) had come over and was helping cause the lines were insane.

But this was a first for me with ground crew staffing.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Anyone been hit with a "staff shortage" delay while traveling recently?  I had not, hadn't even heard of it short of some nearly empty flights being cancelled, but returned to MKE from a short trip on Sat, and my flight from ORD literally sat at the gate for 45 min cause they didn't have ground staff to man the gate/deplane.  Not waiting for a gate to be ready, not a log jam in the terminal area, but we had to wait for the gate next to us to finish boarding and be pushed out before my plane could be connected by groundcrew and disembarked.

Ive had myriad delays due to gate congestion, but this was flat out not having normal amounts of ground crew like it was 1AM or something. 

Of course we "landed" on time so the flight wasnt marked delayed 

American just ended their flights to/from Tweed New Haven airport.  The reason was "pilot & staff shortage" as the airline was doing good with filling flights.  They plan to resume at an undisclosed time in the future.

[Galway Eagle]

Anyone been hit with a "staff shortage" delay while traveling recently?  I had not, hadn't even heard of it short of some nearly empty flights being cancelled, but returned to MKE from a short trip on Sat, and my flight from ORD literally sat at the gate for 45 min cause they didn't have ground staff to man the gate/deplane.  Not waiting for a gate to be ready, not a log jam in the terminal area, but we had to wait for the gate next to us to finish boarding and be pushed out before my plane could be connected by groundcrew and disembarked.

Ive had myriad delays due to gate congestion, but this was flat out not having normal amounts of ground crew like it was 1AM or something. 

Of course we "landed" on time so the flight wasnt marked delayed 

a buddy was supposed to visit from Denver last week and he was delayed an hour before they canceled it because they couldn't find a pilot. I'm meant to be in Atlanta this weekend and I'm fully expecting it to be canceled.

[drewm88]

I have a southwest flight to Oakland tomorrow for a napa trip that I'm very worried about.

We're a day behind you, to SFO, for a Sonoma trip. Finally switched to United for the trip out after SW twice rebooked us, but that was in the summer as they cut back their schedules. Still SW coming back so we'll see how that goes.

[MuggsyB]

a buddy was supposed to visit from Denver last week and he was delayed an hour before they canceled it because they couldn't find a pilot. I'm meant to be in Atlanta this weekend and I'm fully expecting it to be canceled.

Good luck Galway.  I'm gonna be in Atlanta next Tues.   Would you like my pilot to pick you up? 

[Galway Eagle]

Good luck Galway.  I'm gonna be in Atlanta next Tues.   Would you like my pilot to pick you up? 

Yeah send them my way!

[rocky_warrior]

They've got big probs.  The speculation is a  pilot shortage but my guess is it's an overall employee shortage.  I think they were hit much harder that the bigger airlines the first 8 mos or more of COVID.

You do realize that Southwest is the largest US Domestic airline.  Yes, others are bigger globally, but when it come to shuttling people around this tiny little country of ours, there is none bigger.

We were scheduled to fly on a Southwest flight last week that was cancelled. We ended up getting on an earlier flight and with the change of planes, arriving at our destination at about  the same time as our original flight.

A couple of days ago, we got an "We're sorry" email from Southwest letting us know they were giving us $100 in credit for each of us.  Seeing as we only paid $49 apiece for the tickets, we were cool with everything.

Similar boat a couple months ago, except my flight was only about 4 hours late.  $100 credit within a week.