SFOQQAA From United States, joined Aug 2007, 96 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16761 times:
WOW! This is yet another black eye for US Airways. I'm curious if US employees actually dropped the ball, or do they contract out with a company to handle wheelchair assistance like many other airlines and they are the ones to drop the ball. Either way I feel for the poor customer.
DeltaAVL From United States, joined Mar 2007, 1783 posts, RR: 10 Reply 5, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16652 times:
Before we go about bashing US, let's set something straight. The report doesn't state how long she was waiting on the tarmac. For all we know, it could have been two minutes, and the pax could have easily sensationalized the incident.
I just don't think a passenger sitting idly on the ramp would fail to be noticed by any kind of employee for more than about five minutes.
"We break, We bend, With hand in hand, When hope is gone, Just hang on." -Guster
Sh0rtybr0wn From United States, joined Aug 2007, 528 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16609 times:
To be fair, it was one persons mistake, maybe two. Not the entire airline's mistake. But still a bad job by US to lose a person.
And then, even worse, the airport worker makes a deliberate choice not to help her. Thats much worse. How in the name of God do you tell an elderly stranded wheelchair bound traveller you can't help them when they're lost? I don't know about you, but my job can wait a few minutes whenever something urgent like this comes up.
Basic human decency... is it that hard to come by these days?
PHLJJS From United States, joined Oct 2005, 314 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16575 times:
This story was posted on FlyerTalk this afternoon and the OP used a Florida newspaper article as his source. I believe this was before CNN picked up the story. The newspaper article said the woman was left outside for "hours" and that when an employee spotted her, she was wheeled into a hall way and left. I've never been to LAS, but that is pretty unbelievable and sounds embellished. Even if it involves US.
AF340 From Canada, joined Jul 2007, 2494 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16558 times:
Quoting DeltaAVL (Reply 5): I just don't think a passenger sitting idly on the ramp would fail to be noticed by any kind of employee for more than about five minutes.
Good point. In today's security crazy world, wouldn't this get noticed pretty fast?
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes, this time it could've been an old lady in a wheelchair
AF340
He's faster than a speeding bullet, he can leap tall buildings in a single bound; he's Obamaman!!
EvilForce From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16547 times:
Meh. Sounds like another over sensationalized bit of drama. I'm sure a $10 million lawsuit will be filed by the "victims" within the week. *insert eyeroll here*
WesternA318 From United States, joined Oct 2004, 4349 posts, RR: 28 Reply 11, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 16524 times:
Quoting SFOQQAA (Reply 3): I'm curious if US employees actually dropped the ball, or do they contract out with a company to handle wheelchair assistance like many other airlines and they are the ones to drop the ball.
First off, if she's in a wheelchair, that service is provided throughout LAS by Prospect Airport Services (I worked for them out of SLC as a teen), US had no control over where the Prospect agent placed the pax, as they handle ALL of the airlines in LAS.
Get that worldly look, one country at a time. Work Hard, Fly Right.
I really cannot believe this, but at the same time I can... kinda funny, but at the same time, not. Before I get carried away with these paradoxical remarks of mine. It would seem as though US is trying to reach new depths... That's just how I call it...
Do not bring stranger girt into your room. The stranger girt is dangerous, it will hurt your life.
EWRCabincrew From Canada, joined May 2006, 5347 posts, RR: 60 Reply 13, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 16341 times:
I think tarmac is meant to be jetway. Judging by the people involved, they aren't savvy with the airline lingo and probably overheard someone using tarmac and assumed jetway was the tarmac.
The story is very one-sided and we really don't get all the facts here. How long were they actually waiting, who left them there, was there a crew change, was it really the tarmac, was it a jetway, etc..
As crew, I would never leave a customer in a wheelchair (or however they are) alone in a jetway, even with airport services there. That is just me.
As for not knowing she needed assistance, here is my spin. You may have, indeed, requested assistance at your stops/destination. That request may have gotten lost/misplaced/unavailable (whatever). It is an imperfect world. You (the traveller needing assistance) need to be more proactive and let the powers that be (the agent at gate, the crew on your flight/s, the agent at the arrival) know this. You may come off as needy, but hell, you need it. Speak up. By all means.
I will do my part by sussing things out and seeing who may need assistance, if there are no messages for people needing it, but do yours as well and let us know, too.
It sounds more like a comedy of errors. On everyone's part. The bad guy, though, is (and always will be) the big bad company (USAirways in this instance).
WesternA318 From United States, joined Oct 2004, 4349 posts, RR: 28 Reply 14, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 16268 times:
Quoting EWRCabincrew (Reply 13): I will do my part by sussing things out and seeing who may need assistance, if there are no messages for people needing it, but do yours as well and let us know, too.
And now you wonder why I love flying with you and the rest at CO so much!
Get that worldly look, one country at a time. Work Hard, Fly Right.
COERJ145 From United States, joined Jun 2005, 1386 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 16196 times:
Quoting Jmy007 (Reply 1): Does LAS have remote stands, or does USairways do remote boarding, deboarding there? Or was she left on the jetway? There is a diffrence.
I don't know. According to the news report, she was left out in the cold with no jacket. She was then wheeled into a hallway some time later and then left to sit there. Inexcusable. US Airways incompetence is not limited to PHL apparently.
MCO2BRS From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2007, 135 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 16146 times:
Hey guys,
Just my two cents, but after reading this article: http://www.local6.com/news/14922473/detail.html I can't quite believe this one, I can probably see the lady being left for an inconveniently long time (20-30 min maybe?) but not "hours". I highly doubt that at such a busy airport like LAS that not one single person noticed her, or that she was not able to stop someone, or call out to them? I'm thinking somebody has over exaggerated on this one, just a bit.
Flown: AA AS BA BD BY CO DL EI EW HP KL LH MP NW SN TZ TW U2 UA US VLG VS WN ZB
StasisLAX From United States, joined Jul 2007, 2135 posts, RR: 3 Reply 20, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 16041 times:
Quoting National757 (Reply 16): I don't know. According to the news report, she was left out in the cold with no jacket. She was then wheeled into a hallway some time later and then left to sit there. Inexcusable. US Airways incompetence is not limited to PHL apparently.
I must admit that when I first heard this story and that it involved USAirways, the first thing I thought was that it must have taken place at PHL. I wonder if the person that just left her in the hallway was a US ramp employee. Regardless of the amount of time this passenger spent sitting there unattended, it really is inexcusable. She's in a damn wheelchair for heavens sake - help her!
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety!
* US Airways Express flight 2784 arrived from Bakersfield at the gate at McCarran at 11:40 PM, 38 minutes late
* Prospect (a contract vendor with US Airways) arrived before 11:50 PM to assist the passenger with a wheelchair and was transported into the terminal via an elevator.
* Passenger was rebooked and issued a boarding pass by US Airways customer service agent at 12:02 AM, along with meal and hotel vouchers.
[US Airways] added that at no time was she left unattended
The best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago. The second best time is today.
Copter808 From United States, joined Dec 2000, 518 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 16010 times:
Quoting EWRCabincrew (Reply 13): As crew, I would never leave a customer in a wheelchair (or however they are) alone in a jetway, even with airport services there. That is just me.
Breaker1011 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 777 posts, RR: 2 Reply 23, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 15963 times:
I agree - this smells like some media BS to me.
It's quite fashionable to create an embellished, media-worthy, "I should be on a talk show it was SO bad" story about ANYTHING to do with an airline these days. Just like the story last week of the "gal" (term used loosely) that supposedly sat in wee wee on an Airtran flight, so embarassed that she felt she should stroll through the terminal in the felt airline blanket. Total BS, but boy did some networks LOVE talking about it (reputable networks did NOT pick it up btw).
If it is true, I feel for the passenger. But I thinketh the real story is already so deep in BS that not even SHE remembers exactly what happened. Thank goodness her daughter was there to fill in the gaps for her.
Must be the time of year. People are starting to get on my nerves.
Eghansen From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 24, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 15913 times:
Quoting WestWing (Reply 21): U.S. Airways Disputes Wheelchair-Bound Woman Left on McCarran Tarmac
I love this quote from the article:
"A timeline released by U.S. Airways Wednesday night is disputing a woman's claim that she was left on a runway at McCarran." Do they really think she was left on a runway? Or do they not know the difference between a runway and an apron or tarmac? Do they know what a runway is?
SOBHI51 From Saudi Arabia, joined Jun 2003, 1677 posts, RR: 2 Reply 25, posted (1 year 11 months 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 15904 times:
Quoting WestWing (Reply 21): U.S. Airways Disputes Wheelchair-Bound Woman Left on McCarran Tarmac
The pax story might contain a little exaggeration but US Airways response is not satisfactory at all.Picked up at just before 11.50pm transported to the terminal,issued a new ticket,a meal voucher,and a hotel voucher in less than 12 minutes? Come on that i do not believe.
26 Xjramper: Unlike most of what people want to believe, most crews actually act like this (not only to CO). Hell there isn't a week that goes by when I see a pil
27 WestWing: So it would appear that the mother arrived into LAS gate @ 11:40 PM, and presumably was well inside the terminal at 12:02 AM when her onward boarding
28 EvilForce: Figures. Why do a fact check when sensationalism sells instead? The reporter should be fired.
29 National757: Good detective work there WestWing. Interesting how the news report and US Airways' version of events differ.[Edited 2007-12-26 20:07:23]
30 Av8rPHX: Not that it has anything to do with it, but 2784 is a Mesa flight. Lets blame Mesa. LOL
31 XJRamper: How is that too hard to believe? If they use a template like my airline does, it literally takes me seconds to fill out what I need to do for ameniti
32 Freshlove1: Agreed that all can be done within minutes, you could actually get several people done in 12 minutes. The ticket is done in the computer and the vouc
33 WesternA318: Welcome to the day after Xmas. LMAO, that'd be kinda funny...but then again, theres so many lights in Vegas, lol, whod miss her? It could very well h
34 Freshlove1: How is this Mesa's fault in any way? They apparently made the request for the wheelchair during the in-range call as it was there. Mesa/US is not res
35 WesternA318: It's not, I was just adding to a lame joke, lol.
36 Freshlove1: I figured that after I sent in my response
37 JamesJimlb: iirc it said 3 hours, i may be wrong though. this is slightly shocking, but what is crazy is she was just left, was someone supposed to get her or wh
38 D328: That's USShitways for you! They just want your money, and do not care about you. And Mesa is horrible anyway, hear horrible things from employee's the
39 ArcrftLvr: "A timeline released by U.S. Airways Wednesday night is disputing a woman's claim that she was left on a runway at McCarran." Now it's a runway? Can t
40 Asuflyer05: That doesn't mean the customer was at the PAC counter when the Reaccomm was completed. The PAX Planner may have had the PAC desk reaccomm the custome
41 BR715-A1-30: In related news, the woman claimed she was flying US World Airlines, and that the Boeing A380 was Red and White and looked like a big tylenol... She s
42 Avbooks: I apologize to all people who are maimed or who otherwise really need a wheelchair. But - especially in the United States - there seems to be a trend
43 Bluewhale18210: Let's make the passengers pay for the wheelchair services themselves...I don't feel like the $50 per push should be paid by the airlines and in turn a
44 BlueFlyer: Actually, the one time a close relative of mine had a problem with a wheelchair was while flying CO, so even CO isn't immune to these situations. As
45 Brilondon: In the general public's eye it is US that drop the ball on the this one. The airline as a whole has to be held accountable for the incident. They sho
46 Lincoln: As deplorable as I've found US' customer service*, this isn't completely outside the realm of possibility. Last time I misconnected on CO, there was
47 Jasp25: I think some people need to have common sense when they travel. I can imagine that being wheelchair-bound, you can still seek out or call out for help
48 Jasp25: T-prop planes don't use jetways in LAS.
49 WesternA318: I dont think US operates props outta LAS anyways...
50 Vtdl: Avbooks, my reaction is the same as yours. This lady does not appear to be paralyzed. How would she gotten off the plane? If she were really left una
51 Kalvado: Maybe I'm missing something here - but when exactly did this happen? News reports are dated 12/25-12/26, so I assume it was 12/24, xmas eve http://fli
52 SirOmega: I saw this on the local news and was skeptical, now that more info is coming out, I'm slightly more inclined to believe US. One of the small benefits
53 FlightShadow: I saw this story on CNN Video while looking up info on that awful San Fran tiger attack, and immediately came over here to see the discussion. After r
54 LASOctoberB6: I fail to believe that she was left on the tarmac here in Las Vegas when clearly, US Airways does not even use the tarmac to deplane as far as I know,
55 Mark8762: Flight arrived at gate A14, there is a customer assistance counter across from gate A5, about a 10 minute push from where the flight arrived. A custo
58 Wjcandee: The CNN story says she was left on "a tarmac". I think the earlier poster is right that they confuse that with "a jetway". This is a p/o'd customer b/
59 Jetblueguy22: I heard on my local station WTNH that she landed at 1130 and then brought down on to the tarmac and was to be brought back inside in time for her conn
60 Manfredj: Yes, I can see the headline now...lady in wheelchair chases down AirBus, holds 100 captive.
61 Jetblueguy22: True. But hey you never know. The person could be faking the injury to go onto the tarmac so that could be possible. You never know with the world we
62 BlueFlyer: When someone hires a contractor to provide a service that they are obligated by law to provide, whoever does the contracting (be it an airline hiring
63 Lincoln: Possible, but if that's indeed what the pax meant, the story makes even less sense. The ramp is a farily large area with a number of people running/w
64 Jmc1975: It's quite clear that the family is a bunch of liars who are trying to seek publicity. I highly doubt that anybody in that family knew what a tarmac w
65 SHUPirate1: I believe that US Airways Express at LAS does airstair boarding/deplaning for their regional jets, and does not use jetways for Mesa's aircraft.
66 Readytotaxi: This happened to my mother,75, at Gatwick 3 years ago, The airline forgot her waiting in the wheelchair with my brother and the aircraft pushed back a
67 Malaysia: Last I saw, they had 1900s flying under Mesa for US Express on some routes and you walk to terminal stairways from the planes. They had some DH8 a wh
68 Tjwgrr: Did you happen to notice the reporter near the end of the piece either chewing gum or licking his lips? Really professional...... Daughter Tammy proba
69 Maverick623: And all the US haters come out: And 8 of those minutes were spent getting to the PAC counter. It's really not that hard to rebook people and issue vou
70 Jetblueguy22: Wow thats some story. That is good that they at least stopped the aircraft. These days they would probably just say oh well and put them on the next
71 Av8rPHX: The airlines do not have "special" minimum connect times for wheelchair pax. IIRC the America West min conx time in LAS is 25 min, and PHX is 30 for
72 HPRamper: IF true, mainline US is probably not to blame. IF left on the tarmac, that means the flight was operated by Mesa. Considering that can all be done at
73 XJRamper: I think he was regarding the principle of the matter not the legal side of it. You said the exact thing he said. ------------ I don't like USAirways,
74 WesternA318: Doin' alright, just getting set for my move to IAH... I think the 1900s only do LAS-CDC-ELY service, other than that, I'm not sure. I havent seen a D
75 SirOmega: KLAS-TV in LAS is reporting that another woman has come forward saying US Airways (or whomever is responsible) left her on the tarmac... http://www.la
76 EvilForce: I guess I found it a bit funny that on that link while I was reading her story there were 3 weight loss adverts on that same page. Guess someone was
77 Bobprobert95: I agree with most all of the statements said before. I watched the video and immediately became suspicious. First of all the lady looks to be in a whe
78 Cytz_pilot: I was on a B1900 on a LAS-MCE-VIS run last September, the flight did indeed load from the tarmac after we were lead down a flight of stairs from the
79 UAL-Fan: Mom endured a little drama for what I'm sure will end up being a HUGE lawsuit filed for "pain and suffering". She should thank the people who ditched
80 Jetblueguy22: Im sure with the multi million dollar lawsuit she will win she will give the person who left her there a nice big fat tip. Plus she can wave at the U
81 Ualcsr: I understand that litigation can cost a lot of money, but I wish large corporations would once and for all make a concerted effort to strike back aga
82 Lincoln: Not necessarially -- what if, for example, the agnent working at the customer service desk was being proactive and went ahead and prepared the vouche
83 XJRamper: Based on this logic, seems like the only thing US is guilty of is good customer service. XJR
84 Lincoln: And if that's really what happend that would suprise me based on my run ins with US customer "service"...I offer it, though to play "devil's advocate
85 Ualcsr: Right, I agree with you. If they go back and prove that they issued a voucher through the computer, they could trace back the time the voucher was is
86 Maverick623: Another thing, had she really been left on the ramp alone for any significant length of time, the tapes would have been pulled and people would be fir
87 Maverick623: The funny thing is: it's not even hard work to figure this stuff out. Unfortunately, our anti-corporate media (oh the irony!) must push an agenda whi
88 EDICHC: Beg to differ, a while back I was delayed at MSY and on arrival at DFW a couple of hours after my connection to LGW had departed the agent for AA had
89 Nzrich: I find this story a bit hard to believe .. Even the worst agent is not going to leave a wheel chair bound passenger or any passenger on the tarmac for
91 Jetblueguy22: Yeah but if she sues the court will believe a sad old lady. Blue
92 Maverick623: A jury might buy it, because juries in civil cases nearly always side with the plantiff. However, a judge would easily throw it out, and could also v
93 Mark8762: The 1900's also go to MCE, VIS, IGM, and PRC There are two DH8's at night, not every night though, to YUM and PSP
95 Wjcandee: Midnight in Vegas (where Mom was changing planes) is 3am in Orlando (where daughter got the phone call). Frankly, the fact that the reporter never cl
96 WesternA318: Amen, US should unleash the lawyers on this redneck hag and her daughter...
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