Tarmac delays

One of my flights this spring was delayed for an hour while the staff kicked all the drunk passengers off the 'plane. It was a morning flight.

J. Reply to this

My worst was with American Airways this summer for three hours. We taxied to the end of the runway only to drive back to the airport. Apparently the temperature had risen by one degree which meant we were too heavy to take off (if anyone understands that please explain it to me - seems the stupidest excuse imaginable to me!) So to lighten the load they had to find six volunteers to get off and take a later flight. They finally got the volunteers and had to unload them then search for their luggage. Once this was finally done we taxied again but once again had to return due to a 'technical fault'. This means another hour sat waiting while they fixed it. All this waiting naturally meant we'd missed our slot to take off and had to wait another half hour for a space before finally taking off a full three hours late. The worst of this was the six people who volunteered to get off not only got $500 flight vouchers to volunteer but actually ended up on a flight that took off before us. Luckily there were no screaming babies on the flight. Reply to this

I sat on the tarmac at Heathrow waiting to fly to Cairo in June for an hour. The flight moved off late as it was, then sat on the tarmac for an hour waiting to take off. Wouldn't have been so bad but there was a problem with the air con used when the plane was on the ground, it was a hot day in London meaning the plane was VERY hot. Luckily I had a big bottle of water with me Reply to this

.....had to return due to a 'technical fault'

I think news about technical faults would also encourage me to volunteer to take a later flight. Reply to this