A Well Deserved "I Told You So"

This was an a-ha moment for me when I read this report just a few minutes ago on yahoo
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090821/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_nightmare_flight

The airlines I had the problem with shipping the very first pup was this very same airlines... Mesaba. They bill themselves as the US's longest flying regional airline. And it's really hard to understand how they've stayed in business. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Instead, blame for the incident, which has revived calls for greater consumer protections for airline passengers, belongs with Mesaba Airlines, whose representative declined to let the ExpressJet passengers deplane, LaHood said in a statement.

A Mesaba representative incorrectly told ExpressJet that the passengers couldn't be allowed inside the terminal because Transportation Security Administration personnel had left for the day, LaHood said.

Actually, security regulations allow for deplaning passengers to be kept in a separate "sterile" area until they are ready to board, he said.

"We have determined that the Express Jet crew was not at fault. In fact, the flight crew repeatedly tried to get permission to deplane the passengers at the airport or obtain a bus for them," LaHood said.

"There was a complete lack of common sense here," the secretary added. "It's no wonder the flying public is so angry and frustrated." (Bold is mine.)

To be fair... to be fair... Mesaba was NOT the airline involved in the flight. They were the only ground crew still on duty. Which doesn't excuse dumb.

My complaint to Mesaba was answered by NWAir and was almost as frustrating as the original problem. Apparently airline personnel are trained to send out form letters even if they don't have one that fits. After several back and forths... with the NW guy STILL not getting it... I got an email thanking me for my comments and suggestions. If they get around to reading the comments, I'm SURE they won't take the
suggestion! Seriously, I tried to be nice but they just don't get it. It is no wonder more and more airlines are falling by the wayside (no pun intended.)

And, again to be fair... the local counter people and I have worked out our differences (they are just as frustrated as shippers are) and are doing just fine.