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The flights from hell: 24 hours to get from JAX to LAX

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  • The flights from hell: 24 hours to get from JAX to LAX

    Ok here it goes. This will be a trip that I will never forget in my life.

    Friday June 4
    Continental Flight 1064 from JAX-IAH.

    We pushed back ontime and did a rolling departure off of Runway 31. Climbed to a cruising altitude of 28,000 feet. The flight attendants passed out there turkey sandiwiches and Fritos. The sandwich tasted like it was a week old. We are about an hour out of IAH and the pilot comes on saying that ATC put us in a holding pattern for IAH due to inclement weather in IAH. Ok no big deal, but we fly in a holding pattern for 2 hours. Then since this flight only had enough fuel to go to IAH, we have to land in New Orleans to refuel. So we land in MSY and sit on a taxiway for an hour waiting for a gate. We taxi on in, and then the pilot says that IAH has shutdown all flights into IAH, so we sit there for 4 hours, I am not kidding. A CO 777 that diverted also pulled into the gate next to us. We finally push back and we land and must have been a 15 minute taxi into the gate. At this time it was 12:05 am, we were supposed to land at 7:42 pm. So of course we missed our flight to SNA (We were supposed to fly into SNA).

    Spending the night inside the Houston airport:

    We taxi in and go straight to the Continental serivice center to find out that we are booked on a 9:05am flight to LAX. So with that we start calling around hotels in the Houston area. Go figure, all the hotels are booked. So with that, we go to collect our luggage because we knew if we didn't get our luggage, we would never see it again. Enter the luggage office and are told to wait 2 hours to get our luggage. So we hang around carousel 11. We finally get our luggage, about 30 people had the great idea of sleeping on top of the luggage carousels because it was either that which had carpet or on the tile floor. I chose the carpet. I try and "Sleep" for 2 hours. Then they start up all the carousels to wake up everybody.

    Trying to get to LAX:

    We walk out to gate E-9 to wait for our flight. No plane, no personel there. We check the board and find out that the flight switched to gate C-43. No big deal, we walk over to the gate and sit down. This flight was supposed to be a 757-300, but I see a 737-800 ETOPS being towed into the gate, all I said was oh great. I had seat 37-D, and I knew this plane did not have 37 rows, i later found out it only had 29 rows. I go up to the gate agent and find out we're S.O.L. and are not going to be on this plane. So he says that we can volunteer and "Give Up" our seats and fly on the 1:05 flight. With that, we said great whatever. So he tells us we'll be flying first class to LAX, be given lunch vouchers, and $400 in travel vouchers. Not too shaby.

    Saturday June 5
    Continental Flight 1695 IAH-LAX

    We get onboard another 737-800 etops with the old configuration with 3 sets of first class seats on the left and 4 on the right. I have seat 4-A. I was given a pre-departure drink of Coke. We taxi for 10 minutes and wait in line for 20. Take off and climb to 28,000 feet. Flight attendant comes around with lunch orders. I order the beef tips sandwich with clam chouder. Not too bad at all. They roll the movie of Lost in Translation. This movie sucked so i just looked out the window for my entertainment. We come in over Lake Tahoe-nice view. We landed on 26 Left runway.

    We got off and headed to Orange County. Amazing it ONLY took 24 hours to get here.

    What an experience. I have pictures of people sleeping on the carousels. I will upload them once I get back home.

    I would really like to here some of theses people's comments


    Thanks

  • #2
    Oh No! I am glad you got there though!

    Patrick

    p.s. Nice Report, looking forward to pics.



    Next Flights:

    October 14, 2006 - Airtran MDW-MSP
    October 16, 2006 - Airtran MSP-MDW

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    • #3
      Thanks

      Comment


      • #4
        I am also glad you got there. I would be in heaven if that happened to me. Lol . I am glad the way that continental treated the situation with all the stuff they gave you, and Im shocked about the hotel situation though. I love those JAX-IAH and IAH-JAX flights, the best!

        Continental Airlines + America West Airlines +James Bond= Happiness

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        • #5
          It's not a trip, it's an odyssey. Nice report.
          Alain
          Thanks for visiting
          *Avimage's Monthly Slide list *
          *JetPhotos*
          Airliners*Pbase.com

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          • #6
            It would have been faster if you drove. :P

            jk

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            • #7
              Yea this is a trip i will have to tell everybody about

              Comment


              • #8
                ahhh now thats my kind of trip. I like big adventures when I'm flying . Nice report.
                GO SIOUX

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                • #9
                  good report, great details. That sucks with weather in Houston this time of year, I'm glad CO took care of you though.
                  He who expected nothin......aint gonna be deceived-JR

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                  • #10
                    Tomorrow, i fly back from SNA-JAX should be interesting flights. They are predicting severe thunderstorms in IAH. Plus this time i am on a 737-500 i hate those planes. Wish me luck guys

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                    • #11
                      I like any 737, especially if its on CO through IAH in the Summertime with T-storms, lucky guy.

                      Continental Airlines + America West Airlines +James Bond= Happiness

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                      • #12
                        I dont think there were any thunderstorms here in Houston on WED, but your lucky you didnt fly on TUE, IAH was shut down for a while due to thunderstorms, it wasn't a fun day at work for me, and to top it all off, I forgot my rain gear at home
                        He who expected nothin......aint gonna be deceived-JR

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