A Real-Time Map of Travelers Suffering From the Thanksgiving Storm

Daniel_Stuckey writes "Travel officials expect about 3 million people to venture by plane to their turkey dinner, and already hundreds of flights have been canceled and thousands delayed—including more than a third of routes at the major airport hub in Dallas, which will have a ripple effect down through the airline system as thwarted passengers try to hop on other flights. This inspired flight-tracking site FlightAware to develop an interactive 'Misery Map' visualizing flight statuses in real-time and the megastorm traversing the country simultaneously. Because who doesn't love a little data viz schadenfreude?"

Comments

TSA Misery Map

[MonkeyDancer]

Missing Option: TSA Misery Map

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Anonymous Coward]

Just look at the globe. That's the TSA Misery Map.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[GodfatherofSoul]

It's called a depth chart; scaled to inches.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[bleh-of-the-huns]

I don't have a TSA problem.. I fly twice a week every week.. I get to go to the front of the line at some airports, or have my own line at others.. security never takes me more than 10 minutes, and that's at BWI.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Shakrai]

I've flown four times this year, with a fifth flight next week (way above my average to date, was lucky to fly once every five years until now....) and I haven't had any problems with TSA. Part of that is probably the small cities I'm flying out of (*), or maybe they're just polite because I'm usually checking a firearm (**). The millimeter wave scanning machines are pretty neat to see in action, from a techie point of view (not going into the politics of it....), and I laughed my ass off when I discovered they had opened my checked baggage and neatly re-organized it when putting it back together. I don't know who you are anonymous TSA person, but please teach me how to fold shirts like that... ;)

(*) Flying out of small cities like Binghamton or Wilkes Barre is the cat's meow. Show up 10 minutes before boarding starts, walk through security without a line, hop directly on the plane when they start boarding.

(**) Flying with a handgun is even better. You get to sit there while they inspect the checked baggage in front of you, bullshit about firearms with the guy TSA assigns this duty (usually knowledgeable about the subject matter), and know that they aren't going to reopen your luggage again for the duration of this trip.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[CohibaVancouver]

Just look at the globe. That's the TSA Misery Map.

Not at all. If you fly from Vancouver to Toronto, when you go through security no one is going to ask you to 'state your name,' your shoes will stay on your feet and you'll pass through a metal detector, not a nude-o-scope.

It's only America that has consented to the TSA.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[AK Marc]

I've not flown with a handgun since 9/11. What's the process now? Before I had to fill out a piece of paper to put in my luggage that would notify any searchers that the handgun was declared, and when answering the "do you have any firearms" question, of course I had to say "yes". There were some follow-up questions about the case it was in and ammunition. But the bags went into the regular pool of bags from there.

As for the regular bag inspections, it always looks like they open the bag just enough to slip in the paper indicating I was inspected. I think that's to give the impression that they search everything, while searching nothing.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Anonymous Coward]

Why do you feel a need to take a gun with you?

Re: TSA Misery Map

[Anonymous Coward]

Nothing in Canada worth bombing

Re:TSA Misery Map

[LongearedBat]

I've not flown with a handgun since 9/11. What's the process now?

That depends on what kinds of snakes will be on the plane.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Shakrai]

It needs to be unloaded (duh) and secured in a hard sided opaque case that's kept within your checked baggage. I use the lockbox that I bought for my car, it's just a cheap little metal box that locks, and they've never complained about it. They may also want you to have lockable luggage, it's not required by the regulations, but the one time I flew without a lock they made a small stink about it and "secured" the luggage with cable ties.

Not much to it once you've met the basic requirements. You declare it to to ticket attendant, who has you sign the "unloaded firearms" declaration, which is just a thick piece of cardboard that goes inside the luggage. After this the process seems to vary based on airport, most of the time they'll call a TSA agent over, who manually inspects the luggage in your presence, declares it good, and sends it on its way. I have seen them send it through the machine and call it good, but that's been the exception in my experience, not the rule. My assumption is they do the manual inspection at airports where they lack automated technology good enough to discern the difference between GSR and actual explosives. I think I was in Salt Lake City when they sent it through the machine, and they had a lot of toys there I haven't seen in other airports. They always tell me to listen to the PA system in case they have to call me, presumably to open the lockbox, but I've never had it happen.

Ammunition needs to be carried in something that keeps it covered. They don't specifically state that you're required to use the original packaging, but that's the easiest way. You can allegedly keep loaded magazines, so long as they're in a magazine pouch or something else that covers the feed lips, but I've never tried it. I have a 1911 with single-stack magazines, and they're not that hard to reload when I reach my destination.

Regarding regular inspections, I guess YMMV. I've only had my bag opened once, and it was pretty apparent that they had gone to the trouble to take nearly everything out. Nothing was where I had left it, and they had actually repacked it better than I had originally done. I invested in one of the TSA locks, that they can open with a master key, with the green/red indicator that trips when opened that way, and it's only been tripped that one time.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Anonymous Coward]

And the frequent flyer privilege you have is relevant to the rest of us reading this because....?

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Shakrai]

That doesn't change the firearm you carry, just the ammunition. ;)

Think shotshells instead of JHP.... they're actually a lot of fun to play with, .45 shotshells + wasp nests = good times for all (except those with six legs and stingers...)

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Anonymous Coward]

Why do anti-gun people feel the need to ask this question every single time the subject comes up?

Re:TSA Misery Map

[CohibaVancouver]

Why do anti-gun people feel the need to ask this question every single time the subject comes up?

Because it's puzzling to us and we continue to seek out someone, anyone, who can explain it to us.

As a Canadian, our country has many, many cultural traits in common with the USA. However, what boggles my mind most about Americans Is the whole âgun thing.â(TM) I just donâ(TM)t get it. I live in Vancouver, I donâ(TM)t own a gun and amongst my wide circle of friends I only know one person who owns a gun (and heâ(TM)s a police officer). Now certainly my friends in rural parts of Canada own long guns for hunting, but thatâ(TM)s different. In Canada to buy a gun you need to be licensed, the same way you do to drive a car or own a dog. To Canadians this seems perfectly reasonable and the fact that many of my American friends go bananas if you even suggest such a thing is a complete and utter head-scratcher to us.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Anonymous Coward]

Translation:

I'm so smug that I don't have eat as much shit as others that it actually taste good.

Don't feel bad. It's not you personally. The general public tends to think this way, including myself.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Livius]

Wrong.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[sl4shd0rk]

TSA Misery Map

Just add the green and red together and multiple by anal probe.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[bleh-of-the-huns]

Exactly, when it comes to airports, it is every person for themselves. Even nice people turn into assholes at the airport.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Shakrai]

As a Canadian, our country has many, many cultural traits in common with the USA

There's also a lot of differences. Speaking broadly, Americans tend to be more individualistic than Canadians. You can see this manifest itself in all manner of issues, firearms being just one. The historical and cultural reasons for this difference are many, and would be a long discussion best conducted in person, over beer. :)

Now certainly my friends in rural parts of Canada own long guns for hunting, but thatâ(TM)s different.

You don't know a single person that owns firearms for reasons other than hunting? Target shooting is nearly as popular in Canada as the United States, and you've got some of the same practical shooting leagues (IDPA) we do. I think this speaks more to your own urban-centric viewpoint, not your Canadian citizenship, I could easily see your statement being uttered with "New York City" in place of "Vancouver".

In Canada to buy a gun you need to be licensed, the same way you do to drive a car or own a dog. To Canadians this seems perfectly reasonable and the fact that many of my American friends go bananas if you even suggest such a thing is a complete and utter head-scratcher to us.

I live in a jurisdiction (New York State) that requires licensing of handgun ownership. Most American jurisdictions require licensing to carry concealed. The going "bananas" part can be related to the previous comment about our individualism, a basic distrust of Government, something that isn't in the Canadian DNA, for better or worse. I could share my own opinions on the matter of firearms licensing, but they are rather lengthy.....

Just so you know, I hold Canadian firearms licenses. I procured them back in the day when I was traveling back and forth between Buffalo and Detroit, on a weekly basis. Going through Ontario is the fastest way to make that trip, and for various reasons I wished to have my firearm with me in Detroit. I don't make that trip anymore, but I do shoot in an IDPA league that occasionally has matches in Ontario, so the Canadian licenses still see use. There are two different licenses, a possession and acquisition license, along with an authorization to transport restricted weapons (any handgun is a "restricted" weapon under Canadian law....) Neither license was that hard to get, it was an expensive paper chase, particularly for the ATT license, but in the final analysis it was less onerous than the process of applying for a New York State Pistol License. I've gotten some strange looks from customs when I declare my firearm, in part because they rarely deal with Americans holding a PAL or ATT license (typically Americans bring hunting rifles into Canada, which aren't "restricted" firearms, and they simply pay a fee at the border to make it all legit), but they've never given me any grief about it.

As an amusing anecdote, I've crossed the border more times than I can count, and the differing priorities of Canadian and American customs have always amused the hell out of me. Crossing the border into Canada, first question from the Canadian customs officer: "Do you have any firearms, mace, explosives, pepper spray, brass knuckles, swords, daggers, or knives with you?" Returning to the United States, first question from the American customs officer: "Do you have any alcohol or tobacco with you?" I guess our priorities are different than yours. ;)

Re:TSA Misery Map

[rubycodez]

so your hunter friends never fly to go on hunting trip? Canada is huge. how about competition target shooting? those are reasons to fly with a gun, though when I did target shooting decades ago I would drive because the gear is heavy (gun case with spotting scope, cleaning tools, ammo...who wants to walk through large major city airport with 60+ lbs. box)

Re:TSA Misery Map

[mjwx]

Why do anti-gun people feel the need to ask this question every single time the subject comes up?

Because it's puzzling to us and we continue to seek out someone, anyone, who can explain it to us.

As a Canadian, our country has many, many cultural traits in common with the USA. However, what boggles my mind most about Americans Is the whole âgun thing.â(TM) I just donâ(TM)t get it. I live in Vancouver, I donâ(TM)t own a gun and amongst my wide circle of friends I only know one person who owns a gun (and heâ(TM)s a police officer). Now certainly my friends in rural parts of Canada own long guns for hunting, but thatâ(TM)s different. In Canada to buy a gun you need to be licensed, the same way you do to drive a car or own a dog. To Canadians this seems perfectly reasonable and the fact that many of my American friends go bananas if you even suggest such a thing is a complete and utter head-scratcher to us.

+1.

As an Australian it's pretty much the same, but I know a few more people with guns due to living in a mining town for a few years. However these people are responsible gun owners who have little to no risk of shooting themselves, let alone anyone else. In Australia if you're not a responsible gun owner, you cant own guns.

Same as someone with multiple high range DUI convictions, after a few times in front of a judge the judge decides you aren't fit to drive a car again, ever, in your life.

But watch Americans go nuts over that, impinging on that poor drink drivers right to drive drunk. Its not like they're going to kill someone...

Conversely, domestic air travel in Australia is much nicer, no LAG limits, a simple metal detector, you dont get treated like a crook. It surprised me that applying for an ESTA to travel to the United States required slightly more info than getting an Australian police clearance (working with children clearance and sensitive facilities clearance), the mind boggles that such wholesale disregard for privacy is permitted. Don't know about the Yanks, but I'd wouldn't trade our good air travel for more drink drivers on the road.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[mjwx]

so your hunter friends never fly to go on hunting trip? Canada is huge. how about competition target shooting? those are reasons to fly with a gun, though when I did target shooting decades ago I would drive because the gear is heavy (gun case with spotting scope, cleaning tools, ammo...who wants to walk through large major city airport with 60+ lbs. box)

Its probably the same as Australia. You can fly with weapons but they have to be declared before hand. Ammunition is a different story, airlines reserve the right to flat out refuse to carry it.

Buying ammo at your destination is usually a better option

Re:TSA Misery Map

[CohibaVancouver]

Target shooting is nearly as popular in Canada as the United States

*Shrug* - I have friends in all the major Canadian cities and, other than my 2 police officer friends, I don't know anyone who does target shooting with handguns. The only people who talk about it on my Facebook feed are my American friends. And again, from our perspective, it sounds kinda wacky: "Let's take a device I can hold in my hand that's precisely engineered to kill people and shoot it at an outline of a person." It's like something out of a dystopia, not a civilized nation, which is why the whole American 'gun thing' is a puzzling head-scratcher.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Shakrai]

It's like something out of a dystopia, not a civilized nation, which is why the whole American 'gun thing' is a puzzling head-scratcher.

*shrug*, from my perspective it's even stranger that Canada won't even permit her citizens to carry pepper spray for self-defense, a right that all human beings have, one that's recognized both in our 2nd Amendment and the Universal Declaration. Weapons of any sort are simply equalizers, that allow the physically weak to defend themselves against the physically strong, when appropriate. Some may question the wisdom of the United States, wherein law abiding citizens can carry lethal weaponry in public, but I find the total prohibition on any sort of weaponry to be equally extreme and counterproductive.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[CohibaVancouver]

It's simply a numbers game. If you allow people to carry [weapon X] then statistically more innocent people will get [harmed] by [weapon X] than 'victims' will have needed [weapon X] to protect themselves. Many more innocent children in the USA are shot by guns in the house than intruders ever are.

Re:TSA Misery Map

[Shakrai]

Many more innocent children in the USA are shot by guns in the house than intruders ever are.

More children drown in swimming pools than die from gunshots...

Great idea for a graphic

[GodfatherofSoul]

I love these clever UIs that maximize visual cues. I would like to see a 3rd pie slice separating delays and cancellations, though.

Re:Great idea for a graphic

[bleh-of-the-huns]

The right side of the screen with the bar chart has a | separating delays and cancellations.

Re:Great idea for a graphic

[nullchar]

This is d3.js at it's finest.

The code is very readable with decent comments like:
// This is O(n^2), but arrays are small, so whatever
function merge_destinations(a, b) { ...

the press greased the skids for Obamacare

[Anonymous Coward]

http://dailycaller.com/2013/11/25/how-the-press-greased-the-skids-for-obamacare/

"the details in Hillary’s plan, including the fact any doctor treating a patient outside of the government system was subject to a $10,000 fine.

President Clinton was asked about that in a press gathering and, stunned, he looked at an aide and asked if that was in the bill. ...
The press did its job and the public was informed.

The more the public knew the less they supported the proposal and as public support declined politicians began to walk away. The bill never came to a vote in a heavily Democrat-controlled Congress. ...
The Republican bill was never considered in the Democrat-controlled House. If you do not know about the Republican proposals you are forgiven. It was never given serious attention by the press.

The constant whine that Republicans have no proposal continues to be another one of the big lies – and the press knows it.

Contrary to common belief, there was never much of a fight between Republicans and Democrats on the bill. The Democrats had the votes and everyone on the team remained in lock step. ...
The Justice Department has filed a court brief saying that the majority of group policies will likely be cancelled. We are now talking about 75 to 125 million people losing their health coverage. You didn’t know that, did you?"

And you douchenozzles support Obama for dictator. Genuis!

http://pjmedia.com/zombie/2013/11/26/obama-be-a-dictator/

Only idiots even attempt it

[slashmydots]

If you want to get to a place on time at the same time as everyone else, flying will not do it. Either leave before most people do or take other means of transportation. You'd have to be a complete idiot or new to flying to not know that.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[MoonFog]

For most people that's not an option though, since they leave as soon as they can after work and for many there are no alternatives to airplanes. Basically, they're idiots for moving so far away from their families they can't get to them in a short drive and idiots for not getting themselves jobs where they have a flexible schedule? Either that or you have an incredible naive way of looking at the world.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[somersault]

That applies to driving too, if you're in a big city. Sometimes you'd be better off walking to your destination.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

And get stuck in a 4-hour traffic backup during a snowstorm in the mountains? Yeah, that will do. Remember that airplanes can fly over storms, while motorists must drive through them.

Many parts of the interstate highway system exceed capacity during the Thanksgiving getaway days, leaving travelers to seek other options.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[mythosaz]

The documentary, Planes Trains and Automobiles has a great deal of information on the subject.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

Either that or you have an incredible naive way of looking at the world.

Well, this is Slashdot where so many clear lines are drawn in the morality sand. Not too many shades of grey around here, viz. some of the hero-worship of certain figures and topics.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[tlhIngan]

If you want to get to a place on time at the same time as everyone else, flying will not do it. Either leave before most people do or take other means of transportation. You'd have to be a complete idiot or new to flying to not know that.

Well, other than the dangers of flying into the storm, flying is a perfectly valid option. Of course, flying commercially will probably lead to pain, but there's nothing wrong with being a pilot and flying your own plane to your destination. (And given there are generally a lot more smaller airports, you may end up at a nice one really close to your intended destination).

Avoids TSA hassles, cattle herding of self-loading cargo, etc.

For most people that's not an option though, since they leave as soon as they can after work and for many there are no alternatives to airplanes. Basically, they're idiots for moving so far away from their families they can't get to them in a short drive and idiots for not getting themselves jobs where they have a flexible schedule? Either that or you have an incredible naive way of looking at the world.

There's several solutions. First of all, instead of trying to make it last minute, plan ahead. It's not like we cannot tell when Thanksgiving will be next year to go and plan some time off.

Heck, enough people do it that the weekend before is actually peak travel season where security and all that can be expected to take hours.

Given the entirety of the US shuts down for thanksgiving, and you can easily detect the slowdown a week before, time off should be fairly easy to obtain. The only reason would be if you're on pager duty or in an occupation where there has to be coverage 24/7.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

Either leave before most people do or take other means of transportation.

Do you see the logical fallacy that I see?

i.e. If everyone's doing it, everyone should just do something else instead.

More seriously though it may just not be an option for many people, excessive travel time by driving, unreliable vehicle, etc.
Many people have trouble affording a plane ticket at all and may not have the job security to ask for additional days off, my Dad is from Pennsylvania (I grew up in Texas), I think he only traveled back once, when his brother died.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[wcrowe]

I don't know that I'd go so far as to call them "idiots", however, it surprises me that so many people practically kill themselves to get somewhere hundreds of miles away merely to spend a day with their extended family. In my experience, it's something that is highly overrated, and I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. I don't feel the need to go into detail, but it's virtually impossible this year for me to be with family, and I am okay with that. Thanksgiving, like Christmas, has become a holiday filled with obligation and guilt. You MUST be home for Thanksgiving. You MUST buy presents for everyone. It is no wonder that for some, the holidays are nothing more than a time of stress, anger, disappointment and depression.

 

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[bleh-of-the-huns]

As another posted noted, some of us work in places far from our families. Staffing requirements do not always allow for people to just randomly leave in the middle of the short work week. Myself included. I have a 7pm flight tonight.. hoping it is not cancelled, but if it is, well, my only option is a 10 hour drive (which I have a rental car already reserved for just in case)

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[bleh-of-the-huns]

Or some of us are consultants who get put on certain projects for a reason and a particular skillset.

Working away from home has plenty of advantages, financial for example, I expense everything Mon through Friday, hotel, airfare, meals, transport. That saves me around $250 to $300 a week over living at home where parking in DC/VA is stupid expensive, as is gas, and my 2 hour each way commute to do 20 fucking miles.

Also I don't have to deal with changing diapers during the week, but don't tell my wife that :)

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Shakrai]

there's nothing wrong with being a pilot and flying your own plane

Ah, it must be nice to have money....

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't know that I'd go so far as to call them "idiots", however, it surprises me that so many people practically kill themselves to get somewhere hundreds of miles away merely to spend a day with their extended family. In my experience, it's something that is highly overrated, and I know I'm not the only one who feels that way. I don't feel the need to go into detail, but it's virtually impossible this year for me to be with family, and I am okay with that. Thanksgiving, like Christmas, has become a holiday filled with obligation and guilt. You MUST be home for Thanksgiving. You MUST buy presents for everyone. It is no wonder that for some, the holidays are nothing more than a time of stress, anger, disappointment and depression.

Exactly, if I'm going to travel hundreds of miles I better be staying somewhere for a few days to a week at minimum.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[AK Marc]

And an odd sense of safety, flying a small plane in conditions that are delaying the big ones.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Pope]

I don't get American's love for travelling home for Thanksgiving, considering Christmas is only a month away.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

If all the travelling you'll be doing is walking up the stairs out of your moms basement, then you'll not be bothered by the TSA.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

Either leave before most people do

The fucking airlines will jam you up on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of nothing special September, not a holiday or storm in sight. You'd have to be a naive homebody to not know that.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[AK Marc]

And I saw it as a chance for airline QoS. The delays are often because they must space out the planes differently in poor weather. Planes are still flying, but are slowed down when visibility is impaired. So, rather than a FIFO queue, why not a QoS system? Buy a ticket on a "priority" flight, and it will be within 30 minutes of on-time, regardless of weather or mechanical fault (having spare airplanes to put the people on, should a problem arise). They'd have to make special deals with airports to jump the queue to take off on time, but that shouldn't be impossible, right?

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[ColdWetDog]

Being grounded is perfectly safe. Besides, I'd rather hang out at an FBO than a commercial airline terminal most days.....

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[ColdWetDog]

You're getting dangerously close to wanting a leased jet. A really nice leased jet from a company that has lots of capacity and infrastructure. Actually, you're getting close to wanting the Air Force to haul you around.

Goodluckwiththat.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

I couldn't imagine. I can't afford to fly anywhere to see family... never could, let alone get a single present. Much of my family is pretty much the same... and we're better off than lots and lots of people around us. This economy is shit.

Interestingly though, we're all quite happy to not see each other for the holidays :P

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[AK Marc]

And gets you where you are going no faster than "canceled" by the major carriers, which is what prompted this article.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[AK Marc]

I've flown in leased jets before. There are a number of travel agencies that charter a commercial jet from the US to Mexico (Cancun being popular), or Anchorage to HI. Yes, similar to that. And they sell seats on a leased jet. So, why can't the major carriers combine that common practice with a priority status with the airports? Should be easy, just a matter of money.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Shakrai]

Are you kidding? Airport terminals are the bomb. Where else can you go and socialize with people that you'll never have to see again if you (or they) say something stupid? On my last lengthy weather delay I met the following people at the bar, in this order: A homosexual sex therapist, an immigrant from Georgia, a hyperactive porn star who was passing around cell phone photos, a retired Secret Service agent who worked on GWB's detail, and a drunk guy who was flying to Seattle to interview with Microsoft.

Where else can you go and meet that many disparate people in the space of three hours?

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't get American's love for travelling home for Thanksgiving, considering Christmas is only a month away.

I think it's because Christmas was 11 months ago.

Also pumpkin pie. Delicious delicious pumpkin pie.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[CohibaVancouver]

(having spare airplanes to put the people on, should a problem arise)

So you put a 'spare airplane' in Fargo, Sioux City, Spokane, Sacramento, Little Rock, Miwaukee... Sure, that would work.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[ColdWetDog]

A homosexual sex therapist, an immigrant from Georgia, a hyperactive porn star who was passing around cell phone photos, a retired Secret Service agent who worked on GWB's detail, and a drunk guy who was flying to Seattle to interview with Microsoft.

Ah, whatever floats your boat there ... I guess I just like good coffee and poking around in cockpits of Gulfstream V's. But do let us all know how this works out. At the very least, it sounds like the beginning of a good reality TV show plot. We could call it "Airport" or something.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[ColdWetDog]

It would be easy. It is a matter of money. But obviously it hasn't taken off as a business practice. Hell, standing people up like cordword works (Ryan Air) but luxury is a harder sell. Just look at First Class these days (on US airlines anyway) - very few people have bought actual FC tickets. It's largely the $50 upgrade / Frequent Flier / Deadheading crew. If the airlines can't get paying customers to fork over a couple of hundred dollars, it doesn't look like charging a couple thousand extra (which is what this would take) is going to, excuse the expression, fly.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[AK Marc]

You don't offer the service from Boise. The complaints on this particular storm were about DFW and NYC. Do you think they could handle sparing? I know for a fact they have some sparing in DFW. I've been on a "spare" twice flying out of there. They just don't make it a service and quantify it.

Re:Only idiots even attempt it

[AK Marc]

Yes, nobody would ever take a risk. I don't think it would cost as much as you think. I've been on "backup" planes before. They wheeled one out of the hangar to put us on. All they need to do is schedule better and make the arrangements with the airport. One backup plane for 100 flights would add $10 to a $1000 ticket. I'm not sure it's as big of an impact as you think. Especially if they use other routes for backup (the "premium" flight to Chicago is down, so the "low-class" flight is canceled for maintenance reasons, and that plane used to fly the premium flight).

waaaaahh

[BattleApple]

http://www.comedycentral.com/video-clips/1myllo/stand-up-louis-ck--the-miracle-of-flight

delays?

[Anonymous Coward]

this is the first time I have heard of flight delays related to the big storm. thanks for posting the article.

No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[coder111]

Even though time and time again studies show that well rested employees are more productive, people in USA keep working longer hours with fewer holidays. And that is the reason for 80% of those last minute flights.

Why cannot the state mandate that each employee gets X days of holiday per year guaranteed, and is forced to take them? That's how it works in quite a few countries in Europe.

--Coder

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[Shakrai]

Are you seriously trying to take a discussion about a mostly technical issue (airline scheduling) and turn it into a political argument?

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[TheGratefulNet]

our masters would not allow it.

now, stfu and gbtw.

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[ColdWetDog]

Look, at least he isn't whining about a car analogy.

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[Anonymous Coward]

Anytime you ask a WHY question like that.

In the usa (and most places) the answer always is....

MONEY!

Why? Because money!

Or the closely related...

Why? Because fuck you that's why! (which usually boils down to money anyway)

Give easily replaceable cogs a vacation from the machine unless we are forced to? No way! That peon is lucky they have a job at all!

Aint the free market great!

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly. Those CONservatives try to make everything political. They don't understand that other people aren't as irrationally rabid as they are.

The US is killing people early because there are no safety nets. Families have to save whatever they can't so that they won't starve if a company decides to fire them. Any company there can do that without penalty. It isn't like working in a civilized country. Also, even worse than the fact that they have almost no vacation is the fact that they are not allowed to take it. That is the type of world that the Republicans there want to enslave all of us under.

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[erice]

Why cannot the state mandate that each employee gets X days of holiday per year guaranteed, and is forced to take them? That's how it works in quite a few countries in Europe.

Forced employees to take them or forced the employers to allow employees to take them?

Employers would like the former. It removes the PTO from the books quickly and prevents employees from taking enough time off in one block to impact the work. And by making it law, there would be no risk of good employees jumping ship for a better deal.

"X" would also likely be compromised into something barely more than companies typically give now. Remember, this is the country that translated "healthcare for everyone" into "everyone must buy private health insurance"

Re:No-holiday culture in US is to blame

[phantomfive]

They can. The real question is, why haven't they?

Megastorm?

[BobMcD]

This 'megastorm' was a non-event in Dallas. Yes, they messed with flights, but because of the de-icing and general paranoia, rather than any actual weather.

It's an absolutely beautiful, if cold, day outside my window today.

Re:Megastorm?

[AK Marc]

Dallas was always screwed up with icing. They didn't build enough de-icing capacity in, probably because in "normal" weather, they never need it, unlike some other places. Cost a lot more than it would have cost to put the right system in in the first place, but is "billions" to fix now. There were proposals under consideration when I moved away 10+ years ago, but I guess nothing was ever done, not that I expected it.

thankskilling suffering may end soon

[Anonymous Coward]

there'll be music in the air at all times, no more /.censorship free stem cell treatment for everybody who we all are

need to see a ration

[fermion]

Every time I have flown through New England, or had a plane come there, there has always been a delay. On the other hand, flying out of or through other places there is seldom a delay. So what we need is a ratio of number flight that are delayed now to flights to flights that are normally delayed. I think for some places in might look worse, but for other it is just status quo

No problem here

[ArchieBunker]

The news was calling for doom and destruction but it rained all night and maybe had a quarter inch of slush on my car by morning. The temps stayed up and I didn't even have to shovel.

3rd link (Vice.com) has NSFW links

[JTsyo]

Careful on what you click on.

Always avoid ATL

[Ogive17]

If someone sneezes, a flight gets delayed in Atlanta... I do whatever I can to avoid flying through that airport.

Charlotte, NC is miserable in the first place...

[Anonymous Coward]

So it must be really bad.

Of course there are options.

[Anonymous Coward]

There are 8 -12 holidays per year, about 8 are standard federal I think. Most working people get 52 weekends, most of the rest get 25, a few might have fewer or even no weekends but get other days off. Then there is vacation time. Take three days around an off-peak weekend and you have excellent travel options.

Lots of options to get together with family if you think outside the box and realize that federally mandated holidays are not your only choice.

Widely dispersed families could chose to get together on a different day. Not everyone can have the same day off anyway (Nurses, Doctors, medical aides, emergency services, police, military, etc. etc. etc.)

Yes, not everyone can celebrate Thanksgiving with their entire family every year. Especially large families where multiple in-laws have events.

So - get over the ridiculous idea that you can only get together with family on one or two specific days of the year. It's like flex-time and telecommuting logic applied to holidays.

Another cookie cutter thanksgiving

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm staying home this year

Non-American

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm a non-american, so i dont give a shit about Thanksgiving or Megastorms outside the non-american-territory

Re:Non-American

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanksgiving and Megastorms don't give a shit about you either, so there.

Need to know?

[Runaway1956]

One might legitimately ask, "What is your need to know?" Funny thing about the United States constitution - you aren't required to explain why you are exercising a right protected by the constitution.

Missing

[Algae_94]

Hey, my state isn't even on that map you insensitive clods!

sp08ge

[Anonymous Coward]

about bylaws not going tLo play

Terrible time of year to travel

[Anonymous Coward]

We did OK a few times when I was a kid with people driving the Northeast corridor, but we were lucky. I live out West now and braved the passes twice before giving up. If you want to have a big meal with the extended family, consider a Summertime family reunion. You'll have more time, better weather, and not be trying to travel the same time as everybody else.

Most of our Thanksgivings were just with immediate family, and that was fine.

Re:Non-American - also Chanukkah this year

[rubycodez]

bet you have Jews wherever you are, this Thanksgiving is a Thanksgivukkah, last one was 1888 and next one won't be for 79,000 years