Reasons to be delayed - Part 1 (c. Ian Dury)
Discussion
Following on from the tardiness thread, I have remembered some odd reasons (excuses) that my flights have been delayed. i'm sure others have heard better stories so I thought it might make interesting reading.
I posted about the KLM half-full sewage tanks earlier.
Another one I remembered was SAA from London to Jo'burg. They do 2 flights each night, and I usually try to get the early one. We were sitting on board one evening when the flight crew announced that departure would be delayed because there was no medical kit on board the aircraft. Half an hour later announced that we were ready to depart, the first officer had visited the other aircraft and 'borrowed' their medical kit.
I remember one Ethiopian into Jo'burg where the arrival was abandoned well into the final approach, full power and up we went. It was announced that we had a technical fault and were diverting to Maputo (Mozambique). We sat on the ground in Maputo for about an hour, no technicians or anything. Then 3 stretched black Mercedes limousines pulled up to the fron steps and 3 very important looking gentlemen came on board and sat down, and we went back to Jo'burg, about 3 hours late.
Another one I remember wasn't really airline related (although they could probably have handled it better) but hotel shuttle related. It was an early morning flight from Dakar to Jo'burg around 6am. The SAA flight from Dakar was a stopover from East Coast USA (usually Washington) to Jo'burg, mainly for fuel but also for a couple of pickups and dropoffs. I was staying in one of the Accor hotels (Sofitel I think). The airport shuttle served both the Novotel and the Sofitel. I booked the 3am shuttle, and checked out waiting in the lobby in plenty of time. Complaining regularly to the reception staff in pidgin Frenglish. I wasn't alone, there were others catching the same flight, about a dozen of us all together. 3.30 came. Then 4.00...4.30..5.00 The reception staff assured us that the airline was aware of the problem and everything was in hand at the airport and there would be no problems. Eventually the shuttle bus arrived, and we got to the airport about 5.45. I was travelling business class, they called my name and took me straight out to the plane with no paperwork or document checks. As soon as I got on board, they closed the doors and off we went, leaving the economy passengers waiting at the check in hall.
I'm sure others will come to mind.
I posted about the KLM half-full sewage tanks earlier.
Another one I remembered was SAA from London to Jo'burg. They do 2 flights each night, and I usually try to get the early one. We were sitting on board one evening when the flight crew announced that departure would be delayed because there was no medical kit on board the aircraft. Half an hour later announced that we were ready to depart, the first officer had visited the other aircraft and 'borrowed' their medical kit.
I remember one Ethiopian into Jo'burg where the arrival was abandoned well into the final approach, full power and up we went. It was announced that we had a technical fault and were diverting to Maputo (Mozambique). We sat on the ground in Maputo for about an hour, no technicians or anything. Then 3 stretched black Mercedes limousines pulled up to the fron steps and 3 very important looking gentlemen came on board and sat down, and we went back to Jo'burg, about 3 hours late.
Another one I remember wasn't really airline related (although they could probably have handled it better) but hotel shuttle related. It was an early morning flight from Dakar to Jo'burg around 6am. The SAA flight from Dakar was a stopover from East Coast USA (usually Washington) to Jo'burg, mainly for fuel but also for a couple of pickups and dropoffs. I was staying in one of the Accor hotels (Sofitel I think). The airport shuttle served both the Novotel and the Sofitel. I booked the 3am shuttle, and checked out waiting in the lobby in plenty of time. Complaining regularly to the reception staff in pidgin Frenglish. I wasn't alone, there were others catching the same flight, about a dozen of us all together. 3.30 came. Then 4.00...4.30..5.00 The reception staff assured us that the airline was aware of the problem and everything was in hand at the airport and there would be no problems. Eventually the shuttle bus arrived, and we got to the airport about 5.45. I was travelling business class, they called my name and took me straight out to the plane with no paperwork or document checks. As soon as I got on board, they closed the doors and off we went, leaving the economy passengers waiting at the check in hall.
I'm sure others will come to mind.
I turned up at Port Au Prince airport for an Insel Air flight to Curacao. My ticket said something like 10am so we arrived in good time as that airport is absolute chaos and looks like it’s been shelled. Check in wasn’t open so we waited, about an hour before the scheduled departure time I went to their ticket desk and asked when check in was going to open, they didn’t know and said they couldn’t talk to me because they didn’t open til 0930. I thought that odd, you can’t sell tickets if the flight is departing so I phoned Insel Air in Curaçao and asked, yes they said 10am, check in will open soon. So I went on the Insel air website and found the flight had only just left Curacao (on time may I add) and they’d completely f
ked up their scheduling. I believe they’re pretty much bust now after having a load of planes grounded (including the one we flew on). According to an employee at Port Au Prince we were lucky they hadn’t cancelled the flight, apparently they did that most days.
Never fly Insel air, never go to Haiti would be my advice.
ked up their scheduling. I believe they’re pretty much bust now after having a load of planes grounded (including the one we flew on). According to an employee at Port Au Prince we were lucky they hadn’t cancelled the flight, apparently they did that most days.Never fly Insel air, never go to Haiti would be my advice.
Got on a plane to fly to Manchester from Munich - one of those short fat jets.
We were stuck on the tarmac for an age due to a technical fault - but a technician was on his way. Eventually the front doors are opened to allow a bloke in blue overalls who looked like Super Mario on board. I wasn't very reassured - his highly technical plane fettling equipment was a huge adjustable spanner and a bucket.
(Which reminds me of another story but that's not relevant here).
We were stuck on the tarmac for an age due to a technical fault - but a technician was on his way. Eventually the front doors are opened to allow a bloke in blue overalls who looked like Super Mario on board. I wasn't very reassured - his highly technical plane fettling equipment was a huge adjustable spanner and a bucket.
(Which reminds me of another story but that's not relevant here).
Went on a cheap package holiday to Cuba years ago. As we were going to check out the resort we were stopped and told our plane was very delayed and we could stay a little longer. Eventually made it to the airport and buy airport, I mean a tin hut and a runway.
Waited for hours and hours. Eventually the plane turns up. It was late because there were too many passengers to come back and they had to move all the seats forward to put another row in. Me being 6'5'' meant I had a fking uncomfortable flight home. Worst thing was just as were about to take off a woman decided she felt ill. Had to wait for her to be seen to. What made that even worse was the 3 hours we had sat in the airport that she could have felt ill we were sharing the airport with a delegation of Red Cross doctors.
Waited for hours and hours. Eventually the plane turns up. It was late because there were too many passengers to come back and they had to move all the seats forward to put another row in. Me being 6'5'' meant I had a f
king uncomfortable flight home. Worst thing was just as were about to take off a woman decided she felt ill. Had to wait for her to be seen to. What made that even worse was the 3 hours we had sat in the airport that she could have felt ill we were sharing the airport with a delegation of Red Cross doctors.I was stuck on a BA Airbus coming back from Amsterdam a few years ago. All normal taxiing out but as it turned onto the runway all the lights went out for a few seconds and everything went quiet. The captain announced that there was an issue and we taxied off to a holding area and waited for a maintenance guy to come and look. After about forty minutes he'd sorted it but hadn't brought some paperwork so we still couldn't leave. we spent 2 more hours watching the other flights behind us go but did get given lots of drinks which was nice. I assume they have to update the service history 
as he eventually arrived with a large folder and we were off..
Apparently a computer didn't agree with another so the default was to abort everything. While we were waiting the captain came out back and chatting away referred to the Airbus as the "PlayStation".
as he eventually arrived with a large folder and we were off..Apparently a computer didn't agree with another so the default was to abort everything. While we were waiting the captain came out back and chatting away referred to the Airbus as the "PlayStation".
I just remembered one of my more pleasant delays. I was going down to the Falklands for a quick business trip, from Brize Norton with the RAF. We taxied out, and just about to head down the runway we powered down and the captain told us we were taxying back because of a faulty computer that needed to be swapped so we would be delayed a couple of hours.
We all got off, but not into the departure lounge. They put us in the baggage reclaim hall. I ended up sitting on a (stationary) baggage conveyor next to a nice looking black lady. I thought I recognised her, and saw she was looking at her American passport. Turned out it was Sheila Ferguson from the Three Degrees. She was on her way down to entertain the troops. Had a nice half hour chat, she's a lovely person.
That was one delay I didn't really mind.
We all got off, but not into the departure lounge. They put us in the baggage reclaim hall. I ended up sitting on a (stationary) baggage conveyor next to a nice looking black lady. I thought I recognised her, and saw she was looking at her American passport. Turned out it was Sheila Ferguson from the Three Degrees. She was on her way down to entertain the troops. Had a nice half hour chat, she's a lovely person.
That was one delay I didn't really mind.
A delay but viewed form the crews perspective.
Trident aircraft with my Father as Captain. Some remote, hot, foreign location.
One of the outboard engines failed to start. Engineers called and declared the 'starter motor' was duff. Think it's called an 'airstart' but could be wrong. No spares available so prospect was waiting for one to be shipped via another airline which I believe is quite common practise.
Dad asked how long it would take to change when a spare arrived and was told it would only take a short while to do as it was quite accessible. He then asked if one could be removed from a running engine. The engineer was reluctant to answer as he knew what was coming next.
They were pushed back and onto a remote stand where the engineers duly removed the good starter from the now running engine and fitted on the other side.
The 3 man engineering team each left with a bottle of whisky, a bottle of Gin and a bottle of champaign.
Steve
Trident aircraft with my Father as Captain. Some remote, hot, foreign location.
One of the outboard engines failed to start. Engineers called and declared the 'starter motor' was duff. Think it's called an 'airstart' but could be wrong. No spares available so prospect was waiting for one to be shipped via another airline which I believe is quite common practise.
Dad asked how long it would take to change when a spare arrived and was told it would only take a short while to do as it was quite accessible. He then asked if one could be removed from a running engine. The engineer was reluctant to answer as he knew what was coming next.
They were pushed back and onto a remote stand where the engineers duly removed the good starter from the now running engine and fitted on the other side.
The 3 man engineering team each left with a bottle of whisky, a bottle of Gin and a bottle of champaign.
Steve
Steve_D said:
A delay but viewed form the crews perspective.
Trident aircraft with my Father as Captain. Some remote, hot, foreign location.
One of the outboard engines failed to start. Engineers called and declared the 'starter motor' was duff. Think it's called an 'airstart' but could be wrong. No spares available so prospect was waiting for one to be shipped via another airline which I believe is quite common practise.
Dad asked how long it would take to change when a spare arrived and was told it would only take a short while to do as it was quite accessible. He then asked if one could be removed from a running engine. The engineer was reluctant to answer as he knew what was coming next.
They were pushed back and onto a remote stand where the engineers duly removed the good starter from the now running engine and fitted on the other side.
The 3 man engineering team each left with a bottle of whisky, a bottle of Gin and a bottle of champaign.
Steve
That's excellent lateral thinking. I've only had one let go at Heathrow but I'll remember that trick for the future Trident aircraft with my Father as Captain. Some remote, hot, foreign location.
One of the outboard engines failed to start. Engineers called and declared the 'starter motor' was duff. Think it's called an 'airstart' but could be wrong. No spares available so prospect was waiting for one to be shipped via another airline which I believe is quite common practise.
Dad asked how long it would take to change when a spare arrived and was told it would only take a short while to do as it was quite accessible. He then asked if one could be removed from a running engine. The engineer was reluctant to answer as he knew what was coming next.
They were pushed back and onto a remote stand where the engineers duly removed the good starter from the now running engine and fitted on the other side.
The 3 man engineering team each left with a bottle of whisky, a bottle of Gin and a bottle of champaign.
Steve
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