Having recently replied to the which airlines A320s have you flown with thread I was initially surprised to see I hadn't flown on the Ansett A320s [or Skystars as they called them] and that brought back a memory of a disappointment I had during an Australian holiday which with hindsight was totally unwarranted.
I was on holiday in Australia in Jan 1989 and had two domestic flights with Ansett and I was hoping to catch their brand new A320 on at least one of these two flights. In the event both were on Boeing 727s which I perceived as old fashioned and maybe second rate compared to the A320.
Now looking back all these years later I realise how lucky I was to catch the 727 as in my entire life I have only flown the 727 four or five times whereas the A320 family is the aircraft type I have flown most.
So really the disappointment at having to fly the 727 back in Jan 1989 was really a lucky break.
Does anyone else have similar thoughts about what was initially a disappointment in a flying experience turned out similarly to be a good experience or like me a lucky break?
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
-
- PSAatSAN4Ever
- Posts: 1818
- Joined:
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
Interesting topic!!
#1: In 1993, I was scheduled to fly a 767-200 LGA-DFW, but AA switched the plane a week beforehand for a 757-200. Having flown two of them on this trip, I was kind of disappointed, but it was then and still is today my favorite narrowbody. Ironically, my first 767 flight occurred unexpectedly, as listed in the next story...
#2: I won't go into the circumstances as to why, but I was given a ticket by TWA to fly LAX-TPA, but I didn't know which connecting airport I would fly through. JFK = 747 and STL = L1011. I had only flown on one 747 (TWA, no less), but never the L1011. In the end, it was the L1011 (N31014), which was VERY tired and worn out, but still flew magnificently. While the tiniest bit disappointed, that flight ended up being my one and only L1011 flight ever. Side note: the return STL-LAX was a brand-new 767-200, which I was not expecting!
#3: Two years later, in 1998, I flew LAX-MLM in my very first A320! A beautiful Mexicana bird with the later-standard blue and green pattern, I originally planned to fly back on the same aircraft. However, due to my schedule changing, I ended up on a beautiful 727-200 (XA-MEL), which was my very last 727 flight ever. And even though the plane seemed brand new, I knew this beauty's days were numbered.
Everything else has gone pretty much as planned, including a spur-of-the-moment trip to Chicago solely to fly a 747-400 domestically...but that's another topic entirely.
#1: In 1993, I was scheduled to fly a 767-200 LGA-DFW, but AA switched the plane a week beforehand for a 757-200. Having flown two of them on this trip, I was kind of disappointed, but it was then and still is today my favorite narrowbody. Ironically, my first 767 flight occurred unexpectedly, as listed in the next story...
#2: I won't go into the circumstances as to why, but I was given a ticket by TWA to fly LAX-TPA, but I didn't know which connecting airport I would fly through. JFK = 747 and STL = L1011. I had only flown on one 747 (TWA, no less), but never the L1011. In the end, it was the L1011 (N31014), which was VERY tired and worn out, but still flew magnificently. While the tiniest bit disappointed, that flight ended up being my one and only L1011 flight ever. Side note: the return STL-LAX was a brand-new 767-200, which I was not expecting!
#3: Two years later, in 1998, I flew LAX-MLM in my very first A320! A beautiful Mexicana bird with the later-standard blue and green pattern, I originally planned to fly back on the same aircraft. However, due to my schedule changing, I ended up on a beautiful 727-200 (XA-MEL), which was my very last 727 flight ever. And even though the plane seemed brand new, I knew this beauty's days were numbered.
Everything else has gone pretty much as planned, including a spur-of-the-moment trip to Chicago solely to fly a 747-400 domestically...but that's another topic entirely.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
Disappointment that turned out to be awesome!
1992 we were scheduled to fly home from PVR-IAH on a CO B722. We get to the airport and the departure holding area at the time at PVR was on the second floor with large windows looking over the ramp. I kept looking for the 722 on the ramp, but only found a CO DC9-32 sitting out there which I though no way is that out jet so we must be going to be late though I was pretty sure CO only flew to PVR from IAH back then so hmmmm. As I was wandering around the duty free shop I stumbled upon a CO First Officer so I asked if they were flying us home and he verified we'd be flying on the DC9.
Well having friends who were both pilots and flight attendants for CO, and working ATC at IAH I had come accustomed to some of the pilot voices as they'd fly in and out of IAH. There was on pilot in particular who had a very distinctive drawl and voice so I asked one of my friends if he knew that was and he instantly gave me this guys name as his wife had flown with him for years with TI. So I asked the First Officer I found in duty free if he knew this guy and he told yes I do, fly with him often and in fact he is right over there. We walked over to Capt. XXX and introduced myself telling him where I worked......we had a quick conversation about stuff and headed to the gate where he told the agent that my wife and I would be boarding with him. Once on the plane he introduced us to the flight attendants and asked if there were any seats in first class. He perched us in row 1 for the flight home and since I was jumpseat authorized he told me to sit up from during takeoff and landing which I did and there is when I found a true love of the DC9-32.
So a disappointment turned out to be a wonderful day and I made a lasting friend to this day.
1992 we were scheduled to fly home from PVR-IAH on a CO B722. We get to the airport and the departure holding area at the time at PVR was on the second floor with large windows looking over the ramp. I kept looking for the 722 on the ramp, but only found a CO DC9-32 sitting out there which I though no way is that out jet so we must be going to be late though I was pretty sure CO only flew to PVR from IAH back then so hmmmm. As I was wandering around the duty free shop I stumbled upon a CO First Officer so I asked if they were flying us home and he verified we'd be flying on the DC9.
Well having friends who were both pilots and flight attendants for CO, and working ATC at IAH I had come accustomed to some of the pilot voices as they'd fly in and out of IAH. There was on pilot in particular who had a very distinctive drawl and voice so I asked one of my friends if he knew that was and he instantly gave me this guys name as his wife had flown with him for years with TI. So I asked the First Officer I found in duty free if he knew this guy and he told yes I do, fly with him often and in fact he is right over there. We walked over to Capt. XXX and introduced myself telling him where I worked......we had a quick conversation about stuff and headed to the gate where he told the agent that my wife and I would be boarding with him. Once on the plane he introduced us to the flight attendants and asked if there were any seats in first class. He perched us in row 1 for the flight home and since I was jumpseat authorized he told me to sit up from during takeoff and landing which I did and there is when I found a true love of the DC9-32.
So a disappointment turned out to be a wonderful day and I made a lasting friend to this day.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
IAHFLYR wrote:Disappointment that turned out to be awesome!
In 1992 or 1993 we were scheduled to fly home from PVR-IAH on a CO B722, a plane I thoroughly loved . We get to the airport and the departure holding area at the time at PVR was on the second floor with large windows looking over the ramp. I kept looking for the 722 on the ramp, but only found a CO DC9-32 sitting out there which I though no way is that out jet so we must be going to be late though I was pretty sure CO only flew to PVR from IAH back then so hmmmm. As I was wandering around the duty free shop I stumbled upon a CO First Officer so I asked if they were flying us home and he verified we'd be flying on the DC9.
Well having friends who were both pilots and flight attendants for CO, and working ATC at IAH I had come accustomed to some of the pilot voices as they'd fly in and out of IAH. There was on pilot in particular who had a very distinctive drawl and voice so I asked one of my friends if he knew that was and he instantly gave me this guys name as his wife had flown with him for years with TI. So I asked the First Officer I found in duty free if he knew this guy and he told yes I do, fly with him often and in fact he is right over there. We walked over to Capt. XXX and introduced myself telling him where I worked......we had a quick conversation about stuff and headed to the gate where he told the agent that my wife and I would be boarding with him. Once on the plane he introduced us to the flight attendants and asked if there were any seats in first class. He perched us in row 1 for the flight home and since I was jumpseat authorized he told me to sit up from during takeoff and landing which I did and there is when I found a true love of the DC9-32.
So a disappointment turned out to be a wonderful day and I made a lasting friend to this day.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
I've had 2 - oddly enough, both were in the summer of 2001...
#1 - Flying JFK-LHR on VS, was supposed to get my first A340 flight, but the equipment was subbed out last-minute for a 747-200. It wound up being my last Classic 747 flight, as the return was a 747-400. I wound up getting my first A340 flights later that summer LHR-JNB-LHR.
#2 - 2 months after the A340/747 swap above, I was booked on Sabena JFK-BRU on an A330-300. Get to the gate only to find an A340-200! Was my first and only on that version. I've yet to fly the A330-300, but have logged multiple A330-200 flights in the 20 years since.
#1 - Flying JFK-LHR on VS, was supposed to get my first A340 flight, but the equipment was subbed out last-minute for a 747-200. It wound up being my last Classic 747 flight, as the return was a 747-400. I wound up getting my first A340 flights later that summer LHR-JNB-LHR.
#2 - 2 months after the A340/747 swap above, I was booked on Sabena JFK-BRU on an A330-300. Get to the gate only to find an A340-200! Was my first and only on that version. I've yet to fly the A330-300, but have logged multiple A330-200 flights in the 20 years since.
-
- classicjets
- Posts: 607
- Joined:
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
I traveled to Bangladesh just to fly on a DC-10 on AUH-DAC, but it was subbed out with a Kabo Air 747-400. This was my first 747 ever - I was supposed to fly a PR 744 a couple days later, but it was subbed to an A343. While it was kind of cool to have a flight on Kabo Air, I was disappointed to miss the 10.
All's well that ends well though, since thankfully Biman did farewell DC-10 flights from BHX that I was able to join several months later.
All's well that ends well though, since thankfully Biman did farewell DC-10 flights from BHX that I was able to join several months later.
-
- DocLightning
- Posts: 22843
- Joined:
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
jumpjets wrote:Does anyone else have similar thoughts about what was initially a disappointment in a flying experience turned out similarly to be a good experience or like me a lucky break?
In 1998 (I think) I had arranged to fly on my first 777 from SFO to ORD. But when I got to the gate, the equipment had been swapped to a 744.
I never imagined that I would be disappointed to see a surprise 744 on the stand. Even more surprising, there were less than 20 passengers on the entire flight.
But I was in for quite a treat. Apparently, according to some very unusual winds at SFO that day, we wound up departing off of 19R. Now, 19R is usually a landing runway during off winds. The far end of the runway ends at US-101 and the town of Millbrae is immediately across 101, as are some hills. I was a bit puzzled as we taxied out, but then the Captain came on the PA and told us that due to winds, we would be doing an unusual departure, we'd be feeling some strong acceleration and then immediately after we lifted off, we would make a sharp right turn "so as to not wake up everyone in Millbrae."
It was a static start with brakes released as the engines spooled up, and then I was firmly slammed back into my seat. I had no idea a 744 could accelerate like that. We were off the ground in less than 30 seconds, before we crossed 28L, and leaped into the sky like a homesick angel, and then we banked so that out of my window there were buildings that seemed to be just outboard of the winglet before we straightened out and continued our climb.
I eventually got my 777 ride, of course, but I got to ride a 744 doing about the closest thing to aerobatics that would ever be done with passengers aboard. It was wild.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
This doesn't involve getting to fly one type of airplane over another, but it fits the question of airline disappointments that turned out to be good.
In the summer of 2000, I flew NRSA from DFW to California (SFO?) on United to meet my family for vacation. You'll remember that was the "summer of hell" for UA due to pilots' work actions, so my parents spent all day unable to get on a flight from IAD. They finally gave up, went home, and cancelled the vacation. I spent the night out there and just flew back to DFW the next morning. That afternoon I got a phone call at home inviting me to be a contestant on a TV game show. Cell phones were just becoming widely available at the time and I didn't have one yet. Had my parents been able to get on a flight, we would have been on vacation, and I would never have gotten the call and the opportunity to be on TV.
In the summer of 2000, I flew NRSA from DFW to California (SFO?) on United to meet my family for vacation. You'll remember that was the "summer of hell" for UA due to pilots' work actions, so my parents spent all day unable to get on a flight from IAD. They finally gave up, went home, and cancelled the vacation. I spent the night out there and just flew back to DFW the next morning. That afternoon I got a phone call at home inviting me to be a contestant on a TV game show. Cell phones were just becoming widely available at the time and I didn't have one yet. Had my parents been able to get on a flight, we would have been on vacation, and I would never have gotten the call and the opportunity to be on TV.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
Mine is actually very similar to the OP.
In 2012 I booked a trip to Australia on Qantas, hoping to fly on their new A380 on the LAX-SYD leg. Much to my disappointment, before my travel date they took the A380 off that route and replaced it with the 747-400 (Probably due to the wing rib cracks that had been discovered around that time). In hindsight, now I'm glad I got another chance to fly on a 747 now that they're being retired rapidly. I'd have other opportunities to fly on the A380 later on.
In 2012 I booked a trip to Australia on Qantas, hoping to fly on their new A380 on the LAX-SYD leg. Much to my disappointment, before my travel date they took the A380 off that route and replaced it with the 747-400 (Probably due to the wing rib cracks that had been discovered around that time). In hindsight, now I'm glad I got another chance to fly on a 747 now that they're being retired rapidly. I'd have other opportunities to fly on the A380 later on.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
I was scheduled on an NZ762 CHC-AKL in 2002, it got subbed with an SJ 733 due maintenance, NZ had just from memory taken back control of SJ earlier that year. Never got to fly a 762, but flew plenty of mainly NZ 733s, was the only SJ painted 733 I flew.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
classicjets wrote:I traveled to Bangladesh just to fly on a DC-10 on AUH-DAC, but it was subbed out with a Kabo Air 747-400. This was my first 747 ever - I was supposed to fly a PR 744 a couple days later, but it was subbed to an A343. While it was kind of cool to have a flight on Kabo Air, I was disappointed to miss the 10.
All's well that ends well though, since thankfully Biman did farewell DC-10 flights from BHX that I was able to join several months later.
I surely can understand the disapointement. Fly all the bay to DAC just to fly the DC-10 and having an equipment change like that... Took me two tries in 2013 between HKG and DAC. First time, flight was cancelled (still better than an equipment change at the end), second time, everything went smoothly.
Well back in late 2019, I had a plan for a 753, 764 and MD88 mission in the US. Obviously it completely felt apart.
-
- StlHsvSfoSan
- Posts: 221
- Joined:
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
These might not fit exactly into the OP's disappointment/lucky break transition, but
#1. Flying JFK-SAN (might have JFK-LAX), the scheduled aircraft was a DC-10. They were new aircraft then and I hadn't flown on one yet. Arriving at our gate, we noticed there was a 707 parked at the gate. It was disappointing at first, but that ended up being my last flight on a 707, and I ended up later on flying on DC-10s operated by AA, UA, WA, and NA.
#2. I wanted to fly on a 747 on the upper deck, so I booked a UA flight ORD-FRA and reserved upper deck seats. A couple weeks after booking, UA changed the plane to a 777. I didn't get my 747 upper deck, but a few years later I was able to get a flight ORD-AMS-ORD on KL, with ORD-AMS on the 747 upper deck and AMS-ORD in seat 1A on a 747.
I had a couple other aircraft swaps, but I'm not sure if they were disappointments or not.
#1. Flying JFK-SAN (might have JFK-LAX), the scheduled aircraft was a DC-10. They were new aircraft then and I hadn't flown on one yet. Arriving at our gate, we noticed there was a 707 parked at the gate. It was disappointing at first, but that ended up being my last flight on a 707, and I ended up later on flying on DC-10s operated by AA, UA, WA, and NA.
#2. I wanted to fly on a 747 on the upper deck, so I booked a UA flight ORD-FRA and reserved upper deck seats. A couple weeks after booking, UA changed the plane to a 777. I didn't get my 747 upper deck, but a few years later I was able to get a flight ORD-AMS-ORD on KL, with ORD-AMS on the 747 upper deck and AMS-ORD in seat 1A on a 747.
I had a couple other aircraft swaps, but I'm not sure if they were disappointments or not.
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
I have one story :
It was on a BCN-PMI flight on Spanair in 2010. The scheduled aircraft was a 717 but got a MD-87 instead !
Now, I feel lucky to log my only MD-87 flight, I had then the opportunity to fly on the 717 later (Blue1 and Hawaiian).
It was on a BCN-PMI flight on Spanair in 2010. The scheduled aircraft was a 717 but got a MD-87 instead !
Now, I feel lucky to log my only MD-87 flight, I had then the opportunity to fly on the 717 later (Blue1 and Hawaiian).
Re: Unwarranted disappointments
In 2005, my family booked an all inclusive trip from Germany to Turkey. However, we had depart from Leipzig instead of our next airport (Nuremberg). On the airport website, an MNG Airlines A300B4-200 was listed for that route. At the airport however, no A300 was to be found. The only MNG Airlines aircraft was some smaller plane which I did not recognize at first (couldn't see the full plane, just the front part). I was pretty disappointed, as this would've been my first Airbus and my first wide body aircraft. Anyway, during boarding I finally realized it is an MD-82, which was pretty awesome, as those became pretty rare in Europe at that time already. So it became my only flight on an MD-80-series aircraft (and one of two on a MD aircraft at all, the second one was an MD-90 in 2019).
The A300 was scheduled to fly the return leg anyway, so I was excited for that one, however that became a bit more of a disappointment, as we were rebooked on Sky Airlines B737-400, which was just plain boring for me. In the end it became my first flight on a non-NG-737 and my only flight on a 737-400, so that's kind of fine I guess. Still, the A300 would've been so much cooler (but I got one in 2007 with Lufthansa A300B4-600).
In 2018 I was booked on DEL-MUC on Lufthansa A350. That should have become my first A350, however on that day it was swapped for an A340-600, which in hindsight was pretty awesome, as they were much harder to get on and I got plenty of A350 flights in 2018 and 2019, so that was actually a jackpot as I doubt I will ever board an A340-600 again.
The A300 was scheduled to fly the return leg anyway, so I was excited for that one, however that became a bit more of a disappointment, as we were rebooked on Sky Airlines B737-400, which was just plain boring for me. In the end it became my first flight on a non-NG-737 and my only flight on a 737-400, so that's kind of fine I guess. Still, the A300 would've been so much cooler (but I got one in 2007 with Lufthansa A300B4-600).
In 2018 I was booked on DEL-MUC on Lufthansa A350. That should have become my first A350, however on that day it was swapped for an A340-600, which in hindsight was pretty awesome, as they were much harder to get on and I got plenty of A350 flights in 2018 and 2019, so that was actually a jackpot as I doubt I will ever board an A340-600 again.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: eta unknown, mop357 and 37 guests