Jaunted

Tags: Train Hell / Amtrak / Train Travel / Delays / → All Tags

Passengers Suffer Through A Hot Night In Broken Down Amtrak Train

Less than a week ago, passenger aboard a Continental Airlines regional jet were stuck on the tarmac in Rochester, MN, during storms for over 12 hours, with no permission to leave the plane and no clearance to resume their flight. They had no food, no room to stretch or properly sleep through the night, and the smell from the bathrooms was overwhelming.

History now repeats itself, but this time it's an Amtrak train that put its passengers through hell. Happening in a different Rochester, this one in NY, an Amtrak train broke down and left passengers with no air conditioning or even lights. The train sat on the tracks for hours until a CSX locomotive was able to tow it into a station. "The train had no power, and passengers say they had to endure hot, sticky conditions inside the cars, with odors from the restrooms adding to their discomfort."

Since we're veteran Amtrak travelers, we've run into littler breakdowns and once a 13-hour one where the train crew fetched fried chicken fast food for the passengers, but nothing overnight and nothing where we would have had to sleep holding our nose. Perhaps we should start traveling with a full-size pillow and a rebreather?

Related Stories:
· Amtrak train towed to NY station after breakdown [Newsday]
· Passengers Forced To Be Cramped Campers Onboard Regional Jet [Jaunted]
· Amtrak Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Jaunted]

Tags: JetAmerica / New Routes / New Airlines / LCCs / Delays / → All Tags

JetAmerica Doles Out A $600,000 Round Of Refunds

If we had a nickel for every time there was news about the delayed JetAmerica, we'd have enough cash to buy a ticket on the airline. The most recent update, aside from their continued issue with the FAA and the almost complete lack of the once-touted $9 fares, is that the refunding of customers is apparently going smoothly.

Since JetAmerica announced their month delay, moving the start of flights from July 13 to August 14, affected customers have cried out for more than just a refund, but a refund is what they're going to get. Oh yea, and some minor fees waived if you opt to actually travel on JetAmerica in the future, when they get off the ground.

According to the Dayton Daily News, JetAmerica has already refunded $600,000 to over 6,400 passengers. After checking our credit card activity today, we can say that are not among the refunded...yet. Here's hoping it arrives before something crazy happens, but if we've learned anything after the Clear debacle, it's not to trust any company ever.

Related Stories:
· $600,000 refunded to customers, says JetAmerica [Dayton Daily News]
· The Battle Rages: JetAmerica Versus The FAA [Jaunted]
· All JetAmerica News [Jaunted]

Tags: JetAmerica / New Routes / New Airlines / LCCs / Delays / FAA / → All Tags

The Battle Rages: JetAmerica Versus The FAA

And the JetAmerica drama continues, as more details about their issues with the FAA emerge, and the struggle for landing slots continues. An article published yesterday in the Toledo Blade not only names the dates when JetAmerica's web began to unravel, but also quotes the Port Authority as being "not that optimistic" about the carrier.

So remember back when JetAmerica boasted of selling 20,000 tickets in their first 48 hours of having their website active? It turns that this publicity, and their May 27 press release even announcing their ticket sales, were the straws that broke the camel's back; they caused the FAA to contact JetAmerica and inquire about exactly what their plans were for landing slots, since they now needed them as an obviously regularly-scheduled carrier.

more ›

Tags: JetAmerica / New Routes / New Airlines / LCCs / Delays / → All Tags

JetAmerica Has Sold Out Its $9 Fares to Those Who Still Want to Fly JetAmerica

JetAmerica is extremely unpopular these days after pulling the plug on passengers just 11 days before the JA flights were expected to take off. (We keep getting upset letters from passengers and we're updating them here.)

But apparently, some people are still willing to give them another chance. JetAmerica has sent us this statement saying they have removed advertisements for its $9 one-way fares from its website. And why?

"The reason is because we are sold out of $9 fares in all but the Toledo, Ohio market for all future flights through September 2009. However, there are still plenty of one way seats available at fares starting as low as $19 one way," said JetAmerica spokesperson Bryan Glazer.

The $9 one-way fare ads have been replaced by a box that says "Ultra-low fares. Every Day. Every Flight." So we guess the sell-out bit is good news for the airline and $19 is still low. But what about when these flights will actually take off? That's still not known as there was no comment from Glazer about "slot issues or regulatory matters."

Meanwhile, here's a snippet of a letter from a once and former JetAmerica customer:

As far as I am concerned, I'll walk, hitch-hike, ride a bike, or drive before I will ever consider flying Jet America. They could give me free tickets, free hotels, etc ... I WON'T FLY WITH THEM ... EVER! They can take their 'discounts' for future flights and shove them. I'd join a class action suit if there was a chance of sticking it to them, but I don't see any chance of that.

Related Stories:
· JetAmerica stories [Jaunted]
· Minister, Hopeful Lawyer and Others Forced to Pay More Thanks to JetAmerica [Jaunted]

Tags: JetAmerica / New Routes / New Airlines / LCCs / Delays / → All Tags

Breaking News: JetAmerica Delays Launch Date Until August 14th

Yesterday we got all sorts of worried that JetAmerica would not be taking off on July 13 as initially announced because we couldn't plug in any new flight dates until August. But a call to the reservations/marketing inquiries hotline let us know that the upstart airline's website was just having a bit of "server error" and that our reservation was still good.

Still, we remained skeptical and with good reason. Just as we were wondering why JetAmerica hadn't fixed its "server error," an email came in to us from a Jaunted reader booked on the inaugural flight out of Newark to Toledo. Jet America has now delayed their launch date by 30 days.

First, we thank you for your support in purchasing a ticket on Sun America d/b/a JetAmerica ("JetAmerica"). Unfortunately, however, you are receiving this notice to inform you that due to landing slot issues in Newark, that we are going to have to delay our first flights 30 days until August 14th.

We've posted the full letter after the jump but Jet America is willing to issue a full refund to all passengers within seven to 14 days. Additionally, passengers booked on this flight will receive "special incentives to rebook on future flights" when they call the reservations center after August 1. Those incentives include waiving the $20 reservations convenience fee and the $20 fee for the first checked piece of baggage and any seat assignment fees.

But what about all the fun things we had planned for Toledo on July 14th????

more ›

Tags: JetAmerica / New Routes / New Airlines / LCCs / Delays / → All Tags

Breaking News: JetAmerica Server Snafu or Pushing July Launch?

UPDATE: Jet America has been delayed until August 14th.

We were really banking on JetAmerica taking off on July 13 but perhaps the fact that the airline never even put out a real photo of its jet fleet, we should have known that their inaugural flight date was not sent in stone, or is it?

A tipster emailed us to say that it looks like JetAmerica cancelled all of their July flights. Sure enough, when we went to search for a flight on July 15 we were shown the next available date was August 14. Then when we tried again, the next available date was suddenly August 16. What is happening here?

Since we actually have a reservation on Jet America in July, we dialed their odd 727 area code reservations number hoping for answers. While we were on hold for over 10 minutes we were repeatedly prompted to email Michelle for "marketing inquiries", odd for a reservation number, right? Oh, and at the 11 minute mark we got our answers.

JetAmerica: There is a problem with our server, it is only booking flights for August and September, IT says all should be fixed by end of day tomorrow.

Jaunted: So flights in July are still wheels up?

JetAmerica: As far as I know, yeah.

So is this just a server malfunction or is JetAmerica pushing their launch until August? Send us your tips if you got 'em.

Tags: Airlines / Surveys / Delta / Southwest Airlines / US Airways / United / Delays / Airline Hell / → All Tags

Survey Says: Airlines Suck More Than Ever

A new survey has found that travelers in the US are pissed off: For the first quarter of 2008, the US airlines collectively earned a 62 percent approval rating, their lowest since the September 11 attacks shook up the airline industry back in 2001.

The results of this latest survey reflect widespread dissatisfaction among frequent fliers. The lead expert behind the numbers told Reuters that air travel in America is "getting worse" because a lack of flight options allows poor service. Some airlines received survey scores in the low 50s, which makes them less popular than the IRS. Then again, as Chris Elliott says, "you need a survey to tell you that?"

So who sucked the most?

more ›

Tags: Passports / Balkans / Europe Travel / Delays / → All Tags

And You Thought Your Passport Took Forever

Given all those new passport woes during 2007, we're sure plenty of you have sob stories about how long it took to get a new passport. But spare a thought for Maria Kostova in Macedonia who had to wait more than 20 years to finally get her right to travel.

Part of Maria's problem was she was born in 1898, and the Macedonian authorities had misplaced the birth records from the nineteenth century. So when she applied for a passport back in the 80s, they said she didn't officially exist and couldn't have one.

Recently, the Macedonians unearthed an old archive and told Maria they could now issue a passport. Whether or not a 110-year-old woman still plans to go abroad on vacation is a question the authorities haven't stopped to consider, and Maria simply said "It's a nice surprise." We're not gonna print what we'd say if we'd had to wait 20 years for a passport.

Related Stories:
· Woman, 109, Gets Passport [Ananova]
· HOWTO: Get A Passport Fast [Jaunted]

[Photo: lilit]

Tags: Airport Hell / Airline Hell / Delays / Airlines / → All Tags

Adventures of Link: The Summer of Delays

By now it's safe to say that this is the summer for air traffic delays. You know, the ones that have toddlers screaming, toilets overflowing and calls for a passengers' bill of rights? The seemingly endless string of ground delays and mysterious "weather" patterns that back up flight hubs keeps on keeping on this summer, and as far as we can see, it ain't gettin' better yet.

Of course, we've also heard that this summer is no different than any other--it's just that we're hearing more about it this time around. But the stats quite simply tell a different story: This is the worst summer since record-keeping started. Of course, we don't have to tell you that while your flight's stuck on the taxiway for 10 hours.

The freshest reports from the front lines:
· Only 68% of Flights Arrive On-Time [DOT]
· And That Number Doesn't Include Delays That Go Unreported [ABC]
· Massive Delays in July for Legacy Carriers [NYT]
· Including the Horror Story of Continental 1669 [NYT]
· LA Mayor Villaraigosa's Not Gonna Take It Anymore [Globe and Mail]

[Photo: Addictive Picasso]

Tags: JetBlue / Travel Hell / Airlines / Delays / → All Tags

If JetBlue Was on Deal or No Deal...April Edition

So now Howie Mandel would have to say, "OK, the board is getting worse. However, you are going to have to run through all those flights to have the on-time flight be in your case"--audience golf claps, you flip the channel.

13 out of 14 JetBlue flights out of Boston's Logan Airport last night, were delayed. Yes, it was raining, and at one point the rain did turn into sleet for a half hour or so. We checked Continental's flights and they were not having any noticeable issues last night.

Our flight? Scheduled for a 7:50 departure ended up leaving just before 9:30. To the pilots credit he did make up a ton of time in the air and we ended up landing only thirty minutes late--not bad at all.

One more thing to note, the buzz in the JetBlue terminal "I told you we shouldn't be flying JetBlue--they are never on time". Now we know airport delays are par for the course, and watching DirectTV plus having extra leg room sure does help make up for any delays, but at some point JetBlue is going to have to figure out where the bottleneck is at JFK and BOS and right the ship or plenty of customers are going to change the channel.

Related Stories:
· If JetBlue Was On Deal Or No Deal [Jaunted]
· JetBlue Coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: JetBlue / Travel Hell / Airports / Delays / → All Tags

If JetBlue Was on Deal or No Deal...

Howie Mandel would have to work extra hard to be overly encouraging about this board.

Seven out of ten flights delayed out of Boston's Logan Airport last night. Oh, and don't be fooled by the "status" column. These flights left later than posted.

Our flight? Scheduled for a 7:45 departure ended up boarding at around 9:15 and arriving over two hours late. Why? The delays were categorized as "east coast wind delays", not much can be done about that, however, the delays did not seem to have such a widespread effect on other airlines. Furthering the delay--a gimpy flight attendant was a last minute scratch claiming a sprained ankle, though once we got on board, after an able, healthy substitute attendant was located, it was announced that the attendant was "sick". Sick with a sprained ankle? Or simply sick of JetBlue's onslaught of delays and cancellations.

Either way, JetBlue can't catch a break these days.

Related Stories:
·  JetBlue Coverage [Jaunted]