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A De-Flowered Virgin America Flight?

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Old 20th Mar 2010, 20:58
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A De-Flowered Virgin America Flight?

Perhaps all of this was concocted by the producers of Fly Girls in a lame attempt to add some drama, spice and a boost of the show's ratings?

Just a theory.

ONTPax

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Virgin America Flight's Grueling Delay Compounded by Surly Staff

A Cross-Country Flight Turns Into A Massive Delay For Passengers
By HANNA SIEGEL

March 16, 2010—

The low point in a hellish 19 hour Los Angeles to New York flight during the last weekend's storm came when the cabin crew came through and offered the starving passengers a choice of meals: either four or five Pringles or a tiny cup of almonds.

The passengers aboard Virgin America's flight 404 were among the most put upon victims of this weekend's torrential rain storm.

The flight left California at 10:34 a.m. ET on Saturday and was due to land at New York storm lashed JFK airport at 3:35 p.m. ET, a five hour flight.

But it wasn't until 2 a.m. Sunday when the hungry, thirsty and exhausted passengers finally arrived in New York -- by bus.

During the ordeal, the passengers were given water and some Pringles. And plenty of guff from the plane's crew.

"We were diverted and everyone was fine about that. It's just a bummer," passenger David Martin told ABC News.

"But the flight crew started to freak out, to have some problems with how they were dealing with the passengers on the flight...Basically they ended up snapping at passengers when they tried to get off," Martin said.

"One of the flight attendants told a passenger to 'shut the hell up' and that they were 'getting on their nerves.' It wasn't that 'oh god were stuck in the plane for hours.' It was how the flight crew was handling the situation. They were not handling it well at all," he said.

Uana Coccoloni was posting on Facebook during the ordeal.

"Can't get off, they won't taxi to the terminal so that we can get out, no food and we are going to JFK no matter what time it is....it can't be okay to have people sitting on the plane for 4 hours and what will likely be many more. Aren't there laws about this? VA gets a big thumbs down today," she posted.

Coccoloni went back to venting about 30 minutes later, writing, "Virgin....I've now been stuck on the tarmac for 4-1/2 hours. Don't you think you should let us out??"

Law student Justin Gordon said hunger and thirst began to take its toll.

"People just started to get upset," Gordon told ABC News. "There was no food, no water for like two and a half hours. One of the flight attendants walked by...I said, 'Excuse me,' he didn't respond. I said excuse me again and then he finally looked at me and I said 'You know, I'm really hungry. I haven't eaten since this morning is there any food that I can buy or anything?' He said 'No&sorry, there's no food.'

"And then about a half hour later they came around with little cups with about four or five Pringles in them and maybe a different one with 10 almonds and a little cup of water...you have a choice between Pringles or a tiny cup of almonds," he said.

Virgin America CEO David Cush sent an apology letter today to each of the passengers and promised to refund their fares. He also called passengers including Martin and "Dancing with the Stars" host Carrie-Ann Inaba, who was also on the flight.

Virgin America Offers Refunds and $100 Credits

"We pride ourselves on putting the well-being of our travelers first and making sure that, in stressful situations, we put our guests at ease. We clearly failed this on your flight," Cush wrote.

Virgin's flight 404 headed into New York's stormy weather at a time when winds were gusting up to 60 mph. After an extended amount of time circling, flight 404 was diverted to Stewart Airport, 60 miles north of the city.

There the plane languished on the tarmac for at least 4.5 hours. Passengers claim they stuck on the tarmac even longer. The plane ran out of food, and extra water had to be brought on board.

During this time guests were able to leave the aircraft via air stairs and several opted to do so. For those who chose to stay, the wait was grueling.

Eventually, the passengers were put on buses and driven into New York City, arriving about 2 a.m.

In his letter, Cush said, "There are many things that I could tell you to try to explain the situation and provide more context. Certainly, the weather at JFK was dreadful and flights were being diverted for most of the day. We also are not equipped to handle flights at Stewart."

"But, ultimately, it is our responsibility to ensure that our guests are handled with the care and respect that they deserve when they buy a ticket on our airline," he wrote.

Cush's public relations effort seemed to work. Coccoloni, posted her appreciation on Facebook.

"Thank you Virgin America for responding so quickly and appropriately to what occurred on Flt 404 on Saturday," she wrote. Citing her refund, a $100 credit for her next flight, the letter and phone call, she wrote, "This is why I am and will always be a loyal customer of Virgin America. Thank you."


A video of the incident can be viewed here:

Virgin America's Massive Flight Delay from Los Angeles to New York - ABC News

ABC's Matt Hosford and Ron Claiborne contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures
ONTPax is offline  
Old 20th Mar 2010, 23:28
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Trash du Blanc
 
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You buy a low-cost-carrier ticket and then whine about the service?

What do you think those F/A's make, anyway?
Huck is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2010, 01:32
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advice

if you have the chance to get off a ''stuck flight''...get the hell off...you are likely to have access to food, drink, bathrooms, telephones...hotels , taxicabs etc.

granted, you may have to pay for all of this stuff ... I do remember the days that if a flight was delayed, the airline would put you up in a decent hotel, give you vouchers for food and you would be well treated.

BUT THE AMERICAN TRAVELING PUBLIC WANTED THINGS CHEAP...NOT GREAT...YOUR FAULT, NOT MINE.
protectthehornet is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2010, 07:06
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Yes, ProtectTheHornet, I remember these days, the rules were clear and I was not critised for putting almost 150 people ( including crew ) in to the best hotel in town
when the flight was canx after doors closed.

I believe the worst times are still to come, the fact that everything has to be cheap will in the end ruin the airline industy.
BEA 71 is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2010, 08:47
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Huck, I think that you have failed to grasp the issue here. Do you need me to draw pictures?
Avman is offline  
Old 21st Mar 2010, 14:57
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Nasty weather that day in New York, power outages, flooding, diverted flights all over the Northeast, not sure why the press singled them out for a trashing.

A Jet Blue buddy was at SWF when this all happened, says the passengers were given several chances to get off the aircraft via airstairs. Twenty or so did, the rest chose to stay on board.

Gotta love the journos/bloggers, jackals, every one of 'em...
bugg smasher is offline  

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