Flight Rerouted To Hole-In-The-Wall Airport

March 4, 2010

in Delay/Cancellation Stories

Worst flying case was my 14-hour flight from Tampa, FL to New York. I could have used Southwest Airlines, which would have offered me a direct flight to Long Island. But NO, my company wanted me to save money, so I had to take a US Air flight, with a stop over in Atlanta. Tampa to Atlanta was no problem, but due to fog/rain in the NY area, we were delayed in Atlanta.

Three hours later, when the plane finally took off and I thought nothing more could happen, they rerouted our flight from Islip McArthur airport to NEWBURGH! Anyone know anything about Newburgh? I sure didn’t! It’s a hole-in-the-wall location, with an airport that shuts down at 7PM. They had to wake people up to bring them back to the airport so they could provide us with bus service. You’ve got somewhere near 75-100 people looking to get home, and the aforementioned buses nowhere to be found. When it turned out there wouldn’t be enough buses to accommodate everyone, they decided to bring in as many taxis as they could round up. Suffice it to say there weren’t too many to be found.

After another three hours of waiting, I finally got into a cab that I shared with another couple. Newburgh to Long Island is about a two-hour drive, and the driver would ONLY take us to the airport. The couple were able to get someone to pick them up, but my husband wasn’t getting out of bed to pick me up. For an additional few dollars, I was able to convince the driver to take me directly home.

All told, from the time I reached the airport to the time I reached home, it was 14 hours later. I could have been in EUROPE in that amount of time!!!

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

ps March 4, 2010 at 4:25 pm

kind of ironic. NOT using Air WalMart (SW) to save $$?

Gotta be a first!

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Hugh March 5, 2010 at 12:08 am

And exactly WHY wouldn't your husband get out of bed to pick you up??? To me that is the worst thing about the story.

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Jodi March 5, 2010 at 5:39 am

I hope she's not still married to him… lol

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Teddy March 5, 2010 at 7:21 am

something here really doesn't make sense. are you sure you didn't fly through philadelphia?

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meme March 5, 2010 at 9:01 am

At least appreciate that others got out of their warm beds to come provide bus service due to something that was beyond human control, even when your loving? spouse would not get up and come get you after your 14 hour trip.

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rerere March 5, 2010 at 12:26 pm

Next time, take jetblue.

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GR March 5, 2010 at 4:39 pm

I know it's cool to pick on US Air but it couldn't have been. US NEVER USED ATL as a hub. US has NEVER flown TPA-ATL or ATL-NYC nonstop.

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Demotage March 5, 2010 at 10:01 pm

Your husband is a dick.

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Adam March 10, 2010 at 9:47 am

As a previous user pointed out, U.S. Airways (hasn't been USair since 1997, by the way) has never flown between TPA and ATL, or ATL and ISP. Are you sure you weren't on Delta?

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Jane March 10, 2010 at 11:43 am

And Stewart Airport is hardly a hole in the wall. You want to go to a hole in the wall airport? Try OGS!

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Jane March 10, 2010 at 11:45 am

Oh, and the other thing….

When a flight is redirected like that, the cab/bus is only ALLOWED to go to the airport, as it is acting as the flight that you paid your money for. That's why you didn't have to actually pay for the 2 hour trip from Newburgh to Long Island.

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A Mom March 10, 2010 at 5:50 pm

I agree, the worst part of the story isn't the airline, it's the hubby. I'm really sorry that you think that's normal. It is NOT.

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Morgan September 14, 2010 at 2:12 am

Your're husband is a narcissistic ass!!

Reply

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