Sharing this story on FB - people need to know. I still can't help thinking about all that precious gear being destroyed. Some people just don't understand how much gear costs ... awful man, just awful. A friend of mine had traveled US Airways once and was trashing the experience. I never understood why until later on.
Sam,
At my day job (TI) - US airway is NOT a recommended airlines to use.
This is do to bags lost, on-time performance, etc.
Sorry this happened to the gear! And you.....
The mist in the cabin is probably due to a couple of things:
Not knowing what aircraft type you where on......
This seems like the cabin pressure relief valve. It probably got stuck/frozzen in a position. At higher attitude, the outside air coming in act like a very small leak; aka -cabin losing pressure.
I can see this happening anyway.
When in altitude chamber testing in the Air force, they blow this valve and the cabin fills up w/ mist 2-3 feet high.
The cold temp is related to the heating/cooling unit not functioning. It could get locked up or frozen too. It could have been as simple as the inlet door not adjusting. This happens but not often.
The only thing i may have done different is i usually tell the first person i talk with that i don't have time to talk with a drone and to get their superior. I give the same drill to whoever i'm handed too and again until i'm up the ladder.
How dreadful for you though. Could you start a facebook group inviting people to share their U.S Airways horror stories? That could take on a life of it's own and possibly cost them more than had they serviced you.
Damn.. Sam, I'm really sorry. You mentioned your lenses, but nothing of the bodies... did they make out ok?
For the 2007 race season, I was the series photographer for the NHRA Sport Compact Drag Race series... They flew me all over the country and now that I think back, I basically took for granted the fact that I would be able to keep my back with me at all times.
That is absolutely terrible. All these threads about stolen/soaked gear will be enough to give me nightmares for sure! I hope you get somewhere with US Airways Sam. I am always way to focused on making sure people are held accountable. Probably a fault. I cannot even imagine how you were able to keep your cool on this one.
I feel for ya bro. twitter this and let's start a huge US Airways backlash.
If I was you I wouldda taken the next flight.
When I went to Portland, the plane was full, no room for my thinktank roller.. They wanted me to check it in. I got off the plane took the next flight. No way am I leaving $15k worth of gear to baggage handlers. My bro in laws both work for southwest and the stories they'd tell of stolen goods/damaged made me realize NEVER EVER to trust those folks. Good luck my friend. We should all Twit this link.
Sam, I'm so sorry that happened. This is different, but my hatred of US Airways burns as brightly as yours does, I'm sure... And please, I would like to be Secretary/Treasurer of the I HATE US AIRWAYS CLUB. Hoffer can be VP since he's in Philly.
My family is in a small town in AZ and it is expensive as hell to fly there. Phoenix is way cheaper but it's a three hour drive and tacked on to an 8 hour travel day from NY it's often worth it to pay extra.
Sooo, mom was scheduled to have surgery and I bought a US Airways ticket to Yuma (connecting through Phoenix) to help her recover at home. But things went bad and she never left the hospital in Phoenix (three hours away from Yuma). So when I flew in I just got off in Phoenix, no big deal. But on the return I worried that by not boarding in Yuma they'd give my seat away in Phoenix and I wouldn't get on. So I make the mistake of calling customer service...
Oh god. Even though I'm effectively now taking a shorter trip that saves them money they tell me I have to pay:
$250 to change the ticket
AND
$325 fare difference (which makes no sense because I'm now going a shorter CHEAPER distance)
Keep in mind that I already paid almost $700 for the original ticket, I'm wiped out, been in the hospital with mom all this time, and I'm a girl. So I start to cry and ask for a supervisor.
I get a supervisor who tells me he'll waive the $250 change fee since mom's in the hospital but that's it. And he get's nasty with me. Sells me the biggest load of crap and won't admit that its insane to charge me so much to fly out of Phoenix when they are making money off my empty seat from Yuma which they can now resell. I asked this jerk how he slept at night knowing he told lies for a living.
In the end, I had to give that jerk my credit card so he could charge me a total of $350 bucks.
Like I said, not the same, but infuriating all the same...
OMG what a nightmare! I hate flying for the most part anymore. It is always such a hassle. And I love to travel. But the airlines so suck it is unbelievable.
One way to avoid losing checked in bags is to place a flare gun in the bag. Then claim that you have a weapon. One page of additional paperwork is required but I assure you that there will be a zero percent chance that they will loose that bag.
To be frank, all US flights are so bad compared to Asian flights such as Singapore, Korea and China. So much better service, beautiful flight attendants, nice meal and almost everything. I guess the labor in US is more expensive and the airlines just want to cut cost.
