I’m not having the “luckiest” couple of travel weeks. In the past 10 days I’ve collectively had 16 hours of flight delays (first a four hour delay before a Philadelphia to Toronto flight, then a two hour delay before an Abu Dhabi to New York flight, then a four hour delay before a Chicago to Las Vegas flight, and now finally a four hour delay before a Las Vegas to Los Angeles flight).
In the past 10 days I’ve collectively experienced more delays than in the previous two years combined.
Last night I was trying to standby for an earlier flight from Las Vegas to Los Angeles (actually a later flight, but it was less delayed than my earlier flight).
I was next in line to talk to the gate agent, when the flight attendant from the inbound flight approached the gate agent:
Flight attendant: “We can’t start boarding yet, I have a problem with my tablet.”
Gate agent: “Sorry, I don’t follow.”
Flight attendant: “Well one of the files on my tablet is corrupt. I can’t access my flight attendant manual, so we can’t board yet. I’m waiting on a paper manual.”
Gate agent: “So can we at least start boarding, and we’ll get you a paper one before the door closes? That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that.”
Flight attendant: “No, it’s FAA regulations. We have to wait until I have a paper manual.”
Gate agent: “Wow.”
I realize the rules are the rules, but at the same time when you logically break it down, that’s quite possibly the most ridiculous reason I’ve heard for a flight having delayed boarding.
Fortunately a supervisor showed up pretty quickly with the paper manual, because I can’t imagine the gate agent having to announce “ladies and gentlemen, our flight’s boarding is further being delayed because one of our flight attendants has a corrupt file on her tablet which means she can’t access her flight attendant manual, and therefore we have to wait until she gets a paper copy of the manual before we can begin boarding.”
What’s the most ridiculous reason you’ve heard for a delayed boarding?
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