United sucks. Stuck in the land of incarcerated governors.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Dinner, any opinion on the San Jose International Airport?

Not that I'm Oerdin, and I haven't flown into or out of San Jose for years, but for some flights it's a very decent low hassle alternative to flying through SFO or Oakland. Since it's the #3 regional airport (#4 if you count Sacramento, which is pretty nice), it doesn't have huge traffic but still has plenty of regional flights through Southwest.

[Dinner]

Dinner, any opinion on the San Jose International Airport?

I actually drove up to San Jose last friday because they wanted an obscene amount for last minute travel especially considering the flight lasts only 45 minutes. I drove up the I5 and cut across to Los Gatos (where my interview was), spent the night in Los Gatos (nosing around Cupertino and Mountain View) before heading south on US Highway 1. I went through Santa Cruz, stopped off for lunch and to do some tourist stuff in Monterrey, before cutting back across to Highway 101. I spent the night in Santa Barbara visiting friends (we went out for dinner, had some beers & wine, then my friend, his girlfriend, and I watched two of the new Batman movies). On Sunday morning I traveled south back to San Diego stopping off in Ventura to nose around and do tourist stuff.

[regexcellent]

And I'm back in Rochester. There's snow on the ground. God only knows how much is on my car. :suicide:

e: Belay that, it's also sleeting.

[Dinner]

Not that I'm Oerdin, and I haven't flown into or out of San Jose for years, but for some flights it's a very decent low hassle alternative to flying through SFO or Oakland. Since it's the #3 regional airport (#4 if you count Sacramento, which is pretty nice), it doesn't have huge traffic but still has plenty of regional flights through Southwest.

There is a ton of construction at Oakland and has been for damn near 10 years. That said, I can't find any more faults with Oakland as there are plenty of runways, lots of airlines servicing it, and even enough baggage carousels. Southwest Airlines even offers dirt cheap flights into the bay area out of Oakland so that it has become my preferred bay area airport. Sure, SFO is more convenient, closer to where I am going, and has much nicer art exhibits (public art as well as fancy design is something SF simply excels at) but Oakland is often cheaper by half and BART offers great service at rock bottom prices so as long as I can spare an hour I will take Oakland every time as flights are cheaper and there are simply more airlines flying to it despite SFO ostensibly being the more major airport.

I'm with MtG that Sacramento has a damn fine airport and I am at a lose to explain why. Other than politicians for the state government few people seem to travel through there yet, I guess because of said politicians, the city has a massive and fully up to date airport with plenty of nice little add-ons built at taxpayer expense. Tons of shops and restaurants despite the low volume of flights (compared to SFO or LAX or San Diego). I can only guess the state legislature flies through there so much they write in pork just for Sacramento airport.

[MrFun]

I actually drove up to San Jose last friday because they wanted an obscene amount for last minute travel especially considering the flight lasts only 45 minutes. I drove up the I5 and cut across to Los Gatos (where my interview was), spent the night in Los Gatos (nosing around Cupertino and Mountain View) before heading south on US Highway 1. I went through Santa Cruz, stopped off for lunch and to do some tourist stuff in Monterrey, before cutting back across to Highway 101. I spent the night in Santa Barbara visiting friends (we went out for dinner, had some beers & wine, then my friend, his girlfriend, and I watched two of the new Batman movies). On Sunday morning I traveled south back to San Diego stopping off in Ventura to nose around and do tourist stuff.

Okay. So you have used the airport. Now ..... what's your opinion?

[MrFun]

Not that I'm Oerdin, and I haven't flown into or out of San Jose for years, but for some flights it's a very decent low hassle alternative to flying through SFO or Oakland. Since it's the #3 regional airport (#4 if you count Sacramento, which is pretty nice), it doesn't have huge traffic but still has plenty of regional flights through Southwest.

The one time I have used San Jose International Airport, I had a good impression of it as well.

[Dinner]

I, honestly, haven't used San Jose Airport much as on the rare occasion I have to travel to the area it is usually on business and that means I am expensing all the travel costs. My employers typically prefer me to fly into either Oakland or SFO as those are much cheaper and near by so I can rent a car/truck from there are it is less expensive than paying double to fly into San Jose. The hour long drive isn't all that bad and it typically saves around $300-$400.

[MrFun]

I see

[The Mad Monk]

3 On Your Side: Thrown Off United Flight For Taking Photo
March 6, 2013 5:26 PM

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — For most travelers, taking pictures is part of having a good trip. But for one frequent flier, taking a photo caused some turbulence he didn’t quite expect. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan has the details.

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Matthew Klint loves to travel and has racked up nearly a million airline miles. After settling into a business class seat on a United flight from Newark to Instanbul last month, he did what he normally does for his travel blog: He pulled out his iPhone and took a picture of the empty seat in front of him.

The video monitor on the back of the seat read “Welcome aboard, sit back, relax and enjoy your flight.”

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Unfortunately that wasn’t going to happen. As Klint recalls, “The flight attendant runs over and says, ‘You can’t take a picture.’”

Klint says he was told by the flight attendant that photo-taking violating United’s policy. It’s a policy that appears in small print in the airline’s in-flight magazine. It reads:

The use of still and video cameras, film or digital, including any cellular or other devices that have this capability, is permitted only for recording personal events. Photography or audio or video recording of other customers without their express prior consent is strictly prohibited. Also, unauthorized photography or audio or video recording of airline personnel, aircraft equipment or procedures is always prohibited. Any photography (video or still) or voice or audio recording or transmission while on any United Airlines aircraft is strictly prohibited, except to the extent specifically permitted by United Airlines.

“United’s photo policy is geared towards protecting the privacy of other passengers, and I appreciate that, and I wasn’t taking pictures of other passengers or the flight crew,” says Klint.

He says he immediately put away his iPhone and tried to explain what he was doing to the flight attendant.

“I said, ‘Look, I am a traveler. I am not a terrorist, I write about airline stuff all the time. Here is one of my business cards,’ and she sort of forced a smile on her face and said, ‘I didn’t know that,’ and she refused to take a card, but she walked away,” Klint explains.

The next thing Klint knew, a gate agent was escorting him off the plane. But before doing so, Klint was able to speak briefly with the captain. He says, “The captain is quite rude, and he says, essentially, ‘I don’t want to hear you, get off the plane before I call the police.’”

Klint adds, “It was quite embarrassing, just grabbing my bag and just making that walk forward with all eyes on me.”

After exiting the aircraft, Klint was rebooked by gate agents on another flight scheduled for 45 minutes after his original departure. He says the gate agents were very accommodating, but says it wasn’t until days later — after posting his experience on his travel blog — that United management reached out to him. He says he never received an apology from United but was offered some modest compensation for the change in his travel plans.

“It’s really not about me anymore, it’s about making sure this doesn’t happen to any other passenger going forward,” Klint says.

When 3 On Your Side asked United for an explanation as to why Klint was removed from the plane, we never received an answer. Instead, we were sent this general statement about their policy:

We welcome customers to record their personal experiences on board provided they don’t take photos or videos of customers and crewmembers without their consent. This is both a security and service measure we take that also respects the privacy of other customers. United’s policy was implemented in 2010.

To check out Matthew Klint’s detailed account of his experience, and to add your comments to the hundreds of comments that he has received so far, visit his blog at: Matthew Klint’s Blog

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/03/06/3-on-your-side-thrown-off-united-flight-for-taking-photos/

[Alexander's Horse]

United is so bad I actually have anti-semitic bad thoughts whenever Jeff Smisek appears. United is hurting my soul.

[Dinner]

I remember a few years back when United got embarrassed when it left planes fully boarded sitting on the tarmac for 8 hours for what was supposed to be a very short flight. The result was the toilets were over flowing on to the bathroom floors and several customers took photos which they later posted online. Not by chance right after that incident United put in place its no photos policy so it is absolutely crystal clear the policy exists entirely just to cover United's butt and to prevent bad press due to their horrible service.

It's just another reason to never fly United because they've made it obvious they don't consider their passengers to be valued customers and instead are just obstacles to be put up with.

[Wiglaf]

United

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/06/travel/united-flight-delay-dying-mother/index.html

(CNN) -- If Kerry Drake missed his connecting flight, he wouldn't get to the hospital in time to say goodbye to his mother.
Drake got the news on the morning of January 24 that his mother, who had been ill for years from rheumatoid arthritis and had been especially sick the last four months, was dying.
To get to his mother in Lubbock, Texas, the San Francisco resident booked a United Airlines flight, with only 40 minutes between connecting flights in Houston. When his first flight was delayed, Drake thought he would miss his connecting flight to Lubbock, the last one of the day.
Sometimes, airlines go the extra mile
He started crying, obviously distraught. The flight attendants brought napkins for his tears, said they would do what they could to help, and most importantly, got his connecting flight information to the captain, he told CNN.
When he got off the airport train and was running toward the gate, "I was still like maybe 20 yards away when I heard the gate agent say, 'Mr. Drake, we've been expecting you,'" he said.
With the information from the flight attendants, the captain had radioed ahead about Drake's situation, and the Lubbock crew had delayed departure to get him on board.
Until that point, Drake had been rushing on adrenaline to make the flight. Finally sitting on that second airplane, he realized how much had gone into helping him get on that plane. "I was overcome with emotion," he said.
Even his luggage arrived on time. The Houston ground crew made sure of it.
He made it to the hospital in time to see his mother. "At one point she opened her eyes, and I think she recognized me," said Drake, who spent the night at the hospital. "Around 4 a.m. she had a real moment of coherence, a last rally, although we didn't know it at the time. It was the last time."
She died that morning.
Employees working together
Drake wrote to United Airlines upon his return to ensure that the flight attendants, pilots, gate agents and baggage handlers who helped him that day were thanked for their service. His story made it into an employee newsletter as an example of what employees could do. "Our employees really worked together that day to help this customer," said United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy.
"This almost never happens," wrote Christopher Elliott

[MrFun]

So I have to have a long distance dying family member in order to get excellent service from United.

United

[Wiglaf]

Still researching Abe Lincoln in a library, fruitcake?

[MrFun]

it's Mister Fruitcake