The Worst Flight in America

Part of the problem is that the airlines have flooded the markets with RJ flights. When I worked for HP in ABQ all our flights were mainline at the time, but the 9am flight was never O/T, because of flow to PHX coming in from the east coast/midwest. Then when I had a job with COEX/UAX in CRP, all the flights would push back O/T but sit on the ramp/end of rwy for an average 30 mins then depart to IAH. CRP-IAH was up to 12 flights a day at one time. Now, if they scaled it back to 5 or 6 with mainline a/c and do the same thing in other markets, I bet ATC would improve. I know the airlines say "Its for customer convenience". What good is that convenience when the flight is consistently late, and connections are being missed? The whole system is blind to its own hypocrisy.

Well, as the story says, Newark and/or ATC is the problem but you are correct about the what if about the congressman

It is an issue of capacity. The route and the airport are at or near capacity on a good day. Thus, if there are disruptions the the disruption has an immediate and disproportionate effect. Just like if an idiot is doing 30 mph on the freeway - at 3 am - it impacts almost no one, at 7 am, it creates a mess... The only thing that will help Newark is another runway. The only thing that will help the route is more butts per aircraft.

The worst major airport for small events causing major problems I have found is Heathrow, small event and they are in trouble for days, not just hours.

Yet, flying is a better way for travel - in most cases, even with the disruptions and frustrations...

I'll bet if a Congressman from CVG was on that flight it would operate ontime!

used to fly out of Newark - Friday 5 PM.... took US Air, missed connection at Pittsburgh, took United, missed , connection in ORD, took American, missed connection at DFW, tried old Continental A300, stayed the night in Denver..... that was almost 20 years ago.... guess some things never change... need new runway 1500+ feet from the existing ones so can have simultaneous approaches, departures, but the real solution is to bar anything less than 100 passenger planes to reduce frequencies.... controllers hands are tied with separation standards...

Moral of this story; if you absolutely have to be somewhere at a certain time you better travel the day before or the odds of God, airlines, and FAA ruining your day are not in your favor.

Didn't even have to read the article to know United would be involved in the story.

The weather and the FAA are just talking points used as a crutch to support the real problem with Newark. The Port Authority. The whole bad attitude of New Yorkers and their condescending regard for New Jersey leads to delays. Add to the mix the adversarial relationship between the Port Authority and the public unions and there is a rigid atmosphere of using airlines and passengers to beat each other over the head.

They can't even get the temperature right. It is either freezing or roasting because of the economic objectives of the Port Authority. They are too stingy with the heat and air conditioning.

The main problem there is no one cares to make things work. They are so busy carving out fiefdoms that there is no ability to get the work done in a timely manner. There are also hundreds of people that are the air transport equivalent of a fireman on an electric locomotive.

While I agree that "keep 'em flying" is a good motto, contract carriers like Sky West would do well to schedule a RJ to be in Kentucky (where Cincinnati parks its planes) to render delays of the scheduled aircraft moot. That is what would help passengers instead of the current system that has managers deciding who will suffer the least.

same is consistently with Albany-Newark flt but 2 weeks ago Albany- O'Hare left 3 hrs late . I try to get a 4hr connection time to have any chance at all

same as the Newark-albany flts, consistently late. but 2 weeks ago Albany-Ohare left 3 hrs late. I try to get at least a 4 hr layover on a connection to have any chance at all.

You know the record. You know the fees. Adapt or take another route. Get over yourself.....or vote the pinheads out. We got what we allowed. Please start with his Mitchness.