Where is the update sticky for the Fork Crew?

[justfishin]

I just wanted to know how the guys that went to Fork are doing and was looking for a sticky for updates, where do I look?

[StatosDadRI]

Just spoke with  LBH and they may have another fligth on a different carrier. They are back at the airport waiting inline for answer along with 100's of other people.   Mojo may be a bit worn down after this.....

[justfishin]

Poor guy. That blows big time. I hope he is not on that airport show that shows the disgruntled, aggressive and drunk passengers. Maybe he can be the guy bailing the 1 oz spinnerbaits at everyone,LOL. I do however feel for him.

[Guest avid]

bummer for LBH.

But as far as the update sticky goes.

Keep checking the "Lake fork sticky" thats been the primary info source all along.  It's still active and I for one will post any updates I get from muddy etc. in that location.

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Man, I truly feel for him. That just plain sucks!!!!!!

[nboucher]

Okay, LBH, cigarlover, and I just returned from the airport, and I'm back home. After considerable research, indignation, and cajoling at the ticket counter, we were able to get a flight tomorrow at about 3:30 PM, which should get us into Dallas at about 8 or so. Needless to say, we were contemplating some pretty grim scenarios, including not making it down to Fork at all. We highly recommend that none of you ever flies U.S. Airways. Their incompetence this morning was surpassed only by their rudeness and lack of customer service! We finally found a sympathetic ticket agent after our second time waiting in lines you wouldn't believe. At 4:40 a.m. this morning, the line at their ticket counter literally ran out the door of the terminal, and they had onecount 'emone person at a terminal. They shouldn't be in business.

Anyway, LBH's computer is being upgraded, so he probably won't be able to post until we get to Fork.

[Zel]

Was the problems only with US Ariways, or did it affect every carrier?  I think some of the problems had to do with a shortage of deicing fluid, and a new federal regulation that gives pilots a narrow window to get their planes in the air once the chemicals are applied. This change has meant some jets need to get doused repeatedly if their takeoffs are delayed.  This also means bigger problems than ever before in bad weather.  I might be wrong, but I think the responsibility for supplying and maintaining terminal deicing equipment is the job of the airport, not the airlines.  (I don't work for US Airways)

[nboucher]

Zel, it's hard to tell just what the problem was, but it almost certainly wasn't deicing. The storm here was on Friday, and today, two days later, the weather was sunny with bluebird skies and temps in the thirties. There was really no reason to deice, as far as I could see.

I couldn't get any straight answers from anyone at the airport, but my best guess is that the airlines had a lot of people from Friday's and Saturday's cancelled flights on their hands and they were getting these people to their destinations first. No doubt this was affecting all airlines, and my impression early this morning was that all the airlines were scrambling to get caught up.

Having said that, I do think all the other airlines handled the situation better than U.S Air. I say that because when we returned to the airport in the early afternoon, there were no lines at any of the other carriers, but U.S. Air's line was again almost to the terminal door. In fact, one reason we knew there were seats available before 6 pm on Tuesday was because cigarlover was able to walk right up to another carrier's ticket counterit was either American or Northwestand ask. That ticket agent gave him a printout of flights with open seats, which we were able to then take to the U.S Air counter.

When we did this, I struck up a conversation with the U.S Air ticket agent, who said that U.S. Air was having a lot of problems with its computer system, which it had gotten from America West, a system that just could not handle the volume of U.S. Air traffic. As a result, it didn't take much for the system to get overwhelmed, which was happening. She said they had a new system but a lot of the agents didn't really know how to use it yet. This, she said, meant that it often took far too long to deal with a customer, which in turn was causing the long lines we were seeing only at U.S. Air.

[Sam]

Awful news.

You are locked in at the airport, at the airline's mercy.

I hate when that happens.

That is why I now drive when ever possible and fly in the summer months, only.

After all, when you are hearded like cattle into a tube and flung through the air at 300+ MPH with only a half-can of a soft drink and a bag of those little fish things, what in the world are we to expect.

I sincerely hope the lodge understands the problem and can make a refund.

Maybe I'll go back and get my private pilot's license, again.  No, too much trouble.  I'll drive. After all, I have never heard of anyone falling 5,000 feet out of a DeSota.

[justfishin]

Thanks Avid, I will look forward to your updates. As far as US Air, don't get me started. I know that all airlines have problems from time to time but, out of the three times I booked with that  outfit, there was always some kind of incident with a bunch of BS included. I dislike that service. I have other family and friends whom have had the same problems with ol' " Five O'clock Charlie " as I like to call that outfit. I hope they got some money back and booked a flight with a real airline,lol.

[Zel]

nboucher, Yep from what you described, US Air seems to have messed up big time. A new computer system along with a winter storm, and no apparent contingency to deal with the problems is a recipe for disaster. And 2 days to get you guys out is just pitiful. Hope you get out soon.

[Sam]

PHILADELPHIA - Thousands of weary travelers faced a third day waiting to reach their destinations Sunday as US Airways struggled to recover from the ice and snow storm that paralyzed airports in the Northeast.

The airline was still trying to find seats for 100,000 passengers systemwide whose flights were grounded by Friday's storm, spokesman Andrew Christie said. Many of the passengers were diverted to US Airways' hub in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday.

Computer problems, airline staffing rules and other problems slowed US Airways' attempts to clear the backlog. In addition, the airline's flights on Sunday were already nearly sold out with 275,000 passengers booked, the airline said.

"Now we are in the process of repositioning our crew, our planes and we are trying to re-accommodate roughly 100,000 customers who didn't make their final destinations on Friday," Christie said.

"I can tell you the outlook for tonight looks good. We have the flight crews available and the weather is holding up pretty well," Christie said.

[Gotta Love It]

This absolutely sucks!!!  I hope everything works out!!!  

[=Matt 5.0=]

My sister just flew US Air from Paris to Philly, then on to Boston. She was over 2 hrs late. She just called to tell me what a mob scene Logan is right now.  :

[cart7t]

Bad news for LBH and company.  Hope his equipment gets there.