ninjasenseivalkyrieprincess
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My friend is a flight attendant. She shared this post on her feed and I wanted to share it with you all.
My husband and I are travelling this summer from Canada to Europe with our niece. Starting to have second thoughts.
If you have any post-COVID travel stories, I’d like to hear them!
Travel safely!
YouLikeMemesDontYouSquidward
For stories like this, please tell those of us not in the industry what all the acronyms mean
sometimesidontevenknowwhyibother
My wife works for an airline. They didn't lay people off for covid and it's still tough, volumes are high. I won't fly this summer, 4 sure.
ninjasenseivalkyrieprincess
Urgh, sorry for bad cropping… *harakiri*
CrunchyLookingLeaf
ElbowDeepInAJedi
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thePyromanic
An honourable gift
A5tor
Is this you or a repost?
pxlphile
*Seppuku
Nibbilynobbily
I was there for the fall of capitalism.
joot
Capitalism didn’t fall - the airline still made shitloads of money during this. It’s the people who lost, and they aren’t doing shit.
ChristopherHallett
We all are!
LuminoZero
Want to fix the system? Stop showing up. Strikes WORK, people. Especially with airlines.
Salpinus
Nah, our government just went into forced negotiations since the company went into lockout so the union that were on strike had some members
Salpinus
in the ambulance plane service, and there's a law saying that when people's health is at risk a forced negotiation is set. No one have any
Salpinus
sympathy with the guys who claimed an 18% raise anyways (no education, only through paid training) and making starting pay at 60K USD
Velonici
I wonder how much aircraft maintenance is going to be skipped because of the shortage. Scary stuff.
viila
Theoretically none, plane doesn't fly if it hasn't gone through maint. But cut corners and errors due to overwork definitely will happen.
PictureArchiver
“The rod that you saw falling off the plane? Totally not an essential part, madam. Nothing much to worry about."
StepRightUp
My brother-in-law, a Delta mechanic, is working crazy long OT hours right now! (voluntarily at least) will probably make $200k this year!
bripi
Please talk to him about that kind of crazy overworking. He won't perform at peak for long with that kind of abuse.
StepRightUp
Agree!
ivymantled69
Qantas took $600 million in government Covid payments, then stood down 20,000 workers and laid off 8,500. Then blamed passengers for… 1/2
ivymantled69
problems and delays at the airports. Plus the people I know who’ve flown the last few months got Covid. Mask wearing is not enforced. 2/2
VodkaReindeer
Wear your N95 mask properly so that you don't have to worry about others wearing theirs.
ivymantled69
100%. Not only did the people I know catch Covid, but they flew straight home while sick with it. Crazy dangerous, and probably common.
ChristopherHallett
Yeah, how far the once-mighty has fallen is straight up depressing.
dormantmayonnaise
I'm supposed to fly in a couple weeks so I can house/farm sit for my sister who hasn't seen family in 3 years in a couple weeks. Am worried.
MrE158
Dublin airport has asked the Irish government if they can use the army to do security checks for them, they're so short-staffed.
Gunner945
GF went to Vancouver...flight delayed 3+ hours, no plane/crew. Finally got there, had to wait to find ground crews to deplane!
somebodythatyouusetoknow
Whelp, my family flies out Sunday to Europe. Fuck.
GZmosselman
RIP. Airports in Europe are just as big of a mess. Good luck.
jemappelletosca
Direct, cross-Atlantic flights aren’t as bad. Just don’t connect anywhere, if you can help it.
somebodythatyouusetoknow
I used to pay more for the direct every time, then they got rid of it. Connecting through Iceland.
jemappelletosca
I know, all the flights are messed up. I have some strange flight schedules coming up. I hope Iceland is a good connector for you!
Berendtable
Post-COVID stories don't exist yet.
youbetchamom
Just flew San Diego to Maryland, with a connection. No problem.
TCGView
But however will Ted Cruz get to Cancun? Think of the politicians!
Exyr
I'm driving like 30 minutes and camping. That sounds like airlines being airlines making profits.
nonsensicalnymph
Same! Much better.
VitaminBeaPositive
They are waiting to see if people and workers will tolerate it. No changes yet because people are flying anyway.
VitaminBeaPositive
Until people stop flying, this is the new normal.
civilairforce
Airlines dont make money, but they make a lot of other people money. But really, it's a mess and the airlines cannot catch up with demand.
Exyr
They can they just don't want to. There isn't a worker shortage. Just people don't wanna work for you know shit companies.
GramGram
Just got back from camping. 10/10 would camp again... in fact, i'm going next weekend too. :] Fuck the airlines.
KRicci
I was confused for a second because of how "camping" has been used as a substitute for "abortion" lately lol
GramGram
Hey my dude, I'm not here to tell you how to camp. :]
NairouTryyshokk
YEG cargo agent here. THIS. There is a shortage of baggage handlers here and its terrible.
Animaniacs
I flew to France in February. Took only a carry on for this reason. The flight back was actually half empty.
butthurtnevergetsbetter
They dropped a lot of workers during the lockdown dips, and they're not all coming back. Many found a better job.
butthurtnevergetsbetter
They should really just reduce the number of flights, but that'd hurt the almighty profit too much so we get this clusterfuck instead.
PantlessHuman
Air Canada 150 per day
DonnaNobleInTheLibrary
Lufthansa has already cancelled ~3000 flights.
TheColorsOfRain
I just got back from traveling. Can confirm. Was an absolute nightmare. Still affecting my life a month later.
gorblin
What happened?? :(
TheColorsOfRain
They canceled a flight from my layover, airline was going to strand me 4 days w/out assistance. Blew my savings on a last sec ticket home 1/
TheColorsOfRain
Arrived, literally across the continent, and no checked bag. Went 9 days of ridiculous back and forth trying to get it w customer service 2/
TheColorsOfRain
Bag had several items missing. Have been fighting them tooth n nail for reimbursements. They say use their website but it just crashes 3/
TheColorsOfRain
So had to file with DOT. They want to deny my claims because “they weren’t reported in the RQ’ed time frame”…. You know. Bc website crashes.
MyBedroomIsSiberia
Literally just went to yul for F1. They lost our bags for five days. How tf are they not putting out massive hiring bonuses?
SidewalkWidflower
The same reason why they laid off people even when governments have them money not to
thecheesecakemancan
Pearson Airport in Toronto is a shit show of luggage that arrived after their owners left
thecheesecakemancan
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/traveller-says-toronto-pearson-baggage-chaos-is-like-suitcase-scavenger-hunt-1.5967152
kwyjiboner
Airlines could attract workers if they offered better compensation
Spidey209
No! Not like that! Give the execs a big fat bonus and then we'll figure the rest out later.
ElviraQueenOfDarkness
Schiphol made 235mil in profit DURING COVID. "paying the bagae handlers more is not a posibility" , "it wont solve the problem"
NeverDownvoteMelBrooks
But a least the industry is deregulated! /s
theregoesthegayborhood
Beat me to it! Yay capitalism! /s
ChristopherHallett
Witness the incredible efficiency!
chickensareawesome
I don't know what a lot of that means, but I understand the general message. I hope your friends is safe and resting.
beasttubbs
basically, every aspect of airline travel is either holding on by a thread or actively failing
iwillfinishyoulikeacheesecake
Yeah, I didn't understand a lot of the individual words but I know the language of "overworked and understaffed".
notitnoti
US needs to adopt passenger rights like the EU. Missed a connection because of a delayed flight. Airline provided food, hotel, and €600.
Commentsandiego14
Haven't you heard? We don't have rights here anymore
Feralkyn
From other comments, this issue is worldwide
NoOne001
You didn't read the comment before responding. They have the same issues but apparently are getting compensated.
Feralkyn
The comments I'm referring to did *not* get compensated. They said they had a 2 hour delay and everyone seemed exhausted etc. but there's
Feralkyn
no compensation for a delay.
ElviraQueenOfDarkness
Yeah, no. We have this "force majeur" clause. See its not the airlines fault. Bagage handeling atx are done by the airport. And the airports
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notitnoti
It's standard in the EU, but you have to ask. Delay was related to staffing and a "bad slot." This was 2 weeks ago. Same thing last year.
TheresnoDanaonlyZuul
PSA PSA!!! Do NOT book a flight that had a layover or switch from Toronto Pearson. DO NOT. It is deemed the worst airport on Earth right now
curlyfry11
What about Montreal…
TheresnoDanaonlyZuul
Pearson has a bad rep right now. Not sure about MT
TheresnoDanaonlyZuul
*has
notyoubizness
I just flew. We checked bags. It was fine. I'm not saying there aren't problems, but... It worked out.
bripi
Same here. Delta from PVG to IAD thru DTW. *smooth* transitions and baggage handling. worst was the 2-hour layover on the plane in ICN.
ninjasenseivalkyrieprincess
Good to know! We booked with Delta, too.
bripi
Flying where, may I ask?
aNamelessCreature
I'm out of the loop. Why are airports spontaneously combusting this time?
HaikuSorrow
Not enough highly trained staff that were dropped during pandemic lockdowns have returned to work, many have left the industry.
montyman185
This might also be partially because canada has somewhat of a labour shortage, so they can't get anyone new.
jaredrietdyk
Skilled* labor shortage... Plenty of jobless, but they don't have the skills.
jamiedBreaker
Sort of sounds like a willingness to train shortage for them, then
AgnosticPaladin
Because during the pandemic the airline companies fired a lot of their of their crews while gobbling government funds. And now they are...
AgnosticPaladin
...completely surprised that people want to travel, and that they need qualified workers.
WeAllLiveInAUserSubmarine
A shortage of skilled workers? Nice! Sounds like an opportunity to sell my labour! I'll start the bidding at $100k for a 40hr week. /s
ricpaul
Just read column in newspaper about what people make. Today it was a 33y old welder making >80k AFTER TAXES.With my BSc I'd be happy w/ half
AgnosticPaladin
Of course they are not offering enough payment. But it's not only that: in the OP it's quoted 5 weeks of training as not remotely enough.
NaughtButOne
Because the Pandemic Is Over™ and people can't wait to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers and chew with their mouths open again. This >
NaughtButOne
>exacerbates the fact that airlines took billions in government money on the promise of not laying anyone off, promptly laid everyone off >
NaughtButOne
>and haven't hired back because dats expwensive (╥﹏╥)
casbott
And a lot of their former employees went and got jobs elsewhere, and aren't sitting around waiting for a call to come back.
Hawkgirl203
Didn’t some airlines buy back stocks with the money?
NaughtButOne
Not Yet*, as far as I know, only because the govt explicitly said "DO NOT USE THIS TO BUY BACK STOCKS". Of course, they also said "do not >
OaksParcel
It's a problem entirely created by the airlines. Despite these issues, flights are about 75% cheaper than they were pre-pandemic.
onlydrunkcomments
Not everywhere... Inflation on airfares is up 20-30%
OaksParcel
I have a ROUND TRIP flight Calgary to Winnipeg booked for $120. I've never spent less than $500 on that. Prices are insanely cheap.
curlyfry11
Not everything. I booked KHOU-EDDF for $450 round trip in 2020 before the pandemic started. KHOU-LIMC was $1200 this year
LimeMew
I work at a parking lot at the airport. Sadly I hear this. My job cuts drivers off at midnight. I have 8 flights after midnight only 3driver
LimeMew
Flight delays cause this. Boss has no driver at 2am. However 2am flights do come in so does 4am flights. Morning rush is at 4am. So I get
LimeMew
Both sides. Delayed people checking out need help then incoming morning rush and only 4 morning drivers. People wait either 20 to 60 during
LimeMew
These bad times. I can only fit 11 people on a bus. If families come or leave, either they wait or decide to only have one person get on bus
LimeMew
So that one person can drive their car back without trying to find a bus that has space for a party of 9.
LimeMew
Oh and I should mention I'm the only person here.