Dateline: Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport

We finished up the policy board and timing was such that I was able to catch an earlier flight. Instead of getting home fairly late, I had the opportunity to get home not so late for a while it even looked I might be able to have a late meal with my wife. Delta Airlines was very cooperative in getting my flights changed and, even though there was an Air Traffic Control hold which delayed our departure from Jacksonville, it still looked like I might make it. Of course beyond control of Delta is that god forsaken airline called Atlantic Southeast Airline, or ASA.

Yet again ASA, or as well love to call them—Always Slow Airlines—cancelled my flight putting me back on my late flight. The reason given was maintenance. Now don’t get me wrong, I think airlines should be as safe as possible but ASA has too many “maintenance” problems for to believe they really have maintenance problems. Given their stellar track record and managerial ability, I am more apt to suspect that pilots did not show up, pilots were not scheduled, the aircraft was never used, or some reason other than “maintenance”.

But I really shouldn’t expect anything more other than incompetence here. Any child on street, unless they work for ASA, knows that maintenance is something you do to keep from having problems, not an excuse to use when you do have problems! ASA uses it all the time. A few years ago they had older Brasilia aircraft and I had no doubt that planes of that age were maintenance nightmares. But now they have new jet aircraft. So if they have new aircraft, why all the maintenance problems? Now you see why I am suspicious.

This flight out will probably be my last ASA flight because my time is worth more than the flight. When everything works well, flying to Atlanta can save time. But if a delay gets too long then the time savings goes out the window. Especially when they decide to cancel the last flight out and it means an overnight stay. Given that I only have about a four hour drive to Atlanta, I really can drive it in about the same amount time it takes to fly when you factor in airport waits, delays, ground holds, layovers, and the ever present “ASA Maintenance” problems.

I also worry about any organization that has this many problems. As I said, maintenance is something that you do to prevent failure and malfunction, not an excuse for it. So, if ASA is having these maintenance problems then there must be an inherent flaw in their maintenance system. And if there is a flaw in maintenance, then a catastrophic failure is surely in the not-to-distant future. I don’t want to be on that flight!

They did give me a meal voucher worth a grand total of $7.00 which, in this airport, is a Coke (yes, only coke products that I’ve seen here) and a bag of chips. If they really wanted to make me happy they would have given a pass to the Crown Room so I could a drink and have some Internet connectivity. But all I got was this stinking meal voucher.

I had, at one time, thought about a Crown Club membership but decided against it. For one it is too expensive for the times I fly. When everything works then I don’t have time to use it. When I do have delays I can’t see rewarding the airline with a membership when they are the reason I have to use it.

As a Republican I really am opposed to increased regulation but something must be done about the Airline industry. They have gotten out of hand and customer service has declined. Delta has cut fares on some routes but has service improved? Ideally the free market should take care of issues such as customer service but the airlines scream for government intervention. Remember the latest bailout? I say let them suffer. Let’s shut down some of these airlines and those that remain will likely get better. If the existing airlines are forced out of business, then if the market is still there for a new airline, one will start and perhaps be more responsive. ASA is certainly one airline I would not see going away. So, while I am opposed to increased regulation, I am also opposed to government bailout of a failing business with no promise of improvement. Either quit bailing them out, or tie a bailout to increased performance measures.

Now, to draft the letter to ASA, so that they can file in the trash, then off to spend my $7.00 voucher.