Skyhawk62507 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 168 posts, RR: 1 Posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 2329 times:
I had probably the worst flight I've ever had Sunday... not because the flight was late (it wasn't) or the crew (a surprisingly animated, albeit flighty, FA). I'm not even complaining that it was in a dreaded CRJ200. But the fact it was an RJ on a shorthaul flight probably had something to do with it... so I thought I'd ask for your own worst RJ experiences.
Here's mine. Yesterday I flew from ATW to ORD on United Express, operated by Mesa Airlines. When I arrived at the airport, the agent told me that due to weather holds from that morning, Mesa's flights into ORD were being delayed, on average, about an hour. "United (mainline) is taking all our slots so they can get caught up," the agent told me apologetically.
No worries, that's why I had a three hour layover before my flight home to DFW, after all. Surprisingly, though, shortly after the 4:15 scheduled departure time passed, an announcement came over the speakers saying our flight (7380) had just been granted an early release, and to get on the plane NOW.
Cool! But that would be the last cool experience I had on this plane.
Now, I understand why carriers don't run the a/c on high while on the ground, due to fuel issues and the like. However, I expect things to cool down once we're airborne... which never happened on this flight. For a total of 65 minutes (thank God it wasn't longer) we sweltered under the faintest wisps of air coming from the overhead vents.
Passengers were using safety cards to fan themselves; one man behind me, complaining of claustrophobia, was given a cup of water to help... somehow. And, of course, this all happened in the middle of a freak heatwave in the area.
To make matters worse, as we arrived earlier than planned at ORD... we then had to stew in the holding area for another half hour, beyond our 35-minute flying time, before a gate was freed.
The FA had no explanation to offer for the lack of a/c on the plane, and the cockpit door was just cracked open as I exited (evidentally, they did not want to hear complaints.)
Could the lack of a/c have been a fuel-saving method, and if this is so, is this Mesa policy? I suspect because we never flew higher than 15,000 ft, the air flow into the cabin was on "low" ... although I've been on other shorthaul flights, and at least what air was available was cooled. Insights appreciated.
Lowrider From United States of America, joined Jun 2004, 3220 posts, RR: 11 Reply 1, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2286 times:
Quoting Skyhawk62507 (Thread starter): Could the lack of a/c have been a fuel-saving method, and if this is so, is this Mesa policy? I suspect because we never flew higher than 15,000 ft, the air flow into the cabin was on "low" ... although I've been on other shorthaul flights, and at least what air was available was cooled. Insights appreciated.
The Packs were probably being run off of the APU. Which, as it ages, cannot provide as much bleed air as when new. Also, I cannot speak to the condition of the packs, which may limit thier ability to provide cool air. The APU may have been defered, in which case the only bleed air available would be from the 10th stage bleeds, where there is very little available at idle or low power settings.
On the 50 seat CRJ, there is no high or low setting for airflow. It is basically on or off.
Falstaff From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 5673 posts, RR: 29 Reply 2, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2233 times:
I once sat next to a BIG fat lady on an CRJ flight-STL-DTW. I was on the window side and I was smushed. It was hot too! I was so smushed that I had a hard time drinking my Coke and reading my magazine! It was in the first row too, the entire time I was thinking that if I was in this seat on a "regular" plane it would be first class.
Brons2 From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 2969 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2191 times:
I had a AMS-CVG-DFW routing on DL, where the CVG-DFW portion was on a CRJ-200. Ugh.
So we go and load up in the plane. Warm day, probably upper 80s, not much AC to speak of. Then we sit. And sit. And sit. And sit.
Finally the crew acknowledges that there is some sort of problem with dispatch. Our CRJ is full, really full, not one empty seat. I thought we were going to have to take some people off.
Finally after about an hour of sweating, the door is closed and we pull back. The takeoff roll is forever and a day. I wonder if we are ever going to get airborne. Finally we do and climb quite slowly. At least there seems to be more AC. But alas I am stuck in a window seat, and I am 6'7". The side of the fuselage is forcing me to slump over to my side. Fortunately, a family member was sitting next to me.
2.5 torturous hours later, we approach DFW. I follow our path through the various suburbs and towards the easternmost runway. As we near the runway, we suddenly pull back up and start going around. The captain comes over the intercom and says that we were too heavy to land (after a 2.5 hour flight from CVG????). So anyways we do a big loop around Dallas and finally come in for a landing about 20 minutes later.
As we taxi up to the terminal, it appears nobody has come to meet us. Again, it is hot. Really hot this time, 96F. They let a few of us, myself included since I was in 1A, stand outside the plane since it was getting to be an oven onboard. After sitting there for about 20 minutes, finally some ground crew show up and we are escorted from the tarmac.
At that point I decided never to fly Delta again. I broke that promise on September 8th of 2005 flying AUS-CVG-CMH on the way to see Texas play Ohio State. It was much more convenient to my schedule and only cost about $120 one way. Plus I got a 732 on CVG-CMH, which didn't suck. Nevertheless I was stuck on a CRJ-700 from AUS-CVG. Next time it's WN.
Firings, if well done, are good for employee morale.
MattRB From Canada, joined Apr 2005, 1624 posts, RR: 11 Reply 4, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 2175 times:
Flew 9E MSP-AVL Dec 25, 2004. Two hours on a CRJ. Not so bad, were it not for the fact that I had been up since 3AM that morning. Got caught up in the Comair Christmas Computer Crash of 2005 and had be shifted to NW to fly back to NC for the holidays.
By the time I boarded, I was tired as all get out (10:55PM arrival time, boarded around 8PM local in MSP) and there was a toddler on board that pretty much cried the entire way. Needless to say, by the time we landed in AVL, I was NOT happy after having to endure that exceedlingly LONG day.
Aviation is proof that given, the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible.
Dimoko From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 307 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 2131 times:
I had two great experiences in one trip!
i was flying from ATW to DTW, before my return to CLE.
There was a snow storm in chicago, which caused the 2 flights to be delayed before ours.
now about an hour before my flight is supposed to leave, there is still no gate agent, then a half hour, then someone comes in from the tarmac, keep in mind it is about 10 degrees outside at the time.
in all this scrambling, we leave about an hour late, but he had an hour and a half layover, and they say they can make up some time in the air. we do, and we arrive about 20 minutes before the departure of my connecting flight to CLE...
on this delayed flight however, i was in the aisle, and i am no small guy myself...i was seated by a lady who probably weighed 350 lbs, and took up all of her seat and most of mine. i spent the entire hour in the air leaned out into the aisle.
so we got to DTW, and pull up to the gate...and sat, and sat and sat. for about 15 minutes while they waited for someone to work the jetway! we ran across the airport, thru the underground tunnel, and got to our gate just in time to see it push back...
northwest said because it was weather related, we did NOT get a hotel voucher (even tho the guy in front of us in line did...) we were able to book a flight for the morning, and spent the night in the lovely DTW terminal!
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -- Douglas Adams
EasternSon From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 660 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2110 times:
A Mesaba flight on a Saab 340 between Appleton, WI and Detroit.
The flight attendant was surly, the ride was very bumpy, and there were three or four teenage girls returning from vacation, hopped up on sugar, afraid of flying, and getting each other more upset as the flight went on.
I think I am one of the few people in the world who couldn't wait to get to Detroit.
"The only people for me are the mad ones...." Jack Kerouac
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 9 Reply 7, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 2106 times:
Excuse me but RJ stands Royal Jordanian and not one person has posted anything about their worst Royal Jordanian flight.
Dimoko From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 307 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (6 years 9 months 3 weeks 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 2081 times:
Quoting 474218 (Reply 7): Excuse me but RJ stands Royal Jordanian and not one person has posted anything about their worst Royal Jordanian flight.
Thats because all of my Royal Jordanian flights have been AMAZING!!
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -- Douglas Adams
Boston92 From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 3390 posts, RR: 7 Reply 9, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 2044 times:
Two hour flight on Skywests DEN-SBA. Most of the reading lights went out (yes it was a night flight), sat next to a large(r) person, very hot onboard, my fifth flight of the day, hit my head (6 foot 3 inches does not mix with a CRJ) getting off the plane, almost fell down the stairs getting off, and my car was gone when I finally got to the parking lot.
"Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200 and a substantial tax cut save you 30 cents?"
MesaMXORD From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 2028 times:
Quoting Skyhawk62507 (Thread starter): Could the lack of a/c have been a fuel-saving method, and if this is so, is this Mesa policy? I suspect because we never flew higher than 15,000 ft, the air flow into the cabin was on "low" ... although I've been on other shorthaul flights, and at least what air was available was cooled. Insights appreciated.
CRJ-200's ECS system likes to break only when it is most inconvenient. Most likely in your case the APU was deferred (which then keeps the cabin temp up) and It sounds like the RH pack was also MEL'D (the low airflow). When both packs and APU works those planes are very comfortable. I wish we could find some replacement for the APU currently installed. Sorry you unfortunately flew on one of the 2 A/C we have currently with deferred APU's
Added
Also the CRJ-200 Has a PRSOV (Pressure Regulating Shut-off Valve) off each engine and at flight-idle and on the ground doesnt supply the Packs with the same as the 28-40 P.S.I the APU can supply or the high P.S.I. the engines give you at high power.
If you think this flight was bad there is a link on a UA777 that had the same problem. But + 200 more peoples body heat
AirWillie6475 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 2448 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 2004 times:
Come on you sound like you're 75. Deal with it, have you flown cessnas in the summer? The've got no ac just outside air vents, nobody's complaining. Think of the people who had to flying in 1930s till 1960s in those uncomortable planes. You're all tangled up because the cabin temperature was 82 instead of 75.
JLDWC From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 35 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (6 years 9 months 2 weeks 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 1969 times:
yea i had a bad one on Expressjet last year from IAD-EWR...the pilots could fly if there lives depeneded on it...they were very cocky and wouldnt let me get into the cockpit...and the plane sounded like it was gonna fall apart when we were taxiing. it was an ERJ-145 by the way.
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