It started out promising enough — a week in Maui with a great organization. David and I both are presenting on a panel at 8:30 AM Tuesday morning, so we flew in on Monday.
Or so we thought. As soon as we landed in LAX, we noticed the flight was delayed. We grabbed a bite to eat and began charging our phones, laptops, and iPads.
But the delays kept coming. Our incoming flight was an hour late. Then, a mechanical issue was discovered. That meant they had to fly in a part, then work on it. But in the process of fixing it, they found more issues.
They got another plane; it was too small. By the time they got an aircraft that would accommodate everyone, the flight attendants had “timed out.” And they didn’t tell the new set of attendants to come in, but they require a two hour heads up. The pilot had to drive in from San Diego — 120 mile road trip.
During this entire time, they never said, “We have significant delays – come back in, say, 12 hours.” Instead, they would adjust the departure time in thirty minute increments on the board… families on vacation with little ones could never leave the gate; passengers couldn’t ever go get real food, and no American Airlines employee explained what was going on.
Like, ever. I’ll let the social media posts tell the rest of the story:
A photo posted by Nancy French (@nancyjanefrench) on
A photo posted by Nancy French (@nancyjanefrench) on
@AmericanAir according to this we left 3 min ago. Too bad we're all still here with no info. #fail pic.twitter.com/xDNs9n3U1k
— Sallie Palmieri (@Sallietations) June 21, 2016
Nine hour delay in LAX. Maui flight still not leaving anytime soon. The people are fed up. #Gate48Ariot. pic.twitter.com/mRErmJdtGU
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
Just heard at the #Gate48Ariot “Come on, make American Airlines great again.”
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
A bad performance from @americanair — a broken plane and poor communication. https://t.co/F8rNvCXYll
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
The #Gate48Ariot just formed the Autonomous Gate 48A Collective. The people are in charge now. Airline crimes trials to commence.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
The Autonomous Gate 48A Collective shall issue its demands to @AmericanAir Demand 1 -compensation. Demand 2 – formal apology. #Gate48Ariot
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
I violated my Southwest-only rule because they don’t fly to Maui, and this is what I get. Next time, I swim. https://t.co/YiUonIw87W
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
Now they're handing out blankets to the Autonomous Gate 48A Collective. But our rage keeps us warm. #Gate48Ariot.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
The Autonomous Gate 48A Collective is fracturing. The cash voucher procurement faction is clashing with the free food mobilization front.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
What truly set off the #Gate48Ariot was the complete failure to communicate @AmericanAir — you left your gate agents to twist in the wind.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
The #Gate48Ariot is now engaging in an actual debate with a gate agent on the constitutional right to travel. This is actually happening.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
#Gate48Ariot American Airlines is treating their customers like crap never EVER flying with them again.
— makenly (@makenahenley) June 21, 2016
@AmericanAir thanks for the blanket AA. #gate48ariot pic.twitter.com/8icxc0P2eW
— Mike Teachey (@MikeTeachey) June 21, 2016
The #Gate48Ariot just formed the Autonomous Gate 48A Collective. The people are in charge now. Airline crimes trials to commence.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
@AmericanAir starting to lose faith in what AA is saying. I’m not sure if they will ever get us out of here. Is this Trump Air?
— Mike Teachey (@MikeTeachey) June 21, 2016
@AmericanAir #gate48ariot things are getting worse. More flights delayed. Two now at the same gate. Waiting. Still waiting.
— Mike Teachey (@MikeTeachey) June 21, 2016
@Sallietations I no longer believe we will ever leave this gate. Ever. Like we need to elect a leader and raid the closed restaurants
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) June 21, 2016
@NancyAFrench We should start a pool for what time we leave. Winner gets those rumored #gateamenities.
— Sallie Palmieri (@Sallietations) June 21, 2016
@Sallietations I already said: #never
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) June 21, 2016
@NancyAFrench You may be right. They’re now searching for whoever took the video with their phone.
— Sallie Palmieri (@Sallietations) June 21, 2016
@Sallietations for real? Let’s all do it – they can’t punish us all. Wait, I guess they are
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) June 21, 2016
@Sallietations for real? Let’s all do it – they can’t punish us all. Wait, I guess they are
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) June 21, 2016
@NancyAFrench And have been for 9 hours.
— Sallie Palmieri (@Sallietations) June 21, 2016
@NancyAFrench I saw a woman hoard them in her bra earlier. I’m thinking she may be shoving them in other places after 10 hours.
— Sallie Palmieri (@Sallietations) June 21, 2016
@Sallietations in my defense, I was very hungry.
— Nancy French (@NancyAFrench) June 21, 2016
@NancyAFrench My apologies. I didn’t recognize you without orange Doritos mist all over your face.
— Sallie Palmieri (@Sallietations) June 21, 2016
The monitor just updated to 12:05 a.m. departure. It’s 12:08. The Autonomous Gate 48A Collective wonders if @AmericanAir can turn back time.
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016
@DavidAFrench see, don’t you think you need Air Force One?
— Russell Moore (@drmoore) June 21, 2016
Missed opportunity. So short-sighted. Sad! https://t.co/O5xJMBZHqm
— David French (@DavidAFrench) June 21, 2016