Irregular Operations!
This is a 2 year old post (dated end of november, 2007)
Last week, I discussed about my product and its capacity to handle changes in a PNR when irregular operations occur. Irregular operations - for beginners - are changes that occur when a flight gets cancelled, re-routed , delayed etc. etc.
Never in my dreams I thought I will be witnessing such a thing soon in my life. Yes. I did. My return from Chicago was with 2 connections - Chicago (ORD) to Washington Dulles (IAD) by United, IAD to Doha (DOH) by Qatar and again DOH to Trivandrum (TRV) by QR. Flight timing were 1545 (Saturday, Dec 01) from ORD reaching IAD on same day at 1830, leaving IAD same day on 2210, reaching DOH next day (Dec 02) by 1910, and leaving from there by 0015 on Dec 03 Monday, reaching TRV on 0715.
So here goes the story of the first Irregular Operation experience in my life.Some of us might have gone through this situation. It is not as funny, but a very good experience I should say. I heard about a bad weather and landed at the ORD airport sufficiently early (as I thought) - at 11 AM for a domestic connection that leaves that place at 1545. I asked if I can board an early flight, (since flights to IAD are frequent) on a standby mode. They said flights are full, and weather is looking fine, so you can take your original flight. I said THANKS :-) By about 2 PM when I was waiting for my flight, I saw that it has started snowing, the whole airport, runways, gates, flights all getting whiter and whiter as time passed by. Everyone was pretty fine, and the gates started functioning as usual, we boarded the flight at 1515. I was so excited to see the snow making my side window look like a broken glass :-) First snow, and in a flight and with Window seat - Paramaanandam!
As everyone boarded the flight, the captain announced :-) The weather conditions are bad and the airport is closed!!! No take offs and landings till further notice. However from his experience, it might get over in 10 mins time, so we will be able to move as soon as the next announcement comes. It did not happen in 10 mins. I started looking at my watch - if I have to catch the connection from IAD, I must reach IAD at least by 2100 hrs, for which I need to leave this place at least by 1830. Cool..Got 2 more hours to go. My assumption was, an announcement comes, airport opens, we go! That about it :-) The next announcement from the captain was rather shocking!It is 1700 hrs and according to their duty charts, the flight deck crew's time is getting over in another 40 mins and hence they will not be let to fly this aircraft to IAD. Geeeezzz! I never imagined this during my induction sessions when I talked about Crew scheduling! Luckily, there were 2 deadheading pilots in the same aircraft (they were going to IAD to take up their next crew schedule) who agreed to take the flight - I dint know switching was that easy, huh! I said - Thank You chettan maare! You are so kind. United is a flight who does not supply any food items on board. Some flights have food for purchase on board, but this did not belong to that category. As it was 1730, and we were still waiting for the weather to clear up, they served us water!!! The next dilemma begins - gates are closed and this flight is good to go! If they open the doors for putting catering stuff in, then....this process has to begin again and we will be delayed again - for how long ? No one knows!
The earlier set of cabin crew left and the weather was clear! - Airport opens - Hurray!!! Now there comes the next problem. The plane has to be de-iced (first the engine, and then the body) to take it to the runway, and due to bad weather, not all de-icing units and de-icing crew are in Operation! The announcement followed - all international connections from IAD are on time - Which translated to me, Mr. Choyappally, ninte Qatar flight SWAAHA!They put movies - which were good - the first one was "The Ultimate Gift", and the 2nd one was "No Reservations" (Catherine Zeta Jones - Slurp!)Now that the de-icing process was taking time, catering stuff was loaded - But no trolleys to carry them, we had to walk to the end of the aircraft and get them. Oatmeal cookies (3 of them), 2 juices, 1 Sprite - all in different times - that was the dinner. The crew was very helpful - There was this lady who carried the stuff in her hands to distribute to everyone, talked up all the way, and I am a big fan of her now. She was the saving grace. So witty, so helpful that we never knew how time flew. Coming back to the point - Samayam 2000 in the night, and we have been on this flight for almost 5 hours now, without moving an inch of distance. After lots of pressure and negotiations (the captain was updating us and we were able to listen to his communication with the ATC over the channel 9 of the audio) the de-icing unit came. The process was worth watching - Thanks to the window seat. There was a group of first class and business class passengers who made a fuss about being there for so long. If the door is opened, then it will be a problem and it will cause more delays. All said and done, the doors opened once - saying that it is the last and only time, and they were let to go out. Doors close again. We are ready to go at 2100 hours now, when again the weather condition goes bad. Meterology dept objects us from going to IAD. The deadheading crew who was on the flight substituting the original ones, were about to get time out !!!! Will I ever get to IAD today? All of us were in that mode. Now, at about 2200 hours, the weather was clear and we were good to go. The plane has to be de-iced again! Apparently, the authorities told, the international flights have to be de-iced :-( Grrrrrrrrrr....... And that was the last point where we got an announcement from the captain who said - Guys, am trying my last resort and if this works you are at IAD today - He did get through to some higher official and stated that we are stranded for more than 8 hours and YES - it worked. De-icing unit back, and at about 11 in the night, When I was trying to keep myself awake in that window seat, I heard an applause. UA 206 ORD -IAD has finally started TAXIING !!!! Was at IAD by 0230 on 02 Dec, and UA gave me accommodation and meal vouchers. I was re-booked for QR for the next day, which meant, am losing yet another day in my life at an airport - I HATE THIS!Checked in to the hotel at 4 AM in the morning - and I was almost dead. The ISD line in the hotel is not going through, and I mailed almost everyone I knew to let my family know that am late. Got up at 10 on 02 Dec, asked the hotel when can I check out - They say 12. So hotel checks (chucks) me out at 12, I reach IAD airport with free meal passes from United, which is not honoured everywhere and roam around. QR counter is yet to open, and I carry all my luggage as I walk around :(. Well..IROPS or irregular Operations! *****************************************************************
Last week, I discussed about my product and its capacity to handle changes in a PNR when irregular operations occur. Irregular operations - for beginners - are changes that occur when a flight gets cancelled, re-routed , delayed etc. etc.
Never in my dreams I thought I will be witnessing such a thing soon in my life. Yes. I did. My return from Chicago was with 2 connections - Chicago (ORD) to Washington Dulles (IAD) by United, IAD to Doha (DOH) by Qatar and again DOH to Trivandrum (TRV) by QR. Flight timing were 1545 (Saturday, Dec 01) from ORD reaching IAD on same day at 1830, leaving IAD same day on 2210, reaching DOH next day (Dec 02) by 1910, and leaving from there by 0015 on Dec 03 Monday, reaching TRV on 0715.
So here goes the story of the first Irregular Operation experience in my life.Some of us might have gone through this situation. It is not as funny, but a very good experience I should say. I heard about a bad weather and landed at the ORD airport sufficiently early (as I thought) - at 11 AM for a domestic connection that leaves that place at 1545. I asked if I can board an early flight, (since flights to IAD are frequent) on a standby mode. They said flights are full, and weather is looking fine, so you can take your original flight. I said THANKS :-) By about 2 PM when I was waiting for my flight, I saw that it has started snowing, the whole airport, runways, gates, flights all getting whiter and whiter as time passed by. Everyone was pretty fine, and the gates started functioning as usual, we boarded the flight at 1515. I was so excited to see the snow making my side window look like a broken glass :-) First snow, and in a flight and with Window seat - Paramaanandam!
As everyone boarded the flight, the captain announced :-) The weather conditions are bad and the airport is closed!!! No take offs and landings till further notice. However from his experience, it might get over in 10 mins time, so we will be able to move as soon as the next announcement comes. It did not happen in 10 mins. I started looking at my watch - if I have to catch the connection from IAD, I must reach IAD at least by 2100 hrs, for which I need to leave this place at least by 1830. Cool..Got 2 more hours to go. My assumption was, an announcement comes, airport opens, we go! That about it :-) The next announcement from the captain was rather shocking!It is 1700 hrs and according to their duty charts, the flight deck crew's time is getting over in another 40 mins and hence they will not be let to fly this aircraft to IAD. Geeeezzz! I never imagined this during my induction sessions when I talked about Crew scheduling! Luckily, there were 2 deadheading pilots in the same aircraft (they were going to IAD to take up their next crew schedule) who agreed to take the flight - I dint know switching was that easy, huh! I said - Thank You chettan maare! You are so kind. United is a flight who does not supply any food items on board. Some flights have food for purchase on board, but this did not belong to that category. As it was 1730, and we were still waiting for the weather to clear up, they served us water!!! The next dilemma begins - gates are closed and this flight is good to go! If they open the doors for putting catering stuff in, then....this process has to begin again and we will be delayed again - for how long ? No one knows!
The earlier set of cabin crew left and the weather was clear! - Airport opens - Hurray!!! Now there comes the next problem. The plane has to be de-iced (first the engine, and then the body) to take it to the runway, and due to bad weather, not all de-icing units and de-icing crew are in Operation! The announcement followed - all international connections from IAD are on time - Which translated to me, Mr. Choyappally, ninte Qatar flight SWAAHA!They put movies - which were good - the first one was "The Ultimate Gift", and the 2nd one was "No Reservations" (Catherine Zeta Jones - Slurp!)Now that the de-icing process was taking time, catering stuff was loaded - But no trolleys to carry them, we had to walk to the end of the aircraft and get them. Oatmeal cookies (3 of them), 2 juices, 1 Sprite - all in different times - that was the dinner. The crew was very helpful - There was this lady who carried the stuff in her hands to distribute to everyone, talked up all the way, and I am a big fan of her now. She was the saving grace. So witty, so helpful that we never knew how time flew. Coming back to the point - Samayam 2000 in the night, and we have been on this flight for almost 5 hours now, without moving an inch of distance. After lots of pressure and negotiations (the captain was updating us and we were able to listen to his communication with the ATC over the channel 9 of the audio) the de-icing unit came. The process was worth watching - Thanks to the window seat. There was a group of first class and business class passengers who made a fuss about being there for so long. If the door is opened, then it will be a problem and it will cause more delays. All said and done, the doors opened once - saying that it is the last and only time, and they were let to go out. Doors close again. We are ready to go at 2100 hours now, when again the weather condition goes bad. Meterology dept objects us from going to IAD. The deadheading crew who was on the flight substituting the original ones, were about to get time out !!!! Will I ever get to IAD today? All of us were in that mode. Now, at about 2200 hours, the weather was clear and we were good to go. The plane has to be de-iced again! Apparently, the authorities told, the international flights have to be de-iced :-( Grrrrrrrrrr....... And that was the last point where we got an announcement from the captain who said - Guys, am trying my last resort and if this works you are at IAD today - He did get through to some higher official and stated that we are stranded for more than 8 hours and YES - it worked. De-icing unit back, and at about 11 in the night, When I was trying to keep myself awake in that window seat, I heard an applause. UA 206 ORD -IAD has finally started TAXIING !!!! Was at IAD by 0230 on 02 Dec, and UA gave me accommodation and meal vouchers. I was re-booked for QR for the next day, which meant, am losing yet another day in my life at an airport - I HATE THIS!Checked in to the hotel at 4 AM in the morning - and I was almost dead. The ISD line in the hotel is not going through, and I mailed almost everyone I knew to let my family know that am late. Got up at 10 on 02 Dec, asked the hotel when can I check out - They say 12. So hotel checks (chucks) me out at 12, I reach IAD airport with free meal passes from United, which is not honoured everywhere and roam around. QR counter is yet to open, and I carry all my luggage as I walk around :(. Well..IROPS or irregular Operations! *****************************************************************
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