Are you more surprised when a flight is ON TIME or when a flight is DELAYED?
I never expect them to be on time anymore.
But I still get upset when they are super late.
Really upset.
Hi! I’m Kim, a 40-something-year-old living in northeastern Illinois with my husband Steven, and our cats, Khaleesi, Apollo, Starbuck, and Eddard aka Ned. My current main hobbies are running, painting rocks, flying, reading, and eating. I follow a vegan lifestyle and am employed by the federal government. I write about a variety of topics and consider this a “life” blog – a place I can share anything that’s on my mind. Please visit the “About” page to get a better idea of who I am! 🙂
I’m surprised when a flight is delayed. We’ve never had a problems with anything.
One of my co-workers has experienced everything. He and his wife have had delayed flights, lost luggage, weird hotel situations because of the airlines, and everything else you can imagine. Something happens almost everytime they fly.
They’re very nice, thoughtful people too so it’s not a karma thing.
I’m shocked when a flight leaves on time… but they pad the arrival time so heavily now that I’m rarely late. Go figure.
I am more surprised when it leaves on time. I have actually started to plan business meetings based on potential delays—not when my flight actually arrives.
I don’t expect it to be on time, but I still hope I’ll be wrong with my expectation…does that make sense at all?
ajooja – I think you need to rub off some of your good luck on your friends? 😉 Ugh. I remember arriving in Rome for the semester and a friend of mine did not get her luggage for about a week. What awful luck. I agree that it is a luck thing, not a karma thing.
Dave2 – I like how you get on the flight super late and they tell you they are going to “make up for it” in the air. Why can’t they always “make up for it” so you get to your destination sooner?!
Robin – That is a very smart thing to do. I am worried when I have to fly for business; it would probably be more stressful than having a vacation flight be delayed.
Cheryl – I am the same way. I don’t expect it, but it the back of my mind, there is still a glimmer of hope…
I’m more surprised when it’s on time. I expect delays anytime. Years ago, flights were mostly on time and it was rare if it was delayed. And when it was by a certain margin, you got free drinks or other perks. Even now, getting bumped from a flight, you don’t get much. 10 years ago, getting bumped meant you got on the next available flight AND got free RT vouchers.
On time. I don’t really get annoyed about delays, unless they’re longer than 45 minutes or I have a connection to make. Last week, when we left Denver, I was annoyed because they kept saying our flight was on time but the plane didn’t even show up until 5 minutes after we were supposed to depart, then they had to unload those passengers and clean. If you’re going to be late, can’t you at least be honest and update the monitors with delayed so I can do something other than sit at the gate and wait?
martymankins – Wow. The airlines sure don’t give you anything anymore. Now they act like WE are inconveniencing THEM. I feel that way almost every time I fly! 🙁 I hope someday, an airline proves me wrong.
Jenn – Do they think we are dumb? If we DON’T see a plane, we KNOW we are not leaving on time. And I wish they would tell us WHY it is so late, even if it is something minimal. The airlines make me feel like I am left in the dark.
More surprised when they’re on time. Hell, on my return trip from Florida a week and a half ago, the first leg to Charlotte was 15 minutes early. The second leg back to O’Hare was 45 minutes early. I nearly exploded.
Shouldn’t you be happy that your flight back to Chicago was delayed? It meant that you got to spend extra time with your incredibly annoying and obnoxious brother-in-law!
kapgar – HOLY SMOKES!!! I am flabbergasted 🙂
Andrew – I would have been happy that the flight was delayed if I didn’t have to get up at 5:30 the next day… and if we actually had come up with something to do during that time… hey, did you get Guitar Hero yet?!?!?
Um. Yeah. Read my post today. You’ll get my drift.
I don’t fly, or try not too- it scares me something awful! However, I find that I expect the worst, and am usually pleasantly surprised when something actually goes the way it should…
But if it was super late, I can see how you’d be PO’d. 🙁