“Shoes off, tablets removed and separated!!! Don’t defy us or we will pat you down and check every bag!!!
Worst US airport experience - either one off or consistently
- Thread starter gamecockcat
- Start date
“Shoes off, tablets removed and separated!!! Don’t defy us or we will pat you down and check every bag!!!
2 years ago I was on a work trip to Florence (not KY). My flight from London (also not KY) to Bologna was delayed (not from Heathrow but from London City Airport). I take the tube into the city from Heathrow, get to LCA and cannot check my bag yet because it is more than 3-4 hours until the delayed flight. I don't want to lug this big suitcase around with me to a pub to get some lunch.
A week later I'm returning to NC, and on the BA app it lets me check into my 1st leg (Bologna to Heathrow) but does not let me check into the 2nd leg (AA flight from Heathrow to NC). I go to the AA app, no luck, I call AA and they say BA has to check me in. I call BA and can't get anyone. So I decide I'll do it when I get to the airport at Bologna in the morning. When I get there they say since I didn't check-in to the 2nd flight yesterday on the app, I can't do it now and will have to do it at Heathrow. Ok, there is like 90min between flights.
Flight is slightly delayed, deboarding is slow, as is getting my bag. I find the line to get my AA boarding pass, and although it's short, it's painfully slow. I get to the window, she says I barely made it in time, gives me my pass and I run to security 50' away, and security won't let me through, say that I'm too late (boarding is in 29min). At this point I blow-up, turn over the turnstyle and walk away to go back and see if the boarding agent can give me a pass to board late. At which point the security says that I reacted too severely and they will make it so I can't fly again. WTF. I apologize, and all is forgiven and I did get the pass to get through security. But at one point I was thinking, I'm going to have to take a boat back to the US.
A week later I'm returning to NC, and on the BA app it lets me check into my 1st leg (Bologna to Heathrow) but does not let me check into the 2nd leg (AA flight from Heathrow to NC). I go to the AA app, no luck, I call AA and they say BA has to check me in. I call BA and can't get anyone. So I decide I'll do it when I get to the airport at Bologna in the morning. When I get there they say since I didn't check-in to the 2nd flight yesterday on the app, I can't do it now and will have to do it at Heathrow. Ok, there is like 90min between flights.
Flight is slightly delayed, deboarding is slow, as is getting my bag. I find the line to get my AA boarding pass, and although it's short, it's painfully slow. I get to the window, she says I barely made it in time, gives me my pass and I run to security 50' away, and security won't let me through, say that I'm too late (boarding is in 29min). At this point I blow-up, turn over the turnstyle and walk away to go back and see if the boarding agent can give me a pass to board late. At which point the security says that I reacted too severely and they will make it so I can't fly again. WTF. I apologize, and all is forgiven and I did get the pass to get through security. But at one point I was thinking, I'm going to have to take a boat back to the US.
Update: flew home from Logan yesterday. Not a horrible experience. What was irritating (United) was the plane was scheduled to leave at 8:40 pm. We're on the plane and the doors closed by 8:20 pm. At 8:50 pm, the pilot announces 'we're waiting on some late baggage and should be ready to go momentarily'. At 9:05 pm, 'we're still waiting on a couple of pieces of luggage and we'll be pushing back in just a few minutes'. At 9:10 pm, we push back and sit. At 9:20 pm, we slowly make our way towards a runway. At 9:25 pm, we're wheels up, over an hour since everyone was on the plane and the doors closed. I mean, WTF? We have 130 passengers waiting for over an hour for 'late baggage'? Seems like the baggage department could use some better methods to ensure this doesn't happen but very, very rarely.
I should have clarified in my post about Logan. I have actually had good flying experiences there, it's just that rental car situation is dumb. But the airport itself, I don't mind. Oddly enough, the airport that I have had the most amount of delays out of is Richmond, VA. Which is kinda on brand, because I don't particularly like Richmond the city.
With as much traveling as I have done the last 5 years of my career, I have a great appreciation for the midsize airport. Louisville is my home airport, and is just a breeze, despite very limited options to the west coast. But CHS and RDU are just 2 examples of what I consider midsize airports that are just a breeze.
Wonder if nearby dc air traffic has anything to do with that? More than once i experienced delays in different parts of the country due to vip in the air space.
Okay, TSA Pre-check finally worked this time. Only requirements were remove everything out of pockets. Left belt and shoes on. Laptop remained in small carry-on bag. Relatively painless. Sitting at Austin-Bergstrom, awaiting Southwest flight to Nashville.
Having traveled all over Southeast Asia and flying plenty of local and national airlines, I’ll say that as domestic travelers in the US we are wildly spoiled.
That being said, in the US, it’s absolutely EWR. A complete shit show of an airport.
That being said, in the US, it’s absolutely EWR. A complete shit show of an airport.
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